Sparks flickered in ice-blues, momentary flashes of a hesitant, rekindled fire.

Her eyes landed on five scornful drunks as they tumbled toward her, unstable as they kept crashing into and leaning on each other for support. She would've laughed at the sight if it wasn't for the weapons they held and the pain they promised.

Furious moon rays struggled through piles of cotton that dared obscure its way and her mind was finally spared of incessant scratches and growing headaches – nothing but static and broken words of a desperate mother.

Gaunt shoulders heaved as Ashelia panted.

Pushing herself up, she swayed. Sore legs buckled. Then, silver caressed pale cheeks and wind ruffled fiery locks. A hollow scream propelled the dazed girl into motion. 'Run!'

And, so, a hesitant body bolted, racing time and fate. Her face betrayed the need to keep fear hidden, reluctance evident due to the uncertainty of what she was going to do next until a sudden idea popped into her head and she dashed in their direction. Pathetic cries of war left their stinking mouths. Half minds took off stumbling to her.

A breath away from collision and she swerved to the side, catching everyone – including herself – off guard.

Her abrupt change of direction caused fat to clash and jiggle. They growled out their discontent and tripped after her. Two slipped and Ashelia pushed harder.

Pudgy fingers pulling, a knife cut an aching back all the way to her narrow side. She shrieked. Her body skidded to the uneven ground, dust filling her nostrils and pebbles digging in her skin. Heavy feet aimed at her abdomen, ridding her lungs of much-needed air.

Her mother was freaking out, voice cutting and barely comprehensible.

Ashelia spluttered, her gaze sweeping across her attackers. One guy stood at her feet. Her leg shot out almost breaking his, ceasing his assault. He yelped, his head slamming down hard. Momentary victory for, soon, the epitome of obesity fell atop her bruised body, knocking out what was left of the air between broken ribs.

'Fuck!' Ashelia could feel her mother pacing around – her calm mother who's never uttered a word that could possibly harm a breeze.

Panic flared through heavy limbs. The woman's distress fed hers.

A groan fanned the dirt as her palm pressed against his slippery face, pushing him away from her. He bit it so hard it bled. A cry tore through her. A couple of other clammy hands enclosed around her flailing ankles, attempting to drag her by the feet to avenge the death of their leader and finish his job. Yet, his plan crumbled down like his body, landing atop his friend and almost crashing her completely.

Seizing the opportunity of their temporary inattention, her knee flew up, smashing organs that should not be allowed to reproduce anymore. Writhing in pain, the guy tossed his friend off of him and howled, hands clutching his groin, face flaming red.

'...the barn...'

Ashelia scrambled up in a daze and took off to the battered building, the world shaking around. Chancing a glance back, three were screaming in each other's faces, one crying in the mud and another glaring at her retreating figure as he stood up. Fucking drunks. She cursed but was finally happy that they actually were.

'Good, that's good.' The mother heaved a sigh of relief when Ashelia finally emerged into the barn. Hay and grain littered the long-forgotten, spacious place. 'Go to the back. There's a door that shall lead you to the forest.'

The girl was panting heavily by the time she reached it. Her exasperation grew when she tugged over and over again but the door refused to budge. "It's not opening." Her throat constricted. "Mother? Where are you? Please, don't leave me again. At least, not yet, please." She begged, head snapping back to their figures staggering inside, eyes meeting theirs.

"She's there at the back." One slurred, spit by his foot then pointed her way.

Glancing back at the door, she rammed hard into it. The force of the impact sent tremors through her and prompted harsh exhales.

'I've unsealed it. I'm assured. It must be rusty. It is just one rusty old door.' The desperation in her mother's fading mutters wasn't helping. The jitters ate at her insides before her body collided with the door again, shoulder protesting from the pain.

"No one is getting out of here." An unforgiving grip clasped her gaunt shoulders. "Not now, not ever. Not your whore of a mother. And, not you, kid. Not you."

Plump lips trembled. Tears welled up in blue eyes that sparkled, shone, and flickered – a fire rekindled as rage simmered, yet again. Her seething gaze met his, the guy who was glaring at her earlier, the lanky fool.

