The Incendiary Man
There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight
A group of people are on the run from a walking firestorm called the Incendiary Man. The narrator, the leader, in a long monologue, tells an on-the-street newscaster about a harrowing incident in which the man of fire almost caught them. He describes the monster and his destructive power, the group’s intense fear of him, and how it may be next to impossible to destroy him. Funny thing is, the newscaster and nobody else seem to be aware of this menace. Is this curious tale an allegory, and, if so, what does it and the Incendiary Man represent? War, Armageddon, an impending pandemic or terrorist attack, personal fears or demons, global warming, or just one more extremist group that has lost touch with reality?
Hotter Than Hell
“When a newsman stops a man on the street to ask him a celebrity related question, the man takes the opportunity to inform the newsman about the Incendiary Man who he believes is currently roaming the streets burning people up. This man and a group of eccentric people have been on the run for about five days trying to escape from this creature. Believing that there is no way to stop him, they feel it is best to keep running. They can feel his heat when he approaches and he cannot move very quickly.
“Strangely enough, the newsman knows nothing about this fiery being who the group believes has burned up many people and places. As they are talking, a group appears with signs that deny the existence of the Incendiary Man. The interviewee takes this to be positive, because it means that people are hearing the stories about him, even if they do not believe it yet.
"The Incendiary Man" is a fun read. Bob Frey takes us into the mind of a man who might just be totally crazy, and imagining everything. But in his world, it is 100% real. So in his reality, the Incendiary Man does have an existence. As for his friends, perhaps they are only real in his world as well. Reading this story lets you step into someone else's world for a moment. Not only does this give you a break from your reality, but perhaps it might also make you appreciate your reality more, unless of course you have a supernatural being running around burning people up in your world as well.”
—Paige Lovitt, Reader Views, five stars Amazon review
