Pyro

He’s gone again.
However, he didn’t leave a note this time.

He’ll come back. He promised.

I made my way up the hilltop, which was wet from the melting snow, and sat on the edge of the cliff.
The white was starting to fade away, allowing the dull grey of the town to appear once again.

Ka-chik!

There was no sign of Marco at the café today – he must still be afraid of Pyro – even though I only stayed there for about twenty minutes.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

What did Marco want to tell me? Why is he so afraid?
What did he do to anger Pyro so much?

I bit down on my lip as I kicked my dangling legs back and forth.

Why did Pyro ask such a question? I won’t stop loving him.
But…

I can’t be too sure, can I?

I still don’t know much about him.

I mentally cursed myself for thinking such a thing.

I can’t doubt my love for him nor his love for me.

However, five months of sweet words and intimacy just isn’t enough.
I want to trust him and I want him to trust me. I want to know more about him.

I want us to be closer, but I don’t want to feel like I’m venturing into a dark tunnel without a light.

I inhaled the crisp air, only to pick up an all-too-familiar scent.

Smoke – stronger than before.

I looked to see a large, dark grey cloud billowing into the air, bright orange flickering underneath it.
I stood up and rushed down the hill, running towards and arriving at the source in about five minutes.

I stood amongst the large crowd, staring up in horror.

My old school, completely engulfed in flames.

I looked around, seeing a mass of students – from primary to secondary – and teachers either crying or comforting one another.

Other bystanders didn’t dare to move.
They had only continue to watch.

“Leo?! Leo?! Has anyone seen Leo?!”

One teacher frantically looked around, constantly asking teachers and other students the same question.
When no one could answer, she assumed the worst.

“Dear God! He still can’t be in there! Please tell me he’s not in there!”

A crew of firemen rushed inside to check for anyone while the fire was still being put out.

Amongst the rising fear and panic, I saw a familiar bright red scarf in the distance and dashed towards it, hoping to see Pyro as well.

However, the scarf was lying on the ground and Pyro was nowhere to be seen.

I picked it up, running my fingers over the fabric – it was slightly singed at the edge.
I started to fear the worst as well.

Did he rush inside to help? Is he trapped in there too?!

I remained where I stood for about thirty minutes, holding his scarf tightly to my chest.

The crowd quickly grew quiet as the group of firemen exited the building – the first one announced that no one else is in the building while the third in line was holding something black and grey in his arms.

As he came closer, the object was made out to be a child, completely burned all over the body.

I winced as I heard the teacher screech in horror. She ran to the fireman holding the body, gingerly taking the charred hand of the child into her own hands.

“No…! No no no…!”
She collapsed to the ground, a sobbing mess, repeating the word over and over again.

“The poor boy. Probably won’t have a proper burial due to his drunkard of a mother.”
An old woman spoke to the person next to her.

I uttered a small prayer for the child before I took my leave.

I no longer see comfort in the flames. I no longer see the beauty that once captivated me.
Now, all I see is destruction and death.

I shook my head in disbelief as I still held tightly onto Pyro’s scarf.

Why was he there? Where could he gone off to?
What happened for him to leave his scarf like that?

I shook the thoughts from my head.

He’s fine.
He’s coming back. He promised.

I hoped to see him when I came back home. I feel that he would sneak in like usual.

However, that idea was gone when I felt myself being pulled back against a strong figure and a white cloth was held against my nose.

“Sorry, Alessandro. I had no other choice.”

A pungent, ether-like scent, and soon, everything faded to black.

//πυρ//

Where am I? Why is it so dark?

I tried to move my hands, but they were bound behind my back.
I tried to move my legs, but they were bound together at the ankles.

There was something tied around my eyes – most likely a blindfold – which explains why I can’t see.

I heard the sound of keys and footsteps, and soon the panic started to kick in.
I furiously struggled against the rope, hoping to free myself somehow.

The footsteps continued until they stopped near me.

I flinched when I felt a cold, calloused hand on my cheek, a thumb of the same texture brushing against it.
I opened my mouth to scream, only to have it covered by another calloused hand.

“Shh. Don’t scream. I’m sorry that it had to come to this, Alessandro, but you wouldn’t listen.”

The man removed the calloused hand from my cheek, only to slide it under my shirt, pushing the fabric up with it.
The thumb met with my nipple, brushing slowly against it.

I squirmed under his touch and screamed, regardless the hand covering my mouth.

“Don’t waste your breath. No one is going to hear you.”

A dark chuckle followed by a slimy tongue tracing its way down to my navel.

I shivered and tried to struggle away, only to have something strike me on the cheek.
I whimpered as tears escaped, disappearing into the blindfold.

His hand moved to the button of my jeans, causing me to struggle and scream.

“No, don’t—!”

The calloused hand was clasped over my mouth again as the other hand slid into my underwear.

I stopped struggling. I only cried as he had his way with me.

No sympathy. No remorse.
Just sick laugher and pain.

He finished and moved away, leaving the bottom-half of my body exposed.

“You should have listened, Alessandro. I wouldn’t have had to do this if you just listened to me.”

And he was gone.

I struggled with the restraints, but managed to pull my underwear back on.
The tears were non-stop and I would sniffle ever so often.

I sniffled again, but caught the scent of something familiar – cigarette fumes and cinnamon.

Somehow, after the horror I endured, that was enough to lull me to sleep.