-Neith-

I pulled Javed further behind me as the flames started to engulf the flowers which made up the fairy circle.

"Akuji, run! You have to get out of there," I shouted before I looked between Javed and Akuji, the flames were approaching her.

I jumped over the flowers and pulled Akuji backwards. The damage had already been done. The flames connected and the two of us were encased in a ring of fire.

"My dear niece, you needn't have sacrificed yourself," Musa cackled. "But I'll take it."

I didn't reply, I didn't need to. The leaves which were above us darkened. The crimson colour looked burnt; they went black. Then they became blue.

From the black leaves erupted small creatures with pointed features. They all had wings and screeched an unholy screech. The fairies of Crimcut had woken up, their circle had been destroyed.

I turned and quickly shouted, "Javed go!" I didn't know where he would run off to, but he had to get out of here. He had been found here. It was clear the fairies liked him or were connected to him in some way. They avoided him as he ran to the village, screaming for help.

The heat of the flames made sweat run down my back, despite hugging Akuji close to me. I had my right arm wrapped around her waist and tried to get as close to her as I could, in case we had to run. Yet, there was nowhere to run.

The circle of flames grew higher as more and more fairies escaped from the trees. Their screeches were painful, and I didn't know what their capabilities were. They were secretive creatures who didn't really like to interact with humans. Fairy circles in themselves were difficult to decipher, to figure out if they were fairy-made or man-made. I wouldn't have put it past any of the village's ancestors, or my ancestors for that matter, to create something to scare the other residents.

"What's this?" Musa asked in delirious wander. He laughed joyfully, hitting one of the trees. "Oh, wonderful!"

I looked down into the well, to see nothing but shimmering water. Behind us there was nothing but flames. There was no way out of this circle. We were hopeless. We had to focus on what was happening outside of it.

"What are they?" Akuji asked in a small voice. She was shaking, her hand was clammy.

"They're fairies, the ones who own the circle."

Most of them had flown towards the village, whilst some of them were going from tree to tree, muttering between themselves.

"Are they dangerous?" Her eyes didn't move from Musa as she talked. Something happened in that house. Who did he kill?

"Only if you destroy their fairy circle," I said with a gulp. "So, yes."

"But we didn't do it," she argued. "He did it. They should be targeting him."

"They're going to target the whole village. That's what fairies do. They take over the village because they feel like everyone there has broken a deal."

"So, the entire village is in danger?" She turned to me in shock and panic. She started to pull on my hand. "We have to do something."

I was about to reply, but I was cut off by Musa shouting, "get off me!" He was struggling against some of the fairies. Their bright blue bodies illuminated his features, making him look demonic. "It's all your fault. Tell them to stop. You did this!" His eyes flashed towards me and Akuji. He reached out one of his hands which wasn't swatting away the small creatures.

The heat grew immensely. The back of my left hand blistered because of the steam which was now coming from the boiling water in the well. Fire raced towards us from all sides. We were trapped. This would be our final moments.

So, I turned and kissed Akuji.

This was going to be my last moment on earth. We had no hope. I wasn't fireproof or powerful enough to keep the flames away for longer than the last few seconds which I stole to show appreciation to the girl who showed me her world. She showed me how different places can be, how kind people can be. She was my first stranger, and she would be my last.

I hoped that Javed made it to the village to warn them and that Dalila would be alright. She was my only friend through life, apart from my father. But that's changed, I had Akuji. I had found love in such strangeness. I admired how kind she was. I admired how strong she was. I had fallen in love with her a long while ago, but it took me going through her mind to realise what that emotion was.

And so, with one final scream from Musa, I let the flames consume us.