Gerald held tight to the side of the boat. The turbid water was getting to him. He had planned a small outing, sneaking a look at his neighbors through the borrowed telescope. It wasn’t really an instrument for this purpose, but it would have to do. All Gerald wanted was to find a good location from which to watch his glorious fire. Tomorrow, the small incendiary device would detonate and this reclusive arsonist could watch the house go up in flames. He would finally be able to watch the process from beginning to end, but the weather was not cooperating. The once calm lake seemed to be telling him he wasn’t allowed. Well, that would not do!

Gerald had always been a quiet, shy man seemingly without many social skills, but he held close to his heart a love of the flame. How it would flare up, engulf and wildly dance around, so beautiful, so lovely. People had come and gone in his life. His parents had grown old. Women took little interest, but the flame would smile at him. It seemed to be grateful for the life Gerald bought to it.

Never before had he allowed himself to stick around and see, with his own eyes, what he had brought into being. This time he would, he would watch and in watching he would know the joy of his love, the wild, spectacular joy and it was almost time. The boat rocked again, he hadn’t been paying attention. Must concentrate, wouldn’t do to fall out, stupid lake. The breeze picked up and as Gerald watched the boat pitch itself out of the water, riding a wave. “NO, you will not stop me, this is mine, mine!” he screamed. “I will watch. She will be mine. I make the choice!” and with that the boat flew up again, Gerald and his telescope falling into the deep lake. Seems there was another opinion.