Kayin's Fire: A Children of Fire Novella

By Alica Mckenna Johnson

Children of Fire come into their Phoenix powers on their fifteenth birthday. For some the change is celebrated but Kayin wakes to a nightmare. His black curls have turned bright red, and fire dances in his eyes. Convinced that he’s become a demon, his mother casts him out of his village in Zimbabwe.

Feeling confused, scared, and abandoned, Kayin is saved by other Children of Fire, who take him into their family. Now he must learn to control his power and adjust to the energy and excitement of New York City. But will he be able to cope with the aching desire to return to the home he loves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alica Mckenna Johnson
• Release date: Feb 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310980817

Alica Mckenna Johnson

Alica McKenna Johnson lives in Southern Arizona with her kids, her cats, and the many voices in her head yammering for their stories to be told. Fueled by her love of people, travel, and cultures Alica writes emotionally rich stories. Snark, humor, and magic are woven through her books.When not writing Alica supports other people's writing dreams. Through individual and group coaching programs she gives back the support, skills, techniques, and passion that other writers gave, and continue to give, to her.During her free time, which you need a magnifying glass to find, she can be found binge watching Netflix, at the movies with friends, or getting her yoga on.For a limited time, you can get a FREE Children of Fire short story! Visit here to find out more: http://eepurl.com/bc5bznFollow and chat with Alica at her Website (http://alicamckennajohnson.com/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AlicaMckennaJohnsonAuthor), Twitter (@AMckennaJohnson), Bookbub (https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alica-mckenna-johnson) Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5755438.Alica_Mckenna_Johnson) or on Pintrest (https://www.pinterest.com/alicamj/).

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Kayin's Fire: Birth of a Fire Child

Published by AMJ Publishing 2015 at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 by ALICA MCKENNA-JOHNSON

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Cover and formatting: Sweet 'N Spicy Designs

KAYIN'S FIRE

Birth of a Child of Fire

Alica Mckenna-Johnson

Children of Fire come into their Phoenix powers on their fifteenth birthday. For some the change is celebrated. Kayin wakes to a nightmare. His black curls have turned bright red, and fire dances in his eyes. His mother, convinced that he’s become a demon, casts him out of his village in Zimbabwe. Feeling confused, scared, and abandoned, Kayin is saved by other Children of Fire, who take him into their family. He learns to control his power, adjusts to the energy and excitement of New York City, and copes with his desire to return to the home he loves.

I’d like to dedicate this book to:

Kelley Ulrich from Zimbabwe who answered all of my questions and read over chapters for me. Thank you for helping me make my book and Kayin richer and more authentic.

And

Amber, Leslie, Selina, and Kenneth Seowtewa for their help with information about Zuni witches which I used to create my witches, and also for translating a line for me into Zuni. 

Devin, Josh, and Michael, I’m sorry, your sisters made me do it.

Chapter One

Bird calls filled the air. Kayin groaned, his body stiff, but at least the fever had broken while he slept. Relaxing into the straw pallet below him, he smiled as an elephant trumpeted in the distance. Today was his fifteenth birthday. His mom had promised to make his favorite meal of peanut stew and pumpkin sadza, and he’d seen her hide a present under her Sunday dress. Excitement bubbled in his stomach as he wondered what she’d gotten him.

His little sisters whispered to each other in the dim light of their one-room hut. Their mother sighed as his baby brother fussed, her blanket rustled, and the baby made a contented slurping sound as he began to nurse.

When his baba came back from safari, he would present Kayin with a knife passed down from father to son for generations. As Kayin dressed for the day, he imagined running his fingers over the yellowed ivory knife handle. The animals carved into the elephant tusk were so old they could barely be seen, and the metal blade’s dark gray surface was freckled with black dents.

Rubbing the thin scar on his first finger, Kayin remembered the first time his baba let him hold the knife. The edge of the blade looked as thin as the paper he used in school. With childish foolishness he’d run his finger over the blade. Bright red blood dripped down his ebony skin as tears welled in his eyes.

Come here, his baba had said and held him in his lap to tend his finger. When the bleeding stopped, his father pointed to a faint scar on his own thumb. "I tested its sharpness on my thumb the first time I held the knife. My baba said the blade needs to learn each of us by tasting our blood so the knife knows who we are and what we will become."

His mother groaned and stood, bringing Kayin back to the present. He’d have to go soon to milk the goats and feed the chickens before breakfast, then walk with his sisters to school.

He sat on his bed pallet and grabbed his shoes. "Good morning, Amai."

Good morning, my son. Happy birthday, do you feel more grown up now that you’re fifteen? His mom’s face paled as she looked at him. Reaching behind her, she grabbed a broom.

Kayin froze. Was there a snake?

Demon, his amai yelled and hit him with the broom. Demon, be gone. Get out of my son!

Stumbling away from his amai, Kayin kept his head down to protect his face.

Kayin, his sisters cried, reaching towards him.

Their amai stepped between them. No, he is possessed by a demon. She began to chant the Lord’s Prayer and advanced on him.

His baba wasn’t religious and didn’t care for his wife’s conviction. When his amai would start preaching about demons and the minions of Satan, his baba would roll his eyes making Kayin laugh, but it didn’t seem funny now. Turning, he pushed himself up and ran out of the hut into the courtyard.

Help me banish the demon from my son. Please help me save my son, his amai yelled.

The other villagers turned. Some grabbed their children and ran, others picked up small stones and began throwing them at him, more intent on protecting their own children than saving Kayin.

He ran for the gate. His friend Mudiwa opened it for him and stepped aside.

What’s happening? Kayin asked, his voice cracking in fear.

Mudiwa shook his head and looked at the ground.

A stone hit his back. Crying out, he stumbled then shivered as hot, sticky liquid dripped down his spine.

Come here, a man called, holding out his hands and urging him to hurry.

Kayin ran towards the man with milk-white skin and hair so red it looked like grass on fire. Was he salvation or the source of the problem?

A rock hit his head and he fell to the ground. His sisters cried and screamed his name.

Stop, the white man said, holding up his hands as he ran to Kayin. Stop, and I’ll take him away.

The villagers stopped throwing rocks and screaming at him. Prayers were chanted by some as others talked among themselves.

The man helped him up, his hands strong and steady. It’s okay, let me help you.

Kayin obeyed, not knowing what else to do.

I will save you my son. I will find a way and save you from this demon. Tears ran down his mother’s cheeks. She clutched his sisters and brother to her as the gates shut.

Kayin’s heart broke as the thick wooden bar they used to lock the gate at night slid into place. Was he as dangerous as a lion, or hyena? He didn’t feel dangerous.

Is he a chosen one? cried the faint voice of an elder. Bring him to me, he could be a chosen one, a blessing for our village.

It’s too late, a demon has stolen his body, Kayin’s mother said. "Only a N’anga, a divine healer, can help him now."

Come here, the white man said, leading him to the other side of the jeeps. He opened a white plastic box and began treating Kayin’s wounds. His father would have chewed plants and spread the paste on his back, but this man used chemicals which burned and made his nose wrinkle. The smell reminded him of the cleaning fluids the maids used at the lodge. He wanted his father. Tears blurred his vision.

My name is Gavin, and this is Brian. One of my colleagues dreamed about you. That’s why we’re here.

Kayin didn’t say anything. He watched four other men pack. Kayin knew people camped outside the village now and then, but he and the other children were forbidden