~ GATEWAY TO INSANITY~

Ten years have passed since the spring festival. I am now 17. My silver hair is down to my ankles and I pull back with the red ribbon I got for my 15th birthday.

I was in the town square getting water from the well. Then out of nowhere the wind picked up, dust started flying. I dropped the bucket spilling the water and covered my eyes. When the wind stopped I opened my eyes to see my long silver hair in my face. I felt the back of my head for my ribbon but it wasn't there. It must of blown off in the wind. I checked to make sure my cross was still around my neck. The stick cross hung on an old string that never broke. I sighed in relief, then started to look for my ribbon.

I felt some one tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to find a tall man dressed in all white. He had a mask with a crooked smile on it and a white top hat with a darker white bow on that hung on the side so you couldn' quite see his face. He tilted his head as if to ask what I was doing.

"Oh, I am looking for my ribbon." I stuttured. He tilted his head more. " It's a long red ribbon. Have you seen it."

He didn't seem to hear me. He was focused on my cross. He grabbed it with his long slender fingers and looked at me again.

"You should have died in the orphanage fire." his voice was rough and crooked. He let go of my cross and faded away in the corner. He knows about the fire! If he knows about what happened then he must know who I am. When I looked up at him, he was gone. I felt a tap on my shoulder. This time it scared me and I quickly turned around. It was a young boy, he looked to be 17 or 18. He was dressed in a black silk suite and he had long brown hair that was pulled back. His grey eyes lead to a charming smile. He looked like a prince.

"Is this yours, my lady?" he held out my long red ribbon. I nodded my head and took it.

"Thank you very much sir." I responsed, trying to be as charming as I could. He looked down at my bucket, barely full of water.

"You get your water out of a well?" he said in a tone that showed his disapproval.

"Yea so what!" I replied. I put my hands on my hips and scowled, not caring for his condescending tone. Afterall, I just met him.

"The well is filthy! Only peasants drink from that disease hole!"

I couldn't believe this guy. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. He looked at me and put his hand on his cheek. That rich boy must have never been slapped before!

"I wouldn't give this life up for all the money in the world!" I sneared. "So I don't want you bad mouthing it!" His expression was angry yet I could see he was embarassed.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me. He laughed like it was some sick joke and walked away. I fell onto my knees and looked down to the floor completely dumb struck. I touched my lips to see if his warmth was still there.

I tried to remember the nice boy I saw five minutes ago. I couldn't, all I could remember was that scum bad.

"My first kiss." I felt myself blushing " And it was by that creep." I quickly stood up-completely over it. Now I was angry. The next time I see that creep I am going to put his legs on his head! I looked down at my ribbon and tied it back into a bow. This ribbon was somthing Cyruss gave me. It was one of my most imporant things. I picked up the bucket and filled it back up with water. As I walked back home I remembered that creepy guy. "Was I supposed to of die in that fire? Who would of wanted me to die? "Who was that guy? " I looked up hearing a familiar voice, it was Gun-shot.

"Hey Akuma, what took you so long?" he was a lot older now, 21-an adult. His hair fell to his shoulders and he had a hint of facial hair. " Cyruss has been going crazy", he said. "You can't scare him like that." He took my hand and led me towards home. When I stepped into the house I saw Cyruss pacing back and forth like he was worried. When he saw me, he ran and embraced me. He looked like he was looking at a ghost.

"Where were you? Did you get jumped, or did someone try to take you?!" I could feel him trembling. He was obviously worried.

"Cyruss I'm fine." I said in a long tired voice. " I'm 17, can't you trust me yet?"

He looked like he was going to cry. But let it out in a sigh and hugged me again. The door opened and Friday walked in. Her expression was the same as Cyruss,' but for some reason, I thougth I detected a hint of disappointment. Did she not want me to come back? Like that jerk, did she want me to die?

The next day, Friday asked me to go get some ferns from the garden at the back of the palace. No one except the royals are allowed in the palace garden, but if you are sneaky and quiet enough you can get all the ferns you want.

