The Fire Within

Chapter Nine: Rebirth

Finally I got to the door and stumbled through it. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fight off the nausea and vertigo that swam through my senses. I opened them and saw triple. Panicking I shook my head trying to clear it; I stumbled into the side table by the door.

"Nylah, is that you?" abuela called to me. "Yes," I forced out. "How was work?" "It was fine." I bit out. "Abuela, I'm going to go to bed." I said desperate to get away; I didn't want her to worry. Surely this was just a round of pre-menstrual sickness.

"Are you sure you don't want dinner? I made your favorite tonight." Concern laced her voice as she ambled around the corner. She gasped when she took in my pale, pain stricken face. "Mija, what has happened? You look awful. Are you sick? What hurts?" she asked frantically, placing a warm hand to my clammy forehead.

"I'm fine, abuela, I'm just tired." I sighed trying to get past her and to the stairs. "No, you are not fine, you are burning up, like fire!" she fretted as she patted my face and neck. Something akin to rage burned through my system, making the pain more than unbearable which in turn sparked my sudden temper.

"I am fine!" I shrieked jerking away from her gentle touch. Hurt invaded her beautiful coffee eyes and I immediately regretted my momentary loss of control. I knew that I had always had a temper, but I was normally too shy to let it show. There must be something wrong with me.

"Please, abuela let me go; I'll be fine, I promise." She hesitated "Are you sure, mija?" "Yes," I choked out between waves of intense nausea. Her brows knitted together as she sighed and nodded. She kissed my cheek before walking back into the kitchen.

I bolted up the stairs and into the bathroom where I heaved the contents of my stomach into the toilet. It was horrible. Each heave left me breathless, and they kept coming non-stop. It went on till I was throwing up acid, then dry- heaving. Finally spent I slumped to the floor and tried to breathe through the pain. It still felt as though lightning was going off in my head. Moaning in pain I dragged myself off the ground and into my room.

I looked into my dresser mirror and groaned. I looked like crap, and I was exhausted. For now the pain had ceased and I decided it was the best time to fall asleep. I unraveled my hair from its French braid and stripped to my undergarments. Totally spent, I collapsed into bed.

I gasped and twisted, trying to get away from the fire that was burning under my very skin. It felt as if someone was injecting me with molten lava, I couldn't escape. I wrenched my eyes open and my senses came to life. All I could taste, see, smell, hear, and feel was fire. It was as if it was taking over my body and soul. It was as if it was weaving itself into my molecules to make a permanent home for itself.

I screamed, but my voice seemed far away. I cried out to someone, anyone, to stop the fire. I was suffocating, drowning in the waves of intense heat that was melting the skin from my bones. I felt everything fading, like each lick from the destructive tongues of fire was erasing another piece of my being.

When my world started to drift away a firm yet gentle voice whispered through my mind.

"Nylah," it whispered. "Don't give up. Fight!" the soft female voice urged me not to succumb to death, but I could feel myself slipping away. "I can't," I moaned. "It's crushing me." The darkness was almost upon me when the voice spoke with more force. "You must; you are stronger than this. Great things will become of you Nylah. The road to greatness may not always be easy. Trials and tribulations will always be there to slow you down and cloud your judgment. You must believe in yourself and keep moving forward.

I was trying to break through the fog that was crushing me, but death wasn't letting me go without a fight. Still something about this mysterious woman's voice made me want to claw my way back. She made me want to prove that I could survive anything. It was like this overwhelming need to impress her washed over me.

"Now, Nylah! Your death is not at this moment. You must live and fulfill your destiny." Determination thundered through me and I ripped myself from the suffocating flames. Even though I was free from the horrific flames the heat still flowed within me. It was as if I was fire now. It felt as if the element was now and forever a part of me.

This new power that I possessed was strange. The emotions it provoked in me were chaotic. The feeling of having great power for the first time in my life was heady and delightful; it made me feel invincible, like I could crush any nuisance in my way. This feeling of invincibility was frightening; it felt as though if I let the need to dominate and prove my worth over take me I could become completely consumed with it. I didn't know if I was ready to handle that kind of power.

Just then the woman who spoke to me before appeared in front of me. She smiled at me kindly and spoke. "Hello, Nylah" When her soft regal voice drifted through my ears old memories came rushing back to me. I saw a little girl with dark wayward curls taking her first steps to her mother. I saw a smiling mother sending her little girl to her first day of preschool. I saw her pulling a brush through her soft curls and humming a sweet lullaby.

"Mother," I breathed in recognition. She smiled at me. That smile said so many things. Regret and longing shown through it, yet at the same time pride and love was there as well. "So much is in store for you baby girl." Her eyes held a hint of melancholy, but determination and confidence shown in them as well.

I felt something close to a spark in my heart. Gasping, I felt the heat shoot from my heart through my hand. Shocked, I raised my hand to my face and stared at the ball of flame that danced and flickered in my palm. "This is impossible." I whispered in awe. "Anything is possible you just have to make it so."

I looked up to see her fading away. "Wait, will I ever see you again?" she smiled at me. "We will see each other in the future." "I don't understand what this means." I said quickly before she faded completely. "You will someday. Just remember that you are destined for greatness, and to just be you and trust your heart no matter what. It will all make sense in due time. Take care." With that she faded away.

A/N: Here it is guys! The action is coming really soon! :) Pic of Nylah's mother on the side. :)