Chapter 2 - For You..Father

Heya , still no comments…..

Well, I have some pretty good ideas for the new chapters…once I get past this one it's all down hill! Well…read and enjoy!



Chapter Two



What have I done? Was the only thing going through Akia's mind at that moment. Her father was trapped inside the burning house, and probably already dead.

All her body would allow her to do was sit there, listening to the screams of the villagers, and watching the mess she had made. Akia looked down at her mothers old kimono, one edge of it burned. She rubbed it, as if doing so would make the whole mess stop.

It didn't.

Akia felt hot tears in her eyes. She couldn't hold them back any longer. She cried into her mother's kimono, and fell forward to the ground. It's just a nightmare, she thought, and soon, I'll wake up in my soft, unburned bed. The sad truth was, it was not a nightmare, but a terrible reality.

“Akia,” she heard someone say, “Get up. We must get away from the fire at once.” Akia looked up to see Jin Yi, an old friend of her father's.

“But where's Ganzu? Where is my father?” Jin Yi had a very worried look on his face. “He is trapped inside. We have done all we can to stop the fire, but there is no good source of water to stop it. And your father was the only fire bender in the village. I'm sorry, Akia,” Jin Yi sighed, “But we must go. The fire is spreading, and soon the whole village will be destroyed.” Akia looked at the village. Half of the buildings were already ashes, and many others were on fire. She then looked at Jin Yi.

“I have to stay. We have to try harder,”

“Akia, we have done all we can! Your father would want you to be safe, now come!” Jin Yi then took Akia's arm and pulled her further into the forest. There was a group of angry and worried villagers there.

“Jin Yi! What is going on?” one shouted.

“Who started the fire?” hooted another.

“Where will we live?” a third one cried.

“What will we eat? Everything is destroyed!” sobbed a fourth.

“Yes, Jin Yi, tell us what happened! I demand to know!” screamed a fifth.

“People, please! Quiet down.” Jin Yi shouted over the crowd. No one listened.

“Please! Be quiet!” Jin Yi tried again. The mad fury of people got louder. Akia couldn't take it anymore. She stood on an old tree stump.

“EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!” the crowd went silent. “Is this the way you act? Come now, and listen to what Jin Yi has to say.”

“What do you expect, when our home has just been destroyed?” someone shouted back.

“Please! Everyone just be calm!” Jin Yi said, “Now, we have no idea who started the fire, but we know it started at Ganzu Kotaru's home.” An elder man pointed to Akia.

“Well, then, she should know how the fire started. She is the daughter of Ganzu, right?”

Everyone, even Jin Yi stared at Akia.

“Akia, do you know?”

Akia hesitated.

“No, I have no idea.”

The voices and shouts started up again.

“Please, people. Let us not get out of hand. She doesn't know. But we must seek help from someone. Somebody must go to seek help, quickly. Any volunteers?” The crowd was silent.

“I'll go.” Everyone turned to Akia. She walked up to Jin Yi.

“Akia, you do not have to~”

“No, I must. Ganzu is dead, and he is my father. I am doing this for him.” Jin Yi smiled.

“He would have been very proud of you.” Jin Yi turned to the goggle-eyed crowd. “Then, it is decided. Akia will leave at midday!” A few people clapped. A few people cheered. A few people laughed. A few cried. But Akia knew she was doing the right thing.





Akia walked through the scorched rubble that was her house. She squatted down at the spot that used to be her bedroom. She picked up a scroll, and her mother's old doll. Both were burned.

“Akia.” She turned to see Jin Yi. “You will need this for your journey.” He handed her a small carrying bag made of buffalo fur. “It used to be your fathers.” Akia smiled, and set her three most precious items in the bag; the scroll, the doll, and the kimono. She looked into the sky, and watched as the sun met midday.

“Thank you, Jin Yi.” She threw her arms around his neck. “It is time for me to go.”

“Be safe, Akia, and remember; your father will always be with you.” Jin Yi waved as Akia headed up the hill, and out of the village.

And softly, she whispered to herself, “For you, father.”





To be continued...

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