I waited til night fall when all the gardeneres were asleep. I looked up at the palace walls and looked for a vine that was close enough. When I found one I leaped to grab it and started to climb. When I got to the top I jumped off into a large patch of soft dirt. I ran over to the fern plants, hiding my tracks and not making a sound. I started to pick some herbs we used for medicine, then ran over to the plants that Friday could turn into spice when I felt someone cover my mouth. Whoever it was also grabbed my wrists. I tried to jerk away and run but was too weak. I even tried to yell but his hand was covering my mouth so the only sound that came out was muffled. I finally stepped on the his foot making him lose his balance. I broke free and head butted him with the back of my head. I could hear him fall over. "Owww!". I turned around to see it was the boy I saw yesterday.

"What-what! What are you doing here?!" I quietly yelled. He came toward me and put his hand over my mouth again.

"Not stealing from my parents garden." He said. I was confused. I tilted my head asking for more of an explanation. He sighed then slowly took his hand off my mouth. "My name is prince Choue."

All I could think of was that not only did he look like a prince, he was a prince. My shocked expression gave me away. "You know I could tell the guards and they could put you in jail." he sneared. He gave a smile like he is really enjoying this. "Or you could work here as my maid." he said. The idea of being this guy's maid sickened me.

"Your maid?!" I got away from his grip. "no way, not going to happen!" I started to walk off. "Go ahead call the guards!" he didn't stop me. I felt him watching me.I picked up my empty basket and started to climb up the wall. But Choue grabbed me by the stomach and started to carry me like a litttle child. I struggled, kicked, and screamed to get down but he still held on tight. He looked down at me.

"You are one stubborn little girl aren't you?" I could feel his brown eyes digging into mine and I could feel myself blushing. I quickly darted my eyes to the side.

"Stubborn, for sure, but about what?" he whispered close in my ear, almost to the point to where he almost touched it.

"About being my girl." he said this in a deep voice I flinched and jerked my body. I fell with a thud, my back to the floor. I stood up and started to run but he grabbed my wrist. "You can't leave without this." He leaned in and kissed me. I covered my mouth with the hand that was free from his grasp. I jerked my hand away and ran back to the wall and started to climb. This time he didn't stop me. I ran back to the well and covered my face in my knees. I started to cry out of confusion and embarassment. "I hate him", I screamed to myself! "And I forgot my basket". As I walked through the door I could hear Cyruss and Friday arguing about somthing in a language I couldn't understand.

"Gnuoy llits si ehs!" yelled Cyruss in an angry voice.

" Drazah a si ehs!" yelled Friday back. Cyruss looked at her as if she had crossed the line.

" No ssorc eht speek ehs sa gnol sa ton!" replied Cyruss.

"od ew lliw tahw neht? Ffo emoc ot erew ti fi tahw?" Cyruss stopped and stood still. After a moment of silence he said.

"tsoc lla ta reh tcetorp lliw I" Cyruss shouted. Friday stood completely shocked at his answer. She quickly turned around and walked off. What were they talking about? Is Friday mad at me? I ran to the back of the house and covered my face in my knees and started to softly cry.

The next day I went for a little stroll around town. I looked through the windows and saw cute stuffed animals and fluffy pink dresses. As I passed them I looked at the torn ragged old dark purple dress that I wore every day. I started to compare those pretty clothes to my rags. As I looked through the windows I saw an adorable stuffed panda. I pressed my hands against the window glass and looked at toy up close. It was way too expensive. I slowly took my hands off the window. And started to walk off. I saw two girls with their father. They were clinging to him and begging him for an expensive doll in the window. The father nodded and they walked into the store. I just simply stood there, wishing that I had rich parents that would love me and buy me lovely dolls. I shook off that petty jealously and started to walk down a dark path, away from all the pretty silly stuff.

I saw a shadow move, I instantly knew who it was. I started take chase. The shadow noticed me chasing, and started to run faster. I made sure to keep up. After several minutes of running, the "shadow" stopped suddenly, making me trip. He turned around and grabbed me by the neck and lifted me off the ground. I grabbed his cold hand and tried to pry his fingers open. "I would kill you know. But will let the pure hatred kill you first." he let go and I fell, I put my hands on my neck gasping for air.

"Who are you?" I said with the little air in me. "Was I supposed to die? Why do you hate me?" he looked at me then said.

"You are such stupid weak creaturess. I don't have to awnser you." He started to walk away. I grabbed his thin ankle.

