Rules of Fire

Once upon time, a long time ago, in a far away land, a young girl journeyed to a magical desert temple and met a handsome prince... To most, this sounds like the start of a beautiful fairytale. To me, it's the start of a horrible nightmare. My name is Angel, and I am that young girl all grown up. You might have noticed me around. I am that "strange chick" everyone talks about- the one who enters a room and somehow causes all illuminated candles to extinguish. The one who has an irrational fear of salamanders. The one who freaks out and runs away every time she sees a large bird with crimson and gold feathers. But if you knew the rest of the tale, you would understand. I have spent the last seven years of my life secretly following the Rules of Fire. My family and friends have no idea of the danger I'm in, nor can they fathom how something as simple and elemental as fire can be my undoing. They don't know that, just beyond the flickering flames, he beckons me... And I yearn to go to him.