Great Balls of Fire

Faeries are very unpredictable creatures. My first experience with one taught me that.
My friend, Nora, wasn't a popular girl at school. She was short, pudgy, wore thick glasses, and, in other ways, unattractive. But her hair! Oh, her hair was gorgeous! It was long, silky, and red, flaming red. No one else I knew had hair like that. Yet she was constantly teased by the other girls because of this. I suppose they might have been jealous, but even some boys called her names, like Carrot-Top.
But, no matter how hard they tried to upset her, their remarks just bounced off her. I was the one who got mad.

“You leave her alone!” I would shout.

“Yeah?” And if we don't?” they would laugh back.

I'd then drag Nora away somewhere quiet to finish our conversation. Nora didn't seem to mind at all. Actually, I think she was just happy there was someone who stood up for her.

“I'm glad you're my friend, Ariel.” she said to me often.

“Well, why wouldn't I be?” I always replied, smiling.

Usually she just smiled back gratefully, but one time she answered:

“You're pretty, skinny, and tall. You could easily make other friends. Like them.” She pointed across the cafeteria at Brooke and her clique.

“With them?” I asked, shocked. “They don't know the meaning of true friendship. They reject anyone if they have but a single zit on their face.” I crossed my arms. “There is no way I would be 'friends' with them.”

“But you would be popular!” she protested. “With me, you hardly get a second glance, even from the teacher! And you have good ideas.”

I shook my head. “One best friend is worth more than countless numbers of fair weather ones.”
She would bring up the popularity subject every now and then, as though she wanted me to change my mind; to find other friends. Soon it was hardly mentioned. But when it was, it seemed she was constantly trying to stop herself from letting something slip.

Finally, I asked her, “Nora, is there something wrong? We're best friends. You can talk to me.”

Nora opened her mouth, then closed it again; her eyes were wide and fearful. “It's... nothing.”

I didn't believe her. I knew there was something bothering her, but I couldn't tell what.
The next day was Friday; the first in February. It was time for our monthly sleepover. This time, we were at Nora's house. We stayed in her living room which was huge, along with the rest of her house. There was a fireplace in nearly every room. Nora had a queen-sized, four-poster bed in her bedroom plus her own bathroom. The living room was bigger than her bedroom, if you can imagine that. We laid our sleeping bags next to the living room fireplace. We talked for a while, then Nora opened one of her favorite fantasy books. She always read a passage from one of her books before we went to sleep. It gave her “something to sleep on” as she said.
She opened the book to a random page and began reading. It was about a magi giving her student a lesson,

“'Everyone can be what they want; can follow their dreams. They just need to know how to let go, to forget about the worries and stresses of life. But one must also concentrate hard on the goal. The daydreamers and wanderers are usually best at it.' She smiled and met the young Magi's deep hazel eyes with her own shockingly blue ones and continued softly. 'Don't forget, everyone has that wild spirit deep down inside. They just need to find it.' She placed her hand over his heart for emphasis.”

“Wow,” I breathed. “That was a long one. What book was it from?” But Nora didn't seem to hear me. She had a dreamy look in her eyes and held the book against her chest.

“Nora! Snap out of it!” I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes.

“What...? Oh, sorry.” She looked at me as though she just realized I was there. “We should probably get to sleep.” she added, yawning.

“Okay,” I replied uncertainly. I had never seen her like this before. “G'night.”

“Good night.”

Summer vacation passed by and we were in high school. Nora seemed to become more and more distant. She stared dreamily into space instead of enviously at other girls, like she used to. I didn't notice at first, since I was slightly preoccupied with my boyfriend John, and going to dances and other social events. I was also well-liked among my classmates and even some of the upperclassmen. I made more friends and spent time with them. Nora and I didn't have any classes together, and eventually she seemed to become part of the background, even more quiet than before. She was willing to give me notes that I needed, or tips for studying, but I took it for granted. Sometimes Nora and I went without talking for days. When we did talk, she brought up random topics and then forgot what she was talking about five minutes later. Once, she she stopped in the middle of a sentence and stared into space. I sat watching her and waiting for her to finish. She shivered a little and looked back at me.

