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Chapter 1

            On a dreary afternoon with the sun struggling to pierce the cloud cover, Rebecca heard a gentle rap upon her bedroom window. Looking out, she saw a lad shivering in the rain, his hair plastered to his forehead. A sheepish grin spread across his face as she opened the window.

            “Hey, Rebecca,” he stammered. “Can I come in?”

            “Glenn! What are you doing here?” Grabbing a blanket from her bed she wrapped it around his shoulders as he climbed inside.

            “I wanted to see you,” he murmured, pulling her close. “It’s been awhile.”

            “Sorry about that. My parents have been pushing my education pretty hard. Not that it matters. Look at how far they’ve gotten with theirs.”

            “At least they aren’t pushing you into a profession you’re not even sure you want.” Glenn murmured, resting his head on Rebecca’s shoulder.

            “If you aren’t happy, then why don’t you mention it? I’m sure they’ll be supportive of any decision you make.”

            “I’ll get on that. How about right after you tell your parents how upset you are with their plans for your life? Or even just about us, for starters.”

            Rebecca pushed him off of her, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “That’s not fair. You know that I would love nothing more than to tell them I’ve been seeing you. But that would only make things more complicated.”

            “It shouldn’t be this complicated, should it? I mean, is this it, Rebecca? Is this all that we are destined to do? Live the lives that others tell us what we want?”

            After a moment of silence Rebecca walked over and began putting her socks and shoes on. “I think we both could use some fresh air,” she said, at Glenn’s puzzled look.

            “Even though it’s raining?”

            “Didn’t stop you from walking over here, did it?” She walked over and took ahold of his hand, leading him over to the window.

            “And what if you’re parents discover that you’re missing?”

            Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time I start making my own decisions.” Slipping her legs out the window, she looked over her shoulder at Glenn. “You coming?”

            “I’ll follow wherever you go.” Glenn responded, following her lead out the window. His feet landed with a splash in a puddle, causing a delightful shriek to emanate from Rebecca. “Shhhh,” Glenn giggled as he placed an arm around Rebecca’s shoulders, ushering her away from the window.

            They walked in silence through town for a few minutes, each enjoying the presence of the other. Their hands found one other as they walked along, the only ones brave enough to weather the storm.

            Leaning over, Glenn gave Rebecca a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you.”

            Rebecca blushed as she turned away from him. “For what?”

            “You always know how to make me feel better. And it means a lot to me that you’re out here with me right now. And I’m sorry for what I said earlier in your bedroom. I just…”

            Rebecca cut him off. “It’s alright. I know you didn’t mean anything by it. And I know you just want to make your parents proud.”

            “They’ve done so much for me, and I, I don’t want to let them down.”

            “You won’t let them down.”

            “Won’t I? They took me in when nobody else would. They gave me a home. A family. And now I want to run away from everything that they’ve given me. It makes me feel sick to think this way.”

            Rebecca came to a stop, and brought her hands up to Glenn’s face, pushing his hair away from his eyes. “You shouldn’t worry about what your parents think. They took you in out of the goodness of their hearts. They were not thinking about what benefits you might eventually bestow upon them. They are not that kind of people. And if your life takes you down a different path, I guarantee they will understand. They will be there to support you in anything you do. As will I.”

            Wrapping his arms around her, Glenn brought her close, fighting back the tears threatening to emerge. “You know I’ll be there for you as well, right? No matter what may happen, what may come between us, I’ll always be there for you.”

Bong. Bong. Bong.

Rebecca stiffened as the bells chimed through the chill air. “Is that the church bells?” she asked, alarm in her eyes. “Why would they be ringing now?”

“C’mon,” Glenn said, pulling her along. “Something’s happened. They never ring the bells at this hour unless it’s an emergency.”

            A few other people were milling about the church by the time Glenn and Rebecca arrived, her parents among them.

            “Rebecca!” her mother exclaimed, grabbing ahold of her arm. “You had me so worried!” her eyes lingered on Glenn for a moment. “You were out with him, weren’t you?”

            “I know I shouldn’t have snuck out, but,”

            “I’ve told you before what I think about that orphan, and you still go behind my back to see him?”

            “Don’t. Call. Him. That.” Rebecca spat, defensively. “He can’t help what happened in the past.”

            “That boy is going to turn out like his father. I want more for you than that. All he is going to do is hurt you.”

            “Maybe it’d be best if I leave,” Glenn whispered in Rebecca’s ear.

            “No, you don’t need to go anywhere. We do.” She took Glenn’s hand and pushed past her mother.

            “Rebecca!” her mother called. “Get back here!”

            Rebecca pushed on, ignoring the call. “I’m sorry,” she said, planting a kiss on Glenn’s hand. “You didn’t deserve anything that she said back there.”

            “It’s alright. She didn’t say anything that I haven’t wondered about myself.”

            “What do you mean?”

            The door to the church creaked open before Glenn could answer. A woman walked out, her piercing gaze locking onto each person gathered one by one.

            “Thank you all for coming,” she said, lowering the hood of her robe. Blonde hair cascaded down upon her shoulders. “I apologize for rousing you all from the comforts of your homes under false pretense. All is well in your town. I wish to have a word.”

            “Then do it like everyone else!” a person called from the crowd. “Wait until the next town meeting!”

            The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Would you rather there be an emergency? Perhaps some children go missing for you to find? Maybe a fire consumed one of your homes? Would that be better?”

            “Let me know if she says anything worthwhile,” another person called as the crowd began to disperse. “I’ve got better things to do.”

            “You will stay and listen to what I have to say,” the woman said. With a snap of her finger fire spread across the ground, encircling the crowd. The people gasped as they pushed closer to each other, fear in their eyes as they stared at the fire.

