Poetry is Fire

Poetry is Fire

Arsonists aren't supposed to be into literature.

Shelley wants a book; so does the local troublemaker.

04. Kailin University - Shel 16
Alliance Science Fiction
Flash Fiction Short Story

Their hands met on the same library book.

Shelley glared at the dark blonde male smirking down at her. This was her after-school treat for being forced to reprogram a nanobot for five hours while staring through a glorified high-powered microscope. “Let go.”

“Mine first,” he said.

“Hardly.” Her tone was scathing.

He laughed, releasing the book, leaned back against the bookcase, and studied her—clearly unbothered by her hostility. Shelley snatched up the poetry collection before he could stop her.

“Don’t recognize me, do you?” he asked—smugly.

Shelley sniffed. As if she cared.

“Gideon.” He held out a hand to shake.

She stared. Gideon Thompson had a reputation that preceded him. Bad-boy troublemaker, remanded for reform to put his love of destructive forces to some sort of good use. In short, the opposite of her. “What does a junior arsonist want with poetry?” she demanded.

Gideon spread his hands. “Fire is poetry.” He hesitated then, surprising her more. “We could share,” he offered.

Shelley blinked. “What?”

He shrugged and buried both hands in his pockets. “You like poetry, don’t you?” The words were more intense than necessary.

“Well, yes,” she admitted slowly.

He shrugged again. “Poetry is fire.”

#

Alliance Science Fiction

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