Face In The Fire

• Harriet O'connor-ludowyke, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2011

Face in the Fire

Here I am collecting fire wood with my very unhelpful sister. But I don’t mind getting the fire wood cause I love the fire it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. But one day my fire loving paid off because something very special happened to me and changed the way I looked at a fire forever.
It all started yes, when I was collecting fire wood in the caravan park for our fire. Emily was complaining I was about to crack at her and then, “ow what the…” I stubbed my toe on something “I told you to wear shoes dummy” Emily sniggered “will you just be quiet and leave me alone for a minute?” I almost yelled. That had her; she went off crying to the caravan if she could even find it. I bent down and discovered I had stubbed my toe on a lighter, a very pretty lighter with blue swirls, no wait a blue fire. Dad said he was out of matches but he was sure to have a lighter oh well I will keep it. When I thought I had enough firewood, on the way back I saw these really good dead little pinecones. I collected them all and headed back. “Alice, why is Emily crying?” mum asked “probably because she wasn’t helping and is the most annoying person ever!” I said “well say sorry” mum ordered “do I have to?” “Yes” “whatever, sorry Emily” I spat out “I put your tent up” mum said. I got my tent for my tenth birthday. While the whole family is in the caravan sometimes I like to be away from my annoying sister and farting dad. “Thanks mum” I said. Then dad came out from the caravan “good fire wood Ash, but to have a fire at night someone has to watch it it’s the rules and the water is out all across the caravan park” dad explained “we can spit on it” Emily said we all looked at her blankly “or… I could watch it in my tent! It will go out after a while and my tent window directly faces the fire” I said “actually, that not a bad idea let’s move your tent closer” dad said “but Darling she’ll catch on fire” mum said “Mum, come on it’s in a pit and the bricks are stopping it” I said “I guess” mum replied. So that night we had Spaghetti Bolognese around the fire dad found my lighter and confiscated it. I saw him light the fire with it I guess he couldn’t be bothered walking five meters to the caravan open a draw and come back (lazy). Dinner was good dad really rocks at making Spaghetti Bolognese. Emily was complaining again “my Tummy hurts I cant eat” blah, blah, blah. But when we roasted marshmallows she ‘was all better’. When it got to 9 o’clock mum when back to the caravan and did the dishes. Dad got a book and read it inside because the mosquitoes were coming out Emily kept throwing green leaves into the fire causing it to smoke up a lot. But I could sit watching the fire without getting bored every flicker was fascinating. Mum called Emily and told me to get to bed soon. But as least I could still watch it in my tent. At least two hours later I could hear dad snoring that probably ment mum was sleeping too. Wow it is late and the fire hadn’t died at all I started to fall asleep when I heard a faint “Ash, Ash! I’m dying” “Mum?” I went outside and could hear I was going the wrong direction. Oh my god I was really scared cause it was coming from the fire. I wasn’t sure what to think I could see something oh my goodness a girl maybe older than me saying “Ash, I Am dying I need to be kept alive” the girl said. I was really scared but I said “um what do you need?” “Anything to keep a fire burning” so I grabbed the extra firewood and put it in; then went back to my bed cause it was obviously a dream. But I still heard the voice and tried to convince myself it’s just a dream. In the morning the fire was out but one log was straight in the middle of the fire and not burnt at all except when I rolled it over the girls face was engraved and said get rid of the lighter keep me safe and make sure no one ever finds or uses it I was lucky. What was that meant to mean? But I figured it out. And from then on I always see a face in the fire a different one every time there are not just humans, animals and plants that live on this earth. fire has its turn to shine and dies on its own you can let it do what it has to do or you can play the nurse and keep it going that’s what I did.