Technique Study: Flashback

Kyle spun on his heel and went to storm out of the room, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted a photograph. A woman holding her daughter smiled and waved at the camera while the little girl tried to hide her face.

Kyle knew that woman.

"Mom," he breathed.

* * *

"Kyle, hurry up!" Julie pawed at her eyes, squinting in the bright noonday sunlight.

Mom laughed, tugged Julie into her arms for a hug.

"Take the picture, honey!"

Kyle, who was hesitant about using Dad's fancy camera - he was a professional photographer - lifted it, pressed the buttons carefully.

"Are you ready?"

"Say cheese, Julie," Mom said.

Julie buried her face against Mom's collarbone and muttered, "Cheese."

Mom waved. Kyle pressed the button for the shutter.

And then behind him, someone screamed. "Fire! Fire! The house is on fire!"

Kyle turned around, and the camera tumbled from his hands, bounced against his chest so hard it knocked the breath out of him.

Flames licked up the roof of his home. Dad was still inside.

Kyle screamed.

* * *

"You all right?" Sam asked.

Kyle paused, blinked. "What? Yeah."

Sam stepped closer. "Is there something in that picture that's important."

"No," Kyle said. "Just - I hadn't looked at it in a while. I didn't know anyone got it developed. It was from the day our house burned down."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Your house burned down?"

Kyle shrugged, jammed his hands into his pockets. "When I was a kid. My dad was still inside. What does it matter?"

"Was the fire an accident?" Sam asked.

Kyle frowned. "What else could it have been?"

Sam and Dean exchanged looks.

Kyle's chest tightened. "Do you think the fire was set deliberately?"

"Well," Sam began, and Dean said,

"Your father thinks it was."