Creeping

I could see him from far off, intent upon the book in his hand. Such a normal scene for this setting, it was a gorgeous park with plenty of sunlight and shade. It was a perfect day for lazing around reading a book, or putting thoughts to paper. It was an ordinary sight, it shouldn't have set me on edge, but it did.
Having drawn my attention so, I puzzled to figure out why this figure should pique my curiosity. I studied the man as I walked closer. His clothing did not seem out of the ordinary. While it was a beautiful spring day, the air still had enough a chill to warrant a long sleeve shirt on a cold-natured person. Myself, I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, enjoying the coolness on my walk.
The man wore no hat, his shirt was a normal button-down shirt, the kind worn by most college students. He sat by himself on a bench, with his schoolbag resting beside him; not unlike so many of his peers who were out enjoying the weather. His pants were khakis of some kind, keeping with his scholarly appearance. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary about him. So why did he warrant all of my attention? Why did my eyes keep going back to him, apprehensive?
His hair, while long, was trimmed and his beard manicured. His features were normal. He could have fit in anywhere. Maybe that was what it was. The fact that he was too normal, too contemporary made him seem out of place, it made him stick out. All the attempts to blend in producing the opposite result.
I watched his pen scratch out a shape as he sketched something in the lower part of his book. My attention completely focused upon him, I was burning with curiosity to see what he was writing. I wanted to delve into his notes, bury myself in his subconscious. I wanted to learn him from the inside out, know what made him tick, what motivated him.
As I drew closer, I found my path drifting closer to this unaware stranger. A path that would bring me close enough to reach out and take the book should I choose, or I could simply catch a glimpse of the page he was working on. As I walked, I debated my course of action. Should I sneak a peek? Or should I go for the whole enchilada and snatch the book?
Ten feet, seven feet, five feet. I was fast approaching the moment of no return. What was I going to do? And in the instant before I had to make a decision, the man looked up. He looked me directly in the eye, and time stood still. In that instance, I made a connection with him. It was as if I suddenly understood everything about him, knew what was going, and without thinking, I stopped.
Looking down at his drawing, I found myself asking him to see his drawing. I found myself admiring it, and words coming out of my mouth. I was no longer in control. Something greater than myself was in control. Finishing my monologue, unaware of what I had said to the man, I stared at the man in silence; I was unsure what would happen next. The man looked at me and smiled.
"Now you are finally understanding." he said.
And with that, he walked away, leaving me standing there holding his notebook. All the answers to my unspoken questions in my hand. I stared around in confusion, unsure what had just happened.
Looking down, I found myself holding a blank notebook. There was nothing inside, just blank pages.

Hungry eyes

The smell of fire filled the air, filling his nostrils, choking and inflaming his lungs. In a mighty effort for breathe, he started coughing violently. It shook his massive frame causing him to bend over and drop to one knee. "No," he thought. "NOW was not the time dior this." He knew he had to keep going, keep moving. To stop now was to quit, to die. The fire would get him, it would stop him. They would all die.

Looking up, he could see the layer of smoke on the ceiling. That is what had gotten him, it was thick now. No more running, it was time to crawl. Gasping shallow breaths of the hot smoky air, he took stock of the situation. The last thing he could afford to do was to panic, here, now. In this.

Four more doors, he just had to crawl four doors to his daughters room. She was young and wouldn't know how to get out. He had to save her. He was sweating through his shirt, the fire was getting hot.

Soon, he reached her door, now to get her out. He reached for the knob and hesitated before opening it. "Was it hot?" he wondered. His survival instinct kicking in, his subconscious taking control. Gently, taking precious seconds he knew he didn't have, he touched the handle. It didn't burn him. Sighing with relief, he should hear his daughter crying over the sound of the fire alarm. It's incessant beeping had deafened him.

With a hurried effort, he opened the door. Only to be greeted with a parent's nightmare. His daughter sat huddled in the corner, crying, with a wall of flame between him and her. The roof was burning and had fallen through. He would have to cross through the fire to get her, and then back out.

He gathered a deep breath and never hesitated. The fire burned for a moment and then he was through. He grabbed his daughter into his arms, and hugged her tight. Then grabbing her blankie from her bed, he wrapped it around her and rushed for the door. It hurt a little bit more, but then he was through.

Once he reached the hallway again, he crouched down to catch his breath. Gazing towards the outside door, he could see that things had gotten worse in his absence. The fire had spread. It was going to be a hot escape. He knew he was going to get burned badly doing this. But it was their only chance of escape. And if he waited any longer, they wouldn't have that.

Gathering his sobbing daughter, he lunged for the door. The fire burned so bad, but he never stopped. Finally, he hurled himself through the burning door, back first and out into the cold night. He hit the ground hard, his daughter coming free. Instinctively, he rolled around on the ground making sure HE wasn't on fire.

Once satisfied that he was no longer burning, he looked for daughter. She sat a few feet away, her blankie smoking, but unharmed. He heard his wife running up to them, screaming their daughter's name.

And then everything went black.

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