Burnt out

Claire

Before I realize it my whole room is on fire. I'm sorry. God I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I want to scream. I have to do something. But I can't stop it. I must've screamed because a half a second later Harry and my mom were at my door. I can't move, I can't speak. I did this. I have to stop it, but I don't know how. I want to cry. Harry must've tried to open the door to find the doorknob was boiling hot because I heard him whisper "fuck" under his breath.

"Cole, you need to get out of there!" I can hear him but my mind can't process his words. The fires now engulfed me. Why do I have to be so useless? The banging on my door is now louder. There's a crash, I barely move my head to look over at the door, Harry must've kicked it down. I look out the window to my left, Mom is out there on the sidewalk crying holding a shaking Liam, I'm surprised the windows haven't blown out yet. Strong glass.

"COLE" Harry's voice shakes me out of my trance and I realize I need to get out of here. I get up slowly and make my way towards the doorway. I close my eyes as I walk through the fire, it doesn't burn so much as tingle, I can feel the power. I reach the hallway and collapse staring at my shaking hands. Harry runs by me with the fire extinguisher. I didn't realize it before, over the ringing in my ears, but the fire alarms are screeching in warning.

The fire must've been put out at some point because I could no longer feel the flames presence. Harry had pushed me outside. I was still staring at my hands. How could my own hands betray me like this? I can feel my mom's tight embrace as she sobs into my shoulder. At some point my legs must've given out cause I was on the ground. I could feel my whole body shaking. What if they had gotten hurt? What if they'd died? I really was a monster. An awful, fire breathing monster. I had to get away. I couldn't be here.

I push my mom away and run as fast as I can down the sidewalk. I can hear them calling for me, and Harry's footsteps pounding after me. He won't catch me this time. I run and run and run until I can't anymore. Harry is long gone. I'm sitting in front of a grave. My breaths finally catch up to me. Claire Stewart , gone too soon.

"Why'd you have to leave me," I sob, "Why didn't you take me with you. Or atleast Lee, he can't grow up in a world like this. God this is so fucked up, sorry Claire Bear for the language. Atleast one of us made it out without a stupid curse of a power. That's probably messed up for me to say, but it's true. I'm glad you died. I wouldn't wish this world upon anyone. They are sending kids to these camps now, they say they can cure us, but I don't believe it. Lees a blue, he can move stuff with his mind, you would've loved it. And me, I'm a monster. I almost killed our family. If you were here you'd tell me I wasn't, because that's the type of person you were, no one was a monster. No one could be one, not around you, you were too amazing, and sweet, and..." I can feel the tears streaming down my face, taste them, but I don't care, "Forgiving. God you were so fucking forgiving. I would've told you in a heartbeat. You wouldn't have cared, you would've helped me. I miss you. God I miss you so much." For once the fire was cool, the tears drowning it out. Suddenly there's a man standing above me. I shoot up. He's a few inches taller than me but it feels like feet.

"Wh-Who are you?" I stutter scared he might be one of the guys I heard about who takes kids to camps in exchange for money.

"I'm John Alban. From the children's league."

"The terrorist group?" I ask slowly backing away.

"I wouldn't call us terrorists. We believe in freeing the camps." That doesn't sound so bad but I have my doubts.

I scrunch my eyebrows, "If you really are from the Children's League why would you give away your name?"

"Because, Cole, I overheard you, and it sounds like you could be very useful to this us, and our cause. You do believe in our cause don't you?"

"Yes," I think for a second before adding, "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Well I must admit I have had you as a candidate for a while. From your record it sounds as though you like to pick fights. We like that about our fighters."

"I don't pick fights, I defend."

"But I must admit not even I knew you were a red."

I tense at that. "I don't like the labels. It makes us less of a person, if to them we are just a color."

"I like that way of thinking. It is quite extraordinary. You."

"What? How I hurt everyone around me?"

"How powerful you could be. You could be very valuable to us, a teen psi is quite rare. A good fighter at that. Right now our oldest psi are only nine."

"If I did say yes could my brother have the choice to join to?"

"Your brothers a blue right?"

I nod slowly.

"Then yes we could use all the fighters we can get."

"I need to think about it." I whisper more to myself, shocked I'm even thinking about it.

"Fair enough." He hands me a burner phone, and does a little soldier hand thingy, "Hope to see you soon, Cole." He walks back into the tree line out of sight.

I don't know how long I've been lying here, but I know it's dark now. I am staring at the night sky lying parallel to Claire's grave imagining her view.