Sacred Flame

Prologue

Prologue

I was playing outside; it was getting close to supper time, so I had asked Mommy if I could come play before I had to wash up. The sun was still shining and the breeze was blowing lightly ruffling the dress I was wearing around my ankles. The dress I was wearing was a deep green, the color of summer as Mommy called it. I wasn't wearing shoes though. Mommy and Daddy usually scolded me about that. I didn't really listen.

I looked up at the sky and started to hum the song that Daddy would sing to me when I had a nightmare. Daddy had said it was a really old song that his parents had sung to him. I started dancing to the song, twisting and turning freely. I ran over to the big rocks at the far end of the field. I climbed up and stated to sing the song aloud.

  "Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo ku
Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo ku

Oh hush thee my dove, oh hush thee my sweet love
Oh hush thee my lap wing, my dear little bird.
Oh, fold your wings and seek your nest now
The berries shine on the old rowan tree
The bird is home from the hills and valleys

Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo ku

Coo roo koo, cooruku, coo ru ku, coo k"

I twirled again at the end of the verse, toward the direction of the house, to see a huge column of smoke coming up from beyond the trees. I stopped singing and dancing all together and just stood there staring. After a few more seconds I started on a hard dash towards the house. My dress would get caught in my feet, making me stumble and fall. I ignored the light pain caused by this and continued on my way through the trees.

As I burst through the trees, I came to see our house, the house we had lived in my entire life, burning to the ground. I looked around, but didn't see my parents outside. They must still be inside! I dashed up to the door and ripped it open. I was hit with a wave of heat and smoke. I flinched back and started coughing. I forced myself to stop coughing and squared my shoulders. My parents were in there. No way was I leaving them!

I pushed on through the door way and came into the living area. There was a kettle in the fire place, and I could just barely smell the sent of cooking pork. I ignored the smell and went to check the back rooms. My own room was first, then my parent's room. They weren't in either. I came to stand in front of the last room in the house. The storage room... The usually locked door was ajar, smoke wafting through the top of the door. I got a foreboding feeling, as if when I opened this door, I wouldn't meet my parents, but instead a monster. A monster that would eat me soul and all.

I pushed open the door, and saw my parents lying on the ground. They weren't moving they were lying close to one another with their hands still touching. As I took in the scene I started to scream. I ran over to them and dropped to my knees next to them. I shook them, calling their names, hoping they would respond. "Mommy? Daddy? Wake up! We have to get out the house, or we'll get trapped! Please! Mommy! Daddy!" I started to sob loudly. I looked at their hands, and saw the rings they wore there. They had told me to take the rings if anything had ever happened to them. They said they would protect me through the rings.

I pulled the two slim pieces of metal off their fingers, and stood up. I walked backwards a few steps, and then quickly turned around to dash out the house. Before I could do that though, I ran straight into a tall man with blood on his clothes and an evil grin on his face. My eyes widened and I backed up again. "What's wrong little one? I am just here to help." His grin grew, as if he knew I knew he was lying. He suddenly lunged at me. I was able to doge him, with my small frame, and run out the house. As I exited the burning building, I ran into another man, much like the first one. Only this time I couldn't dodge him.

"Ahh... hello there little Miss. Going somewhere?" He picked my up high in the air, and I noticed that he had blood on his clothes as well. I squirmed around to try to get away, but it was hopeless. Suddenly the other man came out of the burning house, and walked up to us. "I got her. Let's get back to the village before we are missed." The other man nodded.

"Put me down!" I screamed out, still wiggling around. I was trying to get away, but sadly, I would learn that over the next thirteen years, escape would be impossible.

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