En Fuego

Today’s prompt: “Set something on fire”

The fire begins peeling away the skin around your feet and calves. You scream as loudly as you can against the cloth gags, and struggle against the ropes that bind you to the post. It’s a bad way to die.

You close your eyes and try to ignore the pain, to move beyond it, but each pop you hear from the fire consuming the wood below you is a reminder of the flames rising higher.

You don’t know what will take you first – the carbon monoxide, the blood loss, organ failure, shock. You just hope it’s soon.