“What?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

She stared into my eyes for a long time. I couldn't look away from her deep emerald eyes. It was like I was being pulled deeper, and deeper. Then I noticed something in her eyes that I had never seen before. An indescribable, almost magical brightness that pierced through her pupils, seeming to come from the depths of her soul. Then she slowly turned away and I let out the breath I didn't now I had been holding.
After school that Friday, I walked home with John. He lived on on my street so he was able to walk me home without inconveniencing himself. I told him about Nora and how oddly she was acting. He looked puzzled because he knew Nora well, too.

“I don't know what to tell you, Ariel.” he said shrugging. “Maybe she is having trouble at home.” John knew all about this kind of trouble since his parents were divorced.

I sighed. “Maybe, but I wish she would talk to me.”

We walked the rest of the way silently, the only sound was the rustling of the colorful leaves as the chilly fall air danced through them. When we reached my house, I gave him a hug and a kiss and walked up the front steps. I went into my backyard and sat on our swing set. I sat facing the forest that came up behind my house. As the wind blew past, ruffling my hair, I caught a whiff of burnt wood. I hurried into the woods. After crunching through yards of dead plants and leaves, I found a trail scorched into the ground. The blackened earth wove around in strange patterns and squiggly lines. I ran my fingers through my short, dark brown hair and frowned worriedly. I hurried home and let the screen door slam, which I don't usually do.
My mom peered in from the kitchen,

“Everything alright, honey?” she asked.

“Yeah...” I said wishing I could believe it myself.

A week later I forgot about the burned trail in the rush to get everything ready for my sleepover birthday party. I had invited guy and girls, but the guys left at eleven o'clock. Nora was more like her old self again; cheerful and focused.
Late at night we all laid in our sleeping bags, fast asleep despite our vow to stay up all night. I woke suddenly much later, and peered at the old grandfather clock. It chimed out one o'clock. I yawned and rolled over onto my side. That's when I noticed that Nora was missing. Figuring she had gone to the bathroom, I waited for her to come back. But she never did. I frowned and got up, tiptoeing carefully between sleeping bags. I felt a breeze as I walked into the dining room and found the sliding door was open. I walked quietly over to it and looked outside. I saw a faint glow, deep in the forest. Curiosity over ruled common sense, and I went out to investigate. As I drew closer, I heard an unearthly voice singing; I couldn't make out the words, but no human I had ever heard of could sing with such depth, and emotion like that which poured from this being. The hair on my arms and neck stood on end, but again my curiosity prevailed and I kept going. I stepped into the burnt clearing and felt like I had hit a brick wall at a run. There, in front of me, was a hauntingly beautiful fire faerie. Suddenly, an image of Nora reading one of her many books flashed through my mind. I didn't puzzle over it long, though.
The faerie twisted and turned, hovering a few feet off the ground. Her body seemed to be covered in one large tattoo, and nothing else. Red, orange, and yellow markings swirled and flickered over her smooth skinned body as one big flame. Her long, thin, and translucent wings fluttered like a dragonfly's, and her hair... Her hair! Now my mouth fell open. I could never forget that hair. It was Nora's. It had to be. I gasped. The faerie stopped and spun around to face me, snarling. Her face confirmed what I had surmised from her hair.

“N-nora...?” I whispered. The expression on her face became one of confusion.

“Lbh fubhyqa'g or urer.” she said in a beautiful, melodic voice.

Then her eyes glowed as she frowned, clenching her fists and I noticed she had long, sharp eye-teeth. Balls of fire formed around her fists. Her wonderful, other-worldly features contorted and, in a more guttural voice, she yelled,

“Tb njnl! Guvf vf zj yvsr!”

