[353] You were playing with fire!

[popo]

ahhhh!
So, was there actually a lizard that killed the boy, or is he just projecting what he imagined it all to be.
EDIT: Oops, wrong comic number. I'm such an idiot.

[edzepp]

Freaky. What else can Annie really do now, I wonder?

Also, judging by the metaphorical nature of this story arc, I'd say that this is a representation of the fire about to consume him.

[Mezzaphor]

Maybe the salamander is some kind of fire spirit. And it was really there during the actual event, but it was invisible to the boy. EDIT: Or maybe not. It looks like he could be reacting to it in the last panels.

[popo]

Not much probably. Watch the kid be devoured by a creepy salamander monster, and possibly put two and two together.
This is probably the end of the memory, as he is most likely knocked out shortly after this. I wonder if he'll come to the realization that he's dead? He may not really make the connection.

[Goatmon]

The representation seems pretty clear here. He thought the little thing was cool, it bites him, then spreads all around the room, and attacks him. The lizard is just a manifestation of what he did before he died; he was playing around with fire, be it matches, a lighter, whatever. He hurt himself, and the fire spread all around the room, and he was killed in the process.

[cenit]

goatmon said:

The lizard is just a manifestation of what he did before he died; he was playing around with fire, be it matches, a lighter, whatever.

Fire spell, maybe? Another good reason for not teaching your child to do fire-elemental magic until he/she is of age to not fool around with it inside the house...

[ceezedby]

popo said:

Not much probably. Watch the kid be devoured by a creepy salamander monster, and possibly put two and two together.
This is probably the end of the memory, as he is most likely knocked out shortly after this. I wonder if he'll come to the realization that he's dead? He may not really make the connection.

So now Annie must:

a) convince Eyeliner Kid that he's dead, and that there are worse things than angry parents to worry about;

b) explain that those worse things are Matilda and the Black Dog (grumpy guides playing favourites are always bad news); and

c) oh, by the way, Eyeliner Kid, the fire you started killed all your family, have a great afterlife!

Poor Annie.

[Goatmon]

cenit said:

goatmon said:

The lizard is just a manifestation of what he did before he died; he was playing around with fire, be it matches, a lighter, whatever.

Fire spell, maybe? Another good reason for not teaching your child to do fire-elemental magic until he/she is of age to not fool around with it inside the house...

We don't really know that. Only that he was playing with fire, and thought it was really cool, then it backfired and spread. If the exact means he used to start the fire is relevant, I'm sure Tom will make that known within the pages yet to come.

[popo]

ceezedby said:

popo said:

Not much probably. Watch the kid be devoured by a creepy salamander monster, and possibly put two and two together.
This is probably the end of the memory, as he is most likely knocked out shortly after this. I wonder if he'll come to the realization that he's dead? He may not really make the connection.

So now Annie must:

a) convince Eyeliner Kid that he's dead, and that there are worse things than angry parents to worry about;

b) explain that those worse things are Matilda and the Black Dog (grumpy guides playing favourites are always bad news); and

c) oh, by the way, Eyeliner Kid, the fire you started killed all your family, have a great afterlife!

Poor Annie.

Plus she has to figure out that he's dead, and his family is dead. Of course, she may of already figured it out.

[pulvissolaris]

ceezedby said:

So now Annie must:

a) convince Eyeliner Kid that he's dead, and that there are worse things than angry parents to worry about;

b) explain that those worse things are Matilda and the Black Dog (grumpy guides playing favourites are always bad news); and

c) oh, by the way, Eyeliner Kid, the fire you started killed all your family, have a great afterlife!

Poor Annie.

Or maybe the kid will come to the realisation by himself. After all, the Guides told her that all she had to do was to be there. So maybe her presence was enough to break the boy's denial, and he notices that he is dead now that he has witnessed himself dying. On the other hand, the Guides may have been lying in order not to worry her too much.
Also, Surma told the Guides that she was of no use of them now. Either that means that she can not leave her bed, or it is a hint that the job ahead requires someone with at least a bit of physical strength, at least as much as a little girl.

