I had high-proof alcohol, a glass bottle, and a lighter. I waited until the dead of night, when the children were fast asleep, and then I returned to the children's home.
I moved through the halls quietly, carefully splashing alcohol around the most flammable areas—curtains, carpets, furniture, cardboard boxes—anything porous that would soak up the liquid quickly.
Next, I created a trail—a literal fuse—leading from the soaked room to a safer ignition point. I stood at the edge of the trail and dropped a match.
The alcohol ignited instantly, the blue flame creeping along the trail with a low hiss.
As the flame hit the soaked areas, they flashed over in an instant. Alcohol burns hot and fast, especially on absorbent materials. The fire spread quickly, engulfing everything in its path.
I left some doors and windows open, knowing oxygen would feed the flames and make them spread even faster.
Once I was sure everything was in motion, I grabbed my belongings and slipped out of the children's home. Outside, I watched the fire take hold, thick smoke billowing up into the night sky. The children inside hadn't noticed the flames yet.
Then, I felt a tap on my garment.
"Chisa-chan..."
I turned to see Sumire, one of the younger girls from the home. Her wide, terrified eyes locked onto mine. "Why...?"
She must have smelled the alcohol before realizing the fire had started, and followed me outside.
And then, I heard it—screams from inside the house. The children had finally realized the house was on fire. But it was too late. They were already surrounded.
"Chisa-chan!" Sumire cried, her voice breaking. "Why? Why did you do that?!"
I froze.
Some of the children from the children's home had been kind to me. Innocent, like Sumire. She wouldn't harm anyone. I couldn't believe what I had done. A bunch of innocent lives were at risk—all because of my thirst for vengeance.
"Chisa-chan! Chisa-chan!" she sobbed. "You must save them, please! Stop the fire! Please!"
Her cries cut through me, and then, something happened.
My golden eyes began to shine.
The light from my eyes enveloped her, and her crying stopped. She stood still, mesmerized by the glow.
My gaze shifted back to the house. And then, something unbelievable occurred—the flames vanished.
In an instant, the fire was gone. It was as if it had never even been there.
Everyone inside the children's home poured out into the yard, confused but relieved. They were safe, but the fire had somehow disappeared without a trace.
"What's going on?"
"What just happened?"
"Wasn't there a fire just a second ago?"
"Where did all the flames go?"
Sumire smiled brightly, her face full of awe. "Chisa-chan started the fire, but then she also got rid of it!"
I froze.
What the hell, Sumire?! Why would you say that?!
Fortunately, it sounded too ridiculous to the others, and they dismissed her claims completely.
But the truth was—she wasn't wrong. I had started the fire, and somehow, I had also extinguished it. But how?
Was this somehow connected to my survival after the fall? Was this why my phone hadn't shattered?
I didn't know.
Could it be possible? Was this some kind of supernatural ability? Could I really have powers?
Nothing about this made sense.
The following day, the nine girls who had exposed my secret to the world were arrested.
As they were driven away in the police cars, I stood tall.
"I'll never forgive you for what you did to me all those years," I said coldly. "I'm finally getting my justice. And this is only the beginning. You wanted me to die, but now, you'll experience what it's like to wish you could disappear, just like I did."
The police officers drove them away, their faces a mixture of fear and regret.