Children of the Sun

Chapter Three

The girl was on the ground. Her body was shining like fire. Jake hurried to his feet in case she was on fire and needed to be put out.

As he approached the girl, her skin stopped shining and settled at a dark hue. Her hair shined bright, but dimmed to a light blonde. Jake cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me, are you okay?"

The girl stirred a bit. Her hair moved from her face. She opened her eyes. They pierced through what remained of the smoke and dirt in the air around her. Similar to her hair and skin, they dimmed to a hazel color.

"Where am I?" she asked. Her voice was powerful. It was as if heat and wind boomed at the bottom of the crater.

"You're in the Old District."

"What is an old district?" she questioned. The girl began to stand up. She immediately fell back to the floor.

Jake stepped forward to offer his hand, but the girl held her hand up, indicating that she didn't need help. "The fall seemed to injure my legs...I am having trouble standing."

"Do you need me to carry you or get help?"

The girl scanned Jake up and down. "I suppose you will have to do."

Jake lightly chuckled with a half smile. "Thanks?"

The girl sat up and reached both hands out to Jake. "Take both my hands." Both her hands began to shine as brightly as they did when Jake first saw her. He was hesitant, but the glow and warmth made him feel like he could trust this strange girl. As he approached and reached out his hands, he felt comfortable. The light soothed him and bathed over him. He began to feel his scratches and bruises ease.

Jake took both her hands and began to help her up. The girl's eyes lit up. "You are my Guardian," she said, her voice booming over the crater. Jake wasn't sure what she meant. He began to feel the light and brightness overtake him.

Suddenly there was no sound. Jake opened his eyes and could only see bright light. The girl appeared within the light.

"My name is Solana. I am a child of the sun. You have been bestowed the rights as my Guardian."

Jake blinked a few times. He was stunned. "Hello Solana. My name is Jake. What is a Guardian? And a child of the sun?"

"Guardian Jake, it is now your duty to protect me as I find my purpose on earth. Every so often, the earth is granted a child from the sun. We are sent here for multiple reasons, but it is our own quest and journey to find out what that is."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had to protect this girl? Jake wasn't sure he could even protect himself after he fell down into the crater. All of that on top of the sun in the sky, a burning ball of gas, having a child? None of it made sense.

"Take my hands once more Guardian Jake, and accept the gift," Solana said.

Jake reached out and grabbed her hands. They were hot to the touch, but it felt as if he couldn't be burned or hurt by her. The heat seemed to wash over Jake. He felt as if he started to sweat. His whole body began to cry out for water and cool breezes. 

In an instant, it was over. Jake was back in the crater. He was covered in sweat, Solana still holding his hands, and he could hear Evan calling out.

"Jake, what's going on?"

Solana looked to Jake and said, "You can now get us out of here Guardian. Use your gift."

The words seemed to fill Jake with energy. Guardian. Gift. Jake looked towards the area he fell. He let go of Solana's hands and reached out. At his command, vines and plants sprouted violently from the crater wall. The plants and vines grabbed both Jake and Solana, and carefully lifted them to the floor where Evan was.