When Water Finds Fire PrologueI don’t remember much; only bits of the thoughts that had swirledthrough my head at the time–though these, too, weren’t exactly clear. Ivaguely remember t wo boys, a girl, and a man, though I have no earliermemory of his intense blue eyes paired with messy, uncombed hair,which was continuously graying with passing time. I may not rememberhim, but I do remember thinking: He had seen me fall. He had tried to helpme. The memory is a blur, but I’m good with that. Stranger or not, all Ineeded to know was that I was okay for the moment. A very sharp—and very sudden—jolt had me shaking, thrashing, screaming in pain.Dark, cold shadows spread through my consciousness like a wildfire.Forming into claws that ripped and shredded at my memories, tearingthrough them like wet paper. Weak and defenseless; unable to fight, toresist. Only able to give in. I felt the same way as the shadows expanded,crashing through every barrier I tried to put up. The darkness torethrough my mind relentlessly, and there was nothing I could do to stopit. The shadows of darkness haunted my thoughts, taking over everymemory. Tears formed in my terrified eyes. I shook and shook as ahaunting voice seethed through the shadows. Whispering of myweakness, taunting me with the truth. I’m sure it lasted only a fewseconds, but it felt like an eternity. By the time it had ended, the onlywhole memories I had left were the ones I’d wanted to forget. My mindstarted towards those memories without my permission, forcing me torelive every painful detail that remained. It wasn’t much, but it was farmore than I wanted.An ear-splitting shriek. A scream. A shout. A wail. Then pain. Lots ofpain. I remember a pair of shaking, trembling arms picking me up,cradling me like a baby. I remember hearing the sobs–likely from myparents–and feeling their cold tears land on my cheeks. I remember ahand holding mine, squeezing it tight. I remember a hug so rough, Ithought I was being strangled. Then everything faded to black.