[spiggles]

goatmon said:

The representation seems pretty clear here. He thought the little thing was cool, it bites him, then spreads all around the room, and attacks him. The lizard is just a manifestation of what he did before he died; he was playing around with fire, be it matches, a lighter, whatever. He hurt himself, and the fire spread all around the room, and he was killed in the process.

IMO this person has it. Cept he doesnt die in the fire, as he's in the hospital when he finally passes...

[Mezzaphor]

If the salamander was just a symbol for the fire, why is it still there now that Annie can see the fire itself?

[Tenjen]

because its symbolic for the flames that consumed the boy [though he survived it...a short while], [just as it burnt/bit him the first time causing him to drop te match/lighter]

Doesnt matter if the fire can be seen or not.

[cenit]

also, it looks better drawn that way that a single flame consuming the poor kid

[Bobbey]

Because of this comic strip, I had a bad dream where my house was on fire...but then I had to extinguish it with this cookiedough foam.

I love the symbolism though (in this comic, not in my dream). It's really sad though, because dying in a fire is probably the worst death you could ever experience, but what's worst is that this boy survived it for a while before dying, which means that he must have suffered a lot.

[mechagai]

Drowning is still the worst way to go based on opinion, but being trapped in a fire can leave you just as helpless in certain situations.

[cenit]

you know what I think...the salamander is the ceiling ... falling down on the poor guy

[pulvissolaris]

bobbey said:

I love the symbolism though (in this comic, not in my dream). It's really sad though, because dying in a fire is probably the worst death you could ever experience, but what's worst is that this boy survived it for a while before dying, which means that he must have suffered a lot.

If it is any consolation to you, death in a fire is usually by asphyxiation. Meaning that the poor boy probably lost consciousness quickly from toxic fumes. Still a bad way to go.

Edit:
In fact, that may be why he is in denial about being dead. Having lost consciousness early on (or never having woken up), he may not even have noticed his death.

[Midnight Meadows]

Anyone taking bets on which guide will end up claiming him?

My money is on the Dhoo, personally.

[Goatmon]

It just occured to me that his previous comment, about his parents being made at him, suddenly makes sense now.

mechagai said:

Drowning is still the worst way to go based on opinion, but being trapped in a fire can leave you just as helpless in certain situations.

Drowning is just a more physically helpless version of suffocating. I'm pretty sure burning to death will rank number one pretty much forever, until humans come up with something more painful that takes longer to kill you.

See, fire can't kill you in of itself until your vital functions are taking damage, which means your skin has to be burnt away first. Third degree burns, the kind that only do superficial damage, can be extremely painful, and they're never lethal in of themselves.

Imagine how much it would hurt to be so caught up in fire so as to actually die from being burnt up. In the process of being killed, much of your body would have to be burnt up before your vitals begin to take serious damage, which is quite worse than a few minutes without oxygen, panicking and thrashing around, before blacking out and dying while unconscious.

[fr4tbrn]

I also think that the boy's choice will be Dhoo. Annie preferred him, and he just seems a bit friendlier. Also, if I had to chose between going with one family member or two for all of the afterlife, I'd pick two.


...I love how this topic has turned into a conversation about the worst death possible. How about gas chambers?

[spiggles]

Fire is fire. Even if your skin isnt burnt all off, your insides are still taking an extreme amount of damage from being so close to flame. Just sayin.

And back to the topic, the salimander represents that fire is a beast, which is why a few comics ago, it seemed to be eating the room, which is kinda cool, cause with the new comic up now, looks like Annie is gonna take it on...

[mechagai]

A fire burns up all available oxygen in a room, so people usually pass out due to that or smoke inhalation before the fire actually does most of the damage. That is, if the person is in a small room.

If you're being burned at the steak, then yeah, you feel everything until your nerves are burned away.

[luxanima]

Anyone notice the similarity to one of the Sandman pages? Wonder if it's an intentional reference.

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