Bird Of Flame

• Lucinda Man, Grade 7, Fort Street High School
• Short Story
• 2022

Excellence Award in the 'Summertime Fun ONLINE' competition

Aguya. Russian for mistress of fire. When my parents named me after my ‘fiery spirit’, I didn’t think they’d meant it so literally. But maybe that’s what the Goddess wanted when she created the world. Or maybe I slipped between the lines.
My story started in a poor village just on the border between the human and wild lands. We’d all grown up hearing stories about the powerful Fae who would steal human children, but the myths were ridiculous. Fae that could transform into winged creatures, who could wield the elements like they were toys? I didn’t believe Fae existed at all.
My parents died in a mysterious house fire, whilst I was untouched in the ashes. It was a strange incident, and the two carers who adopted me made their discomfort clear. I wasn’t allowed out of the house, which only made me more eager for the woods. I’d always felt more attuned to the elements, only happy when outside in the limited yard time my carers gave me. While they would only let me out once a day at noon, the sun’s curve was welcoming compared to the freezing indoors, and a fresh breeze whispered of adventure.
On a wild day, it was easy to disobey their rules. I simply shimmied up the old oak tree, jumped the short distance to the fallen oak log over the fence, and I was free! I’d done this often enough that I was sure of concealment, but this day, my carers finally caught me.
“What are you doing? Don’t you know how dangerous that was? Do you want to bring shame on us?” they roared in unison, before giving me a thorough lecture. While I didn’t pay much attention, I’d hoped they would be lenient. Clearly, I was wrong.
No yard time for 2 months?! No punishment could be worse than that. I would be cooped up, unable to feel the wind or see the sun nor sky. I couldn’t stand it! All of my righteous anger at this injustice boiled up inside of me, swirling into a storm of pain and fire.
I erupted. Flames burst into being around me, burning and burning, yet not touching me. What was happening to me? The fire burnt relentlessly, both outside and inside my head. Flames leapt before my eyes, dancing over and around my broken desk, shattered windows, crumbled walls. I gaped at the destruction I caused, before a sudden pain flared up in my spine. My eyes glazed over as limbs warped, feathers sprouted on my arms, and my fire-red hair turned to actual fire.
As the transformation rippled over me, I realised I had wings! And not only that, but my entire body was covered with feathers from head to toe, and embers danced along them. I had become a fiery bird! But…only the Fae could become animals, and only the Fae could command fire. If I could do this…who were my parents?