Playing with Matches

We struck a match together

The inaugural burst of sizzling flame blazed bright

Orange light flickering across our faces

Dancing reflections of mirrored flame in our eyes

While all our world watched

We followed a path

A journey together through a dark world

While the match burned down

Head blackened

Bent

Burnt

Ash from crumbling carbon residue

Heat blazing at our fingertips

Until the road forked

You chose the directions on a branching road while I

I alone held the match between thumb and finger

Blisters threatening with each bob and weave of descending fire

We reached a moonless clearing, and you declared our arrival

But this is not the destination I was meant for

The flame scorched my flesh and I flicked my wrist

As it extinguished

I cursed and begged to reignite the paltry section of unburnt tinder

No spark was strong enough

In the dark

I was alone