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Originally Aired: May 29, 1956
Suspense #652, "The Flame," follows Andy, a troubled young man who harbors a disturbing obsession with fire. Living with his worried sister Mary Lee, Andy spends his nights wandering the streets, sketching fires in his notebook and admiring the patterns flames make against the sky. When their elderly neighbor Mr. Boyajin, a kindly dry goods store owner, needs help minding his shop while his wife is hospitalized, Mary Lee volunteers Andy for the job, hoping it will give him purpose and keep him off the streets.
As Andy works at the store, Mr. Boyajin confides that he can't afford the special medical care his wife desperately needs, offhandedly wishing the store would burn down so he could collect the insurance money. The comment ignites a dangerous idea in Andy's mind. Convinced he's helping his friend, Andy begins experimenting with plumber's candles and celluloid, planning to set fire to the shop. When his sister discovers him practicing in her cake tin, their confrontation reveals the depth of Andy's instability and his terrifying fixation with flames.
