Daily Flash Fiction Challenge

James‘ eyes flutter open. Dark smoke floats overhead. Dull flashes of red and orange reflect off the shadowy clouds. He tries to move as fear of the fire grips him. But his body is unresponsive, lying limp on the stony ground. They’d better get here quick, he thinks to himself. Those emergency drills are expensive; and a waste of money if they’re not going to be ready for emergencies. James tried to move his unresponsive limbs again, but to no avail. I’ll be firing a few people when this is over; have to set an example. This response time in intolerable.

Shoes crunched dully on the soil near his head. At last, he thought, someone to get him out of here.

“ I’ve got another one!” a man cried out. A helmeted head appeared over James. Swirled reflections of black, orange and red obscured the man’s face.

“Who is it?” asked another person.

“I’m not sure.” said the man as he rubbed a sooty glove over James’ eyes and nose. As he did, James vision cleared a bit more. And he could smell the smoke; it had a sulfurous odor to it. “Looks like just another one of the blast victims, he said.

But as the man’s sooty glove ran over James’ mouth, James found his voice again. “Just another victim!” He stopped to spit out bits of dirt and rock, left by the dirty glove. “You obviously don’t know who I am,” he yelled. “I am…”

“James Emory Johnson,” former CEO of VistaTech Chemicals,” the third person broke in. “And I’ve been looking for you.”

“What do you mean former?” asked James. “I’m still in charge!”

“Pardon my mistake.” said the third person, now hovering above James. “I should have said, the late CEO. Welcome home.”