Possible Story Ideas

Fire and Smoke

Fire. That's all she could see. Engulfed in flames the houses she once knew would crumble to nothing but ash and dust. Surrounded by ever growing flames, the faint specks of smoke took over her body as the darkness slowly surrounded her once beautiful home. Ash rains down on her weak frame of a body while she weeps to the sky. She doesn't know what happened or why but everything fell apart so quickly right in front of her eyes. The fire still everlasting and strong seeming like it would never die down. She opens her eyes once more straining against the bright fiery flames before her. No longer bearing to look at the now destroyed village she once called home she slowly forced herself to stand as she turned her back on her once beloved home. There was now a dangerous glow in her violet eyes. It was a fire burning darker and brighter than the one behind her. Her heavy steps rang out beneath her as her steps grew ever faster to the point that she was now running. She knew nothing of the ones who did this but as the flames deep in her eyes grew ever more she knew she had to find out.

After what felt like hours of running she stumbled, falling to the ground in a heap of ash covered clothing, soot and drying mud from the rainfall the previous morn. Getting up she realized she sprained her ankle as she tripped on what seemed to be a large tree root that was protruding from the rocky ground. Looking at her surroundings she found a small cottage in a small clearing deep in the forest. As she slowly creeped closer to the already odd cottage she only noticed how much stranger it was. She could spot the windows in the walls and on the door all broken, the shattered glass littering the dead flowers, newspaper behind the shattered glass. A soft noise broke the deafening silence. Spinning on her heels, the girl turned only to spot a cat sitting near the base of the tree she just past. The creatures pale blue eyes frozen on hers for only a mere moment before slowly sauntering towards the cottage where smoke suddenly appeared out of the small chimney signalling someone home, or at the least the mysterious start of a fire.

As the young pale girl covered in soot neared the door she remembered something she was told long ago as a child many years before her mother grew ill and passed away. It was the story of a fortune teller. One that lived deep in the forest far from the rest of human society. Some would say she was just a mere legend, a fairy tale of sorts. But, the girl's mother knew better, for she had seen the fortune teller. She was an old, yet graceful woman as though she was once a part of nobility yet dressed in the silk and jewels of a gypsy. The fortune teller revealed to her mother three possible futures, she could make it that by whichever future her mother chose she wanted could happen, but only at a price. There is always a price when it comes to magic. Her mother never told her what the price to pay was, only that her mother didn't choose for the girl's mother would always say, "Fate works in it's own special way, and in it's own time, and nothing, nothing could change that not even the magic of a fortune teller could stop it."

She stood frozen in front of the dark oak door, fist raised close the knocking. Her golden blond hair, grey with ash as a gentle breeze gingerly swept through her long hair. "Don't go in." gasping in fright the girl turned, eyes gazing in all directions looking for the source of the soundless whisper. "Who's there?" she queried quietly as to not alarm whomever might be inside of her presence. The girl was replied with nothing but more whispers. "Don't go in." "Nothing but death comes from seeking the witch." "Danger lurks where you least expect it." "Beware the Fortune Teller." "Beware the witch." "Leave now and never return." "You will find the truth." "But first you must leave." "Don't go in." "Never return." Looking at the closed door once more she fled. Confusion, fear, and questions without number filled the girl's mind. She fled from her home, and now an unknown danger.

At some point the dark shadows of night cleared away fleeing from the ever growing rays of sun. The girls footsteps had slowed her strides shorter, quieter, less noticeable until not a sound of a human could be heard, except the faint breaths of an experienced girl could be heard. For at some point in this story the girl was no longer a girl, but a grown woman who was one with the forest. She knew every piece of life in the forest, lived in the forest, and had soon become one with the forest. Her violet eyes sharper, clearer, and more accurate during any hunt, her footsteps inaudible to a normal human being. The animals, the plants, the earth and even the wind taught her everything she needed to know. She learned of what the unknown danger from those many years ago really was and destroyed it. By doing so she freed the poor gypsy that had been taken over by some unknown darkness that has yet to be named. But even so no longer does she live in grief, sorrow, fear, and hatred, but in kindness, love, passion, and courage. The fierce, raging fire in her eyes never once died down, just merely grew in new emotions. For her once blazing eyes couldn't see clearly with all the negative gloom that all started with just a few faint sparks that soon became.. Fire and Smoke.