            “I shouldn’t be surprised you made me take such a drastic action,” the woman said, walking down the steps of the church. “Every other town I’ve visited has made the same mistake. You must hear what I have to say. My Lord has asked me to come here and show you the way.

            No one spoke as she walked amongst the people. “Tell me,” she said, approaching one man. “Are you happy in your life?”

            He shook his head and managed to stammer out a quick, “Yes”.

            “I find that hard to believe. You may think you are happy. Fool yourself into believing that this is the life you wish to live. But you aren’t truly happy. You want more out of life. Whether it be money, or fame, or women. There is something that you desire.” She took the man’s face and cupped it in her hand. “Is that not so?” she whispered.

            All the man could do was nod his head in agreement. The woman turned her attention to the others in turn. “The Lord I serve can make all of your dreams come true. I understand your skepticism. It must be a trick. It isn’t possible for a woman to manipulate fire in such a manner. Yet here I stand before you, impervious to the heat of the flames.” Pulling the flames close, the woman stuck her arm into the flames. Neither her hands nor clothes ignited. “My Lord protects me; gives me his strength. He showed me the path which I was destined to walk. And now I am here among you, passing on His message. Who among you is strong enough to stand up and accept Him in all His glory?”

            The crowd was silent, each trying to comprehend what it was that they were seeing, gauging this strange woman’s words. A mirthless smile flitted across her face. “Perhaps you need a better example of my Lord’s power.” Her eyes feel upon Rebecca, huddled tightly against Glenn. “Would you not like to have the power I wield?” she asked. “To rely on yourself and nobody else? If you trust in the Lord Malak, anything is possible.” She extended a hand out to Rebecca.

            Rebecca recoiled, pressing herself in tighter to Glenn. The woman looked puzzled. “I don’t understand,” she said. “I am offering you a chance at salvation; a chance to turn your quiet, mundane, life into something extraordinary. And yet you refuse my blessing?” The flames surrounding the people seemed to grow larger, leaping higher into the sky. “I fear you might have miss understood my reason for coming to your pathetic little town. It is not up for you to decide whether or not you believe my words. You will accept the Lord Malak or else you will feel the righteousness of his flames. Am I making myself clear? Answer me!”

            “Can this Lord of yours truly make our lives better?” A man called from the other side of the crowd.

            “I once was like you,” she said, keeping her eyes on Rebecca, “a poor little girl who was lost in this world, seeking to find her way. I met a boy. Fell in love. I thought he was everything I could want in a husband. I was wrong.

            “For years I endured his abuse, lived a life of daily misery. Until one day, there was a fire. He wasn’t able to make it out of our house in time. I was liberated. The fire had set me free. Ever since then, I’ve known that my Lord has been watching over me, his flames protecting me from harm, showing me the path I am destined to take.

            “If you open your hearts to the Lord Malak, he will make our world a better place. He will make all of our dreams come true!” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I will ask you one more time, will you accept the Lord Malak in your life?”

            Various townsfolk murmured their assent, their eyes still fixated on the flames as they flared up in the rain. It was hard to find the woman’s words untruthful in the face of such a sight.

            “You haven’t answered my question,” the woman asked, still focused upon Rebecca. “Do you not wish to wield power such as this?” Raising her hand, she gathered the flames behind her, the flames lapping at her feet. “The Lord is always searching for more to share his strength with. And I know he would be pleased with one such as you.”

            “I don’t think that’s what I want,” Rebecca said, her eyes finding Glenn’s. “I would rather find my own path than walk down one you’re supplying.  

“You’re being offered a gift few in the world have been offered, and you’re refusing it?”

            “How is your devotion to your Lord any different from your marriage? You’re still living a life that’s not your own.”

            “It’s a shame that our youth have such a mouth on them.” The woman whispered. “I think it’s time you learned a lesson about when to be quiet.”

            “Stay behind me, Rebecca,” Glenn said, pushing his way between the two. “She gave you her answer, find someone else to bestow this gift upon.”

            “You dare speak to me in such a manner?”

            “If that is what it takes to get you to leave her alone, then yeah. C’mon, Rebecca, let me walk you home.”

            “You will do no such thing!” Flames leapt to life in front of the young couple. “It would not be wise for me to let people think it is alright to speak to me in such a manner. I’m afraid I must teach a lesson. A lesson your parents should have taught you years ago.”

            The fires advanced, slipping in between Rebecca and Glenn. “I want you to think long and hard about what is about to happen. All of this could have been prevented; by you. Instead you and your little boyfriend decided to run your mouths’ off. This is what happens when you anger the wrong people.”

            “Rebecca!” Glenn cried as the flames got uncomfortably close. “I love you, more than anything in this world. I love you!.”

            “I love you too!,” Rebecca’s words were halted as a terrifying scream ripped from Glenn’s throat. He fell through the flames, writhing on the ground as he tried to put out the fire.

            “Let this be a lesson to all those present.” With a wave of her hand the woman extinguished the flames.

            Rebecca threw herself down beside his body, wishing to help, yet not knowing what to do.

            “He will live,” the woman said. “My Lord does not needlessly take lives. Perhaps the boy has learned his lesson and will watch what he says the next time I visit. And I hope when I return more of you will be willing to embrace the Lord in your life. If not,” she pointed at Glenn’s body twitching in the street, “you have seen what will happen.

“My name is Aurora, faithful servant of the Lord Malak. Do not forget the lessons of this night. I shall return in a few weeks.”

            Within minutes the crowd had dispersed, leaving Rebecca and a few others to rend to Glenn’s grievous wounds. Rebecca cast her eyes at Aurora as she left, walking down the same road which earlier had brought her into their lives. Dread filled her stomach at the thought of Aurora’s return to their once quiet town of Aldridge.