The smell of smoke fills my nose as I slowly come back to consciousness. When I open my eyes there is a blinding light. I can feel the heat wrapping around my skin. The fire is spreading hastily, and it's closing in closer, and closer. I cough from the smoke surrounding me like a blanket. The light is overwhelming, my skin is burning, and I feel the heat rising. Lying there in complete terror, I muster up the strength to pull myself up. The fire is surrounding me in all directions, I look around and I can't find a way out. I stand there looking around, my heart beating fast. I try to think but I can't remember anything, I assume it's just because my brain wants to concentrate on the danger around me. I scan my surroundings and I see a small opening and water up ahead. I run to the burnt and dead path that the fire made. I sprint out of the forest into an open meadow.

My skin was rough and dark as the sky above. Looking back at the flames as I ran, I slipped and fell. I got up quickly brushing off the dirt, I soon realized my ankle was sprained. Trying to ignore the pain I limped towards the river. There I dove in but then I began to fall, and down I sank. Within the overwhelming darkness, I heard my name being called. I followed the sound till I ran out of strength. The water was cold on my burns and the blood surrounded me like a cloud of smoke. I felt something wrap around me and pull me tightly to the surface. The wind made me shiver and the moon was almost blinding. I shut my eyes and clenched my fists waiting for death. Nothing came, just silence. 

I noticed the thing that had grabbed me was no longer there. After a while, I got curious and squinted my eyes. The forest was gone and with nothing else for the fire to consume it shrank into a small spark of light. A little while later, it began to rain. It felt good having water drip down my burns. It stung but at least it was better than the fire. I just lay there in silence debating whether to get up or stay put.

                                                                        ❖ ─ ✦ ─『✙』─ ✦ ─ ❖

I lay there for about five minutes but it felt like an hour until I heard voices in the distance. I sat up slowly and looked around for anything moving. I saw a group of people sitting around a fire with tents all in a circle. I got up and ran about halfway there until I slowed my pace down, trying not to be noticed. When I got close, I hid behind a bush, being careful not to make any noise or breathe too loudly. I listened carefully to what the group of people was saying.

"Another fire, don't suppose they'll ever stop."

"No- at least for a while. They will keep going until every last person has been captured."

"Feel bad for 'em all. If only we'd stayed on her good side, then we-"

Crap. I had fallen through the bush and landed in front of them. My heart pounded as I looked up at the unknown people. Their heads snapped in my direction. They were dressed in black, with long flowy capes draped on their back. Their faces were covered with masks. From down on the ground, they looked intimidating and scary.

I stammered to my feet and was about to speak when I felt a cold hand wrap around my shoulder. I heard a bang and it all went black.