Prologue:

Annora was just about to open the door. She rested her hand on the door knob, twisted it and opened the door. Inside, was a young girl sitting on the bed, crossed legged and back straightened. When the door swung open, the girl snapped her head to Annora. 

    “Good morning, mother!” she said cheerfully. Annora gave a nice smile to her daughter.

    “It’s time for breakfast,” she said, her daughter nodded, and left the room with her. They both made their way down the stairs, and to the kitchen and sat down to eat. After breakfast, the mother got up from her chair and went to wash the dishes. As she was washing them, her mind went blank.

I looked at my mother, wondering if she was okay.

    “Mom,” I asked the same question as I did a few minutes earlier.

Mother seemed to notice finally that I was trying to ask, as she turned her head over her shoulder, her attention on me rather than the dishes. 

    “Yes?” 

    “Um, I was wondering...If you don’t mind at all, if I could go outside and into one of the shops? If it wouldn’t bother you at all,” I asked, feeling shy as I looked into her eyes. 

    “Oh, why of course, just be back by noon,” she said. I smiled broadly, as I got up from my chair and out the front door. I didn’t really leave the house much because I liked to be where my mother could watch me and keep her happy, but I like to go out sometimes. I walked down the paved streets, looking at the sky and realizing how bright it was. I looked at each shop, and I then picked one to go to. I could see that the door was being held open by a rock. I walked to the shop, and I examined the door. I could tell that it could only be opened from the inside. I was just about to walk inside the building, when I got pushed to the ground by something hard and solid, I gave a small yelp of surprise and shut my eyes quickly. When I hit the ground I opened my eyes. 

    “I’m so sorry!” A voice exclaimed. I had opened my eyes to a young boy.

    “Ugh,” Somebody moaned. I looked sideways, and saw a young girl, they were both about my age. The girl looked at us. 

    “What is your problem?” She asked sharply. 

    “Wha–What do you mean?” The boy asked. 

    “I mean. Why did you knock me down?” The girl asked. The boy looked at me.

    “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to knock you down, I tripped accidentally!” he said. I got on my feet, as the others did the same. The girl crossed her arms. 

    “You’re okay, it just surprised me, that’s all,” I said to the boy, he smiled in return. 

    “My deepest apologies, I must have done that,” I said to the girl, bowing slightly. She smiled and nodded, as if she accepted the apology. 

    “What are you’re guy’s names?” I asked curiously.  

    “My name Is Ella,” the girl said. 

    “That’s a pretty name,” I complimented. 

    “How about you?” Ella asked the boy. 

    “Mine’s Eagle,” He beamed. 

    “Well, nice to meet you both. Oh, yes, before I forget, my name is Orchid.” 

    “Like the flower?” Eagle asked. 

    “Hmm, it’s a flower, they’re pretty. And it’s a pretty name.” 

    “Were you going to the shop for something?” Eagle asked me. 

    “I saw a cloak, it looked amazing and so pretty!” 

    “I want to see it, can you show me?” Ella asked. I nodded, and led her into the shop, with Eagle following close behind. Afterwards we just hung out and talked, until I had to go back to my house. We had all agreed to go meet up the next day by the shop. I made the way back to my house, feeling happy. Wow, I made two friends! I was thinking as I walked down the paved streets. 

Chapter one: 

Orchid    

I walked up the stairs silently and swiftly, wearing my cloak with my hood down for a little warmth. When I got to the top, I opened the door to my room. I saw the plain brown walls. Outside, it was still dark. It will be sunrise soon, but it is still very dark. I walked over and looked into my mirror. My name was Orchid. I was a skinny fourteen year old, with long wavy orange hair. My eyes were emerald-forest green, but they sometimes turn blue, or gray. I’m not fourteen yet, but I should be soon. Today’s my birthday actually. I hope mother will remember my birthday, I was thinking as I was grabbing a small book off my dresser, and went on my bed to read it. My father had died a long time ago, mother has been mourning, and she  had often forgotten about stuff…After a few minutes, I got bored of my book. So I got off of my bed and put the book back on the dresser, and quietly went down the stairs again. 

And out the front door. When I looked around I could see that the town was empty. After a while of wandering around, I went back to the house, climbed and sat on a branch of a tree. Letting my leg hang off, while my other leg was resting on the branch. After an hour or so, the sun started to rise up into the sky. 

    “Oi! Orchid!” somebody called.

     I looked down, and saw my two friends. I jumped off of the tree. And looked at my friends. Their names were Eagle and Ella.

    “Didn’t you hear me calling for you?” Ella asked. 

    “No.” I shook my head. 

    “Were you thinking again?” Eagle asked, his eyes were showing a bit of worry.

    “Yeah”

    “Oh. Happy birthday, by the way.” Ella said happily.

