Redemption

Fire in My Spirit: Redemption

Chapter 1

Marcus scrunched up his face trying to forget the memory of the night before. He could see it in his memory; the smoke, the fire. It gave him chills down his spine and a horrid lump in his throat. Marcus remembered peering into Grace's window just before the house collapsed. The police had told him no one had survived. Grace's parents were dead and so was Grace.

Marcus had no other friends; Grace had been his only one. Now she was gone. He didn't know what he was going to do without her. Every one at school hated him. Marcus was miserable.

The next morning, as the sun rose, Marcus began his daily schedule. Feed the chickens, eat breakfast, and get ready for school. "Another day of torture," he thought as he boarded the school bus. He trudged to the back of the bus and sat in his normal seat. Usually, the seat next to him would be filled with Grace's small frame, but he knew that for today and the rest of junior high, it would be vacant.

Marcus was the only one on the bus this early. His house had always been the first stop. As the driver sped past Grace's "house", Marcus almost got up and yelled "STOP". Then he remembered that the house no longer existed. He stared at the pile of burnt rubble. He began to cry. A giant tear plopped onto the page of his library book.

After arriving at school, Marcus went straight to his locker hoping that the three bullies wouldn't see him, but they did. Marcus tried to duck away, but he was too late. "Oh, not again", he whispered wishing the others wouldn't hear. But, they did. "Whatcha mumbling about Punk?" the group leader addressed Marcus. "Um-uh... Nothing", Marcus managed to say. "Good. 'Cause if you had..." The bully clenched his fists as if to finish the rest of his sentence. That was enough to tell poor Marcus. Suddenly, the deadly silence was shattered by the ear piercing sound of the school's bell. The bullies turned ad left for their classes. "Phew, I'm glad that's over. Saved by the bell again. Thank you school!" He gathered his books, slammed his locker shut, and headed for class.

Room 402 was his next class. It was math. As he entered the room he half expected to be scolded for something he'd done wrong (he didn't know what). Instead he found a room full of students and one teacher staring at HIM. He took his seat. There was still silence. Then sudden laughter filled the classroom. If Grace had been there, she would have told him what was happening, but he stood there oblivious to his surroundings. Through the laughter, Marcus heard only a few words, but that was enough. He had toilet paper hanging out of the back of his old, tattered Wrangler jeans. Marcus ran from the room. In the bathroom, Marcus wondered why everyone treated him like was nothing.

On the homeward bus, Marcus sat with a tear stained face and blood red eyes. As he stared out the school bus window, Marcus noticed something glimmering in the hot afternoon sun. "Whoa! Stop here!" Marcus yelled at the driver. The bus lurched to an unexpected stop. Marcus was almost jolted from his seat. He scrambled out the door and tripped down the school bus steps, but he was too excited to mind the evil sort of laugh that escaped the driver's mouth. As the old, yellow bus sped off, Marcus scuttled forward to the resting place of the small object. It was a ring with the face of some unknown creature on it. Faster than he'd picked it up, the Ring flew from Marcus' hand and onto a miniature box. The box was wooden and had gold letters on the top that read GRACE MARIE RUTHERFORD. Marcus gasped. This was Grace's box. "Ho- How... Who-What... This is crazy!" Marcus exclaimed in a surprised manner. "I must be dreaming." To make sure it was real, he picked up the box and slowly lifted the lid...

Chapter 2

Marcus awoke to the sound of chirping birds. He was lying on his back with the sun in his face. All around him was a green forest. To his left a bird warbled its song, to his right; however, the box lay unharmed. He picked it up and looked around. He wasn't exactly in the forest, but rather on its edge. The meadow, to his right, was full of brightly colored flowers, and the last strands of a rainbow lingered in the humid air. He felt peaceful and wanted to stay there forever.

As Marcus sat, he immediately realized that he was dreadfully thirsty. He ambled over to a small stream and drank deeply. The continuous gulps of fresh, cold water distracted Marcus from the blurry reflection in the water, but when he realized it, he jumped back. As he did so, he hit his back on something soft behind him. He turned slowly, and almost fainted as the countenance of Grace filled his eyes. "G-G-Grace? How did- What - Who. Awwwwhhe". "Marcus, Marcus. Calm down. It's okay", Grace exclaimed when Marcus tried to run away from what he had thought to be a ghost. Marcus' arms went numb and his knees collapsed under him. At that moment he felt the happiest and saddest he'd ever felt. It felt as if he had lost Grace all over again. It just wasn't the same. "Is it really you?" "Yes, Marcus. I promise." Grace helped him to his feet, and she gave him a giant hug. "I promise".

Back at home, Marcus' mother was crying as his father tried to comfort her. His mother, Alana Shelby, had called the police and had done everything else imaginable to try to find Marcus. As she sat on the couch, Mrs. Shelby watched her two younger daughters shower her husband with questions concerning Marcus. Maybe it had been a mistake, adopting Marcus. She should have known this would have happened. Never again would she adopt another child.

As the days passed for Marcus, he was very confused. His dreams were troubling. There were ones about snakes, unknown creatures with pitiless eyes, and dreams that he was afraid would very soon come true.

During the day, he would talk to Grace and ask her questions like, "How did you get here", and "What was in your box?" Grace never gave him a direct answer, but every time would say, "You are not ready yet for me to tell you". Marcus had a strong feeling that she was hiding something form him, and that she was never going to tell him.

Chapter 3

A month passed and Marcus was still struggling with his dreams. One afternoon when Marcus sat with Grace under a tree, he asked the question that had been bothering him. "Grace, why do I keep having dreams that are so vivid? They are so genuine that I wonder sometimes if they are real." At that moment Grace jumped up and dragged Marcus with her. "Come with me and be quiet!" she barked. Marcus followed stealthily behind her to a cottage in the deep woods. It was surrounded by many trees and a stream ran behind it.

After entering the small house, Grace took a deep breath and started a story that would change Marcus forever. "The dreams that you have been having for the past month have been sent as a sign that you are the Chosen One." Marcus looked at her confused. "Before the fire, I was a normal girl. I had no idea what was about to happen. Just before my room collapsed, I called desperately for someone to help me. The smoke made it hard to see and I couldn't find the door or window. I groped in the darkness and finally fell. The smoke circled around me. I then saw a shadowy figure come slowly toward me. With power that surpassed my own, he gently picked me up, since I was far too weak to walk, and he said a word that I could not understand. We were whisked away to a new world. We stayed there for three days and I recovered. He told me then that I was ready to travel. Once again he spoke the same unknown word and we were gone. Half way through the trip, I shifted from person to spirit. This happened to everyone who was taken to the Spirit world."