Fire

That afternoon, under a bright and sunny sky, Li Mei was walking home from the market with a restless heart. Along the way, she kept hearing whispers and noticing the suspicious glances of the villagers. Suddenly, a young man, known for mocking her often, appeared in her path. He laughed derisively, spitting out harsh words.

"You know, Li Mei, you should just leave this village. No one needs you here. You're nothing but bad luck!" he said loudly, enough to draw the attention of those around.

Li Mei gripped her shopping basket tightly. The anger she had been suppressing started to burn within her. "I've never done anything to hurt you! Why do you keep blaming me?" her voice quivered, a mix of sadness and rage.

The young man laughed again. "If that's true, prove you're not dangerous. But I know you can't, because you're—"

Before he could finish, Li Mei felt heat spreading from her body. In an instant, a small flame appeared in her palm. She gasped and stepped back, trying to extinguish it, but the fire spread to the dry grass in the nearby field. Within seconds, the small flame turned into a significant blaze, causing panic and shouts among the villagers.

"Fire! There's a fire!" someone yelled, and the villagers quickly ran with buckets of water to douse the flames.

Li Mei stood frozen, her body trembling. "I didn't mean to… I didn't want this to happen…" she whispered.

What broke her heart was realizing that the fire had spread to a nearby house the house belonging to Suyin. Though only a small part of it burned before the flames were extinguished, the damage was enough to make people even more fearful of her.

"This is all Li Mei's fault! She's bringing disaster to the village!" one villager shouted angrily.

Others nodded in agreement, whispers turning into loud accusations. Li Mei could only stand there, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to explain, but no words came out of her mouth.

After the fire was put out, Suyin rushed over to Li Mei. Her face was covered in soot, but her eyes remained kind. "Li Mei, are you okay?" she asked, holding her friend's hand.

Li Mei looked at Suyin with overwhelming guilt. "I… I don't know how this happened. I didn't mean it, Suyin. I truly didn't mean it…"

Suyin gave her a faint smile, despite the damage to her house. "I know you didn't mean it, Mei. Don't blame yourself. I just want to know if you're okay."

"But… your house…" Li Mei sobbed, glancing at the charred remains of Suyin's home.

"Houses can be repaired. Our friendship is far more important," Suyin said calmly. Her words made Li Mei's heart feel slightly lighter, even though she knew it wouldn't erase her guilt.

That night, the villagers gathered in the village hall to discuss what to do about Li Mei. Many demanded that she and her mother be expelled from the village. The tension grew, and a decision would soon be made.

Li Mei heard everything from her mother, who returned home with a worried expression. "They'll hold another meeting tomorrow morning, Mei. We have to prepare for whatever happens," her mother said.

Li Mei looked at her mother with determined eyes. "No, Mom. I'm not leaving. I need to find out what's really happening to me. If this is a curse, I have to understand it. If it's a power, I need to learn how to control it."

That night, Li Mei couldn't sleep. She stood outside the house, staring at the starry sky. Deep down, she decided she wouldn't run away anymore. The dream of the Phoenix that kept haunting her felt more real. She knew something greater awaited her, something that would change everything. To face it, she had to become stronger.

That night, after the villagers dispersed from their meeting, Li Mei sat on the porch, gazing at the sky. The night breeze was cold, yet her body felt warm from the restless emotions simmering within her. Inside the house, her mother was tidying up the items in their small shop.

"Mom," Li Mei called softly.

Her mother turned around, then walked toward her. "What is it, Mei?" her voice sounded flat, as though worn out by the endless problems.

Li Mei lowered her head briefly, then looked up, gathering the courage to ask. "Mom… have you ever heard of the Phoenix?"

Her mother froze, her expression turning rigid. She took a deep breath before sitting down beside Li Mei. "Why are you asking about that?"

"I… I keep dreaming about the Phoenix," Li Mei replied hesitantly. "A giant bird flying over a sea of fire, and every time I see it, it feels like it's calling out to me. I don't understand what it means, but the dream feels so real."

Her mother didn't reply immediately. She stared at the ground with a blank expression, as if searching for the right words. "The Phoenix is a mythical bird," she finally said, her tone cold. "The legend says it symbolizes immortality, strength, and renewal. But it's just a story, Mei. It has nothing to do with us."

"But, Mom, I feel like the dream is connected to what's happening to me," Li Mei pleaded, her voice trembling. "Whenever I'm angry or upset, I feel like… like fire comes out of me. What if it's not a coincidence? What if I—"

"That's enough!" her mother snapped. Her face hardened, and her voice turned firm. "Don't talk about things that don't make sense. You're just tired, Mei. All of this is the result of uncontrolled emotions. There's no Phoenix. No dreams that mean anything."

Li Mei fell silent, feeling her mother's words like an impenetrable wall. "But, Mom…"

Her mother stood up, looking at her with worried eyes. "It's late. Get some rest. We have to wake up early to sell tomorrow."

Li Mei could only lower her head. When her mother went back inside, she remained outside, gazing at the stars with a heart full of confusion. Why doesn't Mom want to talk about it? she wondered. Deep down, she was certain her mother was hiding something.