Snarling again, she drew back her arm and launched one of the fire balls. Excruciating pain and heat exploded from my chest and spread. I stumbled backwards, gasping. I closed my eyes tight, but not before I saw her throw the other one. It hit my leg and I screamed loud and piercingly. It started out as “Nora!” but eventually was just a high pitched shriek. I beat at the flames and ran; ran fast with the faerie's agonized shrieks following me. I tripped and landed on my face. I heard shouting and feet crunching over the undergrowth. The pain was horrible. I had never felt anything close to it. I couldn't think straight; my mouth and nose were full of smoke. I couldn't breathe well and a minute later, I passed out.

I slowly opened my eyes to find myself surrounded my white. I opened them all the way and saw I was in a hospital bed, completely wrapped in bandages. I groaned and a nurse came rushing in with my mom, dad, and John in tow. After the nurse gave me some foul smelling and tasting medicine, they all started talking at once. I winced and lifted a bandaged finger to my lips. John looked at me and said solemnly,

“Nora's gone.”

My eyes widened as memories of the other night flooded into my mind.

“What?!”

My mom touched me gently on the arm.

“We haven't seen her or her family for a day now.” she explained. “We went over to their house, but it was boarded up and someone had set it on fire.”

I stared at the wall in front of me, unable to speak. The nurse came back and shooed everyone out. I stared at the wall, tears spilling down my face; tears of pain and sorrow for my lost friend.

Later:

The fire department had put out the fire before it burned too much of the house. When I was released from the hospital, I went to see it. It was an old, large house that loomed menacingly over top of John and me. It's blackened windows stared down on us, making me feel small and naked. We walked through the safe sections of it. It was horrible to see. All the carefully selected artwork and special care that had gone into making each room unique was almost all destroyed. The worst part was the firemen had found her parents in their bedroom: they had suffocated from the smoke. I couldn't bear it any longer and burst into tears. John led me outside and held me, murmuring words of comfort until I stopped shaking. I just couldn't believe it: I had taken Nora for granted. I knew she had no other friends, but I still ignored her. And now she was gone. I realized what I had done, and felt horribly guilty.
We walked to my house and into the forest. I found the clearing where I had seen the faerie/Nora. It was completely burned; forty square feet of black earth. I saw a trail of charred ground that went off in a different direction. I quickly followed it. John hurried to catch up, a look of confusion on his face. About ten yards away, there was a colorless lump on the ground. I stopped in horror when I realized what it was. A body.
“What's wrong?” John asked, putting an arm around my shoulders.
I pointed, unable to speak. He walked over to it cautiously, and rolled it onto it's back. I gasped and fell to my knees. It was Nora's body. John jumped back, horrified. I knelt there for the longest time, my eyes burning, unable to tear up. When I recovered enough to look at my surroundings, I noticed that her hair was white. Like it had lost all it's pigment. Her eyes were colorless, too.
Suddenly, from behind her came an orange glow about the size of a pear. As it came closer, I saw it was the fire faerie in a smaller form. I backed away, fearing that she was going to hurt me again. She held out a small hand and murmured soft and soothing words, and had a look of shame on her face. A small green flame formed in her palm and she blew it toward me. I flinched as it landed on the back of my wrist, but it didn't hurt. It sank into my skin and became a tattoo of some sort. It danced and shimmered on my hand, as if it were still a flame.

“Znl lbh frr zber, Zl Sevraq...” she whispered as she faded away.

I looked at her, startled because I heard: May you see more, My Friend.... I had understood what she said!

“Nora.” I breathed.

Suddenly everything was brighter, and more colorful. I noticed every detail in my surroundings. I saw every twitch of the leaves, in their enchanting dance of the wind. I saw a squirrel hurrying to bury his acorns. I saw the ants crawling over the crisp, fall colored leaves to their nest. I looked around, a small smile creeping over my face.
John stared at me with his mouth open, disbelieving. I grinned broadly and kissed him full on the lips. I stood and threw my head back, laughing. Nora was more alive than she ever was. And made sure I would live life to its fullest, too.

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