This is Chapter One continued, I was told the first was too long so I broke it up a bit ...
When we got home dad disappeared into the garage, probably to warn Sam what was to come. I went straight to the living room and of course Jon followed with Carla on his heels, literally.
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I sighed turning around. Jon started to leave when I stopped him.
“Hold on a minute, this concerns you too.”
He stopped and sighed. He slouched against the wall nearest the exit. Carla opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off.
“Before you start I just have to say I have nothing to do with Jon breaking up with you,”
“You had nothing to do with it? You had everything to do with it. You’ve sat beside him for most of the year and you say he comes home with you, you obviously like him so don’t you dare tell me you have nothing to with it,” she yelled, fists balling up again.
I stiffened “What?! Have you been spying on me or something? It’s only October for heaven’s sake! And no I don’t like Jon that way and yes he’s come home with me because he’s my friend,” I yelled back.
“Of you see him as a friend, what kind of friend Alex, a friend with benefits?” She replied slyly.
“That’s going too far Carla!” Jon yelled. I remained silent, anger boiled in my blood and I struggled to control it. How dare she suggest that Jon is a 'friend with benefits' I know Jon and I are close but we aren't that close. The only problem was Carla was on a roll.
“You’re not even my sister! We just adopted you because we felt sorry for you; I didn’t even want a baby sister. Everyone said, aww look at the poor orphan girl all alone. And you sucked that all right up you just loved the attention, didn’t you?” she went on. I glared at her and if looks could kill Carla would be dead ten times over by now.
“Carla,” Jon cautioned leaning forward slightly; he knew I was angry, being an orphan was a very touchy subject with me but Carla just wouldn’t listen.
"Carla, Alex give it a rest!" Sam called, but Carla ignored him.
“How did you parents die again some sort of plane crash right, I bet they were so drunk that they didn’t even realise that they had gotten on a faulty jet, like the rest of your family,” she laughed. Sometimes I thought Carla was made of pure evil.
“Shut up Carla,” Jon hissed he looked furious. I still stayed silent. It was getting harder not to scream at Carla but I was managing.
No one could have known that the jet wasn’t working right when my parents and family boarded. My parents were also stone cold sober when they left the house. Carla knew this but she was just trying to make me angry. It was working.
“I bet they were so out of it when they left, they didn’t even say ‘I love you’ I wonder if they ever did,” she mocked.
That. Was. The. Final. Straw. My mother wouldn’t leave until she had said that she loved me at least a dozen times. And the thing that made me even more angry is that Carla knows it. She knows that my parents are something I don't like talking about but her pride is hurt so she wants to hurt me.
“How dare you,” I hissed advancing on her. She backed up regret flashed across her face. I was furious. My parents were a touchy subject and no one degrades them in front of me like that.
I could feel heat build inside me and it exploded into a tornado of rage. Carla screamed and Jon yelled. I frowned momentarily, what was up? I felt drained but I was too angry to care.
“Dad! Sam! Help!” Carla screamed at the top of her lungs. Jon was yelling at me but I was still too angry to listen, I stared at Carla, the fear in her eyes was like a slap in the face, what was she afraid of?
Then I smelled it smoke, burning leather. I turned around and my heart nearly stopped. The couch was on fire, it looked like it had exploded. A huge wall of fire right behind me, like ... it had came from me.
“Alex calm down, do you hear me you need to calm down!” Jon’s frantic voice cut through the haze of anger that still resided in my brain. Calm down? Why? Oh Jesus, I wasn’t doing this, was I? I turned to Jon, fear quickly replaced my anger.
I saw Dad and Sam running into the room. Fire slowly crawled into a circle around me and started towards Carla. Very quickly. Carla started to back up but she tripped and fell over.
“NO!” Dad and Sam and I yelled at the same time. The fire stopped where it was.
“Carla apologize to her, now!” Jon yelled at her.
She just stared at me terrified. I felt something rip inside me and the tears started to fall. I didn’t want her to fear me.
“Carla!” yelled dad stepping forward “Apologize NOW!”
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it! I was just angry that he picked you over me!” she yelled at me.
But I wasn’t even angry anymore; I was shocked, horrified but not angry. If it hadn’t stopped ... I trembled when the possibilities flash through my head. That fire could have killed her, but where had it come from? Not from me certainly. Could it have?
Sam ran over and hugged Carla tight, she cried into his shoulder and dad just stared at me face white. I started to tremble and my knees buckled, someone caught me, I looked up it was Jon.
“Whoa there,” he said softly. He helped me stand up as dad started towards us.
“Jon, tell me that wasn’t my fault,” I whispered to him quickly. What I wanted was for him to look at me like I was crazy and say ‘No of course not’ but he didn’t.
He just stared at me sadly and said “If I did that I would be lying to you,”
I felt myself pale, but how? I started to back away from him and shake my head. I would never want to kill Carla, no matter how angry I am.
