The Flame

by E. Alan Meece
UU Band of Writers
Band of Writers Essays by Eric Meece
prompt: The flame threatened my blank
July 4, 2021

I am at home in bed, and suddenly, a flame arose from out of the floor and threatened my repose. Or at least it looked like a flame. What was it? I had to take a look. As I did so, it disappeared. So I went back to bed, confused, and started to go to sleep, and immediately the flame arose again. I rose again and tried to touch it. It was transparent, and it wasn't hot. Then it disappeared again. What do you want?, I asked. It arose again, but it made no noise. It just flickered. It seemed to have no purpose except to disturb me and threaten my repose. Flicker, flicker, flicker. Then suddenly instead of orange like any respectable flame looks, it turned purple. It started to make noise too. But I could not understand what it said. Was it gas escaping from an underground pipeline that just broke? I asked the flame, and I got an answer in my mind. The answer was no. The flame just flickered further. I froze and fumbled my blankets and went back to bed. It disappeared. I went to sleep, but then I started dreaming about the flame. Are you a dream, I asked the flame. No, the answer came back. Are you? Why can't you just appreciate me? I came to you to bring you a little bit of fun, frolic and flickering of light. OK, I woke up, and the flame appeared again, and never went away again. I still don't know what it is yet.