Chapter 1

Today is the Summer Festival. This is to celebrate the imprisonment of a dark sorcerer who swindled anyone who would make a deal with him. But that has little importance to me. The Summer Festival is one of the few days in the year where there is no work, school, or a place to be. It is day where, if I’m lucky, I won’t stand out from the crowd and be mocked.
         The Summer Festival takes place in the center of our little town. There are fire-eaters, musicians, jugglers, and carts of simple things to buy. At the tables of motherly old ladies one can buy small cakes, lovely cloth dolls, and wooden swords for playful boys. There is pig and starling meat to eat and wine and water to drink.
         Like every year I lace up my best dress and decide to run around bare footed. When my Mother had made the dress the fabric had been a rather bright red but now it is a dull coppery tone. Before I can get out the door my Mother spots me and beckons me to her. We say the next lines as if we rehearsed them. She asks, “Where are you going?”  I answer, “Out to the festival.” And like always she asks, “With any friends.” I look at her and sigh, “Mother, I am going alone to watch the fire-eaters I will be back in time for supper.” And with that I rush to the door and practically run to the show.

I get to the outskirts of the festival and quickly spot my favorite fire-eater. Each year there are different fire-eaters except for Fife. He comes every year and I have kept him company each time. Fife is the closest person I know who could be called a friend. I go and stand the closest to him and he calls out, “So how is little Kira, not so little now I see.” I laugh as he acts like he will drop the torches. The other towns people shuffle back a tiny bit and I reply, “Oh you know me climbing mountains, fighting dragons, surrounded by friends…” He knows I’m lying and gives a slight bow to the passers by, “You’ve been sitten in your hovel since I’ve been gone I recon.” In mock anger I answer him, “Now who told ye that I wonder.” We are about to get in a good bout as I spot Otis.

Otis is a boy of average height with rather large muscles. He is my archenemy, the spearhead of a group of children I have dubbed The Tormentors. They are a group of boys and girls who no matter where we are will hurt me as much as they can. Otis is not the oldest of the group but he is the strongest and he hungers for a ‘fun time’.  He turns to me and smirks waving a bunch of other children toward me.
         Just a few moments ago I thought I would be left alone for a day but it appears that The Tormentors have something else in mind. I try to back away forgetting about Fife and his torches. He tries to shuffle away so I won’t get burnt but he isn’t fast enough. I walk right into Fife and he drops every torch. Some are put out within minutes as others start small fires. I should worry about the damage I started, I should help stop the flame. But I don’t. I start to flee but Otis and The Tormentors have me surrounded. As the last spark is put out by a healer, Otis saunters closer to me and leans his head very close to mine.  He nearly shouts out, “Kira, you little freak. You always have to do something like this don’t you. You meant to start that fire. No one even wants you here.” Other children join the public mockery and bellow, “Little Dark One” “Loner!” “Why, she can’t even stand up for her self.”
         My mind is spinning. All there words form one immense wall of hatred aimed at me. I want to turn into a mouse and hide. I want to turn into a bird and fly away as fast as I can. I want, I want, I want! I take a deep breath trying to calm the magic that is willing me to a form that will have my village hunt me down. I realize that the yelling has stopped and that nearly the whole village is staring wide eyed at me. I look at my hands and realize no matter how much I wish it were not so I Kira had changed into a coppery red Bobcat in front of my village.
         I stare at them and they stare at me. In the blink of an eye I take off running. But Otis, The Tormentors, and everyone who had watched me grow up is right behind me. Otis suddenly became not only the leader of The Tormentors but also the leader of my village. He calls out for nets, swords and knives, a cage, anything that will help catch me. And as I reach the edge of the forest he calls out, “You really are a freak. But it doesn’t matter we will catch you!” In my heart I know he will because it is fate getting back at me for having magic I should never have gotten.

 

Reviews

[Dark Poetry]

Very good, I love stories like this.

[Rhea752]

wow this is really good. it has some good bullying and herself blaming herself for her magic is a nice touch. i cannot wait to see what happens keep writing.