"Who am I? How do you know me? Why was I tied up during that fire?" My breathe started to leave me and my vision blurred. I didn't care. I clung to him. I wanted to know. He looked at me and shook free from my weak grasp with ease. He turned and kicked me in the stomach. All my air came out at once. My vision blurred completely. I fell over and fainted.

I had a dream. I saw mydself 12 years ago when I was four. I was in the orphanage before the fire. I watched as the children played and laughed. I looked around and saw my younger self at the edge of the play ground. I had a dusty old dress and a little red ball in my hand. I bounced it against the wall. I seemed happy, despite being alone. The ball bounced over to a group of kids. I ran over to get it when I leaned down to pick it up I was pushed down by one of the children. The children all stared at me, their lips moved but I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could see my tears swell as I tried to pick up the little red ball. One of the children kicked it while another pushed me over. My face fell against the dirt and I started to cry. I ran away to a large old looking oak tree.

I watched myself bury my face in my dirt covered bloody knees. I stood their and watched myself cry, all alone. I walked over to comfort myself and heard a soft 'meow'. The younger me slowly looked up and saw a small white kitten. It was dirty with dried blood in its fur, bonethin and it looked as if it was blind in one eye. My crying slowed down till it became soft sniffles. The little kitten rubbed it self up against me and gave a soft purr. I smiled and began to softly pet the little animal. As I watched my ealier life go by, I felt more and more at peace. Then all of a sudden I felt as though I was being pulled back, my vision faded but quickly returned-to another place.

I looked around and saw that the setting had changed. It looked as though I was inside the orphanage; the room was painted a light green, and there were four little round tables in the four corners of a classroom. I was in the corner playing with the little white kitten. I had and old pocket string in my hand with a old rusted bell attached to it. I jinged it around and the kitten would chase it. Some kids came and saw me playing with the kitten. They walked over and looked as though they were laughing. I tried to ignore them but they pushed me over completely exposing the kitten. One of the kids tried to pick it up but the kitten wouldn't let them, it scratched and bit the child's arm. He screamed and threw the kitten to the floor, the poor thing fell with a loud thud. The kid, angry and upset called his friends over. They came and held the kitten down. I tried to get them off it but some of the other kids held me from behind. The child that was bitten walked over to one of the tables and picked up a vase that was on the table. He pored out the water and slowly walked over to the kitten. He got on his knees and raised the vase high in the air. Slam. He slammed the vase on the kitten. When he raised it up again the blue vase had red splattered on it. I struggled and fought to go help my little friend but they were too strong. The child continued to beat the kitten with the vase until it stopped moving and it stopped crying. I saw tears streamming from my younger me-face, I screamed and fought to get free. They looked at each other and laughed. Built up with anger I bit one of the children. He let me go to tend to his hand and as he did that I ran to the aid of my little friend. They grabbed me and got the rope from the closet. And dragged me and the dead kitten to an emty bed room .They tied me to the bedposts. One of the childeren had a lighter. When they started to play with it and flame rose up and it frighten them. They dropped the lighter and ran. The flame caught some drapes and the fire started.

I woke up panting and near tears. I saw that I was in a bedroom but not mine. I looked to see who was next to me.

~HEY GUYS WHATS UP! THANXS LOTS FOR READING THIS NEW PART OF 'TO STAND ON MY FLAMES'. I HOPE YOU LIKED THE STORY AND I WORKED REALLY HARD ON AKUMA'S BACK STORY.

I AM DOING THIS THING WHERE YOU CAN ASK THE CHARATERS QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM SELVES; LIKE FOR EXAMPLE " CYRUSS WHAT IS YOUR MOST GREATEST FEAR?" OR SOMTHING. I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SO TRY TO KEEP IT CLEAN AFTER EVERY CHAPTER IF I HAVE ANY. AND IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO SAW YOUR NAME LEAVE THAT IN THE COMMENT.

LOVE YOU GUYS AND WILL TRY TO MAKE MORE PARTS SOON. JOIN THE DEMO -chan1 ARMY TODAY, VOTE, COMMENT, OR RECAMEND TO FRIENDS. IF YOU GUYS LIKE MY STORIES YOU SHOULD READ ONE OF MY FAVIROTE BOOK CALLED ' CURSE OF THE PYRO' IT IS AWSOME!~