PuzzleCustard

PuzzleCustard t1_iu8jw2m wrote

Being a flaming skeleton has little to no advantages.

People don't want to be anywhere near you, clothes are a waste of time, and you can't sleep on a bed. On the plus side, those charity people who stop you on the street don't bother me.

When it first happened I woke up in the ruins of my apartment, it had burned down around me and I slept through it. Luckily nobody was hurt but seeing a charred skeleton emitting an ethereal flame didn't exactly endear the rescue services to me. The firemen tried to hose me down at first, probably thought I was a burn victim, but the water just turned to steam before it could touch me. The police tried to shoot me as I stumbled toward them for help but the bullets just melted and spattered me with molten metal. That quickly slid off me leaving little puddles of liquid metal.

Walking down the street messes up the concrete and if I brush past something it catches fire so I did my best to avoid touching anything, but a couple of cars and an inquisitive cat got singed.

I tried to go to the Hero HQ for help and explain I wasn't bad or doing this on purpose but I was met with calls to cease my attack and turn off the fire, obviously I can't turn off the fire and I don't have any vocal chords so that was a bust. They tried to take me down, and I tried to let them, but I injured the guy who dresses like a flying rodent and even the red and blue got a little burn so i got out of there.

Went into an abandoned factory which I think was old smelting place. I was able to get some sleep in one of those big bucket thingies and the next day I found one of those foil suits that protects people from heat. Its held up pretty well so far but it's taking damage. I try to only keep it on when I'm near burnable stuff. Stayed in the smelting place for about a week but the concrete and rebar started to melt and I didn'twant to cause it to fall. Thought the desert would be a fitting place and far away from people so I made my way there.

I don't need to eat or drink anymore so I suppose that's good, I don't have go near people and risk hurting them. Every now and then some big villain or other finds me and gives me the whole "they don't understand people like us" monologue but I don't want any revenge and I certainly won't hurt anyone. They usually leave after I grab onto them for a few seconds.

Now I just sit in my cave, I write sometimes, using my suit so the cave wall doesn't char and cover the words I scratch into it or I accidentally melt the piece of rusty metal that serves as my pen. I really hope I can at least die of old age but we'll see. Hunger and thirst won't do it, tried sticking my makeshift pen into my skull but it just melts and drips before it touches me. Maybe the heroes will find a way to neutralise me, until then I'll just sit and wait, and hope to whatever god is out there that I don't hurt anyone.

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