Sloth_000

The Arsonist

Ten-year-old Troy Greyson discovers something intoxicating the first time he creates fire on his own—a secret, living force that responds to him in a way nothing else ever has. What begins as a stolen moment behind a backyard toolshed quickly becomes an awakening. The heat, the scent, the quiet power of watching something grow under his control—it all leaves a mark far deeper than a childhood mistake. Caught by his horrified mother before the flames can spread, Troy is punished and warned, but the experience doesn’t frighten him. Instead, it ignites a private obsession. Hidden away in his room that night, he clings to the memory of those ninety perfect seconds, already planning his next chance to feel that same thrill again.