Fire licks my palm like a happy little pup,
Creates an ice sheen over the future-telling lines

Empowered as I am,
I see what they've been saying all along

Streams of water remind me of home,
And the fire continues on, beyond my grasp

It races through the beloved trees
Tresses of flames like those of hair,
Glowing, illuminating, sweeping beyond my measures

Leaves crumple to bits, and it's vague,
But there-
Why am I not trying to stop this?

I look again at my hand,
It's disappearing and so is the world around me...

This is where I wake to find
My door bolted by walls of flame and locks of ash
And my shut-tight window the only escape

I scream, whimper, cry, but soon gather
Courage to jump, jump, JUMP

Enough time to drag my leg-I think it's broken
Enough desperation to bang on a neighbor's door,
Enough sense to look around the thick night
Enough fear to forget that I'm barely dressed

Haze of smoke chokes my air paths
Groping fingers shoving down my throat

And I succumb
I'm still there though,
Floating above like mist does on wind

From this bird's view,
I see them carry off charred pieces of flesh
Human sized

I hear them shout in surprise:
"This one is still alive!"
Vulture-like ghosts descend on my still-grounded body 

Then I'm not there anymore
....

The heaviness is back in my limbs
And my eyes are opened unceremoniously

And Loud voices are shouting at me
"What's your name?"
"Did you have any other family in that fire?"

"Who were your parents?"
Were. 
Were.
WERE.

My world stops spinning, and I scarcely breathe 
"My brother?"

I ask, my voice is choked- a croak, cracked-
But I don't care

I stare intently at the last white vulture left in the room
Strings of desperation holding me up, 
Marionette that I am.

She's the puppeteer,
All the power in her hands

Sighs, smiles barely, preparing, I'm sure, to sharpen the hurt.

"Honey, do you realize how many bodies we found in that house?"

My first instinct: "I'm not your honey."

Then, "He had a friend over." 
A whisper came out, but I was the only one who could have said it.
"Please please please please please please please PLEASE"

Everything was blurry, shapeless with salt water

"Your brother, I believe, anyway that he is your brother, is alive.
His friend is not."

A breath let out. 
Maybe, maybe, maybe...

"Neither are your parents, dear."