Short Stories

The Fire Within

"Unph!" Carissa's breath left her body forcefully as she made contact with the ground.

A shadow of a man loomed above her. "This is what happens when you don't obey." A massive fist closed around her throat and pulled her off the ground.

Carissa clawed at his hands, trying to pry them away from her. Her black locks fell into her eyes, adding to her frantic look. "Stop!" She choked.

The man threw her body back into the ground. She felt the impact shudder through her with a crack. "Let this be a lesson to all of you!" He bellowed to the crowd of children around them. Carissa remained on the ground, limp. She watched the headmasters boots thump away on the stone floor. No one moved to help her until the headmaster disappeared from sight and hearing.

"Carissa!" She heard her younger brother call. He fell to his knees in front of her, his bright eyes teary. "Carissa, are you ok?" He asked. The other orphans around them began to disperse. Carissa searched her little brothers gaze. Her reflection in his gray eyes appeared worn and beaten.

"Are you ok?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"I'm fine but what about you? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm all right, Tristan. It's not bad." Carissa pushed herself up, gritting her teeth against the pain. A sharp burst of agony raced up her spine. Carissa let out a yelp and fell back to the floor.

"Carissa?" Tristan whispered.

"I'm...fine...," she panted.

"Tristan? What are you doing out here? Is that Cari...," a tall brown haired boy began to run towards them. "Carissa! Not again!"

Carissa felt him pull her hands up, but they remained limp in the boy's grip. She closed her eyes and heard Tristan call to her, but sleep beckoned her. She succumbed, falling into a blessed sleep with no pain.

8 years ago

"Children, I'm terribly sorry," Miss Millie, a sweet gray haired lady said. "Your parents died on the train last night. There was another robbery. The robbers killed the engine drivers and the train derailed. No one survived."

"Mother and Father are...dead?" The six year old Tristan burst into tears, burying his face in Miss Millie's skirt.

A ten year old Carissa stared dumbly at her nanny. "Darling, I'm so sorry," Miss Millie said again.

"What will happen to us?" Carissa asked softly.

"Mr. Barov has dismissed the household. He is sending you two to an orphanage," Miss Millie said.

"An orphanage? Why can't with stay with Grandmother?" Tristan cried.

"Grandmother is too old. They will not think her fit to care for you," Miss Millie explained.

Carissa's gray eyes mirrored her brothers. Tears burned within her eyelids. She broke away from her nanny and ran out the door into the garden. Clouds thundered overhead and a soft rain began to poor.

"Carissa!" Miss Millie called. Carissa paid no mind to her.

She knelt down beside her rose bush, her tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. She gently cupped one of the roses in her hand. "Mama," she whispered. Tears fell, unbidden. Her palm glowed red and she faintly heard her mother's voice.

There is a fire within you, Carissa. Nurture, let it grow, and someday it will serve you. Never let it die. Let it become an ember, faintly glowing, when you fall down, but when you rise back up...you rise as a fire.