Her Poor Gasoline Heart

This story was originally published in "The Fictioneer's Treasure Trove" on Medium.

Every last boat belonging to the Fire People’s Southwestern Tribe has set sail, on their way to deliver loads of slaves to the Northeastern Tribes. So, the last group of enslaved Gasoline People must be transported by Hot Air Balloon. Many of the Fire People feel perfectly at home on the 500-foot-long hot air balloon, but Smelvin has always felt uncomfortable on it, despite the fact that he helped to build it.

But right now, this doesn’t faze him. He is entranced by the dancing Gasoline beauty, Daenera. Despite the fact that she and her family are being sold into slavery, they all sing, and she cannot stop dancing. Her positivity is marvelous. Their eyes lock. Smelvin feels a spark.

“Daenera!” Smelvin holds up his pet mourning dove, the one animal that can withstand the flames of the Fire People. “I dove you love you!”

Daenera smiles but everyone else aboard the Hot Air Balloon cracks up with laughter. Smelvin blushes behind his glowing ember cheeks. It sounded great in his head.

Smelvin’s two brothers approach, laughing louder than everyone. Timotheen and Bradz.

“Oh boy, here he goes with another one!” Timotheen screams with laughter.

“He’s going to blow up one more for a hat trick!” Bradz chortles and everyone on the balloon laughs even louder.

Yes, it’s true. Smelvin has fallen in love with two Gasoline Women in the past. In trying to rescue them from the slave trade, he proclaimed his love for them, and attempted the “connecting of hearts” ritual as one does when they wish to marry another. Of course, as much as Smelvin wished his love would allow the ritual to complete, it never resulted in anything other than Smelvin exploding their poor gasoline hearts.

“Why don’t you find yourself a nice Fire Girl?” Timotheen would prod Smelvin.

“Or at the very least, one of those rich girls from the Electric Tribe on the islands.” Bradz would suggest.

It’s true, Fire People can connect hearts with other Fire People, Electric People, and people from a few other tribes. But the Gasoline People were the least compatible. As is evidenced by Smelvin tragically exploding the hearts of his last two former loves. But he couldn’t help himself. The heart wants what the heart wants, minus the exploding arteries. Daenera continues with her dancing, eyes locked on Smelvin. She and every young Gasoline Woman he had ever met had intoxicating ways of moving, and an even more intoxicating smell.

Smelvin approaches. He opens the gated door to the chambers which hold the Gasoline People. Daenera doesn’t speak, but she exits. Smelvin closes the door.

“I wish to connect our hearts.” Smelvin states.

“But without someone from the Wind People Tribe to officiate, your flames will be too much for my heart.” Daenera says.

“Do you love me as I love you?” Smelvin asks.

“More.”

“Then, let’s put the wind and this Fire-God-Forsaken Balloon at our backs.”

Smelvin motions towards the edge of the balloon. Hand in hand, the two head to the edge of the balloon, embrace, and jump off the side.

Embracing, they drop at breakneck speeds from unspeakable heights. Gasps are hardly heard from the balloon as they drop. The wind blows fiercely as they fall while in each other’s arms. Smelvin’s flames flicker and shrink. He nods at Daenera. She nods back.

She opens her chest plate, he opens his. He grabs the long artery attached to his burning heart, extends it towards hers, and attaches it. There is an initial bursting feeling, all too similar to those that Smelvin has felt in the past. But the fiercely blowing wind pushes back the flames. It minimizes them. It stops Daenera’s gasoline heart from exploding. And the ritual is complete. The two are connected… as they plummet towards the Earth.

“Even just a moment to be connected to you is worth it.” Daenera smiles.

“I agree.” Smelvin looks down, the Earth getting closer.

He cranes his neck towards her and they kiss just before they impact the ground. A beautiful explosion of a myriad of colors blasts out of their lips and stretches out for miles across the surface of the Earth. A crater is made in the dirt… smoke and dust billows… cages holding imprisoned Gasoline People are broken open and former slaves are free once again. The Gasoline People flee the scene, screaming excitedly. In the middle of it all, stands the kissing couple, Smelvin and Daenera, unharmed by the impact of the world, unharmed by the explosion. Nothing can penetrate their love.

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