“Alex?” Jon said he looked scared. I hurt me so much that he and Carla were afraid of me. Tears started to fall again; I heard myself let out a sob. I covered my mouth with my hand. I felt like I was going to get sick, I kept looking from the couch to Carla to Jon.
“Alex don’t move,” Dad ordered as I turned around to run. I stopped, though I didn’t turn back around. “Alex you must stay there is somewhere we need to bring you, somewhere where you’ll be safe.” he continued.
Fear seeped through my veins “No.” I whispered spinning around to face him. He was going to send me to either the nut house or ... to scientists. Fear made me shake. Jon paled, understanding why I was afraid.
“No Alex, you’ll be safe, I’m going with you, and I swear no one will hurt you, just please,” he said holding out his hand.
I took it slowly and he pulled me into a hug. “It’s gonna be okay, fire fly.” he whispered using my old nickname. I laughed weakly against his chest.
Dad cleared his throat, Carla looked angry and sad, Sam looked ... proud?
“I think we should go now.” Dad said. Jon nodded seriously. But there was something I needed to do; I had to make things right with Carla.
“Carla, there something you need to know. Jon isn’t my boyfriend okay? He’s like an adoptive older brother to me, like Sam,” I told her.
She frowned looking suspicious. Jon stepped forward.
“Carla, what Alex said is true, she’s like an adoptive little sister to me, all I’ve ever wanted to do is protect her, you ... are just not my type and it would be too weird if I dated the girl who I view as a little sister’s older sister if that makes any sense,” he said smiling kindly at her while he said it.
"Guys is this really the time?" asked Sam, he had picked up a book and was flicking through it
Thankfully Dad had gone out of the room before I had started talking. Sam was smiling slightly , like he found something one of us had said funny.
“Let’s go, the Council will have a fit if we’re not there soon.” Dad yelled from the front door.
“Shall we?” Jon said holding out his arm for me. I rolled my eyes at him and just walked past him. Sam stopped me.
"You be good, you hear me" he said and pulled me into a bear hug. "I'm gonna miss you Lex" he whispered. Panic shot through me I was coming back right? Sam as always read my expression like a book when I looked at him.
"No Lex, you're not coming back" he told me quietly.
Tears pricked my eyes and I hugged Sam harder, what was I going to do without my funny, sloppy, over protective foster brother?
I refrained from asking where I was going, I’d just have to wait and see.
"Bye Sam" I whispered to him.
Jon and I walked to the car in silence, a million questions buzzed through my head. Who are the Council? What was wrong with me? Why did the couch explode into flames? Why can't I come back?
* * *
We drove out to a forest I had never seen before, it was gorgeous. Seeing as it is late autumn, all the leaves on the trees were red, orange and yellow. There were still small patches of stubborn green in a few places and some of the leaves were falling off the trees. There were flowers everywhere, in every colour of the rainbow. Birds sang in the trees and there was a light cool breeze coming through the car window. The forest helped my nerves relax, I always feel relaxed outside.
Dad parked the car and started to walk. Jon and I got out and followed him. We walked for a while in total silence; the forest seemed to be holding its breath. Dad suddenly stopped in front of a huge oak tree, the biggest I’ve ever seen. Dad looked at Jon and Jon walked towards the tree. He knocked on it in a pattern that I stopped trying to remember after five minutes. At the end he punched the centre with a loud BANG! I frowned; trees shouldn’t make that kind of noise if you hit it. Then to my utter shock, the trunk swung open like a door. Standing in the entrance was a weasel faced man who was scowling.
He glared at Jon “You had better have a very good reason for this -” he stopped his rant when dad stepped forward.
The man bowed low “Welcome Mr. Michaels, what can I do for you on this fine day” he said in his nasally voice. Jon was standing poker straight and looked seriously pissed off.
“Thank you Drake, I have important news for Andrew.” dad replied. Drake glared at Jon over his shoulder and glanced at me, curious.
“What has this to do with the brat?” he asked jerking his thumb over his shoulder in Jon’s direction. I glared at him this time and crossed my arms. The man was very rude, to insult Jon with him standing behind him. Not a great idea.
In fifth class, a boy once asked me “Why are hanging out with that loser?” Jon had been right behind him and had put the boy into a choke hold until he apologized. I had been shocked; Jon was always so quiet, well like they say it’s the quite ones you have to look out for.
Jon just glared at him while dad answered “It has to do with Jon because it has to do with Alex”
Drake stared at me with interest, I glared at him.
“Can I help you?” I asked him rudely. I didn’t like the man on instinct; he reeked of suck – up. Dad frowned at me, but I ignored him.
“No ma’am.” answered Drake. He bowed slightly and I glared at him some more. If he was looking for favouritism from me he would have to earn my trust first, which is extremely hard.
