_____Fire in the Sky______
Livid colors splashed wildly upon the dark canvas that was the night sky. Such a grand spectacle was undeniably entrancing, and far more than the afternoon kite flyers found themselves intoxicated by the roaring explosions in the air. At a certain point during this display of scientific wizardry, Matthew Dioli had convinced himself charmed completely and utterly incapable of focusing elsewhere. No less being male, however, he shortly after this could be seen fidgeting about his carefully selected gazing spot.
Indifferent to Matthew's distraction, the fireworks blazed onward. The program was impressively organized; just as silver fire appeared to rain down on those watching, a thunderous boom came from higher up where red petals blossomed into blue and green dust. Golden specks danced across the horizon as white hot streamers so very loudly commanded the attention of all. This Matthew afforded to miss.
As it so happens, one peculiar sight can overpower dozens of awe-inspiring sights...
Restlessness having made him cross over two hilltops in order to observe what remained of the show in peace and solitude, Matthew fancied himself nearly enough alone only a small walk from where he had previously situated himself. His one companion in this lick of land was rather...quirky, for lack of a better term.
Matthew observed the other man across the hill as being perhaps ten years younger than himself. Matthew could only interpret himself as being in the company of a traveling cheesemonger, but how absurd a conclusion! Certainly, though, context would not contradict such a thought.
The man was lean with foggy glasses and an oversized apron draped over his skeletal frame. He had thin facial hair, all of which delicately curled on the ends. From what Matt could make out in the light of the fireworks, this man had slung a number holdsters over both his shoulders and even around his neck. These carrying devices seemed home to a great variety of cheese wheels and cheese logs alike, more of which were also tucked under his arms.
Had he been so perplexed, Matthew would have considered this entire situation comedic. What such a character could be doing in such place at such a time was far beyond the musings of the humble actor.
A second distraction soon saved Matthew from furthering disturbing himself with the former. The succession of these occurences and one more to follow would later confound the man for many a late night, but as they happened his mind willingly became bewitched by each individually.
This next distraction came in the form of an adorable and frisky little animal frolicking from one tree to another. Fireworks were far gone from Matthew's mind as a playful sugar glider turned back flips in the air immediately above his head.
He admired the tiny creature; it wasn't unlike a flying squirrel in many senses. Though the actual identity of such an animal was beyond him, he did recognize it as one which might not be seen wild in this area. Maybe it was a loose pet? Matthew could only wonder. He grinned senselessly and kept an eager eye on the small wonder with no rational origin for his fascination; he was apparently mesmerized by the sugar glider's hypnotic movement.
His trance remained unbroken even when there was nothing to be seen; the sugar glider disappeared momentarily behind a distant tree. Leaves rustled in the distorted light briefly only to cease completely. By the time Matt regained organized thought it was similarly time to lose it once more.
A fireball not much larger than the man's fist burst from the tree, lingering for a moment in the air and then falling to the earth with a slight thud. Matt's face gained a pallid sheen in the fire light and lost all its composure. His eyes were fooling him, trick of the light! Justifications abound in his head, his body was instinctively running toward the flaming mess.
"Oh my god," were the only words he could utter as he approached the fire; he'd enough sense in him to know that distress calls would be wasted, drowned out by the skybound show and the incessant cries of pain coming from the sugar glider. He kneeled down and quickly drew his arm to cover his nose, unable to bear the rancid stench being emitted. By no means did he intend to stall, but this was difficult to stomach.
Following a hasty survey, it was clear that the eccentric stranger was nowhere to be found. No help there. Matthew threw off his jacket and tossed it over the writhing little body, holding down every sickness and breaking into a cold sweat. He lightly pat down on it, why exactly he never knew because this animal was surely doomed, and walked away from the lump once he assumed the fire to be out.
He clenched at his hair and inhaled with great gasps. What was going on? All too much, this was all too much. He stole a glance at the pitiful lump, just as he left it. A shiver ran down his spine and he knelt back down next to it, his sick curiousity had compelled the best of him.
And isn't funny that, after all that had come his way this evening, Matthew Dioli was still capable of being surprised?
