Aiden
Aiden's largest flame would have failed the assessment.
He knew that before entering the room.
Knowing did not stop him wanting to use it when the first reading settled just below the required band.
The examiner kept her eyes on the instrument.
"Release."
He ended the flow.
The small flame folded back and disappeared above the target plate.
His shoulder stayed down.
That was something.
It was not the result he had come for.
"Again after recovery," the examiner said.
"Was the output short?"
"The useful output was short. The beginning rose too quickly. You spent part of the attempt bringing it back under control."
She showed him the record.
A sharp rise, a correction and a stable section which arrived later than it needed to.
He had made a smaller version of the same old mistake.
Aiden sat while the resting measure returned.
