Fire And Ice. Him And Her

Excellence Award in the 'Write As Rain 2014' competition

She was a simple girl before ice, who led an ordinary life until, fire. Swarming clouds of ash enclosed her house, the fire was coming. She saw him. Flames emanated from him. She pleaded for her family’s safety. But was met with a cold look as he burnt the life she had. She was ice, he was fire. There was nothing else.
And now, now they were working together?
They neared the village, hesitantly she followed his command. She peered from dusty grass scraps at the helpless residents. Barely scraping by, grains shared amongst the entire population, the scarcity was unbearable. A man passed by, scavenging wilting plants for an ounce of something edible. He was bluntly naked scarce for a woven leaf skirt. Together they could replenish, rebuild it from ashes. Suddenly flames, engulfed the town, fire had another intention. Tossing flames he burnt houses, screams surrounded them. Frantically she threw ice, as much as she could muster, she had to save them, these innocents. Laughing, fire increased his temperature watching, ice melted into water then vapour. He watched as vapour pierced their skin, tearing their organs as skin peeled of their bodies. Agonising screams rang as she tried to help but what could ice do? She begged for some fire for water, to save them, but he didn’t move.
Soon the vapour was gone, the flames, the ice, it was still, peaceful even. Looking around the remains, no longer was there scarcity, there was nothing, perhaps death was the sweet release. Walking away she was ashamed, she’d claimed lives, had known it, she had felt the power and it didn’t feel bad.
As they raided, destroyed, no part of her previous self remained. Naivety was a joke, she lost it long ago, now it was transformed and she wasn’t fighting for vengeance. She was with him. What was she fighting for? Nothing. Firing ahead of him she saw them. There were no feelings inside her, conjuring ice she caged each man, woman and child in it, ignoring their cries. Hovering them she beckoned to fire. Signalling underneath the cubes, she asked for flames. Quizzically fire looked over until realising the extent of her cruelty. She wanted them to hang suspended by ice over fire until it melted and they fell to their impending death below. She played with their sanity as if it was at her disposal. It was too much. He frowned at her, destroying was one thing, but this? More demandingly she gestured to the cubes but he was adamant. Invigorated she raged up to him, grasping him firmly and she saw it. The look. The look of terror, hopeless, pure, desperate. It was her, the flames, the house, the cause. He pleaded for her to stop, memories flooded back, emotions even. No. Tightening her hold she continued until the air residing in his lungs withered away. Sympathy was for the weak, power is strength. Everything was lost to thirst, thirst for revenge, destruction, fire. Him.

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