Soul Fire

spot Sahara skulking next to the wall of a bank, her shoulders hunched over as though the fire’s already started and she’s trying
to protect herself. Her hair hangs in damp strands against her face. I head towards her and when she sees me, she manages a wan smile.
    ‘Thank God you’re here, Alice. I thought we’d lost you.’
    I can smell her sweat above the musky perfume she wears. The two together make her smell more animal than human.
    ‘No. I just felt the need to be alone for a little while,’ I lie.
    ‘Why don’t you come a bit closer? I’ll help you get out of the way later if it gets too much.’
    Sahara doesn’t answer but she lets me pull her towards the edge of the parade. When Ade sees her, his face is blank: no pleasure at seeing his girlfriend, and no greeting. He lets go of
Cara’s hand so suddenly that her arm drops to her side, and she jumps. But then Cara notices Sahara too and I see she understands.
    ‘Where’s Zoe?’ I ask Sahara.
    ‘Gone to fetch water, I think.’
    ‘I can do better than that.’ Ade reaches into his messenger bag and brings out cans of beer he bought earlier, and I hold one up against my forehead. It cools me down straight
away.
    Everyone’s facing the top of the street now. It slopes upwards so we can’t really see where it ends.
    ‘Can you hear it?’ Cara calls out. ‘I think I can hear it beginning.’
    ‘Not yet,’ says a voice.
    I turn round to see Zoe, holding a thin blue carrier bag with water bottles in it. She pushes back her glove to check her watch. ‘The procession starts at the very top of the street in
about forty-five seconds’ time. It’s led by locals from Correfoc groups. They make costumes, play the drums. Like Morris dancers on acid.’
    Lewis smiles. ‘So what do we do?’
    ‘Yeah, what happens next?’ Cara asks, and this time, Zoe hears the question.
    ‘Run with the dragons and the devils,’ she says. ‘Try not to get burned.’
    ‘We can just watch them, right?’ Sahara asks. ‘I hate it when my hair smells of smoke.’
    The look Zoe gives her could shatter glass. ‘That’s pretty much the whole point, Sahara. It’s not just smoke. You’ll stink of fireworks, too, by the time it’s over.
And maybe burned flesh.’ Now she’s staring at Cara’s exposed legs. ‘The tourists are the worst. They get drunk, then don’t realise how badly they’ve been singed
until they wake up next morning covered in blisters.’
    ‘I’m mainly covered up now,’ Cara insists.
    Sahara shakes her head. ‘Cara’s not going anywhere near the actual fire. Nor Alice. We promised your parents we’d act in loco parentis .’ She scowls at Ade. Maybe
she’s hoping to make Cara sound like a little kid, to put him off.
    It’s a bit late for that . . .
    We hear what sounds like thunder in the distance.
    ‘Is that kick-off?’ Ade calls out.
    Zoe shakes her head. ‘Soon. Very soon.’
    ‘LEWIS?’ Ade calls up. ‘You coming down and into the fray with me? I reckon it’s going to be men-only in there.’
    ‘Official photographer, mate. I’m not losing my place,’ Lewis tells him.
    Cara nudges me and points at where Lewis is gripping the side of the phone box. ‘Nice muscle definition in those arms. I’d say Professor Geek’s been working out. Maybe
he’s trying to impress someone?’
    I pretend not to hear.
    ‘The Metro is a good meeting place, if we lose each other,’ Zoe says, though I suspect losing us wouldn’t be much of a blow to her. ‘Now, anyone who’s coming in,
it’s definitely time to get into position.’
    I grab her sleeve. ‘As soon as this is over, we go to your flat, right?’
    She nods. ‘I can show you everything I’ve discovered . . .’ She hesitates, then leans in closer, ‘Wish I’d done it sooner. You were right. We can work faster, the
two of us together.’
    ‘We’ll get there, Zoe. You’ve been doing this on your own for too long.’
    She smiles at me, the first genuine smile I think I’ve ever seen on her face. ‘Already it feels less of a burden. And safer, even. Sorry I’ve been such a stubborn
cow.’
    I’m about to reply but the noises are getting louder: a constant low rumble, together with explosions and screams. So I squeeze her hand instead.
    I can’t really see what’s happening at the start of the procession – too many people in woolly hats and bandannas in my way. Then there’s a huge cheer and as I crane my
neck to my right, the crowd is silhouetted