Evan Mallory

She flicked the dash cam on, just in case, and handed me a lukewarm canteen. I drank in ragged gulps. The instant metal touched my lips, a hot wind whooshed across the field, curling smoke skyward. From the treeline beyond the house a shape unfolded, taller than before, every joint glowing deeper, as if stoked to white heat. The temperature inside the cruiser jumped.

She flicked the dash cam on, just in case, and handed me a lukewarm canteen. I drank in ragged gulps. The instant metal touched my lips, a hot wind whooshed across the field, curling smoke skyward. From the treeline beyond the house a shape unfolded, taller than before, every joint glowing deeper, as if stoked to white heat. The temperature inside the cruiser jumped.

Plastic on the steering wheel softened. The entity stepped onto the lane. Grass beneath its feet withered to gray stalks that burst into wisps of flame and died. Its gaze locked on me through the windshield. The cruiser's engine ticked, metal expanding. Sheriff Riddle threw the vehicle into reverse, but the tires only hissed on melting tar.

Plastic on the steering wheel softened. The entity stepped onto the lane. Grass beneath its feet withered to gray stalks that burst into wisps of flame and died. Its gaze locked on me through the windshield. The cruiser's engine ticked, metal expanding. Sheriff Riddle threw the vehicle into reverse, but the tires only hissed on melting tar.

She cursed, then bolted out, grabbed a canvas fire blanket from the trunk, and hurled it at the apparition.

She cursed, then bolted out, grabbed a canvas fire blanket from the trunk, and hurled it at the apparition.

the fabric unfurled mid-air like a sail striking the creature's shoulders for an instant the flames dimmed the form flickered edges swimming i staggered after her yanked a half barrel off its stand and tipped a torrent of cold rainwater across the lane steam roared upward enveloping us in scalding fog

the fabric unfurled mid-air like a sail striking the creature's shoulders for an instant the flames dimmed the form flickered edges swimming i staggered after her yanked a half barrel off its stand and tipped a torrent of cold rainwater across the lane steam roared upward enveloping us in scalding fog

Through the cloud I heard the entity howl, wood exploding in a kiln, and felt the wash of heat surge, then ebb, as if something vital had been banked. When the steam cleared, the blanket lay smoldering atop a dark, man-shaped smear on the asphalt. No figure, only a circle of char so black it ate the morning light. The sheriff exhaled a shaky breath.

Through the cloud I heard the entity howl, wood exploding in a kiln, and felt the wash of heat surge, then ebb, as if something vital had been banked. When the steam cleared, the blanket lay smoldering atop a dark, man-shaped smear on the asphalt. No figure, only a circle of char so black it ate the morning light. The sheriff exhaled a shaky breath.

let's hope that buys us some time we drove two miles felt like 20 engine knocking from overheated oil at sparrow gap ranger station she guided the cruiser beneath a corrugated overhang and killed the ignition rangers emerged radios already alive with chatter about flare-ups on the ridge grass fires that vanished ada ordered them to fetch extinguishers and wet sheets inside the cramped office i scrubbed soot off my hands

let's hope that buys us some time we drove two miles felt like 20 engine knocking from overheated oil at sparrow gap ranger station she guided the cruiser beneath a corrugated overhang and killed the ignition rangers emerged radios already alive with chatter about flare-ups on the ridge grass fires that vanished ada ordered them to fetch extinguishers and wet sheets inside the cramped office i scrubbed soot off my hands

Skin sloughed away in tender pink sheets, and beneath it new blisters rose, perfect ovals mirroring the burned fingerprints left on my tent. I wrapped them in gauze, but heat seeped through, a pulse that matched my own heart. Through the window, I saw Ada lean against her cruiser's hood.

Skin sloughed away in tender pink sheets, and beneath it new blisters rose, perfect ovals mirroring the burned fingerprints left on my tent. I wrapped them in gauze, but heat seeped through, a pulse that matched my own heart. Through the window, I saw Ada lean against her cruiser's hood.

Where my palms had braced earlier, a black handprint still glowed, faint threads of smoke curling upward like incense. A ranger aimed the hose, but water broke around an invisible shield. Droplets hissed and slid off, unable to touch the scorch mark. The sheriff met my eyes across the lot, and in her expression was the hollow certainty that what we'd faced had not been defeated, only delayed.

Where my palms had braced earlier, a black handprint still glowed, faint threads of smoke curling upward like incense. A ranger aimed the hose, but water broke around an invisible shield. Droplets hissed and slid off, unable to touch the scorch mark. The sheriff met my eyes across the lot, and in her expression was the hollow certainty that what we'd faced had not been defeated, only delayed.

A gust of wind carried the smell of fresh smoke from somewhere higher on the mountain. The radio crackled. Control, we've got a new hotspot flaring above Buzzard Rock. Looks like a column. Ada's shoulders sagged. I felt the heat blooming under my bandages, traveling cheek to collarbone, as if mapping the path of fire yet to come.

A gust of wind carried the smell of fresh smoke from somewhere higher on the mountain. The radio crackled. Control, we've got a new hotspot flaring above Buzzard Rock. Looks like a column. Ada's shoulders sagged. I felt the heat blooming under my bandages, traveling cheek to collarbone, as if mapping the path of fire yet to come.

Somewhere out in the timber, a slow, deliberate footstep crunched across charcoal, and I realized the entity was already moving again, patient, methodical, unhurried, taking the long way down the mountain to find me.

Somewhere out in the timber, a slow, deliberate footstep crunched across charcoal, and I realized the entity was already moving again, patient, methodical, unhurried, taking the long way down the mountain to find me.