Darkness.
That was all Angela saw.
Her ears heard the sounds of crackling.
She willed her eyes to open, but they would not obey.
All she could do was lay on the ground and feel the warmth surrounding her.
The heat was comforting, in the way it cradled her in its grasp, like a mother would do to soothe a child.
Her eyes snapped open as she realized that there was a fire.
Taking in her surroundings in panic, she saw she was surrounded by the rubble of her former home.
The wooden house was already halfway down and quickly being eaten away by the flames.
She tried to escape, but her leg was stuck under some rubble.
A sharp pain spread through her body as she tugged her trapped leg.
With a sudden CRACK!, a rafter fell behind her.
Salty tears running down her face, she gave her leg one last pull and out it came.
Stumbling around, she escaped the rubble of her house just as the entire roof came down in a fiery inferno, trapping everyone inside.
Angela looked around and felt like a rock had been slammed into her.
All around her was destruction.
The houses were like skeletons, on their last support beams.
Papa's shop was the only thing still standing.
She made a beeline toward the store, wincing when the still burning cobblestones made blisters on her feet.
If the shop was still standing, then maybe Mama and Papa were inside, safe!
She made her way inside the store, hope blossoming.
She called out, her voice echoing through the store, giving a feeling of when she gave up hope that her parents would be there, she heard a weak voice call to her from the back of the store.
She ran towards the back to find Papa on the floor, bleeding profusely.
She knelt by his side, her small fingers trying to unbutton his bloodstained cotton shirt so she could fix his wounds.
"Oh my angel, you don't have to worry about me."
"but I do Papa! You are hurt!"
He shook his head,
"There is nothing more you can do for me,but I need you to listen to what I am about to tell you."
She nodded, and leaned forward to listen to her Papa.
"Now Angela, there was a very wicked man that did this to the village." "He used his magic to do such a thing."
"Papa, you told me magic helps to heal people?"
Angela said in confusion
"Magic can also be used for terribly wicked things,angel."
Her Papa's voice was smooth like caramel, always able to help calm her down.
His voice rose once again startling her.
"Angela do you remember the trick I taught you?"
She held out her hand and a soft golden light emerged from her hand.
"Yes Papa.I am getting better at using it."
He grinned proudly, "Very good angel."
"Now you need to use that power to help other people."
"What do you mean papa? What other people?" The girl inquired.
He looked at her with a knowing look in his blue eyes.
He reached into his charred pocket with some difficulty and pulled out an amulet.
It was silver just like her mother's hair.
The amulet had a winged staff with two snakes intertwining around it.
"Now angel, this will always protect you, keep it on you at all times."
Her father coughed and blood started coming from his mouth.
"PAPA!" She yelled in horror.
He waved her concern off with his hand.
"Angela I need you to gather a group of special friends that will be able to take down this evil man."
"Take a bag and grab as many medical supplies as you can, don't forget provisions, and please be careful."
Angela hugged him fiercely, tears coming from her robin's egg blue eyes streaming down her dust filled face, as she wept into his shoulder.
He caressed her head until his hand slowly became limp, his face relaxing from all the pain.
His eyes lost all of their shine and were staring at nothing.
Angela let go of his body and searched it for signs of life.
She pressed her small blond head to his chest, searching for the telltale thump of a heartbeat.
She could not hear anything.
The anguish tore her apart.
She gently closed his eyes and started to sob rivers of tears.
She threw her head back and screamed.
She did not know how much time had past before she stopped crying but she knew she would need to hurry.
If what her Papa had said was correct, the evil man might still be near the village.
Worried that if she was not quick enough the man would come backs she quickly grabbed a magic bag her mother had owned.
It could hold an incredible number of items.
It was almost bottomless.
She went through her Papa's store grabbing every medicinal object she could.
After taking all the medical supplies she went to the storerooms.
They were big open rooms filled to the brim with supplies such as water and non-perishable foods.
She filled her bag up as much as she could.
Stepping out of the doorframe of the store, she hesitated for a moment before turning around to look up at the once majestic building.
She had so many memories here and of the village too.
It was the only place she had ever known.
Blinking down tears, she fastened the pennant her father gave her around her neck and looked down the travelers road.
Taking a deep breath, she left her village without looking back.