    “Wait, it's your birthday!?” Eagle looked at me, then at Ella with his mouth slightly open. “I totally forgot!”

    “Don’t worry about it. I really don’t care,” I assured him. Eagle looked

taken aback with surprise, but nodded. 

    “I should probably go back inside before mother wakes up. She gets worried when I'm not there…bye guys, catch up with you later,” I said, and I saw a glint of sympathy in Ella’s eyes.

    Then quickly sprinted to the door. I quietly opened it, and walked in. I walked over to the table, and sat down in a chair. I took the smallest apple I could find in a bowl that was on the table, and bit into it. After a few minutes, I heard fast footsteps on the stairs. My mother came around the corner, with a terrified expression on her face. She gave a sharp sigh of relief. 

    “You okay?” I asked in an anxious voice. 

    “I’m fine. I went up to your room, and I didn’t see you there. I thought–” she stopped suddenly. She covered her mouth with her hand, shaking her head. Some tears were coming down her face. I got up from my chair, and gave my mother a hug. Don’t worry, I'm safe, I soothed her silently. 

    “I'm sorry, I know I'm being a bit clingy,” she said with a sniffle as she walked away. I know mother's have been trying to be less worried about

me, but she still worries though. Better to have a mother who cares for you a lot then not at all. 

    “Are you going to go out with your friends?”

    “Yea, I was with them before I came back.”

    “Okay, just be back for dinner.”

I turned around, stretched my arms above my head, and walked out the door. I walked down the streets with a yawn looking for Ella and Eagle again, making my way back to the tree where they were before, thinking they might still be there. I got to the tree not long after but they had left. Where would they have gone? I started wandering around the main roads hoping to catch a glimpse of them somewhere. 

    “This will be good, right?” I heard Eagle’s voice say from somewhere. 

    "If you think so," replied Ella’s voice

    “What's that supposed to mean!?”

    “She said it wasn't a big deal, so she will probably like anything you give her, you already bought it anyways.”

    “Hey guys! What are you doing?” I asked, trying to look over Eagle and

Ella's shoulders.

    “Orchid! what's up?" Eagle asked, sounding as though he's trying to be cool. 

    “He's trying to buy you a birthday present.” Ella said. 

    “Well, yea… But you're helping too Ella! It's not just me!”

    “What did I do?”

    “You gave your opinions!”

    “After you bought it already.”

    “Well yeah, but..”

    “What did you get?” I asked, trying to see what was in his hands.

    “It's a… Here,” Eagle responded, holding out his hand.

Inside his fist was an empty silver locket with an orchid flower depicted on the front. 

    “Thanks!” I said with a smile, putting it around my neck.

"Well, glad you like it. Because he asked my opinion after he bought it," Ella remarked. 

    “Did you not like it?” Eagle asked.

         "No, I love it! It was a thoughtful gift," I said. 

Eagle gave a sigh of relief and gave a big grin.

         "See? I thought she would like it!" he told Ella.

         Ella shook her head, smiling a bit, but didn't say anything. We then walked around town smiling, telling jokes to each other and looking at shops that had a variety of things on display. I looked up at the sky and realized it was getting dark. 

    “Well, I’ve got to go, mom said I had to be back by dinner,” I said. 

    “Okay. Wanna hang out tomorrow?” Eagle asked.

    “Okay. If I’m not there, come to my house,” I told them. 

    They nodded, and I left and headed to my house. When I came inside the house, the door creaked. 

    “You home, Orchid?” I heard mom call from the kitchen.

    “Yeah!” I called back. I went inside the kitchen and saw mom just finishing dinner

    “How was your day?” she asked. 

    “Oh good, we walked around town a bit,” I said, sitting down as mom was handing me a plate. 

    “What are you wearing? Is that a necklace?” Mom asked, now putting food on the plate. 

    “Yea. Eagle got it for me as a gift," I responded, showing her the necklace.

    "Oh, that's nice," she said. 

After dinner, I went to my room, leaving mom to do the dishes. Once again, I went up the creaky stairs. When I got to my room, I looked out the window, and saw the sun setting behind the houses. I grabbed a book, and sat on my bed beginning to read, with my legs crossed together…

 Chapter two:

A light in the darkness

I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling slightly dizzy and tired. It was very warm in my room, so I sat up to move my blankets off the bed hearing a sound like a bunch of termites chewing and cracking the wood of the house. When I opened my eyes it was so bright I thought it was morning somehow. Then I realized my lungs hurt, and my head wasn't dizzy because I was tired but because my room was full of flames! The walls crackled and paint chips were flinging off the wall as the timbers creaked and charred illuminated by the tall dancing wall of flames. Mother!

    "Mom!" I shouted, coughing from the smoke trapped in the room. I ran to the door. 

