Forbidden Magic

“Beatrice!” I heard the soft call of my hard-working mother. I clutch onto the gate staring out at the darkening sky. Heart pounding, I leap over the metal gate and dash across my father's cornfield. My mother's calls got louder, the corn cut my naked legs and arms.

“Coming Mama,” as a finished, something was pulling me back by my collar, choking me. I let out a whimpered scream.I felt my killer's cold fingers wrap around my throat. Lungs burning like lava, I kicked at whatever was holding me. Slowly I felt myself lean into darkness, into death.

But right before I was about to faint the thing dropped me, it felt as though I had been falling in slow motion. Air sprang into my lungs and breathed it in slowly. Looking to see who had tried to kill me, I turned. But nothing was there. I got up and looked around hopelessly. I was standing in the same position as I had been before I was attacked. It looked as though nothing had even happened. I searched for footprints, but the only mine were to be seen. Then I realized my Mama was no longer calling for me.

“Mama,” I croaked. No reply. “MAMA!” I waited for what felt like hours. My body began to shake. I raced toward the house, my body vibrating the whole way. The world around me was suddenly dark, so dark I thought I may have gone blind. Darkness. I fell to my knees. Darkness. I took deep breaths, the air became stale and cold, and the wind frigid blowing on my sweating face. Darkness, darkness, darkness...light. I lifted my head, and saw a bright, orange light, in the direction of my house. “Coming mama,” I whispered, crawling on my hands and knees.

When I had gotten out of the rows of corn my eyes began to burn as if smoke was in my eyes. Blinking tears out of my eyes stumbled forward. I coughed, smoke was in my lungs. Then I saw it. My house, my home was on fire. Out of the windows fire danced, pieces of wood fell to the ground, burning the grass. I heard hot glass shatter. Everything I had was lost, gone.

Then something inside me clicked and I remembered. My mother, where was she? “MAMA!” I shrieked as loud as I could muster. MAMA, no no mama please!” I fell to my knees and began to mumble, “ Mama, mama, please mama.” My eyes closed slowly. Then I heard her voice.

“Beatrice! BEATRICE! Come on baby, please be alive!” I leaped up and looked around but I didn’t see her.

“MAMA, I am here, Mama!!” My body shook as I looked for any sign of her. I heard her cough close to my ear and I fell to my knees. The cough sounded like a man, not my mother’s. I scrambled away, letting out a hoarse cough. I got to my feet and ran. Then I heard it, the sound of my little sister's cries from inside the burning house. “ LOLA!” I screeched. And at the same time, I heard my mother scream the same thing from a little ways away.

“Stay where you are, Beatrice, I am going in.” I felt her put a hang on my shoulder, I winced, I realized that I hurt my shoulder when I had struggled with the person that choked me. I shook my head even though I knew she couldn’t see me. My mother’s arm left my shoulder.

I saw her outline as she raced into the burning house. “MAMA!” I gasped. But I knew I had to listen to her, so I sat down and watched my home burn, catching my breath. The smoke made my eyes tear up, I was mumbling to myself hoping my mom and sister come out of there alive.

Soon I realize it has been several minutes. I can’t let my family die no matter what happens. So I get up and race into the house. The first thing I notice is that it is hot, so hot that I can barely breathe. I gag and race back outside. I pull my handkerchief out of my sweater. I dip it quickly into a nearby puddle. At school, I had learned that when there is a fire and you are inside, if you put a damp cloth over your mouth you can breathe better.

Soon I am back in the house. My legs feel weak and clumsy as I race up the stairs dodging weak burning steps. I hear my sister’s coughing and I praise the Lord that she is alive. “LOLA!” I holler through my napkin, “ I am coming, it is going to be ok!”

Suddenly I trip at the last step and my hand lands into the fire. I scream loudly. It feels as if someone has poured lava over my hand. I can’t breathe. I CAN’T BREATHE. Head spinning, I race into my sister’s room. It is full of smoke but there isn’t any fire remotely in the room. I hear Lola’s small cries, hoarse and small. I begin to breathe once again.

“Lola, I am here, it is ok, where is mom?” I creep to her bed to see her under her covers. She is sweating and her lips are red with blood. She coughs and spits blood out of her mouth.

Mother must have never come. I pick up Lola with my good arm. She is only five and she has been through so much in the past couple of minutes. I put my damp napkin over her mouth and she lets out a small breath. Together we race down the steps, dodging the fire. My legs and arms are blistered, but I keep running. I listen and look for any sign of my mother, but hear nor see signs of her.

Suddenly we are at the door, and I silently praise the Lord. My lungs were swelling and my breathing was becoming almost unbearable. I raced out the door and ran as far as I could away from the house. Suddenly Lola screams and spits black blood all over my shirt. I panic and rest her in the grass, leaning her over. I slap her back, she gags and coughs, the blood and bile keep coming up. Tears fell down my face. “ It is ok Lola, I love you, it is ok, it is ok.” I was both reassuring her and myself. I lean her back and we lay for a minute in the grass. The last thing I see is a bright helicopter light shine on my face and a man's loud voice speaking through a microphone says something I can’t understand. Then everything goes black.