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Prologue

The fire cae flames licked across the floor, cliry waves

The screams filled his ears His mother’s cries She called for him, over and over, but he didn’t answer her Couldn’t The flames and smoke had stolen his breath, and all he could do atch

So beautiful The flames danced for him Danced and whispered Crackled and rose He couldn’t look away Didn’t want to

Sers curled tight over his precious prize Won’t let go Won’t ever let go

The fire touched hi his arm, but he didn’t cry out

He just watched

And hisJust like his dad had stopped He’d stopped long ago…

The fla toward hian to curl

Then thenoses, robot eyes, and tubes shooting from their mouths

One grabbed hi at his left arm, and he screamed

But the o

Water shot at the flames Cold, icy water that hit his skin

The ht around hih the thick sain

Again More

The fresh air hit him He choked at the first taste and theoff a mask and it was—

A en! Get the damn EMTs over here!”

More hands Touching Stroking Hurting Another man shoved a mask over his face No, don’t want it, don’t want—

The ainst his nose and mouth

The saht over the fire’s kiss Then the guy wrapped bandages around hies

They put him on a stretcher As they hauled hihters stood on the roof, swinging with their axes, sending fire and s into the sky

The s at the front of his holass flew onto the porch

Firefighters ran out of the doorway, yelling One had his mother in his arms

She wasn’t , and her body…

He glanced down at his hand, still clenched so tight around his prize

“It’s gonna be okay, boy You’re gonna be fine…” This cauy, with red cheeks and dark green eyes “You’re safe now”

But his mom wasn’t Neither was his dad

A shout came, an order for backup, and the man turned away

His fingers uncurled

The match lay in his hand The red tip was black now

“Got to be arson, sir… the way the fire is spreading… accelerant…” Another firefighter, talking fast to a guy with a big radio

He let the round and sank into the grass

“All right, kid” The EMT was back Looking pale, tense “It’s tiet you to the hos—”

“My mom’s dead”

The man sed “I’m sorry”

He looked at that fire So bright now “My dad, too?” He already knew

“We got a call in to your grandparents—”

He didn’t cry Didn’t blink