I open my eyes and am greeted by iron bars.

My hands, my eyes explore my confines for an escape, a gap.

And as my eyes look out through my prison, I see myself.

Standing right next to a stove, with insane, demented eyes,

and a joyous grin, she turns on the stove.

My arms reach out towards me in desperation, exasperation.

The fire gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, as she looks into my eyes.

She thrusts her hand forward, deep into the flames.

An alarming, full pain shoots through my hand.

She basks in the heat with a wide grin on her lips while I struggle not to scream.

And she raises her hand to show off the unburnt skin on her fingertips.

I can't stop myself, I blink in surprise. This must be a bad dream.

But when I open my eyes, I'm no longer inside the cage. I'm beside the fire.

My hand rests in the air as I stare at her in the cage.

While she, with the same shattered eyes, stares back at me.

It no longer hurts.

I put my hand back on the fire. And I feel myself smile.

What a nice dream.