Pyro

“Stand back! Stand back I say! It’s too dangerous!”
The officer’s warning didn’t stop another group of people from joining the original crowd.

Ka-chik! Ka-chik!

A new month.
Bright orange, engulfing another abandoned building.

Everyone around me seemed to be in a hurry or panicked, but for some reason, I felt calm in the presence of those flames.

It had an intriguing scent…and it was warm.

I caught a glimpse of red from the corner of my eye and turned to look at its source.
He was standing next to me, staring at the fire with a content smile on his face.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it, Alessandro?”

His red scarf seemed to glow brighter than its usual shade, illuminated by the strong, orange light.

I didn’t answer him and looked back to the fire.

One window cracked while another shattered, causing some people in the crowd to exclaim in fear.
The flames finally reached the roof, quickly burning away the material.

I tensed up when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind.
He rested his chin on my shoulder, allowing me to feel his breath ghost against my neck.

He smelt of cigarettes and –strangely enough– cinnamon.

“Why are you—?”
“I told you already. I find you interesting.”

The blood rushed to my cheeks and my body temperature rose as he brought his lips to my ear, exhaling against the lobe.

“I won’t give you my real name. You'll have to wait. But for now, you can call me Pyro.”

He moved away and walked off without another word.

By the time the firemen arrived, the roof had collapsed into the building.
It was now past saving.

I stayed and watched as the firemen tried their hardest to put the flames out.
After an hour, the flames were completely gone, and the town was grey again.

//πυρ//

“The fourth fire…Sure is something…”
“Still think it’s a coincidence, Giov?”

I sat at the usual spot in the café, drinking the usual iced coffee, watching the cashier and the ex-building owner converse.

“Maybe not as much, Marco, but I’m still not making any accusations.”
“I think you’re just trying to block out the truth…”

I decided to tune them out for a second while I went through the pictures I took from the past two fires.
A picture of Pyro came up, causing my cheeks to heat up in an instant.

“What do you think, Alessandro?”
I looked up to see that Giov was talking to me.

“I beg your pardon?”
“Do you think the fire was a coincidence or purposeful?”

I turned off my camera and stood up from my seat, walking towards the door.
Before I left, I turned towards Giov and Marco.

“I have no opinion on whose fault it might be. I just know that those fires add color and life to this dull town.”

A five minute walk.
I came back to the recently burned down building, the smoke still rising from the smoldering remains.

Black. Grey. Horrid.

Ka-chik!

I looked around, but he wasn’t here this time.

I turned off my camera and headed towards my apartment room.
A ten minute walk and I finally arrived.

However, I stopped in front of my door when I saw a rose and a note taped to the door.

‘I want us to get to know each other. Meet me at the rooftop. Saturday. 7:30 A.M.’

— Pyro