It was a pleasure to burn. 

It was a special pleasure to see Totino’s Pepperoni Pizza Rolls from the oven at 425 degrees, to see things blackened and changed. With the crispy golden rolls in his fists, with this poppable bite spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world.

His symbolic helmet numbered 451 on his stolid head and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he flicked the bite-sized pockets of goodness. He was cautious on first bite. He knew that the filling would be gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black. 

He strode in a swarm of pizza perfection. The flapping pigeon-winged nibbles died on the porch and lawn of the house. Unattended, the wind turned dark with burning. 

Montag grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and satisfied by flame. 

Found texts:
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967.
Totino’s Pepperoni Pizza Rolls. General Mills Inc., 2023, https://www.totinos.com/.

Scot Ehrhardt writes and teaches in Baltimore, Maryland.  His recent novel-in-verse The Armillary Papers is a combination escape room and cursed manuscript. His poetry and creative nonfiction have appeared in Little Patuxent Review, Tidal Basin Review, Lines + Stars, and The Baltimore Anthology. He supervises two journals for young writers: The Mill and Lexophilia.