The Shadows That Follow

A Death Wish

    I never understood why my parents told me never to leave the house when they were not home. They told me I was dangerous and that our ancestors cursed the family by using me. Mami blames herself for cheating on Papi with his best friend. She says the ancestors are using me, her firstborn, as punishment for her disgraceful deed. I never understood why Papi stayed after what she did, but I always guess it was because he loved Mami dearly, he put up with her deed. Or that he was obligated to stay with her by the law. 

   Mami prepared me for different outcomes that I would face when Papi and she could no longer guide me. With our tribe, I'm forced out of my home because I'm considered a curse. It was decided when I was 10. My brothers and sister were in trouble. My sister, Alayas, got kidnapped. She was 6 at the time. Elias and Jacob, my brothers, 8 and 9 years old, tried their best to get her back but failed, and ran home to seek help. Mami and Papi were out working in the Gardens far from home. Elias and Jacob begged me to use my strange abilities to save Alayas. 

    The kidnapper was tangled in vines, frozen up to his neck, and a fire burn across his face by the time the Hoshani (police) came to take him away. My parents were threatened that If I didn't stay inside for the rest of my adolescent years, they would take me away. They told Mami and Papi that once I turned 18 I would have to leave the tribe. Though I was not Papi's biological daughter, he mourned that night with Mami. But 18 wasn't when I left. 

There were screams one night. There was the smell of Fire and Ash. I go outside and see many of my tribe members tied to a log post and dark figures lighting a match. I watched in Horror as the figures threw the match and slowly consumed my tribe. I wept, thinking my family was with those people who were burned alive, unable to escape. 

"Kait," Elias whispered from behind me. I turn to see him unscathed, untouched, not on fire. I rush into his arms.

He rubs his hand along my back, shushing my sobs. Though he's 2 years younger than me, he acts like a big brother. "Donde esta Mami y Papi? Jacob y Alayas?" I whimper in my language. Elias shakes his head, "Ellas fueron quemadas vivas. Burned." He spoke in Spanish first and then in English, tears falling from his face. 

I tore from his grasp slowly and told him to stay put. Tiny flames had sprouted from my hands and grew bigger and brighter the more angry I got that I couldn't save my family.  I walked up to one figure, and slapped my hand on his face, pushing more fire at him until his painful scream came to an agonizing stop, he's face burned and decayed. Melted away from my hands. 

"Kaitlynn!!!" Elias called. 

Elias was held back by another dark figure. Another in front of him with a flame thrower. Moved by outrage, I threw a fireball at the figure with a flame thrower, something I didn't know I could do. The figure holding Elias whimpered, and set him free, running far away. I rush to Elias and hug him. 

"We need to leave were not safe here," I say tugging his arm. 

"But, what about Mamma and Papa? Alayas, and Jacob?"

"They're gone, there's nothing more we can do! Are you coming with me or not, Elias?"

My Hermano hesitated. I do not blame him. I'm asking him to leave his childhood, his home of 13 years. After a while Elias finally nodded and followed me away from our home, out of its borders and into a new life. 

At that moment I knew what Mami meant. I was dangerous. I can kill people with my bare hands. And I was gonna take advantage of that. Anyone who gets in my way or mi hermano's. . .was in for a suprise.