The fire trickles: smoothly, flowing, deeply, cutting, into the terrain like a laser honed to precision. The fire engulfs the landscape with ravenous hunger. Dry pine bows ignite furiously turning the ground into molten cinder. Swirls of wind provide strength to the monster. Heat from the fire breathed into the forest. Defiance and vigor persist.
A summer cottage sits peacefully on a crested hill; as fire stampedes ever closer. The heat dozen of feet away, ignites the wood siding on the west side. The caloric intake of the fire increases rapidly. The cold drawn steel holding the cabins decking begins to tighten and flex in the fires path. At 800 degrees Fahrenheit the steel fails. The decking crashes and is consumed by the beast.
The fire begins to trace the window seal, like that of a finger caressing a lover leg. The window pane begins to heat; and is darkened by the kiss of the flame. The glass tears shattering into jagged pieces. The cabin breathes. Leaping: furiously, ravaging, flames, crawl up the curtains. Completely relaxing, the cabin surrenders to the evitable.
The fire continues slowly pulsating towards life. The fire looks into the horizon, for to look back is death. In a raging wildfire, the best place to be is in a burn area. In a burn area there is fuel to consume. It is theoretically, the safest place to be. Nevertheless; the fire sweeps towards its ultimate demise.
The road ahead stretches in front of the oncoming fire. The fire’s life how ever brief has now ended. The path of salvation is now riddled with embers. Some embers slowly fizzle, while others persist. A fallen aspen smolders, as it continues to engulf. The once peaceful valley is now scorched with ash.
Ash in the valley slowly moves away, carried by the wind. The once scorching heat warms and soon dissipates. The destruction is now serene and still. Cold Dewey air moves into the still valley. Precipitation layers the black ground. Life that was given was used rapidly, with youth, and flickered to death in its short existence.
Darkness consumes. Slowly the dark valley gives way to light. The dead valley slowly becomes fertile. Death and decay makes way to green, and life. Carbon feeds all life in the burn zone. Green shoots slowly pierce the glazed ground. Life triumphs in death.
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