Burning Memories

Your old toys were burned, long ago.


Mother had said you were too big for them once you hit your teenage years. Everything was burned. From the hand made puppet stage your grandfather left you, to the plush and various beanie babies. You came home from a friends and watched them burn up.
You said you understood.
Your mother said she loved you.
But you lied and moved on. You had to grow up.

So it surprised you when going through an old warehouse on your late mothers property, you find boxes of old toys. What was even more surprising was the old puppet stage that you SAW eaten away by the fire stand before you in the corner. The wood was singed and parts still carried a heavy smoky smell. You approach and from the back a worn puppet does pop out, giving you a start.

"It's been so long! So glad you're back! We've missed you!"

You gape, someone was messing with you and hunkered behind the curtains.

You approach the burnt lamb. The eye paint worn off, and fur singed.

"You didn't have to forgive or forget. We didn't." The lamb replies. "Parts of you are still burning. Just like-"

You grab the lamb, ripping it out from behind the curtain and throwing them open. However, hot stinging pain washes over your hand and you drop the puppet and try to slap off the black hot tar that leaked on you. It occurs to you that the tar is leaking out of the lamb now on the ground. The parts missing dribble it out.

It starts to sit up and you frantically look behind the curtain to see other puppets in smoldering embers. All blackened and still on fire.

"We were made to make you happy. And we were taken away." The lamb now has black gushing tears down it's ruined eyes. "It won't happen again." It stands, tiny arms open in a hug.

The smoke stings your eyes. These are things you left in the past. This was a nightmare!
You run.
But the lamb follows.
Bringing burning memories with it. Nasty ones you thought you forgave and forgot.
But you never truly did... and they sting.

$35