I hope you enjoy the ninth flash fiction submission in the monthly author challenge. (Remember, I had one day of reflection). It's starting to feel like I'm developing a healthy writing habit! Now, if I could just start writing the story a little earlier in the day so I'm not staring at the clock going, "I gotta get this done."

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Let It Burn

by Meredith Loughran

The sirens and flashing lights broke her away from the catatonic state. Hysterical laughing cut through the noise and Hannah wondered about the concerned look on the paramedic's face.

She put her hand to her throat and realized it was she who was laughing uncontrollably.

"Let it burn!

LET IT BURN!

LET IT BURN!"

"Hey!" one of the first responders yelled, "Hey, there's a guy in there!" He fought the violent blaze, axe in hand, but one of his buddies, pulled him back as another crew moved forward with a fire hose.
"He's gone. Get outta there."

She watched the blaze totally engulf the car and couldn't stop laughing and screaming. Something deep inside her was broken and Hannah had no idea how to get control. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion and she felt like she was having an out of body experience.

The paramedic was saying something to her but she couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. She saw the look of deep concern on his face; saw the patch with the name Jake on his shirt.

He held her face and tried to keep eye contact. "What happened to you?"
How many times had he repeated that? Hannah couldn't be sure but she latched on to his voice through the fog of her hysterical mind.
"What happened to you?" he repeated.

Suddenly everything seemed too silent. She no longer heard the sirens or her own screams echoing through her semi-consciousness. His voice was like a soothing balm.

"What happened to you?" he asked again but she suspected he wasn't talking to her anymore. She was floating above everything to watch the entire scene.

"Freedom," she sighed before the darkness overcame her. "Let the motherfucker burn."

This short story is brought to you because my goal is to achieve the Monthly Author Badge on SteemitBoard

I hope you enjoyed the story

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