TOXIC BLOODLINES 1/4

SWEET SIXTEEN

KIMBERLY

Ian was driving slower than usual on the way to Paradise. There was a shorter path to the bird sanctuary, but he insisted I make the journey home, where I was born. 'You have to see it with your own eyes.' That's what he said when he was making his argument. He was outvoted, but I used my birthday points and finally agreed to the rite of passage. Elenore did say we should make an entrance.

Looking out the window, I could see the marshy valley everyone always talked about. The moon was the only thing in the sky out here; its light reflected off the fog-blanketed pools. The marsh went on for miles until we hit the old growth that hid the old town away. Driving toward it, I became overwhelmed. The forest was a wall of towering trees. Wow. I breathed in the smell. Wet soil and pine. Soon, we were plunged into the darkness. The tops of the trees covered the sky. Eventually, the smooth road became bumpy; I could hear the car rumbling as it hit every bump and dip. It was exciting and scary. Like I was being transported to another world, just the way everyone who had made the trip described it.

Up ahead, Ian's headlights lit up the exit sign for our town, and my heart began to race as we drove closer to it. I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. Ian sped up. It wasn't until we crossed that I realized I had never left Seventh Heaven. Ian glanced at me through the rear-view mirror and turned the music down. "It's a weird feeling, right?"

"Yeah, it's weird," I answered.

Driving through Paradise, I couldn't see much, but the devastation was visible now that there weren't enough trees around to block off the moonlight. Feeling a chill, I rolled my window up. Ian looked back at me again and then locked the doors. Now he was driving at his usual speed. Elenore kicked his seat and told him to slow down. He flipped her off.

We were about fifteen minutes away from the location. I caught Ian staring at me again. Not in his usual way; his eyes looked heavy, and his body language shifted. We had entered the famed Paradise Section B. This was where the fire started. All the houses on the street were nothing but ruins taken back by nature; cars were still parked in driveways. Sara was looking at him. He shook his head, telling her to stop without being too obvious.

Looking out the window, I had a picture of what might have been going on in his head. I was thinking about it too – how could I not? All these years, I thought I understood the scale of the devastation, but this was beyond destruction. It was hard to fathom that fire could be this destructive, as illogical as that sounds.

Ian clenched his fists on the steering wheel. Sara was belting out a song while Elenore had her earphones in, ignoring us entirely like she'd been doing the whole ride.

Should I say something?

"The moon looks weird tonight," Ian said, turning the volume down, and interrupting Sara's singing.

"Hey!" She shouted, reaching for the radio.

He blocked her hand. "You're a terrible singer," he blocked the radio.

Hurt by what he said, Sara punched him on the shoulder, but not in her usual flirty way. "Asshole," she cussed.

Ian laughed in response, grabbing her hand to block another punch. "Stop it."

She pinched him in the rib with her free hand and twisted it.

"Fuck!" Ian yelled, letting go; the car swerved slightly while they fought playfully in the front seat. I had no idea Ian was ticklish. Sara kept coming for him.

Elenore shook her head and kicked his seat.

Remembering we were there, Ian looked back.

"Sorry," he laughed, dodging Sara again.