The woman turned slowly, and it is a witch ... but it was very clear that she was not protected, particularly, from the flames. Her skin was bubbling and cracking, the blood hissing as it hitthe heated air around her and turned to foul smelling smoke and steam. She held out her hands imploringly to him, and as an eddy of smoke clears, he can see her face.

It is his mother.

She's not begging him for help, though, her lips turned up in a hideous grimace, but beckoning him to come into the fire with her. She moves her lips to speak, but the heat has cooked her laryngx, and all that comes out is a dry croak.