    "Mother!" Crash! The old floorboards broke underneath my feet, my legs hurt and my head was thrown against the floor of our living room.

When I looked up I could see mother trying to get to the stairs of my room. I tried to call to her but my throat was so sore I could hardly say a word. 

    "Orchid!" I heard her shout. I forced myself up and ran over to her, hugging her. Time to go! I thought to myself trying to find the door. I turned around to survey the room but instead I was facing the window. Now knowing where I was, I turned around to go with mom. 

    "Orchid!" Mother shouted. Something exploded behind me and I was shoved to the floor by something solid. Dazed and confused, I had no idea what happened. My eyes were blurry as they began to water. I looked up feeling something small sharp all over the floor beneath my hands, the raging crackling flames were reduced to a wall of yellow and orange spots leaving a large blurr at its center.

    "Annora!" someone yelled my mothers name. I tried to get up from the ground. Someone was speaking but I couldn't see who. "Kenric! Why are you here!?"

    "I realized you're still a hindrance to me even all the way out here! I

realized you– no, this town! Is a hindrance to my very name!"

    "What are you talking about!?"  

My eyes finally cleared as I stood on my feet, though my lungs screamed for fresh air, I could make out the silhouette of a man holding a knife to mom's throat. I tried to step forward and call out to her, but all that came was a hoarse croak. My head was so dizzy I fell to my hands and knees when I stepped forward. 

    "I thought leaving would be enough. I thought I could just forget about the past and be done with it, that it would all just disappear! But now I realize how tough it can be to remove a stain on one's past!" 

    "Kenric!"

    "Goodbye, Annora."

         "K–"

The man's arm moved in a fast sweep stirring the flames at his side. 

    "Mother!" I forced my throat to yell, causing it to burn even more. 

     Mother’s words had been cut short by the blade that had pierced her

flesh, now reflecting the burning dance of the fire on its cold metal blade. My mothers body fell to the floor seemingly soundless as a piece of the ceiling caved in beside the man who seemed to pay it no attention. The spot where my mothers dark form stood seemed to be so empty, all there was now was the light of the fire burning into my vision. The now vacant spot seemed so bright I didn't notice the man turning around to face me. 

    I then realized the man was getting closer. Still on my hands and knees, I got up on my feet again. And I ran forward clumsily, trying to reach the door, nearly falling again. I pitched to the side, my spinning head and blurry vision now worsened by the death of my mom. I reached out for the door handle now in front of me, but a force threw me over to the wall next to it instead. 

    "Who are you!?" the man asked, spinning me around to face him. My eyes were so blurry I couldn't see his face but he seemed to be a tall dark shadow looming over me from above. 

    All I could do was stare. Looking for an exit, I noticed all the windows

had now exploded in the heat. 

    "Who are you!" he repeated as another part of the roof fell. I tried to speak but found myself unable. My throat had nearly closed from all the smoke. 

The man placed his dagger on my throat, cutting into my skin a little. 

    "I'm only asking one more time, what is your name!?"

Suddenly the door burst open with a shout. 

    “Orchid!” I heard Eagle yell. The man was thrown back into the middle of the room with Eagle pinning him down. A large part of the roof caved in leaving only a tiny part of the living room left. 

    "Orchid!" another voice shouted. 

    "Ella!" I was so shocked that my friends were here, my mind almost couldn’t handle it. 

    "Orchid! We got to go. The roof is going to fall any second!”

    "But Eagle!"

    "He’ll be fine! He knows what he's doing! Come on!"

I turned around. 

    "Eagle co-!" I tried to get Eagle to hurry, but my voice failed me once again. 

    "Come on!" Ella yelled as the house creaked, pulling me out the door. I looked back to see Eagle in the flames when a post fell on top of him and the man. Then, with the last support gone, the ceiling fell. I tried to run over to the house and take away the pieces blocking Eagles' way even though I could no longer see him, but Ella was holding me back, dragging me away from the house. 

    "We have to go back!" I said.

    "He’s gone!" Ella shouted back.

    "You don't know that!"

    "The whole roof fell right on top of him!"

    I let her pull me, wanting to get away from the burning house. Now  realizing not only did my house burn, but flames engulfed the streets everywhere, I turned around. I noticed that Ella was running to a hole in the wall, where some people were evacuating from. Ella’s hand was gripped tightly to mine. When we got to the hole, I took one last look

behind me, and saw smoke coming from the other buildings. I quickly looked up at the night sky. And saw that it was a clear starry night, with the paled yellow moon overhead. 

    “Hurry Orchid, don’t stop moving!” Ella called from up front. 

But I want to stop! We just left our friend back there.

he’s gone, I tried to convince myself. He’s never coming back. He’s gone forever.