Burned Bones
The Right Hole to Fall Through
“Go away,” I mumble to the voices around me. I receive looks from people passing by. But I could hardly see them, so I paid no mind. I did mind, however, the fire encasing the buildings. The screams of unknown people ringing in my ears. I minded very much.
I minded the people encased in fire running past me. I minded what had happened to me. I minded that every time I looked in a mirror, I saw a half mechanical monster. An experiment.
~
The bone chilling breeze ripped through my thin black long-sleeved shirt as I swung back and forth. It entertained me so. The flames wrapped around the chains of the swings were the only thing that tricked my mind, saying it was not cold outside.
An abrupt push on my back propelled me out of my mind. The flames disappeared, the cold became apparent, and I had my face in chopped up rubber and snow. I faintly heard an apology. I barely turned my head to stare at the owner of the voice. A young boy, my age, but I felt like the youngest.
The man was sitting in the swing next to mine. He stared at me as if asking me to talk to him. I mustered up the strength to get on my feet and trudge into my swing. I moved it a bit with my feet never leaving the ground.
“My name is Bill. Can I ask you something?”
“I suppose,” I replied.
“Can you come here tomorrow? And the next day?”
“I will always be here.”
“Always?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.” With that, he smiled. He moved his feet across the dirt, pushing his swing. I imitated him.
“What’s your name?”
“Alice.”
“Like in Wonderland?”
“I’m not there yet. I have to find the right hole to fall through. All the others have dead ends.”
“I’ll help you!” he piped up. “We can go looking for Wonderland together!”
“A brilliant idea, Bill,” I grinned. The fire was still gone, and despite the falling snow, my heart was warm with happiness.
I minded the people encased in fire running past me. I minded what had happened to me. I minded that every time I looked in a mirror, I saw a half mechanical monster. An experiment.
~
The bone chilling breeze ripped through my thin black long-sleeved shirt as I swung back and forth. It entertained me so. The flames wrapped around the chains of the swings were the only thing that tricked my mind, saying it was not cold outside.
An abrupt push on my back propelled me out of my mind. The flames disappeared, the cold became apparent, and I had my face in chopped up rubber and snow. I faintly heard an apology. I barely turned my head to stare at the owner of the voice. A young boy, my age, but I felt like the youngest.
The man was sitting in the swing next to mine. He stared at me as if asking me to talk to him. I mustered up the strength to get on my feet and trudge into my swing. I moved it a bit with my feet never leaving the ground.
“My name is Bill. Can I ask you something?”
“I suppose,” I replied.
“Can you come here tomorrow? And the next day?”
“I will always be here.”
“Always?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.” With that, he smiled. He moved his feet across the dirt, pushing his swing. I imitated him.
“What’s your name?”
“Alice.”
“Like in Wonderland?”
“I’m not there yet. I have to find the right hole to fall through. All the others have dead ends.”
“I’ll help you!” he piped up. “We can go looking for Wonderland together!”
“A brilliant idea, Bill,” I grinned. The fire was still gone, and despite the falling snow, my heart was warm with happiness.