Fire

Fire

Aisa watched the flame shoot up over the hill. People always had fires but they were usually careful. This group drank until they collapsed around their fire. Then laughed when they woke in heaps, and the fire was out. They didn’t know Aisa put it out.

But how long would they stay? He couldn’t watch every night, but he couldn’t leave the forest unprotected. It had been over a week now and they made no signs of leaving. The forest creatures were upset, the trees themselves afraid. He had to do something.

Cloaked by darkness, he approached. They’d begun drinking even earlier today. The fire already making its way out of the pit, traveling on leaves and twigs, by sparks thrown into the air. It would hit the edge of the clearing soon if no one stopped it. Aisa would, but this time he needed to stop these people too. All were sleeping. He even poked them to be sure. They just snorted and turned to a more comfortable spot. Stinking drunk.

Aisa cleaned up the errant flames and swept the area to make it safe. Then he chose the man he disliked the most. He’d listened to them enough to know this one was mean at heart. This one needed a life change. Aisa bent his tall frame over the man, gently lifting him and putting him down close enough to the fire that his pant leg was just touching the flame. Then he retreated into the wood to watch.

When the man’s pants caught fire, the pain woke him up and his screams woke the rest. They quickly doused him, but damage was done. Some raced away with him, others packed, suddenly sobered by the crisis, then they left too.

The gentle giant smiled, now he could sleep.