New prompt from Scoot. Back on dry land!

Feel the Burn

Tammy ruled the beach from her lifeguard stand. Absolutely zero nonsense went on under her zinc-oxided nose.

Carl loved Tammy. But he had another mistress. Solana. Aeliana. Helia. Soleil. Call her what you will. Center of our universe. Bringer of light and heat. The Sun.

For Carl it was not about the dismal celebrations of her rising and falling. It was about the burn.

Carl baked for hours. Every day. Set up shop as close to Tammy as was allowed.

Carl was a dermatologist’s dream. He lubed up head to toe. His heart was pledged to Tammy and El Sol but not his dermis. But like all tragic heroes, he showed a fatal flaw.

He logged his worshipful hours hatless. Cooking his brain like a George Forman grill. Finally he grew disoriented, unbalanced.

Lovesick or heatstroke? Just a matter of perspective.

Carl looked up through the smoldering haze and saw to his delight two Tammys. Twins. Almost more than he could have dreamed. Then he saw three. Then another.  And on from there. Until his blistering brain saw legions of her. Then came his ultimate fantasy. The Tammys merged into his beloved day star blazing behind them, and after a fireball supernova worthy of Oppenheimer himself, it was sundown for Carl.