• Daniel watched the show from a distance, sinking as far into the darkness as he dared.
    His heart was full of unexplainable regret, regret for his girlfriend Alice. He avoided her gaze scanning over the crowd gathered around the stage like Monarch butterflies around a tree. She was sitting beside Micheal, smiling beautiful smiles as he talked softly to her. Daniel was almost jealous now of the stupid boy, how he could speak a couple of perfect words and a smile would spread across her face. Only now any words Daniel spoke darkened the happiness in her heart. Micheal could ignite the hope within her and let it burn hot and free above the crowd. He could almost see it, Micheal with a match in his hand lighting up her heart like a lantern, the fire burning on the fuel, the fear and anger Daniel had created himself. He could rebuild his ruins more beautiful then it ever was before.

    Luckily for Daniel the glow over the growing crowd was a bright red, from the great fire in the front of the sage, his blood red jacket blending into a part of the fire. The color illuminated the crowds faces in the gloom, flickering as the fire did, as if they truly were Monarch butterflies flapping their delicate wings.
    People trimmed the very outskirts of the blaze like lace. One step back and the obscurity would swallow them, disappear behind a black veil.
    Why did he let her go?