Have you ever felt as if your mind was brimming with so much inspiration, too many thoughts, that it would become overwhelmed and just break down? Like a broken clock, dead from too much time? Ha ha. Me neither. I’m way to chill for anything as stressful and intense as that. But one odd day, literally, it was November 19, my zen was disturbed. That was the day when we were taken in by the Fire.

The Fire isn't actually a physical flame, though they burn the same. They are an alien race, and they conquer whole worlds without any weapons what-so-ever. Nope. All they need is for you to feel their presence, and you will slowly become insane. For that’s what fire does. It breaks down civilization. It acts as a drug, toying with the minds of men until they descend into madness. And that’s what happened on November 19.

It started as what appeared ordinary, I woke up to bare trees and a ground of leaves that exemplified everything about winter in Ohio, that is, until the snow took control. I had just made a cup of jasmine tea and was settling into a thick, aged book I had found at a dusty book store. The window was open- I like the smell of morning dew- and a terrible odor began seeping into my cozy living room. Brunt hair. That’s what the smell was. I promptly set my book down and went outside bearing my detective magnifying glass to investigate. (One who wishes to investigate must always carry around such devices, as they are useful to discover clues.)

But alas, my magnifying glass was rendered useless, as I could not locate the source of the smell- it seemed to occupy the entire gray sky, as if the clouds were trapping it in the atmosphere. Having failed as a detective, I went back inside, attempting to ignore the curious smell.

I had just finished the first chapter of my book when I heard the screams. Assuming it was my quarrelsome neighbors having their weekly fight (happens every Tuesday), I tried to ignore the screams that wear so loud I swear Hell itself was plugging its ears. But something seemed off. Usually they yell obscene words so terribly rude those who even hear them are offended. But I heard no unspeakable language. Only screams. Frightened screams. I again grabbed my magnifying glass and rushed outside.

It was again made useless as the sky was as dark and threatening as space itself. So much darkness, and it was only 9:00 am. The air was filled with screams and the smell of burnt hair had was so strong it was hard to breathe. Suddenly a voice that occupied every inch of the earth gave the human race one simple command, “Stop. We've won. Give up. Give up your life, your freedom. There is no hope. You don’t own anything, not even yourselves. Let the world burn.”

That was the beginning of the end of all humanity values- freedom, liberty, truth, everything. The Fire turned us into slaves; they exerted control over us as we had controlled the earth. But we will not submit. The people riot. We will rise again- don’t we always?








-Anonymous