Touya stood in the middle of the yard, a dark silhouette against the flickering flames. He had a garden hose in one hand, but he wasn't using it. Instead, he watched the shrubs burn with a strange, almost reverent stillness.

The fire crackled and popped, sending sparks spiraling into the sky. They danced for a moment before dying out, like tiny, short-lived stars.

He didn't.