My name is Lara and this is a story about how my good intentions went awry and somehow turned out even better than I planned.

You see, when I was nine years old, I lived in a unique village. It was run by a woman who only had her own selfish needs and wants to consider. My parents and everyone else's that I knew of, were feverishly trying to finish a massive device that was supposed to save us all. The woman promised that it'd be our salvation, because the Earth was dying. But when the final day of construction came, her true motives became blaringly clear.

I was running around outside, playing and laughing with other young kids around my age when I felt the earth start to shake and the spear of the device all the big people had worked so hard on rose into the sky and I felt myself being yanked back alongside my friend Dane. But instead of the shock I felt myself feel, my friend's face registers shock, but also a deep, abiding hurt. When I'm on my feet again, I look up to see a huge castle in the sky, floating as if it owns the clouds and air.

"Mother!" I hear Dane scream and tears stain his face as he stares at the sky castle with a mixture of fear and hatred. "Dane," I say gently, half afraid that he'll turn those dark, angry eyes on me. He blinks rapidly before wiping his eyes and rubbing his nose on his shirt. "She just left me here."

"Who?" I ask, still not understanding.

"My mother!" Dane says, his voice shrill and on the verge of panic. He starts running and I follow, thinking he means to play.

"Dane, who's your mother?" I ask, breathless.

"The woman in the castle!" he yells back over his shoulder.

For a moment I'm speechless and then I start laughing, because I know the perfect way to get revenge on that spiteful hag.

"That's so great! I'm gonna marry you when we're grown!"

Instead of the instant denial I thought he'd throw my way, he just looks back at me with those fathomless sunset orange eyes.