"Mareth?" The girl's foster mother called from the doorway as her hand knocked on the wooden plank. "Wake up, it's morning!". Then, slowly, she turned on the doorknob and opened the door, its rusting hinges creaking like maddened with each movement. She strolled carefully to the girl's bed and pulled back her sheets.
"Mareth? It's morning, wake up now."
In a slow motion, Mareth managed to open her eyes and stare into the face of her foster mother. She was not yet an old woman but her coming of age was apparent with the rustle of gray hair in her temple. A small smile creased over her lips and her dark blue eyes examined the girl. Already, her skin was beginning to wrinkle up. Mareth could feel its almost leathery caress as her hands pulled her up from the bed. Although, she was acting nice and warm toward the girl, Mareth knew perfectly well what she thought of herself behind her back. Hiding back a sad smile, Mareth greeted the woman. Satisfied that she had gone out of the bedroom and the door securely shut, Mareth began to unbutton her white nightgown. Even though she was only eight, Mareth did not feel comfortable with others to wash and see herself naked. She didn't like others to touch her.
Quickly, she pulled on her brown tunic, and black cloak and was on her way out of the room.
Entering the kitchen, she obediently ate what her foster mother offered. She greeted her foster father when he entered the room, though not as the same way she did to his wife. Mareth didn't really like the man. He was a drunken gambler who did not seem to have a life at all. All he did and could think of was money. With that, Mareth felt diguisted of him, yet at the same time, pitied his state, where his wife had to worry him so much. Turning away, she finished her soup in one huge gulp and was on her way out of the house.
"Mareth, where are you going?" Her foster mother called as she placed a couple of stale bread on plates.
The girl turned around and answered.
"Outside, to the forest-". Then, she was outside alone.
As usual.
She thought.
The morning sky was a blue velvet blanket of complete clearness. The sky was a conspicuous fire orb hanging in midair, casting its golden light all over the planet. Mareth's eyes scanned the village swiftly, not bothering to put on her hood, as she usually did. Contently, she breathed in the fresh morning air deeply, feeling her energy returning to her body. Small gusts of refreshing wind grazed her pale skin, leaving a trail of comfort behind. Mareth's eyes caught a group of kids around her age playing at the side of the street. They were so much like herself exterior with the age appearance. But internal, deep inside them, did they had the same anguish that she was experiencing now? Did they possessed any of the magic like she had? No, they didn't. They would never do. Mareth's heart caught in her throat. She would never be one of them, they would never be one like herself. Turning away from the gathering happiness these group of best friends shared, Mareth hurried away.
She still remembered the first time when she summoned her magic. It wasn't really powerful, just a flicker of red ball of lightening, but she could feel its true power when aroused fully. She could feel it alive in her body, coiling like a ravenous snake preparing to hunt down its prey. She saw, before her, the tree she had burned down almost completely when it almost crush on her. Awe struck her heart like nature's lightening and she felt tears streaming down her cheeks. From this moment, did her foster parents truely found out that she possessed the magic inherited by her unknown parents. From that day on, they forbid her to use her magic.
She was only four.
Mareth brushed the memory aside as she entered her forest home. Instantly, songs of birds filled her ears, and fragrance of variety of flowers reached her nostrils. Smiling, the little girl walked deeper into the forest, knowing that nothing can hurt her with all those friends surrounding her. Squirrels squrried back in flashes of images, birds flew around the air in rainbow shots. Mareth's heart was considerably lightened at the atmosphere and continued walking deeper into the forest.
Until finally, what seemed to take like only seconds, Mareth emerged into a brook set astride a huge glen. Crystalline waters ran down the narrow channel, looking like droplets of precious crystals before the sunlight. Mareth took off her boots hurriedly and stepped into the cool springs, feeling its familar touch against her skin. Still with her feet in the water, the girl laid back in the lush green grass, inhaling its fragrance.
A fit of little squeals brought her awake. Looking around wildly, Mareth brushed her hair out of her face.
Where did it come from?
