
Part 1
Max never imagined a single spark could rewrite his existence. One moment he stands in a quiet student boarding house, the next his body is enveloped in roaring flames that seem both intoxicating and terrifying. As the fire subsides, he finds himself inexplicably naked, his clothes reappearing as if animated by an unseen wind, and the world around him feels oddly suspended in a heavy silence.
The sudden appearance of his girlfriend Fran, pale and trembling, forces Max to confront the bewildering reality of his new gift. He tries to reassure her, but her eyes betray a deep unease, hinting that the fire may have left more than scorch marks on the carpet. Together they grapple with the question of whether Max’s power is a miracle, a curse, or something far more dangerous, setting the stage for a tense exploration of control, identity, and the thin line between wonder and horror.
Language
en
Duration
~19 minutes (19K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1962.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-12-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1930–1999
Best known for blending fantasy and science fiction in richly imagined worlds, this American writer created enduring series including Darkover and the Avalon books. Her career stretched across decades, with work that helped shape modern speculative fiction.
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b. 1938
A longtime force in science fiction fandom and publishing, this author helped shape the field from several angles: as a novelist, editor, critic, and fanzine writer. His career stretches from the fan culture of the 1950s to major magazine editing and award-winning work.
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