His face paled. Flames burnt in her orbs, daring him to do something, to keep talking, insulting her kind mother, touching her, beating her. They dared him to keep breathing, to stay alive, to exist. The others behind him cowered. Rats rushed to hide. Skinny, featherless chicken scampered outside.

The ability to sense beasts a blessing to weaklings for their only way to survive is to run and hide.

One.

Two.

Three heartbeats.

An azure hue burst. It flickered, danced, swirled, and swallowed all of her captors. They were flung across the barn, fire pushing and eating away their souls. Their fading bodies got carried by the gale her flames induced. Muffled screams penetrated her ears, wiping away a murderous scowl etched on her face and clearing the ringing noise inside her head.

Nothing but ash was dispersed over the deserted barn.

Ashelia blinked. There was no one chasing her anymore. Relief washed over her, soaking her whole but her heart stuttered, almost drowning in pits of horror. It sunk, sunk, sunk... 

A deep inhale and she blinked again then turned back to the door.

Moon rays peaked from behind intimidated clouds then slithered through holes in the dilapidated building. They stroked exposed patches of bruised skin and landed atop the door. Once heavily sealed, now as light as a breeze. 'Go ahead, my dear.'

The handle whined and the hinges creaked. A steep hill was the first thing she noticed, then a faint mist of indigo rising in the air.

'Go,' the gentle whisper bounced inside her mind, pulling her back to the dwindling moon above. A ragged exhale disrupted the silence. Glancing at the ramshackle piece of wood to her left, her hands shook as she reached for what might've been a useful means of transportation before.

'Take it. It shall cushion your descent.' Nodding to no one in particular, her legs were heavy as she dragged the cart to the slope. 'Oh, my child.' The mother choked out. 'I'm so sorry. I miss you more than words can say. I love you to the moon and back.'

"So do I, mother." Tears sprung to her eyes at the obvious goodbye. "When...how...?" She inhaled shakily, the back of callous hands pressing to her busted lips to stifle inevitable sobs.

'I am always here, dearest. Always watching over you.' Her mother's voice faltered before reappearing again. '...always watching you. Survive, Ashelia. Stay strong. Survive. Until we meet-'

A loud wail finally erupted as she clutched her aching heart. The weight of losing her mother again, of becoming a murderer, almost crushed her. Pressing the heels of bloodied palms against bloodshot eyes, Ashelia tried to even out her breathing.

She needed to get the hell out of there before anyone else came back.

The refreshing breeze tickled her skin, causing her hair to dance to the silent beat of freedom, following a chaotic rhythm. She felt alive. And nothing, not even the aching muscles that protested every now and then due to the intensive effort she was applying on them, literally nothing, would make her stop.

She pushed herself harder, running before jumping on the cart. Who thought that being free tasted like this? 

So sweet and soothing. 

Painful and exhausting.

But it was worth it, she repeated, a quiet chant to keep insanity at bay. Knuckles white, a deathly grip tightened around the sticking wood as the vehicle raced down a lethal hill, squeaking and protesting afore a stone flung it through the air.

The cart's fall was accompanied by a raspy scream as it landed into a mess of splinters and dripping scarlet. Her body slithered helplessly down what remained of the lengthy distance before slamming into the trunk of a huge tree.

Pain shot through her thinly-covered body like vicious gales and she grimaced, holding back her screams. A strangled, feeble noise of momentary triumph escaped her lips, however, happy that she survived the journey down.

Heaving labored breaths, Ashelia lay there motionless, staring at clouds rushing to hide the sky from curious eyes seeking stars. The trees glared down at her, watching as a frail human surrendered to exhaustion and immeasurable grief that gripped and squeezed at an aching heart.

Blue flames danced before icy orbs. Visions of ash covering vast lands flashed through her mind and Ashelia wondered for a moment if she was the beast from her mother's tale, craving so much blood after only having a small taste of it.

She whimpered, pushing the thoughts away.

With a deep intake of crisp air, Ashelia wavered before submitting to a body, and a soul, yearning for some sleep. Her ears strained, searching for any noises, anyone who followed.

Paranoia eased and eyelids fluttered shut, at last.

Word count: 1589.

Total word count: 7245.