AYESHA : The Queen Of Fire

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, happy birthday! Happy birthday to you!” “Go make a wish and blow your candle dear Ayesha,” Mama said while smiling after she and my papa sang to me a Happy birthday song. I was celebrating my birthday and I was beyond blessed. We may not have a lot of food on the table, but seeing my parents healthy and happy was enough for me. I looked at the flame on the tip of the candle. The way it flickered from my sight amazed me. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. But since I was a child, I‘d always been fascinated with fire. I closed my eyes and wished. I wish my parents to live longer with good health and always be happy. I smiled, opened my eyes, and blew the candle of my cake in front of me. Happy sweet sixteen to me! “Happy birthday dear,” Papa said smiling while handing me a small box that was wrapped with red paper. It had a yellow ribbon tied up to it. I was teary-eyed when I held it in my hand. We were poor. And we were actually living in the slum. Scala Town, where I live right now, was one of the slums of the Kingdom of Zoara. Receiving a gift from my papa was really touching for me. My papa and mama were working on the farm nearby, but still, I was proud that they were my parents because they raised me well. I pulled the ribbon and opened the box. I almost gasped when I saw the beautiful necklace inside. It was a white gold necklace with a flame-like pendant hanging on it. “I can’t take this Papa,” I said while putting back the necklace inside the box. “That is your dear. Take it,” he replied and put it back in my hands. “But I think this is so expensive. I know we don’t have a lot of money,” I mumbled sadly to him. “Don’t worry dear. That is not that expensive as you think,” he reassured and then smiled at me. I bit my lower lip and hugged him. “Thank you, Papa.” “You’re welcome, dear.” *** I didn’t have visitors on my birthday. Our house was just small and it was made of wood. It was kind of located in a mountain area. And the next house was also far from our house. So we were done celebrating it. I also didn’t have friends. So what was the use of inviting someone? As if I also got someone to invite to. All of our neighbors of the same age as mine hated me and I didn’t know why. I would sometimes look at myself in the mirror if there was something wrong with my appearance. My hair was straight and black, and it was long up to my waist. My skin was pinkish-white and my face was so small with a little freckle on my cheeks and nose. My body was petite and my height was only five feet. I was normal. My Mama even told me that I was beautiful. But why couldn’t others see it? My parents were also aloof to others. They didn’t have that much of what they called friends too. Sometimes I wonder why my parents were like that. It was like they didn’t want us to get close to other people here in our town. Our town was just small compared to others. The land of Anteras was divided into five kingdoms. The kingdom of Zoara, Krishna, Cenchrea, Havilah, and Gethsemane. Scala Town belongs to the Kingdom of Zoara and it was not really that big too compared to other Kingdom, I even heard a lot of rumors that each kingdom was being protected by dragons. The Fire Dragon of Zoara, Water Dragon of Krishna, Earth Dragon of Cenchrea, Metal Dragon of Havilah, and Wind Dragon of Gethsemane. It was kind of talk of the town but I hadn’t seen one in my entire life. Maybe it was just a myth or something. But I didn’t really believe it. Not unless I saw one. “Ayesha, dear?” Mama called outside the wooden door of my room. I was inside while looking at myself in the mirror. “Yes, Mama?” I shouted while facing the mirror. “Dinner is ready,” she replied. “Coming,” I exclaimed and then walked out of my room. I sat down in front of my mama and papa when I arrived at the table. “Let’s pray?” Mama said and I, and Papa I both nodded and we all closed our eyes for grace. “As we come together at this special time, let us pause a moment to appreciate the opportunity to thank our mother earth that has made this birthday possible. We reap the fruits of our town, our kingdom, and our land, and take joy in the bounties of nature on this happy occasion. Let us also wish that, someday, all people on Earth may enjoy the same good fortune that we share,” Mama prayed for our food's grace. After we said our grace, we ate peacefully. My parents were kind of religious. And every Sunday, we didn’t forget to always go to church. As a good daughter, of course, I was with them, always. The dinner ended and I was back in my room. I remember the necklace that my papa gave to me. I walked towards the mirror and picked the box near to it. I smiled and took the necklace out. I looked at myself in the mirror as I put the necklace on my neck and then touched it. I smiled at myself. It looked so good on me. I was in the middle of brushing my hair when I noticed something on it. From its roots, I saw how little by little my black hair turned into red. I blinked a couple of times making sure if I was seeing it clearly or maybe I was just hallucinating. But my eyes widened when all of my hair from the roots to the tip became already red. “Oh my God! Oh my God!” I blurted, bewildered by what was happening. I scooped my hair and looked at it in my hands. My black hair just turned red! What the hell was happening?! Why did it suddenly change to red?! I ran out of my room and went towards my parent's room. “Papa! Mama!” I knocked on the door or I may say, I was banging the door of my parent's room while shouting in panic. The door suddenly opened and I saw my parents standing in front of me with confused expressions. “What’s wrong dear?” Papa asked. “Look at my hair,” I told them and they looked