Spark

Prologue

Malik looked back at the orphanage, shadows of memories dancing around in the flames of the burning building. His grey eyes were clouded from the thick smoke, his chest heaving and his lungs fighting to gain control of his breathing. The fire danced in his eyes as he watched the firemen fight the roaring flames. Just moments ago, he was teasing one of the younger kids and laughing along with Ms. Taylor, the orphanage mother. Malik was only seven, but he knew a tragedy when he saw one. There were a total of thirty-seven people living inside his orphanage, nine of which were babies, and four who were not present. Now, only twelve stood behind the trucks and flashing lights. Only four of the babies survived, and the kid whom Malik was teasing never made it out. Malik held tightly to Ms. Taylor's night dress, looking around him at the disaster a small candle created. For Malik, this was only the beginning of a long, treacherous journey you may call, life.

Ryan ran around the large backyard, giggling as his father chased him and his brother in an intense game of tag. Their older sister and mother sat a few feet away on a picnic blanket with bright smiles on their faces. Ryan squealed and broke out with laughter when his father picked him up and swung him around, his hazel eyes igniting a glow that dazzled him with the warmth of the happiness he felt in this moment. Ryan was seven, his brother six and his sister almost out of college. Ryan took off out of his father's arms and chased his younger brother, Stephen, playfully around the yard while their father returned to the blanket. After countless games and charades, Ryan's mother called for them and they ran laughing and playing back to their parents where they sealed the memory forever in the back of Ryan's mind, never to be forgotten. For Ryan, this was the start of glorious destiny, to bring laughter and happiness to everyone he may encounter.