Dying Powerful

Chapter 7- Phoenix

"Alright, you need to focus your energies." Asher tells me softly.

We're sitting on top of a rooftop, somewhere in the depths of Arizona. At the moment, Asher is giving me lessons on controlling my powers and how to use them effectively. We're crashing here tonight at this abandoned Apartment complex. The boy we found in the mall, Layton, is watching us with interest. I avoid his gaze but I can feel his eyes watching me.

Layton seems okay, but I can’t help but distrust him. He just appeared. It just doesn’t seem right to me. Plus he is an extreme jerk. He kept making snarky comments as we drove. While I think we can trust him, I just can’t stand him. I don’t know how Ash can even stand him. But we couldn’t leave him stranded like that.

"Phoenix." Asher mutters. I glance at my hands to see them warming.

Heat radiates from my fingertips. I bite my lip and summon flames. I do as Asher explained. You have to focus on the power. Think of warmth and flickering and light. Suddenly a spark pops from my palm. I grin at Ash and he chuckles. Layton coughs and I send him a glare. The light fizzles out.

"Can't you do more than that?" Layton asks, with a coy tone in his voice.

I don't respond. I just get up and take off. Maybe if I had looked back, I would see the burn marks each of my footsteps were leaving.

v^v^v^v^v^

My eyes flutter open. It's still dark. I'm in a room and I don't remember falling asleep. Asher is huddled next me. My friend starts to shiver so I make my hands warm and hold his. There is an extra blanket in the closet so I pull it over him. Gathering my bag, I head outside. I notice that Layton is slumped on the couch in the living room. The lights in this apartment are out so I summon flames once more. My hand becomes a glowing light.

I walk through the empty halls. Maybe it's time to see what I can really do. I plug my headphones into my ears as I climb the steps. The song Paradise blasts through my ears as I walk up. The pitch blackness can't be illuminated by my hand alone. Concentrating, I allow a line of flames surround the roof. I look out across the desert.

Wind rustles my hair as I stand on the ledge. I never lived anywhere like this. My home before the virus was in New York. Not the city but a small town. Sand stretches out far beyond my vision. A small pair of lights suddenly appears through the rows of buildings. Crap. A van pulls right up to the complex. I wave my hands and all of the lights extinguish.

I sprint at full speed down to our room. Smoke comes off my heels as I panic. Asher and Layton are fast asleep. For all we know, there is some Normal's down there. They have been raging war against our kind so we need to move.

"Asher! Layton!" I scream as I burst into the room. They are nowhere in sight.

I am about to shout for them again when a hand covers my mouth. I thrash as they hold onto me tightly. I try to use my powers but nothing seems to work. The person whispers into my ear.

"Be quiet. Their down the hall already." Layton's voice mutters. I relax as he lets me go.

Asher motions for us to walk to the window. I wonder what he's thinking. It's not like we can just jump... can we? He opens the sill. I exchange a glance with Layton. Asher's hands begin to glow green. A giant tree branch sprouts from the window sill and starts to grow out like a bridge. He motions for us to go first. I spare no time and start crossing.

I haven’t felt fear like this before. If I made the slightest mistake, this could all go to hell. I bite my lip and move forward, catiously. Layton is right on the sill, trying not to look down. He looks really pale.  Maybe he doesn’t like heights.

Once Asher and Layton are on the branch, I snap and the part attached to the building burns away. A pair of people appear in the window. I smirk at their anger, realising they don’t have any way to cross. I watch in horror as they aim their guns at us. Gasping, I shout at the others to duck they do, and the shots go over our heads.

I let them pass as I shoot a flame ball back at them. I stare at my hands in surprise. How did I do that? I wasn’t even thinking about it and it just happened.

That's when I look up at our assailant’s. And I feel a bullet enter my leg. And in slow motion, I lose my grip and I plummet towards the ground.

31 days, my ass

Hey guys!

Sarah here. Hope you guys all liked the chapter. Have you seen the book trailer yet? It’s on the first chapter so go take a look and give us some feedback  : )