at it. Their forehead creased and then looked back at me. “Did you dye your hair into the red?” Mama said while raising her brow. “No! I didn’t!” “Then why did it become red, dear?” Papa chortled. Oh my God! I couldn’t believe it! They just laughed at my situation. “Papa!” I yelled while looking at them with a pissed expression. “Dear, it’s fine. Red looks good on you.” It was what my mama said this time. “No Mama! I was in the middle of brushing my hair when it suddenly changed into red. You have to believe me,” I was gesturing my hands while talking to them, trying to explain what really happened. I stopped when I suddenly saw something flickered on my hand. My brows furrowed and looked at my hand closely. Was that just my imagination, again? I closed my hand tightly and then opened it abruptly. My eyes widened when suddenly a fire came out of my hand and then died down right away. I looked at my parents in front of me with my mouth and eyes wide open. They were also looking at me with a shocked expression too. “D-Did you saw that?! D-Did fire just comes out of my hand?!” I said while panicking. “Get inside,” Papa said as he pulled me inside their room and then closed it. They let me sat in their bed while they were standing in front of me. “Ayesha,” Mama called my name with a serious tone. “Mama. What is happening to me?” I asked, confused. “Listen, dear. You know that we’re not allowed to have power. It’s prohibited in our town,” Mama said. She looks problematic. While my papa was also the same while walking back and forth in front of us. “We need to leave this town, Laura,” Papa said with a serious expression. “No one is leaving, Simeon,” Mama answered while glaring at my father. “What if they will know about this?” “No one will know. Right, Ayesha?” Mama was looking at me seriously. Was she saying that I needed to keep this thing that I discovered for myself? I know that we were not allowed to have this power that I had right now. So what was I going to do with this? “You have to promise me that you will never use that thing no matter what happens.” She cupped my face and made me look at her. “Promised me.” I nodded as a promise. “Good.” She kissed my forehead. “Go back to your room and rest. We’ll talk tomorrow,” she added while caressing my arm. “Okay,” I mumbled then stood up and got out of their room. I even heard them arguing something before the door closed behind me. I went back to my room and sat on my wooden bed. It made a creaking sound as I moved above it. It was so unbelievable. I still couldn’t believe that all of this was happening. I gestured my hand like trying to make the fire come out of my hand and it did. And it was more visible this time. I looked at the fire in my hand with an awed expression. Oh my God! I could really produce fire through my hand! I was beyond ecstatic. Now I understand why I was always fascinated with fire. It was my gift! It was part of me. The fire died out of my hand as I thought of what my mother just said a while ago. I was not allowed to use it. I already promised. And it was also prohibited to use it from the start. Life was really unfair. Why did they only make that rule in the slum area? A lot of questions were running on my mind and I somewhat fell asleep while thinking of those things. *** I woke up the next day feeling happy and sad at the same time. I was happy that I could make fire from my hands but also sad because I was not allowed to use them. My parents were already not around. They always leave early for work. After I took a bath, I went to our small kitchen. I looked at the table and saw that they left some food for me. I ate it all, brushed my teeth after, and then washed the dishes. I decided to go to the market. Maybe someone would need my help and they would pay me in return. I was walking my way to the market and sweats were already dropping on my forehead. I took my handkerchief in my pocket and wiped it away. I walked towards the vendor of vegetables when suddenly I tripped and stumbled down on the ground. I winced and looked at my elbow. There was a small scratch on it. I looked at my back when I heard a laugh. I saw some of my neighbors laughing at me. I looked at them angrily. I bit my lower lip and controlled my breathing. Relax Ayesha. This is not new to you. I counted one to three to calm myself down. I could feel my hands were trembling and it was like anytime the fire would come out soon. “Hey!” I was startled when someone suddenly grabbed my hand and helped me stand up. “You okay?” she asked. I nodded as a response while trying to hold my breath. “Thank you,” I said and then looked at her. It was my first time seeing her here. She actually looked rich. Her golden hair was neatly tied in a knot and her dress looked so expensive. She looked at my eyes and her brows suddenly furrowed. “Your eyes are burning,” she muttered which made me panic. I shut my eyes right away and counted from one to three to calm myself before opening it again. My heart was beating so fast. I was so nervous. The last thing that I wanted to happen was for someone to see me while my power was visible. I was chanting in my head hoping that my eyes would go back to normal. I cleared my throat before opening my eyes. “What?” I asked the moment I opened my eyes. She blinked a couple of times and then looked at my eyes again. Now, looking so confused at me. I saw her bit her lower lip before she talked. “Sorry. It’s nothing. I think I’m seeing things again,” she said and then walked away while mumbling something I couldn’t hear. A sigh of relief escaped from my lips as I saw her retreating. Those who tripped me were not there anymore as well. “I think I need to control my emotions more from now on,” I sighed and mumbled to myself and just decided to go back home instead.