Reddit WritingPrompts: Fighting fire with fire really works.
“Please, I need help! They took every penny we have. They took my family business. They are going to tear down my family homestead. They are killed my family! I have nothing because of them! They can’t get away with this! You have to stop them!”
A soft chuckle echoed through the dark room. Tamara tried to peer into the shadows, but she could only see the outline of the man. “Oh dearie, you don’t have enough money to make me stop them.” Tamara sobbed, “But they said you could help me!” The shadow shrugged, “Unfortunately, everyone has a cost. And I just don’t see you turning me a profit. Sorry, no can do.”
Tamara slowly sank to the floor as her last option turned her down. She had nothing and there was nothing she could do. As she tried not to break down sobbing, the shadow pushed away from the wall, “Since you did come all this way, I can afford you some advice. Listen very carefully.” Tamara nodded her head as she wiped away her tears.
“You are trying to fight a fire that is too big for you, dear. You are one woman with not enough water. Your tears and your feelings and your emotions mean nothing. You have already lost and it’s time you realize that. You need to cut your loses. Oh, don’t make that face, dearie. Just because you lost doesn’t mean that they won.”
Tamara frowned, “I.. I don’t….”
“Do you know where the phrase ‘fight fire with fire’ comes from? It not talking about putting out fires. It’s about surviving one. It’s when you are uphill from a fire, and you can not outrun it and there is nowhere to go. Here is where you must take your stand. No more running.” He slowly walked over to her, and offered his hand, “Instead, you must start your own fire.
“It will burn small compared to the hell burning around you, but it will burn everything in front of you before the real fire can. And as it burns uphill, you will follow it in it’s ashy wake. The more your fire burns, the more ground you have. And when the real fire catches up, it has nothing to burn. All it can do is burn around you. It can flicker, crackle and lick at you. But you will be untouchable.”
She slowly accepted his hand. As she got up, “So, what do I do?” A flash of teeth and a crooked grin were her answer.
“Give them something they can’t burn.”
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