Chapter 4: The Girl of Flames

My other Chapters:

Chapter #1

Chapter #2 

Chapter #3

Chapter 4:

The Girl of Flames

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After Clara had rested and stayed in bed for a few days she was no longer weak. She was ready for her journey. 

Oran and Clara packed what they needed for the journey. Each day the sky was gray and stormy, it made everything look old and depressing.
The sun was hidden, if there was a sun at all. As she walked out of her room and out of the door, the cool wind whipped through her. 

Oran was outside waiting for her. 

He had a large back pack on as did she. He was wearing black pants with a black hoodie as if he was trying not to be to noticeable. 

"Ready?" Oran asked.

 "Ready." She said with determination, trying to hide the fear inside of her.

"So, uh where exactly are we going?" Clara asked, hoping he wouldn't give her one of those irritated looks.

"First of all, we need to get to The Place of Darkness." Oran said as if that settled the matter.

"Uh, well okay then. That clears things up." she said sarcastically. 

Oran handed her a earbud type thing. 

"Put this in your left ear. It will make you seem invisible to The Darkness. That way you can be safe." he said.

She put the earbud in her ear and Oran did the same. 

"Now I think were ready." he said with relief. 

Oran started walking down a path into the woods and Clara followed. She knew Oran wasn't much for talking but she wondered why he was so serious all the time.
Had she ever seen him smile when he was happy? Had she ever even seen him happy before? He was strange. His voice was like a whisper but firm. He seemed to always wear black as if he was a shadow. She tried to strike up a conversation with him to make the time pass by more quickly.

"So, uh... tell me about yourself. I've known you a while but I don't really know you... You know what I mean?" Clara asked with hesitation. 

"If you want to talk then fine. I'm Oran, you know that. I've seventeen as in today. It's my birthday. There, do you know me enough now?" he said with ease.

"Oh, happy birthday. This probably isn't the best birthday is it? Wandering in the wilderness, no balloons or cake and other birthday stuff..."

"We don't celebrate birthdays anymore. There's really is no reason in it." Oran said in his low voice.

Clara tried to change to subject.

"So, I know you think I'm the light in the darkness or whatever but nothing strange has happened to me yet. I don't feel like I have powers."

"They will come when they are needed. The longer you wait the stronger they'll get."

They walked on and on. It seemed like forever.

Finally they sat down for a while. 

"Do you smell something, something burning?" Clara asked Oran.

"Yes. we must see what it is. I can feel The Darkness near."

Clara. having no idea what he had just said but followed him as he went off the path until they saw a village. Everything was black and burnt and some of the flames still danced around the village. 

"What happened here?' Clara asked.

Oran's face looked a great deal sadder than  usual but something else rested in his sadness. Anger.

"The Darkness. they have been attacking villages and taking the strong men as slaves." 

Clara looked around. Wondering what it might have been like when the village was alive and thriving.

She felt something inside of her. Pulling her to something. She let the force take her as she tripped and stumbled along. Oran quickly followed her. When it stopped. She was near burnt boards of would that once stood as a building. A pale hand could be seen peeking out of the pile of wood. 

Clara quickly took action. She threw the boards and and pieces of coal black wood Oran came over to help her quickly dodging the pieces of wood. Something inside of her was giving her a strength she had never had before.

She pulled the body gently out of the rubble. Oran looked at the body. It was a little girl. She was tiny and thin, her flaming red hair was covered with dirt and ash.
Oran looked up at Clara.

"Clara it's too late... There's nothing either of us can do for.." Oran said as Clara interrupted him

"No, Oran. It may be okay around here to let people just die, but how I was brought up, you never give up without a fight!"

She tried to feel a pulse. Everything was still.

She couldn't take it anymore. This wasn't right. All the anger, fear and sadness came out in one blow. Tears fell down her cheeks and on to the small girl. They glistened like diamonds falling from her cheeks.

Drip, drop.
Drip, drop.

When she finally got up, the child moved. As if she had been awakened from a deep sleep.
Clara gasped. She quickly collapsed down to her knees and checked the girl's heartbeat. It was beating, like any normal human being. The little girl's stormy eyes flickered opened. 

via

"Hello? I'm Clara. Are you alright?" Clara helped the girl up as she said this.

The girl nodded but said nothing.

"Oran we have to get her out of here. We can't leave her, they might come back. Can't she come with us?"

"It will be dangerous Clara, but I guess she'll be in danger here as well. We might as well take her along." Oran said.

Clara helped the girl to her feet.

"What is your name?" Clara asked calmly.

"Edana." The girl said in her strong yet steady voice.

Clara noticed that there was a orange cat beside the girl.

"Is it yours? Clara asked.

"Yes, it's the only thing I have left."
So off they went.

~A young man with secrets~

~a child with hair of flames~

`a girl who was filled with fear~

and 

~an orange cat~
prancing along with them.

What a quartet.

Want to do it too?