He awoke to the smell of ash. Smoke was gathering in a thick cloud at his bedroom ceiling. Coughing, he rolled out of bed and stayed to the ground, fighting a quickly approaching panic attack.

SOMETHING was burning downstairs. Flames crawled up the walls, licking at vunerable wooden bookcases and cardboard boxes. He fumbled his way down, desperately covering his mouth and nose, and was met with a bright, flaming mass. SOMETHING roared and crackled with power.

He tried to calm down, steadying his breathing. So much smoke...

SOMETHING leapt forward, setting the ground around him aflame. He focused, stomping out the smaller flames.

SOMETHING roared again, spitting white-hot ash at him. He winced as tiny burns erupted over his skin, but he persisted.

SOMETHING crackled menacingly, joyfully turning everything around it to ash. It seemed to be gloating at him as it teasingly licked at a violin.

Growing CONFIDENT, he charged forward, smothering SOMETHING as best he could. The flames eventually died down.

He stood up, dusting ash from his clothes.

Everything was okay.

~ ~ ~

170 words