The Campfire

The fire was huge. Hot. Roaring hot. It was all alone, untended. An orphan left to fend for its self. It did just that. 

It started as a small fire, much like one a child may start just to see if the match would burn. Ironically, it was started by a match. The one who threw the match is long gone. A match thrown carelessly into the dry grass. Dry grass in a gully. The gully was just west of town. When a hot match meets dry grass, you get a fire. When you get a fire in a gully, it wants to travel. It specifically wants to travel wherever there is dry grass, wood or anything that it can consume. Over time, this particular fire would succeed in climbing out of the gully and racing with the wind across the flat land.

It likes the wind. Wind is its friend, buddy, companion. Wind will urge the fire, whip up the fire so it travels at high speed. Wind gives it oxygen. It needs oxygen to survive. The more oxygen it receives the longer it will survive. Rain, not so much. 

It nurtures a great dislike for water. Water from any source. If it meets water, it becomes a fight to the death. Until one or the other ceases to exist. This fire intended to remain burning as long as it could. It had a very strong urge to survive.

Elmer Phud and Big Daddy Phunk were pulling into a deserted county park. The park was several miles from the nearest town. They were unaware of the fire. The park was unaware of the fire. The fire was aware of the park. It took a bead on the park, and with the help of its friend, the wind, raced right for the park.

Elmer and Big Daddy jumped out of the camping rig, started to set up. They smelled smoke. Looking around, they saw a wall of smoke of to the east. This could not be good, they both thought. Not good at all. As they stared, trying to see which direction it was traveling, they could see flames. Visible flames are never good. Flames is a good indicator the fire is close. Very close. The fire was coming up the road. It appeared to be traveling very fast. Right at them. The park was surrounded by grassy plains. No trees in site to be used as fuel for the fire. That was good. No place to hide. That was bad. There was a very large boulder about one hundred or so feet to the north. That may be good. Without a word, they broke into a run for the rock. All thoughts of camping suddenly forgotten. As they scramble to the top of the rock Elmer uttered those immortal words, “I have gone to a campfire many times, but this is the first time one came to me.”

Soon after, the firefighters arrived. They lost everything. All the camping, hunting and fishing things, not to mention the vehicle. They caught a ride into town. Bought bus tickets for the ride home. They never returned to the park again.