5 Sentence Fiction Flame

  

Mia watched out of her bedroom window as she always did when she couldn’t sleep; not looking at anything in particular for it was completely dark and as her eyes adjusted, all she could see were shapes from the garden but they were familiar shapes.  The night was still and Mia clutched her teddy tight to her chest for the little warmth it had; wanting to reach for her blanket, when she saw movement in the next garden; her neighbour, Mr Browne who was so lonely since his wife had left him three weeks before.

She watched, transfixed as she saw him light a small bonfire, the flames feeding on a liquid he had poured over them, flourishing wildly, lighting up the rear of his garden like it was day.

Mia liked the way the orange flames leaped and flickered against the black curtain of night with embers drifting up into the night before petering out and she hoped Mr Browne enjoyed the comfort and warmth as much as she did.  

Her attention was drawn to what Mr Browne did next and Mia let out a muffled gasp as she squeezed her teddy to her face and saw what Mr Browne was throwing on his fire; burying herself under her blankets, Mia couldn’t rid herself of the image of Mrs Browne’s head feeding the ravenous flames. 

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