Chapter 1
Aria and her mother ran as fast as they could from the impending flames.
Its orange light curled and flickered, running towards them. Her mother dragged her from the floor. Ash and soot covered their skin. They were hacking and coughing, falling down occasionally.
“Aria—” her mother started before another coughing fit took place. She fell down, and Aria tried to pull her up.
“Run, run as fast as you can—” she ended. “Don’t look back.”
Tears were escaping Aria’s eyes. She wanted to stay but the flames were coming towards them.
Her mother gave her a little push. She started running as fast as she could. Sharp stones scraped her bare feet, but she ignored them. She looked back and watched as the flames consumed her mother.
“MAMA!” she screamed. The flames were running towards her so she started to run again. It was dark, the inky light of the moon bathing her in its ethereal beauty. Her breath was in rasps but she ran to the only place she knew she would be safe from the flames.
The river.
Aria finally reached it and jumped in, plunging down like a stone. She could swim but the flames were made by majistel and would burn anything and everything at the surface.
Holding her breath, Aria made sure she didn’t float to the surface. Her lungs were about to burst but she had to hold on. The flames diverted its track, deciding that Aria wasn’t worth it. She swam to the surface.
And realised one thing.
Her Mama wasn’t there.
