Chapter 002- Combustion

"Fire. It says here in your textbook that it is the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame, and heat. Now, son, I know it's fascinating, but keep your hands away from the fireplace. You don't want to get burned."

Doji stayed near Kenji, making sure his hands didn't get too close to the fire.

"I have a story, son. When I was a kid, I lived in a house just like this. Only difference was, we lived near a big, green forest. Me and my friends loved playing there. We would climb the trees, and play hide and seek in the piles of leaves. Now, one day one of the neighborhood teenagers thought it would be a good idea to smoke out there, and leave his cigarette bud in one of those piles of leaves."

Kenji's eyes stayed fixated on the blaze.

"So pretty."

Doji chuckled and patted his son on the shoulder.

"I know it is, son, but listen to me. That fire, it destroyed everything. The forest I grew up playing in, it was gone. Fire has no direction, it does what it pleases. It destroyed a few houses before it was eventually put out. So, my message to you is don't play with fire. Now come on, let's put it out."

Kenji still stood there, staring into the fire. Doji began to smother the fire, and Kenji watched as the magnificent blaze faded away.

"It's gone. Just like that."

"Yup. Goes to show you son, we humans can control just about anything, even something seemingly uncontrollable, like a fire. Now, is that enough for you to write your paper for class tomorrow?"

Kenji nodded as he ran over to the dinner table.

"I wanna eat first, dad. Then I'll write it after, promise."

Doji smiled and followed his son to the table.

"Koat! Is the food almost ready yet?"

The sound of dishes rattling and food simmering echoed from the kitchen.

"Yes sir, Just a minute. You can call the kids in now, it should be ready by the time they get down here."

"Alright Koat, good job. Mirai! Yuji! Come down for dinner."

The floor began to rumble as the children raced down the stairs. Doji and Kenji watched as his siblings raced to the dinner table.

"I win!"

"No, I win, Mirai."

Mirai and Yuji's heads shot in Kenji's direction.

"Who won, Kenji?"

"Uhhhh, I think it was Mirai."

Mirai jumped up, elated from yet another victory. Yuji let out a disappointed groan.

"She always wins. Kenji, can't you just lie and let me get my way sometimes?"

Kenji shook his head.

"Maybe you should just get faster, Yuji."

Koat walked into the dining room with trays of food.

"I hope y'all are ready to eat. You look hungry, Mirai. You wanna get big and strong like your dad, right? Make sure you eat more than them boys."

Mirai smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Koat. It's not like it'll be hard, look how small they are."

Mirai snickered as she was handed her food.

"Sit down, Koat. Come enjoy dinner with us."

Doji patted the seat next to him.

"No can do, sir. I don't have much of an appetite today. That fence took it all out of me, I'm afraid. I think I'll just go out and get some rest."

"Awwww, come on, Koat. Come eat with us."

Yuji and Mirai pleaded.

Kenji folded his arms and smiled.

"Jeez, you're such an old guy now."

Mirai pinched Kenji's ear.

"Ow ow ow. Let go!"

"Don't talk to Koat like that Kenji, or else!"

Mirai let go of Kenji's ear, and he sat quietly in his seat, staring at his lap.

"Oh it's alright guys, I'll eat with y'all tomorrow. Have a good night kids. Sir."

Koat opened the back door, and headed out to his shed.

"Man, I really wanted him to tell us a story today."

The kids sat there, disappointed that Koat went to sleep.

"It's alright kids. Remember, he's gonna be here for a long time. Therw will be plenty more nights we can spend with him, as a family. Remember that decision we came to the other night?"

All three of the kids looked out into the backyard. The sun was beginning to dip below the new fence.

"We decided that we wouldn't let Koat go. He'll stay here, working for our family. I thought maybe we should let him go free, seeing as you guys are twelve years old now, but he is such an important part of our family. I know you guys can't bear to see him go."

Mirai jumped up out of her seat. She hadn't braced herself. It was 8pm again, just like that.

"Do you hear that sound, kids? Their screams?"

Those heart wrenching cries for help, so full of pain. Their suffering, it sounded unimaginable.

"Those other families, they treat their slaves like trash. The Johnsons, they torture their slave at the same time every single night. I've heard sometimes they pry his fingernails out. On rare occasions, if he had acted out, they even pulled teeth. I couldn't imagine doing such a thing to Koat."

Kenji's hands gripped the sides of his chair.

"You're right, dad. I don't want Koat to leave. Let's keep him here forever."

Everyone went quiet.

…

…

…

"Well, let's eat guys."

They dug into their meals. The flavor, the texture, the presentation. It was masterfully crafted by their slave, Koat.

"Kenji, turn the lamp off behind you, it's hurting my eyes."

Kenji turned around. A bright lightbulb waited there, ready to be turned off. Kenji stared at it for a moment.

"Fire."

It was just like fire. It was bright, it radiated heat. But this, it was different. It was trapped within its glass casing. It couldn't do as it pleased, it couldn't burn anyone. This light, it lacked the chaos of a blaze.

Kenji grabbed onto the chain attached to the lightbulb.

Flicker.