Talya Beyers

Flash fiction: Furnace

Nov 23, 2014 Talya
My heart pounded in my chest as a drop of sweat wound its way down to the base of my spine. I could not believe what I had just seen. My vision gradually returned as the pain in my head subsided, relief lapping over me like waves on a shore. I had had visions of the future before, but nothing like this.
Flash fiction: Furnace

Hands trembling, I gripped the edge of my bed and lifted myself up off the plush carpet. I stumbled my way to the window, which was large and gave me a stunning view of the city. I pressed my hands to the cool glass, breathing a sigh of relief.

Just moments before, I had seen the towering glass skyscrapers crumple to the ground, dissolving into glittering shards of glass as they reflected the flames devouring the wreckage. The sight would have been eerily beautiful if it were not for the screams, wrought with terror, that tore the air apart. The deafening, animalistic roar that had accompanied the screams chilled my blood. The sound of glass breaking and tinkling as it hit the ground would have been beautiful if the shards had not been smeared with blood, reflecting pure suffering a thousand times over.

I did not even notice the tears trickling down my cheeks as I saw that my city was still intact. The buildings glittered, not reflecting pain and suffering and flames, but the brilliant blue sky and fluffy white clouds that drifted past serenely.

A deep rumble made the ground vibrate. At first, I thought it had been my imagination – a remnant of my vision, perhaps – but when the ground shook again and I fell with my face against the glass, I was forced to believe that it was real. I leaned against the glass as dread clawed at my stomach, unable to take my eyes off the city. The rumbling grew louder and some buildings had begun to shake visibly. It took a moment for the screams to begin.

I hardly noticed my father's arms around my shoulders, pulling me away from the window. I knew exactly what was going to happen, but I could not prevent myself from witnessing it for a second time.

The centre of the city exploded. I recognised the roar as it reverberated through my bones. The wings of the creature which had produced the sound, sliced through the buildings as they spread to their full span. The creature, whose existence had previously been confined to pictures in books, lifted its head towards the sky.

Orange flames licked hungrily at the blue and I sank to the ground, clutching my father as we watched our city burn.