Blue Fire and Ice by Alan Skinner

that sounded familiar. He turned and looked at his wife.
    Fallow stooped to pick up the bucket she had dropped when she had given Farrow’s ear a little clip. She saw the pain on her husband’s face and concern and affection softened her voice. ‘We can save the barn, Farrow. Nothing can save the silo, my rooster, but we can save the barn.’
    Farrow looked at his plucky wife. He gave her a little smile. ‘My brave little hen,’ he murmured and ran to fetch more buckets.
    Farrow and Fallow and the three patrol members were throwing water on the barn as fast as they could. Each would run a short way to a nearby dam, fill their bucket and rush back to the barn. With a great heave, they threw the water on the walls. The walls hissed when the cold water hit them.
    It took Sparkle less than a quarter of a clock’s face to get to the fire. She had run as fast as her legs and heart would let her. Her chest heaved as the Muddles jumped from the cart. Crimson ran to the horse and laid a hand on her cheek. ‘Well done, Sparkle,’ she whispered.
    The three Muddles quickly unfastened the hose and attached it to the water tank.
    ‘Crimson, you take the hose. Reach and I will pump!’
    Crimson grabbed the brass nozzle at the end of the hose and ran towards the barn. They had driven the cart as close as they could but the barn lay on the other side of the blazing silo. She would have to run past the blue fire to get to the barn.
    As Crimson neared the silo, she felt the strength draining from her legs. She stumbled and nearly fell. Her heart pounded inside her chest, like it was hammering to get out. She could hear each beat echo in her head. Through the throbbing in her head came a voiceless call, summoning her. She turned towards the blazing silo. The fire; the blue fire was calling her.
    The flames reached out to Crimson. Thin fingers of fire were coming to take her to its cruel heart. She could feel herself drawing near to the flames. The searing heat surrounded her as she approached. Crimson fought to ignore the calling and the pounding in her head. She willed her legs to turn and run, away from the flames, but they no longer obeyed her. ‘No!’ she screamed in her head. ‘I won’t ... I won’t!’ The voice in her head grew stronger until it drowned out her own protests. Step by step she edged closer to the fire.
    Grunge saw Crimson falter, then turn and walk slowly towards the blazing silo.
    ‘Crimson!’ he cried. He ran towards her. ‘Crimson! No!’ Heedless of Grunge’s cries, Crimson kept walking, answering the fire’s call. Sparkle whinnied loudly, calling to Crimson. Crimson kept walking.
    Grunge scooped her in his arms as she neared the flames. The heat scorched his clothes. Crimson was limp in his arms as he ran back to the fire cart. Gently, he laid her on the ground.
    ‘Crimson!’ said Reach. She knelt next to her friend. ‘Crimson!’ she cried again. ‘Grunge, why won’t she answer me?’
    Crimson lay still on the ground, her eyes open, staring at the dark sky.
    Grunge looked to where the Beadles were working frantically drenching the barn. ‘Go and get some water. Quickly!’
    Reach ran, slowed by her cumbersome boots. She said something to one of the patrol and they handed her a bucket. She turned and ran back to Crimson, water splashing from the bucket.
    Grunge scooped water with his cupped hands and sprinkled it on Crimson’s face. Reach tore a small piece of material from her tutu and dipped it into the water, then handed it to Grunge.
    ‘On her cheeks and forehead,’ she said. Grunge bathed Crimson’s face with the cloth.
    ‘Grunge? Reach?’ Crimson’s eyes blinked and she looked at her friends. ‘What happened? Is the fire …?’ She sat up and looked to where the Beadles were desperately throwing buckets of water on the barn. The blue fire still raged.
    ‘We’ve got to help! It’s the fire… It calls…’ Crimson shivered, remembering the dreadful call of the fire. ‘Grunge,