Quickly, she stumbled to her feet and began following the sound, which was becoming audible as she approached. She walked by the brook, following the silver river meandering downstream.
Finally, rounding a corner of trees, she spotted them.
A group of little kids was gathering around a dead skunk, smiles on their faces as one another poked it with a stick. Mareth froze to the ground. Three of them were her foster sisters and brother. Why do they do that to the poor little animal? She screamed in her mind. How dare they do such things to animals?
Anger boiled in her blood, flooding her mind with red. Her ears were ringing as she stepped out of the trees.
It isn't funny. She thought. Each creature has their lives, each creature does. What do they kill it for? For games, for games!
"Stop it!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Immediately, the children swerved around to stare at her dumfounded.
"Mareth!" One of the kids, Mareth's foster sister, squealed in amazement.
"Why do you kill it!" Mareth couldn't control her temper.
One of the little kids giggled.
"It got those stinky smells around it. EW, smelly!" and others joined in.
"Mareth, mind your own business. Get out of our play." Her foster brother, who was three years older than she, warned.
Of course, they had always considered her as an outsider. They never paid any attention to her. Never.
Mareth stepped back a pace.
Yes, she should. She wasn't them. They never wanted to play with her. But her anger at their murder of her friend was untolerable. Seeing the little pitiful figure on the ground covered with blood, Mareth's anger flew anew.
"Get out here, Mareth or I'll tell mom and dad.". The boy pointed his finger to the trees casually and turned his attention back on the skunk.
" NO, I'll not!" Mareth screamed.
"YES, YOU WILL!" He turned around and shouted back. " YOU ROTTEN LITTLE-".
He stopped in midsentence. Seeing the look in the girl's face, he backed off a step.
Mareth's eyes turned an ominous red. Uncontrollably, she released her power without thinking. Spurts of vermilion fire streamed out of her and knocked the wind out of the kids. They were all scattered about, most of them crying for their parents. Others stared at the girl in shock, their faces placid of any color. Blood spilled out of her foster brother's arm and droplets of them colored the grass.
Finally realizing what she had just done, Mareth's eyes widened in horror and stormed off into the trees...
"Mareth? It's morning, wake up now."
In a slow motion, Mareth managed to open her eyes and stare into the face of her foster mother. She was not yet an old woman but her coming of age was apparent with the rustle of gray hair in her temple. A small smile creased over her lips and her dark blue eyes examined the girl. Already, her skin was beginning to wrinkle up. Mareth could feel its almost leathery caress as her hands pulled her up from the bed. Although, she was acting nice and warm toward the girl, Mareth knew perfectly well what she thought of herself behind her back. Hiding back a sad smile, Mareth greeted the woman. Satisfied that she had gone out of the bedroom and the door securely shut, Mareth began to unbutton her white nightgown. Even though she was only eight, Mareth did not feel comfortable with others to wash and see herself naked. She didn't like others to touch her.
Quickly, she pulled on her brown tunic, and black cloak and was on her way out of the room.
Entering the kitchen, she obediently ate what her foster mother offered. She greeted her foster father when he entered the room, though not as the same way she did to his wife. Mareth didn't really like the man. He was a drunken gambler who did not seem to have a life at all. All he did and could think of was money. With that, Mareth felt diguisted of him, yet at the same time, pitied his state, where his wife had to worry him so much. Turning away, she finished her soup in one huge gulp and was on her way out of the house.
"Mareth, where are you going?" Her foster mother called as she placed a couple of stale bread on plates.
The girl turned around and answered.
"Outside, to the forest-". Then, she was outside alone.
As usual.
She thought.
