Rise

I stared at the tongues of flame that were licking at my house, frozen. I wanted to run, to run for my life, just like what Sister had said, but there was nowhere to go. Everything around me was a fiery wasteland. My home was burning down, and it was all my fault.

Mom was gone first, consumed by those demonic flames as she was making dinner. Everything happened too fast... The fires weren't normal.

Run! Dad had grabbed me and Sis, urging us to flee as he stayed to shut the windows and doors. That was the last I saw of him as the fire swiftly spread from the kitchen to where he was...

Sis had stumbled over a fallen piece of wood and was soon swallowed by the ravenous flames. Live!

The circle of fire around me was like a ritual of sorts, licking at me but never harming me. It hurt, watching the sea of flames part beneath my feet as I fled from the ashes of my family, trying to escape this nightmare. I'd wake up, of course I'd wake up... This was all a bad dream, wasn't it...

I opened my eyes and stared silently at the ghost town. Softly, I whispered, "I'm back."

Hesitantly, I stepped into the village. There, that was my school... And that was my friend's home... And that, that was my aunt's... And that one was my teacher's...

But I wasn't here today to take a trip down this painful memory lane. Unfortunately, I was here because it was the only place no one would expect me to go. The demons knew that I was too terrified of the past to return. They'd probably expect me to try to get help, so it would be rather safe hiding here in my old home.

The roads were still cracked. The houses were still ruined. The fact that it had been so well-preserved made me rather... happy. I wouldn't be able to explain my emotions if I realised that someone had torn my village down, or had done something to it... Everything looked just like how it had when it burned down...

It wouldn't be right not to visit the cemetery while I was here. Oh, why was it on the other side of the village? Then I'd have to walk past so, so many houses... That one was home to the old man who yelled at little children... That one was the sweet old lady's... And that one was my friend's... And that one... I rubbed my eyes, sniffling slightly. How I wished that I could return to that day... Perhaps, if I let myself be taken by the demons, they wouldn't have burned everything down...

Finally, I started to climb the hill to the graveyard. Though I couldn't find the bodies of anyone who had ever lived here, I had managed to put little rocks on the ground and wrote their names on them. At that time, I'd wiped my tears away angrily and promised myself that I'd come back one day and give every single one of them a proper grave.

It seemed that that one day would have to wait. All I had was a satchel, containing a few breadcrumbs and a sip of water.

I knelt down in front of my parents' grave, and scattered the petals of the flowers I'd plucked.

Taking a deep breath, I stood again. "Mom... Dad... I'm back. I'm twenty now. A full ten years since we were separated... I'd love to say that I'm living really well. I didn't bring any money or anything... but Mom, you liked these flowers... Dad, I didn't have anything to bring you, so that'll have to wait till next time. I'm kind of... on the run right now, so forgive me..."

I didn't know what else to say. I didn't know how to explain that I'd gotten myself into so much, so much trouble. It didn't feel right. I didn't want to make them worry... And I felt too ashamed. They had such high hopes. Now, my past ten years... It felt like a joke. An utter joke that could have been such a bright future.