It was an all consuming flame

My skin began to boil

I watched as it roped around my fingers and spun me around

I kept a straight face

It is an interesting dance

When you are wiping your eyes from the sting of the smoke

And if only I could have saved the animals

I would not dream about it so often

My brother played sick that morning and tried to stay home

The windows cracked from the heat

The neighbors said they heard two explosions

What could it be?

And would re-building that house mask any of the memories?

He was a monster from the start and this set him free

With the flick of a match, or maybe a lighter

He was cutting himself off from me