Jon came over and took my arm and led me towards the entrance with a small smile on his face. It was a stone staircase leading downwards, it was lined with torches. Very medieval, I thought. As we descended, I could hear people yelling. When we reached the bottom there were three passageways facing us, Jon took my arm again and lead my through the one in the centre, towards the yelling. As we walked down the passage I realised how tired I was.
We stopped in front of two humongous double doors. Drake elbowed Jon aside and knocked. The knock echoed through the passage way and the yelling stopped.
A man yelled “What?” I suddenly didn’t want to go in there, he sounded so angry. Drake pushed the huge doors open. Inside was a huge room, The floor was wooden and the walls were white. In the centre of the room was a massive round table, with twenty men sitting around it, all staring at us.
“Sorry Andrew but Mr. Michaels wished to speak with you he says it’s urgent, sir.” Drake said bowing. Andrew turned to my dad and frowned.
“And your urgent news is, Don?” he asked, is it just me or did look anxious.
“Alex is ready.” Dad answered simply. Everyone suddenly stared at me; I refused to fidget, though the urge was there.
Jon slipped his hand into mine and I smiled at him in thanks.
“Alexia Grace?” Andrew asked and I turned to face him, he had stood up and had his palms flat out on the table, leaning forward, staring.
“What?” I snapped at him. I hate being called by my full name. Andrew raised his eyebrows. He glanced to his left and smiled slightly. I followed his gaze to see a tall boy with black hair staring at me.
“You came into your powers earlier today,” Andrew said to me.
“What powers?”
“Your powers, the power to produce fire and control fire at will, of course you will have others but the haven’t been discover-”
“Hold up,” I interrupted him. He looked annoyed; obviously the man was not used to being interrupted.
“Powers? You’re crazy you know that?”
“Alexia-”
“It’s Alex.” I interrupted again, now he looked mad, good.
“Okay, Alex, you are what we call a Fire Girl, there have only been seven before you, one every five hundred years, though the others are born every generation, your kind are rare for some reason.” He said. All I could do was gape at him.
Yup, he’s absolutely bonkers.
“And, along, with the Water Girl and Boy, the Earth Girl and Boy, the Air Girl and Boy, and the Fire Boy, you will protect the world from the dangerous Dark Knights,” he continued.
I turned to Jon who was looking at me amused. “He’s crazy right and I’m dreaming, right?” I asked him. He just smiled and chuckled.
“Lex, I can’t deny that Andrew’s a little mad, but what he’s saying is true,” he became serious and sad at the end. I stared at him like he had five heads.
“I always knew you were insane, but I never mentioned it,” I told him seriously shaking my head. He laughed out loud this time and grinned at me.
“Well fire fly, I’d never be able to keep up with you if I wasn’t,” he replied. I made a face at him and punched him in the shoulder. He just brushed it off grinning and leaned against the wall behind him.
“Idiot.” I muttered turning to face Andrew.
“I heard that,” he laughed. I threw him a mocking look over my shoulder.
Andrew looked amused and I raised an eye brow at him.
“You don’t believe me do you?” he asked me.
“Not even a little bit,”
“What if I can prove it?” he asked leaning forward eagerly.
“Prove it then.”
He walked towards me “Close your eyes,” he said. I just stared at him sceptically.
“Do it Alex.” he ordered. I sighed but did as I was told.
“Hold out your right hand” he said quietly. I had a strange felling that everyone in the room was holding their breath. I held out my right hand palm facing upwards, it felt right.
“Now imagine a small ball of fire in the centre of your palm” Andrew continued. I did as I was told though I was sceptical.
To my surprise I saw it, clear as day, I willed it to appear and warmth slid down my arm and into my palm.
I heard people gasp, I felt drained again, not as much as earlier but sort of dizzy. I opened my eyes and looked at my hand. I stared at it for a few minutes in shock. There, in my hand was a ball of fire.
“Pinch me I’m dreaming.” I whispered in awe. Fatigue suddenly washed over me and the world tilted. People yelled and someone caught me. I looked up and saw Jon, funny how he seemed to be catching me lately. I wanted the fire gone; I suspected that it was the cause of me being so tired. It snuffed out immediately. I remembered earlier how tired I was, this seemed to have pushed me over the edge.
People were rushing forward. I saw dad, looking worried and Jon looked worried as well. The boy with black hair was there as well, I wonder who he is I feel like I should know him. He slipped his hand into mine and heat shot up my arm. Who is this guy? I felt blood rush into my cheeks and I looked away from him. I heard people calling my name and yelling.
I looked at Jon again; I smiled at him in reassurance. He looked vaguely relieved, and then my vision went blurry. I could feel my conscience slipping and I didn’t fight it I was much too tired.
Then everything went black.
I like how you thickened the plot. I'll have to give you a review at another time though. Keep writing!
