The flames licked against the night sky, clearly visible as it blazed higher and higher. The humans within the surrounding domains were currently blissfully unaware of the inferno mere blocks from their homes, as they slept peacefully. Though, their slumber wouldn't be lasting much longer, for the flames were dancing their way towards the boiler room, where they would come in contact with many things that would result in a large and loud explosion of raging heat.
The ignorant beings who were supposed to be in charge of subduing the flames and preventing harm to the people around were unaware of the merry light as well. Though, there was one creature that was painfully aware of the fire.
With hair matching in color to the flames, she stood before the crumbling building, knowing full well what the flames meant, yet still praying to some unknown being that she was incorrect. Slowly, she approached the smoldering structure, and walked into it, through an opening that had been created by the destructive caress of the flames. She ignored the flames that were licking at her skin, they would do no harm. She ignored the smell of her singed hair, her burning clothes. She was numb as she walked to the other side of what was once a studio, towards a broken mirror that was blackening from the smoke, and was caked with dried blood.
She paused before it, and could see her distorted reflection in the shards of mirror. It was mocking her, taunting her. She turned her back to it, and looked around slowly, searching through the flames.
She then saw what she was looking for. A small pile, burning in the corner of the room. She approached it slowly, trembling. When she reached it, her knees gave way, and she feel to the floor beside it, barely holding in the dry sob that threatened to break loose. She ran her trembling fingers over the ash, hoping that in their wake her love would reappear, strong again, and ready to continue his hunt.
Her fingertips then encountered something smooth, and she carefully picked through the ash until she found it. A small torn piece of her lover's skin, the skin she had once so lovingly caressed, the skin that made the man that she had had so much faith in. It had still retained some of his coolness, and she relished the feeling. She carefully brought it to her lips, knowing that she would never be able to kiss his again.
Keeping the worn piece of him clutched tightly in her hand, she carefully scooped a small amount of the ash into her other hand, and the she turned and ran from the building, not a moment to soon, for as soon as she was in the parking lot, the entire building exploded, and was engulfed in a fiery rage, that almost matched the fire burning within herself.
She then ran. She ran, and ran, as fast as she possibly could, until, miles away, her knees gave way, and she tumbled to the ground, where she remained, crumpled and sobbing. She was broken, if not on the outside, then most certainly in. The one thing that had made her feel whole, the one thing she had cared most about, was gone, thanks to those bastards.
Damn them, she screamed in her mind, Damn them all to Hell!
She finally managed to force herself into a sitting position, where she carefully, ever so carefully, placed her beloved's ash into the same hand as the flesh, which was loosing its coolness. Its comfort. She then reached into her pocket, and retrieved a white gold heart shaped locket, one that James had given to her as an anniversary gift. Their 90th anniversary, to be exact. She opened it, and carefully poured the ash into it, then gently set the locket down, still open, onto the warm earth. She then delicately folded the last solid remain of the keeper of her heart into a miniscule square, and placed it in the locket among the ashes. She clamped it shut, and brought it to her lips.
"I will avenge you," she murmured against the cool metal, "I swear I will. But how?"
Blackened