Embers

He had a book and a small, dying fire.

The embers weren’t bright enough to read by, so he tore off the cover of the book and threw it on the embers.

It smoldered for a moment then burst into flame.  The flame lasted just long enough for him to read the first page.  And give him a little extra warmth.

When the flame died down he tore off the page he’d read and threw it on the fire.

Burning it gave him just enough light to read the second page.

The second page gave light to the third, the third to the forth, and so on through the whole book.

Each bright burning page lit the way for the next, until the last page had been read, and the dawn had come.