Image by Yours Truly!
Written for Friday Fictioneers
Bonfire
The country had never seen such bitter cold before. The cold had penetrated into his old weary bones.
He saw the golden flames of a fire in the distance and started walking towards it in hope. He might be able to request the people to share their bonfire with him. They wouldn’t refuse an old man.
As he walked further, the flames of the fire kept rising up. What he thought was a bonfire was actually a row of huts on fire. As people howled and ran around with buckets of water, he crouched, drawing warmth.
I think you’ve captured human nature brilliantly here
I loved the pragmatic coldness
Ohh thank you
Someone’s pain is another’s gain…drawing heat from the huts on fire.
Reality for some for sure.
Fiery image for this week’s prompt, Anshu 🙂
The Night of Bonfire – Anita
Thank you Anita.. Yes different people different perspective
Quite unexpected!
Before the fire is doused, I hope the old man will derive warmth to keep him alive through the night.
Hope so too.. The huts were already burning .. At least he could benefit from it
Dear Anshu,
Such a contrast. Beautifully told. Thank you for the wonderful photo.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rochelle. Glad you liked it both the story and the photo
A sharp observation on human nature. Good one, and thanks for an inspiring photo.
Thank you Sandra.
One man’s poison… Nicely drawn and lovely photo. Am hoping it will thaw out the chill in my fingers 😀
Thank you dahlia
What is disastrous for some can be beneficial to others. Your photo is sending us all in very different directions! Thank you, Anshu.
Click to read my FriFic tale!
Thank you Keith.. Am glad… So many stories from this pic we will have
Excellent idea, that some people’s misfortune might be another’s solace.
Thank you Iain.. That happens often
What a scary image you’ve painted for us.
Oh.. It happens quite often jelli unfortunately
Clever story, Anshu, taking us from hope to despair in just 100 words.
Thank you Penny
Brilliant and tragic story.
Thank you Liz
Thank you for the great photo and love your take. He’s just taking advantage of the situation… what more can he do?
Thank you Dale. Exactly the bad has already happéned, he is just making the best out of it without inconveniencing anyonw
I hope he can survive, for it sounds like time is against him.
Hope so too Michael
Thank you for this week’s photo prompt. Fire – both friend and foe – portrayed beautifully. And the cold reminds me of the recent Arctic Vortex in the midwest.
I was in Jaipur last month and it was quite chilly. We were sitting around a bonfire warming our fingers. So yes the story does remind of the recent cold spell while bonfire is what we think of in niemtter cold, isn’t it.
He’s got to keep warm and alive, an old man wouldn’t survive in hostile clod conditions too long. Perfectly told
Thank you.. Yes he’s got to survive
The cold is a killer, but hopefully for one night, he will be spared it’s predictable prickly demise.
True that.. He got one more night due to someone else’s misfortune
That was simply awesome. A great play on perspective.
Thank you anurag
Some people lost everything in fire, another person tried to survive by soaking in the warmth. May be lost his belongings long time back. How life presents itself to different people.
True abhijit.. He doesn’t have anything, unfortunately the people who lost their huts would have lost their belongings too
Wish! Humanity’s dilemma, especially in India. Good one!
True that.. In India we wouldn’t be surprised to come across something like that
Every cloud has a sliver lining!
You said it
So sad that he can’t find any other source of warmth. Maybe if he helps them they take him in? And thank you for the interesting picture.
Thank you.. For homeless there are not many options
I shivered when I read this, feeling the cold! What a terrible tragedy for those people, that just when they’re coldest, the fire takes away their shelter. But since he started with no shelter at all, that same fire provides him warmth. Not for long though, I’d guess — if the others see that he’s benefiting from their doom and not trying to help, I can’t see them helping him afterward!
True joy.. But others won’t be able to help too as they would have lost their homes and vwkooin the fire too
True. I was thinking that there is strength in numbers, and just huddling together and sharing supplies.
The huts already ablaze, the man was very pragmatic. He couldn’t change the sequence of events anyways. Love the atmosphere of your story. Nice photo, Anshu. =)
Thank you Brenda, with huts already ablaze, he was just profiting from the situation.
It’s unfortunate that it so often has to be that way. My first thought that it was selfish of him not to try to help, but he has his own sad tale to tell too
We are always quick to judge, that’s us, humanity. Had he helped, he wouldn’t be warm! Sad tale, indeed!
You make use of what you have, I guess.
Exactly, Linda, that’s life!
Full of questions! A fire is a fire to a person who’s cold I guess, but why obn earth is the village burning?
Maybe a miscreant set them on fire – when there are huts it’s easy to have fire. Cooking on wood, a little spark and boom!
Oh ok. I imagined something more malevolent.
Awesome read!!
Gone with the Fire
Thank you !
This is very well captured. The flow of this story had great ebbs & twists. At the start I was so behind him & by the end I was like, ‘Get a bucket of water, help them!’ Really well-crafted.
Thank you so much. Yes a bucket of water would have helped, but an old man plagued by cold wouldn’t have been much help. 🙂
Beautiful. So poignant and touching. Self-preservation in his rawest state.
Thank you so much. Yes, self preservation is important – man is selfish after all.
Intriguing hints of a much bigger story in this. I like how you’ve left us guessing.
Thank you Margaret. Yes, a bigger story can be added, it’s a good start, I must admit.
Love the picture.
Can’t wish comfort for him though. Better he would have helped and earned the warmth of people’s affection.
Fabulous story!
Thank you Priya. If only his old weary bones were of much help!
nicely concluded
Thank you so much
The ending was unexpected as was his reaction, although I would think accurate if you’ve lived enough years you take opportunities where you might. Well done.
Nothing like the instinct for survival – whether young or old. A man is a selfish species after all.
But hopefully we’ll learn. 🙂
He’s quite selfish in his needs but he’s old and the cold is severe so you can’t blame him. I hope he began to feel for the poor people losing their homes, once he’d warmed up a bit.
True that, Michael. I am sure he felt bad for the people who lost their homes, but again he is a destitute!
For a short time he got his warmth… maybe there will be more warmth from helping the needy.
True that, but first instinct is to survie, the rest come next.
One man’s distress can be another’s solace. Quite human.
You are right, it’s only human to think of oneself first.