Green Fire

Heat pressed against me. Even though I didn't need to breath to survive, it felt as though my lungs were being crushed.

I sat up, searching for a clue that would tell me where I was.

Directly in front of me burned a circular, green fire. Within the scorching ring hung three people by their wrists.

Heads bent, each moaned in pain. I took a step forward.

"Hello?"

The one in the middle looked up. His face was streaked in dirt mixed with blood.

"Troy!" I rushed to the edge of the fire. "Troy, I'm coming." With only the briefest pause, I ran through the flames.

They engulfed me, scorching my hair and burning up my clothes and my skin, but I didn't pay it any attention.

My eyes fixed on Troy. "Hang on."

At my words, the person on the right of Troy looked up.

"Mom!"

I knew instinctively the person on the left of Troy would be my dad. "Dad, it's going to be all right. I'll free you all."

From the outside the ring of fire had seemed thin and small, but I spent many minutes within the