The morning sky was a blue velvet blanket of complete clearness. The sky was a conspicuous fire orb hanging in midair, casting its golden light all over the planet. Mareth's eyes scanned the village swiftly, not bothering to put on her hood, as she usually did. Contently, she breathed in the fresh morning air deeply, feeling her energy returning to her body. Small gusts of refreshing wind grazed her pale skin, leaving a trail of comfort behind. Mareth's eyes caught a group of kids around her age playing at the side of the street. They were so much like herself exterior with the age appearance. But internal, deep inside them, did they had the same anguish that she was experiencing now? Did they possessed any of the magic like she had? No, they didn't. They would never do. Mareth's heart caught in her throat. She would never be one of them, they would never be one like herself. Turning away from the gathering happiness these group of best friends shared, Mareth hurried away.
She still remembered the first time when she summoned her magic. It wasn't really powerful, just a flicker of red ball of lightening, but she could feel its true power when aroused fully. She could feel it alive in her body, coiling like a ravenous snake preparing to hunt down its prey. She saw, before her, the tree she had burned down almost completely when it almost crush on her. Awe struck her heart like nature's lightening and she felt tears streaming down her cheeks. From this moment, did her foster parents truely found out that she possessed the magic inherited by her unknown parents. From that day on, they forbid her to use her magic.
She was only four.
Mareth brushed the memory aside as she entered her forest home. Instantly, songs of birds filled her ears, and fragrance of variety of flowers reached her nostrils. Smiling, the little girl walked deeper into the forest, knowing that nothing can hurt her with all those friends surrounding her. Squirrels squrried back in flashes of images, birds flew around the air in rainbow shots. Mareth's heart was considerably lightened at the atmosphere and continued walking deeper into the forest.
Until finally, what seemed to take like only seconds, Mareth emerged into a brook set astride a huge glen. Crystalline waters ran down the narrow channel, looking like droplets of precious crystals before the sunlight. Mareth took off her boots hurriedly and stepped into the cool springs, feeling its familar touch against her skin. Still with her feet in the water, the girl laid back in the lush green grass, inhaling its fragrance.
A fit of little squeals brought her awake. Looking around wildly, Mareth brushed her hair out of her face.
Where did it come from?
Quickly, she stumbled to her feet and began following the sound, which was becoming audible as she approached. She walked by the brook, following the silver river meandering downstream.
Finally, rounding a corner of trees, she spotted them.
A group of little kids was gathering around a dead skunk, smiles on their faces as one another poked it with a stick. Mareth froze to the ground. Three of them were her foster sisters and brother. Why do they do that to the poor little animal? She screamed in her mind. How dare they do such things to animals?
Anger boiled in her blood, flooding her mind with red. Her ears were ringing as she stepped out of the trees.
It isn't funny. She thought. Each creature has their lives, each creature does. What do they kill it for? For games, for games!
"Stop it!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Immediately, the children swerved around to stare at her dumfounded.
"Mareth!" One of the kids, Mareth's foster sister, squealed in amazement.
"Why do you kill it!" Mareth couldn't control her temper.
One of the little kids giggled.
"It got those stinky smells around it. EW, smelly!" and others joined in.
"Mareth, mind your own business. Get out of our play." Her foster brother, who was three years older than she, warned.
Of course, they had always considered her as an outsider. They never paid any attention to her. Never.
Mareth stepped back a pace.
Yes, she should. She wasn't them. They never wanted to play with her. But her anger at their murder of her friend was untolerable. Seeing the little pitiful figure on the ground covered with blood, Mareth's anger flew anew.
"Get out here, Mareth or I'll tell mom and dad.". The boy pointed his finger to the trees casually and turned his attention back on the skunk.
" NO, I'll not!" Mareth screamed.
"YES, YOU WILL!" He turned around and shouted back. " YOU ROTTEN LITTLE-".
He stopped in midsentence. Seeing the look in the girl's face, he backed off a step.
Mareth's eyes turned an ominous red. Uncontrollably, she released her power without thinking. Spurts of vermilion fire streamed out of her and knocked the wind out of the kids. They were all scattered about, most of them crying for their parents. Others stared at the girl in shock, their faces placid of any color. Blood spilled out of her foster brother's arm and droplets of them colored the grass.
Finally realizing what she had just done, Mareth's eyes widened in horror and stormed off into the trees...