Elementals (#Wattys2017)

Scorch

I wake up with my head pulsing.
"Where am I?"
No answer.
I opened my eyes, my vision still blurry and my limbs still weak. I was in a lab of some sort, a hospital maybe? No, this was different. There were science instruments that I had never seen before. My vision, at this point, was terrible. The world swooped and swayed as if riding on a rocky ocean. The metal table under me was freezing.
Instinctively, I got up and tried to find my way out. I stumbled dizzily and felt along the wall until I found a door. I pushed it open and just ran. Down hallways, corridors, around corners, and fell drunkenly to the ground. I pulled myself back up and leaned against the wall for support. I was heard. I ran faster, but slipped falling hard on the cold tile floor.
"Woah! Calm down. You're safe..." It was Pine.
"Then why was I kidnapped and put in a...a...a..Was I drugged or something?"
I felt like this was all a hallucination. I couldn't focus, I was drowsy, and I all around felt like crap. I know what pain medicines feel like.
"Breeze just gave you something to keep you calm so that you didn't keep doing..."
"What? This!?"
I lifted my hand and created a burst of flame in my palm. How did I do that?
"Yeah, that. While I was carrying you anyway."
I felt a new fire building inside me as well as a new sense of terror.
"What's happening to me?" I asked quietly, terrified.
"I don't know, it's different for everyone."
"What's different?"
"This. Gaining powers."
"Wha-"
I started a sentence, but all the energy was draining out of me. I was... Wet. Someone drenched me in water. I fell over into Pine's arms.
"River!" Pine yelled.
"What! She was running around the compound! She was gonna hurt herself or us. You saw her powers!"
"Yes and if we're correct and she does possesses the element fire, then water puts out fires meaning you could have killed her! She's just scared."
"Why are you so protective of her! You don't even know her name!"
"I don't know..." He said.
"I guess she just reminds me of someone I should have protected."
He sounded sad. He looked at River who looked angrily back at him. She turned and stormed off. (Literally, little storms appeared behind her. It was weird. I think I was still hallucinating.) This is when I realize, he's gorgeous. The roots of his hair grow out green and fade to a deep brown. His face is like that of an innocent child but I can tell he's the oldest and that he's seen terrible things by the look of sadness in his huge green eyes.
"So what is your name?"
"Hmm?." I wasn't paying attention. I was too busy looking at him.
"Your name?"
"Lina.."
"Lina...Lina...what?"
"Just Lina, I don't have parents."
"You're an orphan?"
"Yeah."
"Just like the ones you saved..."
I didn't answer.
"Come on. I got to take you to meet someone."
"Ok..."
He pulled me up and helped me along until I could get my balance.
"Have you seen yourself yet?" He asked.
"Why? How terrible do I look?"
No you don't look terrible, you're beautiful, but, um, you look a little different than when we found you."
"How so?"
"You'll see."
He led me to a room that was covered in plants and green everywhere.
"Is this your room?"
"Yeah."
He showed me to a wall that was a huge mirror, but turned me around so that I couldn't see my own reflection.
"Just stay calm. I'd rather not burn to death okay?"
I didn't appreciate the joke, but I didn't let on. I was preoccupied on how "different" I supposedly looked.
He turned me around and I stared at a stranger in the mirror.
"Oh my gosh."
I had apparently lost half my body weight because I looked like I was a size 2 when yesterday I was a size 16. I also realized I was wearing different clothes. That must have been awkward. But the must profound changes were in my face. My lips were redder and fuller and my eyes were bigger. My hair. My hair was the biggest of them all. It's had changed from a light dirty chestnut brown to an explosion of reds and oranges making it look like fire on my head.
"Can I try something?"
"Sure, just be carful. You're new at this."
I twitched my hand and created another small burst of fire in my palm. I looked in the mirror.
My eyes were bursting red and oranges that faded as my fire did back to their original deep dark brown.
Who is this? This can't be me. I've never been beautiful. All I could muster to say was:
"this is very interesting"
"Yes, yes it is"
"Now time to go meet that someone I told you about earlier"
"Ok"
We walked silently down the halls and finally entered a room with a long table and five chairs.
One green, one blue, one white, one silver, and one red.
The red chair looked like it hadn't been touched in years, so I waited until I was told to sit in it. As I did, River glared at me as though I had just insulted her directly.
"Umm, could I quickly ask what I'm doing here?"
"All in good time."
The mentor I had seen earlier walked into the room and sat in the larger silver chair at the front of the table. She was different. Instead of a mask like the others, she wore a long hooded cape that covered her face. She removed the hood to reveal a tired, aged face. Her silver hair shone in the lights. She nodded to the others and they all took their masks off. They were all like me. My age anyway.
"Now that we are on the same terms, we need to discuss the actions of the past night."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No actually you did it right. You jumped into a building in flames just to save those who might suffer the same fate as you."
"That is exactly why we need you." Pine cut in.
"Need me?"
"On our team to help us protect people who can't protect themselves wherever in the world."
"We believe you possess the powers of the element fire meaning you can bend it to your will. We can teach you to control it, harness it, and use it for good." The mentor said.
"There is one problem."
"What?"
"If you choose to join, you will loose all connections of the life you had before us. We would be your family. And you would have no contact with the outside world."
Fine by me.
"Ok I'll do it. But won't they come looking for me?"
"No, because as far as the world is concerned Lina jumped of a bridge that night and died."
I feel uncomfortable. She knows what happened, almost happened anyway.
"So, what happens now?" I ask.
"You become one of us. I am Tricity, and I am your mentor now. What is your name?"
Didn't we just go over this?
"Lina-" I started.
"No, Lina is dead. Who are you now?"
I thought for a while and a feeling inside of me surfaced.
"Scorch, my name is Scorch."
"Welcome to the Elementals." Was the last Tricity said before dawning her silver hood and walking out.

Hey Guys! Hope you enjoyed chapter three of Elementals. Next chapter coming soon;)
~<3Mady