EXIT

It flickered, on and off, bursting with brightness, then dimming out as if it lost interest. Below congregated a body of people, each individual’s body flailed, adding to the momentum of waves that crashed against the unflinching fire shield. An ominous cape of dense, grey smoke skulked behind the people, escorted by tall flames whose breath hissed heat and roared with chastisement. Inhale, hiss. Exhale, roar.

The fire crept closer, herding the crowd into the last, untouched section of the scorched room. People banged harder, taking their frustration and terror out on the metal of the gate, but still the fire shield would not give into their demands.

Flames lightly tapped the ankles of an unfortunate man who happened to be in its path. The tapping suddenly burst into pummeling, the fire jumped on him, pinning him beneath the weight of its searing heat.

The man’s breath sprinted from his lips as he let out an agonizing screech. With fingers curled like claws, the man desperately tore at the orange coat that engulfed him, trying to break free of the excruciating sting that surpassed the burning in his dry lungs.

Others spotted the horrific scene and each let out cries more frantic than the next. Again the bodies pounded against the door. Some even pleaded with the fire shield to raise and save them, but the gate would do no such thing.

Smoke parted, exposing the red of an EXIT sign hanging above the door. It had been there the whole time, attracting the crowd to it, and then watching the crowd as the blaze followed and leapt from body to body, until the whole congregation itself had melted into an ocean of flames.

The EXIT sign flickered, red light on… red light off… red on… red off… on… off…..