Status: Complete
Firelight
Anika
Jessel woke up and found herself covered with sweat. It was a bright and clear morning with the sun shining cheerfully in the clear blue sky. The colourful room was lit up by the graceful sunlight. The only thing not that charming was Jessel, who was trembling with fear but was still happy not to be in that odd forest.
She looked down and saw the piece of paper she was still clutching. It was the same one she had picked up in her dream! She could still sense its power radiating. But she did not dare open it.
Jessel got out of her comfortable bed and ran downstairs yelling, “Mom! Mom! Mom!”
Her mother answered politely, “Yes, Jezy? Did something happen? You sound worried.”
“I- I had a strange dream. I wanna tell you about it.” Jessel said.
“You have strange dreams every night,” said Aalka. “I need to get ready for going to town. Come; breakfast is ready. We don’t have time now. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Mom no, I’m serious!” she argued. “It’s a dream I’ve never had before.”
“That’s something you say every day. It always happens. Now please don’t keep standing in the stairs. You need to come and have breakfast. I would’ve loved to listened to this new dream of yours if this was another day. We’re in a hurry right now. I promise that I will listen to it at night.”
“Mom, but-”
“No but Jessel. Have your breakfast”
Now, Jessel was starting to lose her temper. She said furiously, “I’m not hungry!”
“Jessel, you need to eat and we shall talk later. Okay?”
“It’s not okay!” said the 11-year-old and stormed right out of the house.
She went to her favourite place- the seashore. She sat there for a few wonderful moments when all of a sudden she realized that she was still holding the piece of paper in her hands. She unfolded it. Written on it was a kind of rhyme-
The light of fire or the firelight
Shall not be seen at the first sight;
Creatures shall it release of fright
If used that way at midnight.
Happiness shall it bring with gay
If used properly in the day;
It has to be in the month of May
Fright or joy, what do you say?
Only once shall the light be used
After that it shall be fused;
It is nothing to be so amused
Wrong choice and you won’t be excused.
Jessel knew that the poem was somehow very important. She stood. As soon as she took a couple of steps towards her house, she noticed a wooden object lying a little distance away. She raced towards it. It was a little boat with a girl sleeping inside it!
Jessel went straight home calling, “Mom! Mom! Mom!”
No answer.
“Mom!”
Still no answer. She ran to the front door. Her mother was nowhere in sight. Was she gone without even wishing Jessel goodbye? Not possible. Jessel ran to the stables, which was the only place she had not checked by now. Fortunately, Aalka was there feeding Cuddle, her mare. Jessel told her everything from her nightmare to the little girl. Aalka was surprised. She told her daughter that the poem was a prophecy.
Both mother and daughter ran to where the lost girl lay. A few minutes after watching her with fearful apprehension, the girl's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and said, “Hi! Je suis Anika.”
She looked down and saw the piece of paper she was still clutching. It was the same one she had picked up in her dream! She could still sense its power radiating. But she did not dare open it.
Jessel got out of her comfortable bed and ran downstairs yelling, “Mom! Mom! Mom!”
Her mother answered politely, “Yes, Jezy? Did something happen? You sound worried.”
“I- I had a strange dream. I wanna tell you about it.” Jessel said.
“You have strange dreams every night,” said Aalka. “I need to get ready for going to town. Come; breakfast is ready. We don’t have time now. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Mom no, I’m serious!” she argued. “It’s a dream I’ve never had before.”
“That’s something you say every day. It always happens. Now please don’t keep standing in the stairs. You need to come and have breakfast. I would’ve loved to listened to this new dream of yours if this was another day. We’re in a hurry right now. I promise that I will listen to it at night.”
“Mom, but-”
“No but Jessel. Have your breakfast”
Now, Jessel was starting to lose her temper. She said furiously, “I’m not hungry!”
“Jessel, you need to eat and we shall talk later. Okay?”
“It’s not okay!” said the 11-year-old and stormed right out of the house.
She went to her favourite place- the seashore. She sat there for a few wonderful moments when all of a sudden she realized that she was still holding the piece of paper in her hands. She unfolded it. Written on it was a kind of rhyme-
The light of fire or the firelight
Shall not be seen at the first sight;
Creatures shall it release of fright
If used that way at midnight.
Happiness shall it bring with gay
If used properly in the day;
It has to be in the month of May
Fright or joy, what do you say?
Only once shall the light be used
After that it shall be fused;
It is nothing to be so amused
Wrong choice and you won’t be excused.
Jessel knew that the poem was somehow very important. She stood. As soon as she took a couple of steps towards her house, she noticed a wooden object lying a little distance away. She raced towards it. It was a little boat with a girl sleeping inside it!
Jessel went straight home calling, “Mom! Mom! Mom!”
No answer.
“Mom!”
Still no answer. She ran to the front door. Her mother was nowhere in sight. Was she gone without even wishing Jessel goodbye? Not possible. Jessel ran to the stables, which was the only place she had not checked by now. Fortunately, Aalka was there feeding Cuddle, her mare. Jessel told her everything from her nightmare to the little girl. Aalka was surprised. She told her daughter that the poem was a prophecy.
Both mother and daughter ran to where the lost girl lay. A few minutes after watching her with fearful apprehension, the girl's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and said, “Hi! Je suis Anika.”