Fire is majestic. Fire is powerful. Fire is greedy. Fire can have no master. Fire burns with impunity. Fire devours whatever its long fingers of flame can touch. Fire takes no thought to the lives it destroys, nor do these damages weigh on it’s conscience. Once a flame is kindled, its sole thought is to feed. Yet, fire cannot live on its own. Fire needs fuel to devour, oxygen to breathe, but these only intensify its hunger. Fire is never satisfied. Fire is unstoppable.


The man never knew what had set his house on fire, nor did he ever see who had set it, these questions never came to his mind. In fact, this man took little thought to the flames that threatened his life and home. If anything, these flames were a wonder, even as they burned around him.


Maybe it was the powerful nature of the fire that had him fascinated, or maybe it was his ignorance that would not let him believe he was in danger. Though either way, he must have felt the smoke slowly suffocating him. Yet, no matter how high the flames grew, this man felt no sense or reason that caused him to extinguish the flames.


The fire spread to his massive bookshelves. The hundreds of books this man collected were now engulfed in flames. This man had spent years capturing the words of many scholars, but the flames devoured them all. Although, the scholarly wisdom had done him no good, because his knowledge was blinded by his ignorance, even as these flames surrounded him.


The fire crept up his walls, destroying a dozen works of art. Paint sizzled under the heat, the canvas was scorched. Brush strokes from the masters’ hands now fall victim to unsatisfied flame.


The fire continued on into the dining room. Within moments, the flame took both the table and chairs. The table that once had sat a family around it was defenseless to the searing heat.


Still, none of this had been enough to concern the man. He continued to stand idly as his house was destroyed. Walls fell, beams crashed down from the ceiling, but the man ignored.


The fire had him transfixed, it seemed a beautiful thing as it climbed higher. The spiraling smoke mixed with the light from the fire to create glowing towers. The sizzling and cracking of wood seemed to be a terrible symphony.


As now the whole house was engulfed, a whip-like arm of fire swept the mans hand. The man stared in amazement at the burn the flame had left, unbelieving of the mark. Rather, the man did not want to believe, but now the man finally understood. The man stared dumbly at the fire surrounding him, now with the realization of what was happening. For now he could see his home was burning.


The man ran to the sink, quickly filling his cup with water. He attempted to quench the fire with his pitiful cup, but the water disappeared as quickly as he could throw it. His attempts could do nothing to thwart the flames.


Desperately, the man tried to save his home, but any flames that he managed to extinguish were replaced in moments. The flames were now in full force, and he could do nothing to stop their spread. As the house burned, the man was helpless.


The man ran outside, now searching for help. He screamed for someone to save his home, but no one heard him. Because now the flames were all across the town. Now no one could save him, because their houses were on fire, too.