New Beginnings

Adler sits on the general store's weathered bench and peers out at the barren terrain. Not long ago the land was lush and vibrant, the soil was soft and rich. Now the sun has the town in a choke hold. Its brazenly baked it to dust, which Adler watches blow across the street with a clump of dried up brush. He raises his sweating Coke bottle to his lips in an attempt to push the troubles away. That crisp sip is cool, and fresh. It is, even for just a moment, a reminder of things that once were. Adler breathes in that moment and breathes out into reality. Knowing once again, the truth of things.

This town isn't long for the world. Something needs to change. But how do you negotiate with a burning ball of gas?

Adler finds this notion humorous and raises the glass bottle again, this time to toast the sun.

"What do you want from us, sun god? Have we angered you in some way? Tell us, and we'll be happy to make things right," smirking, Adler takes another sip. He knows this yellow orb is no intelligent being.

The familiar sound of Joseph's limping gait and click of his cane approaches. Adler doesn't look at him, just sips his Coke and stares down the scorched earth, "Joseph," he says in acknowledgment of his presence.

"Ah, hey there Adler. How's the sun today?"

"Oh, you know, she's angrier then ever," smirking, he nods toward the sun and takes another sip.

"Well isn't it good that tomorrow is the solstice?" Joseph creakily, sits down next to Adler and rests his cane on the other side.

"What's that got to do with anything, Joseph?"

"Everything my boy, everything. I see you've got some pretty lanky legs there Adler."

Adler glances down at his grasshopper legs and then at poor old Joseph's rickety and worn out haunches.

"I do. But what does that have to do with anything, Joseph?"

"Everything my boy, everything."

The shop door swings open and clatters. Garrett holds his cigarette in his mouth and the lighter to the end, igniting it.

"Just use the sun Garrett, no need for a lighter," Adler laughs.

Puffing out a cloud of smoke Garret warns," don't laugh at the sun Adler. She won't thank you for that.'" He takes another drag.

"Oh, it's just a ball of gas Garrett, it's not alive."

Joseph and Garrett look at each other with concern.

"What?" demands Adler.

"You've not heard of the summer that changed everything Adler?" Joseph reaches out and touches Adler's arm gently, as if he's about to lovingly confront him for his unwise words.

Adler pulls back and chuckles nervously, "No, did someone give the sun the middle finger?"

"Quite the opposite," Garrett says after breathing out a long column of smoke.

Joseph explains. "It was one hundred years ago. The land was just like this. The people, just as desperate. So they did what the ancients did. On the eve of the summer solstice they built a bonfire. The entire town was there, everyone dressed in garlands of flowers, there was music and laughter, but most importantly there was fire jumping."

"Fire what?"

"Fire jumping. The higher the jump, the higher the crops for the year."

"That sounds a lot like a false cause to me," cautions Adler.

"You say that, but that year the land went from barren to bountiful."

Adler is unconvinced, but he feels like an ant under a magnifying glass. The sun is baking them all in a glass dome. He glances back out at the barren land and watches the angry heat waves warp his view. They're all frying.

"Eh, whatever works, I guess."

Garrett and Joseph both grin but it's Garrett who says, "I'm glad you feel that way Adler."

"Why?"

"Because you have the longest legs in town, and tomorrow is the Solstice."

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At midnight, in a clearing encircled by trees, Adler stands with the rest of town before a roaring fire. He watches his neighbors and friends dancing and laughing. Everyone is festooned in flowers to ward off evil but Adler can't help but feel a threatening uneasiness at the site of the shadows being cast by the fire's glow. He acknowledges his friend's raucous behavior with a nervous chuckle, but doesn't join in the fun. He just stands there. Watching. What are they doing? How is this going to work? The sun isn't even here to witness the theatrics.

The only witness is Adler. At least he's the only one in his right mind, anyway. The only one who has noticed that the ground around the fire is dry and the trees are sparce. Is anyone sober enough to make sure safety precautions are made?

His breathing becomes rapid. Sweat begins to bead around his forehead, this time, not from the sun. Just before Adler can make the decision to run, Garrett walks up unsteadily, puts his arm around Adler and says, "ready, bud?"

He could die from the heat of the sun tomorrow, or in the light of this fire. Maybe his chances are fifty-fifty. Maybe there is truth to Garrett and Joseph's words. Maybe he can bring their town luck. He can be the hero.

Hero.

That sounds nice.

Everybody has huddled around the fire to watch him. Adler watches the flecking sparks fling off the top of the bonfire. They're delicate and pretty, even magical. Taking a deep breath, Adler stands in a runner's position. Then, with all his strength, he runs straight at the fire and leaps. For a moment the air feels cool on his face and hope fills his heart.

But then, midair, he sees it. He's misjudged how big this fire is. His heart sinks. Landing just shy of the edge of the fire, Adler's foot hits a log. Everything collapses under him and he falls inside the inferno.

He misses the heat of the sun.

Screaming, he pushes himself back up but is consumed in flames. Shear terror takes control of his mental faculties as he runs from the fire in attempt to escape it. But the fire has become him. All he can think to do is run, but the air feeds the fire. He runs further, erratically around the camp. Everyone is terrified and nobody is sober enough to know what to do. The flames fleck off Adler and land in the dry grass, igniting.

The blaze is quick. It travels across the parched earth, it catches on ribbons attached to floral headdresses as people run, it accelerates as other people catch fire and panic. Cups of alcohol are dropped and tipped over in the chaos. Adler trips and lays on the ground in agony. His face against the burning earth. The last thing he sees is the horrifying image of people running from growing flames. The trees catch, encircling the entire town in a wall of fire. Everyone is trapped.

The campsite is turned to ash.

**********************************************************************

One hundred years later, ash gives way to fertile soil. The trees around what once was a campsite have silently regained their rich green hue. Below the earth something stirs. Slowly, gently, a brand new tendril pokes out from beneath the black, moist dirt. They asked the sun for abundance, but it wasn't the sun they should have asked.