Isolation sure does a number on you.

Up until that night, I'd been a typically enthusiastic person, I mean, despite the fact that I'd been raised by my sister, being told that our parents had abandoned us all those years ago. And that I'd had a job while other kids my age would still be running around, causing mischief. No, I was happy with being able to say that I could fend for myself and have a really cool older sister to take care of me.

After Bretta died, however, I tried to isolate myself. I had no idea what I could do exactly. I knew I could kill by simply staring someone in the eye. I recalled all the times I'd looked into the eyes of other people, and they would glance back, just for a second, but I remember that, eventually, I never saw them again.

I also found out I could make fire out of thin air, when I'm angry or scared enough. The only animals I couldn't kill were the predators. The smaller ones I would just give them a sharp glare and they'd fall to the ground, dead. In my first year alone, I came across ruins of an abandon kingdom. I took it as my own home, staying in the sturdier parts of the castle.

I'd learned how to control the fire, but I had no idea how to stop myself from killing someone. I could tell my powers were getting stronger. Instead of taking twenty, agonizing minutes for a bird or a chipmunk to die, but now it took about a minute. I wasn't sure how long it would take a human, though. It took longer for larger, more complex animals to die.

I guessed that I was about fifteen now. I'd lost track of the days. I sat in the window sill on the top floor of the highest tower. I was surprised that it was still standing. I took a bite of my apple. The juice ran down my chin and I wiped it off with my sleeve. My clothes were old and tattered. Before I'd found the castle, an old woman had taken me in for the night. I didn't dare look her in the eyes. She'd given me food, water, lodging, and warm clothes. They'd been too big for me when I was twelve, but now they were getting short. Winter was coming and I was wearing the cloak the woman had given me.

I closed my eyes and sighed. There were so many things that I wish I could change. So much regret in my life...

The next thing I knew, I could hear the sounds of horses, metal, and men. I jumped out of my daze, almost falling out the window. What is that?  I wondered. What would men be doing here?

I strained my eyes to see an army marching about half a kilometer away. I froze, afraid that they might spot me. They barely even looked my way. There must be a war, I thought. Those must be the king's warriors. I remembered all the kids in my old village who said that they wanted to become soldiers and join the army. I never saw myself as a warrior. I was too small and a vegetable seller. Also, I was an orphan and I had no idea that my father had even served in the army.

Eventually, the army had passed. I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn't spoken to anyone in three years or so. I'd almost forgotten what my own voice sounded like. It was probably lower than it used to be. I honestly wasn't the kind of person to talk out loud to myself.

I wandered the halls for a while. It seemed like that's all I did. I was a ghost, a shadow. A shadow filled with pure darkness. I used to be scared of the darkness inside, now it was more like an ally. An ally I didn't dare use on anyone. No one would deserve that fate.

A cool breeze went through the halls. I shivered slightly. The sun was going down. I found myself outside. I usually did. I was in ruins, after all. Almost every turn led me either in the desolated courtyard, the town, or falling to my death from a high tower. I knew my way around fairly well, so I usually didn't end up falling from five or more up from the ground.

I was about to walk back in the castle to find the room where I usually slept in, but a slight movement caught my eye. I blinked a couple times to see if I was imagining it, standing perfectly still. When nothing else happened for two minutes or so, I cautiously turned back inside. Probably just a rabbit or something.

I layed down on my bed. It was pretty much just a mattress with sheets and rugs stacked on it, but it was the most comfortable thing I could find. I closed my eyes and tried to get to sleep, but whatever I saw, or thought I saw, was bothering me. Asher, I told myself. Go to sleep! Stop being so paranoid!

I finally drifted off to sleep about an hour later. Over the years, I learned that no one could hurt me. Not as long as I had this curse. Boy, was I wrong!