Elementals (#Wattys2017)

Whirlwind

The next few weeks after that were a crazed blur.
After the meeting, Pine had walked me to my room. Along with the other boy, Breeze I think, and River. We walked down the corridor that Pine had shown me earlier. River went into her room and slammed the door behind her. Why does she hate me so much? I hadn't done anything to her. Yet anyways.
"Goodnight, come get me if you need anything." Pine called and slipped into his room.
"Hey, I don't think I've properly introduced myself. I'm Breeze."
"hello"
"I bet you're exhausted so I'll let you sleep. talk to you tomorrow."
"Goodnight"
"Goodnight" I replied. With that I was alone in the hall left staring at a red door. I pushed it open and found a shimmering red, orange, and yellow room. It was gorgeous but... I looked at the colors and all I could remember was the fire, the children screaming, the pain of the burns, and the fear for everyone else. I couldn't stay there. Then I remembered Pine had showed me a room he called the "common room" earlier so, I snuck out, careful not to make a sound, and I went and sat on the cushioned windowsill looking at the rain. I could tell they didn't spend much time here. It was too clean for a bunch of teenagers to be living in it. I lifted my hand and placed it on the cool window, the rain ran down the glass and swerved around the glass touching my hand. The cool made me calm and I soon fell asleep, leaning against the cool glass.

I awoke to the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading down to the common room. I looked to the clock on the wall. It read five o'clock. I sat up and stayed on the windowsill thinking maybe whoever it was wouldn't see her and would just return to bed. There was a soft familiar voice behind me.
"Can't sleep?"
Pine. I turn to him and smile weakly.
"Yeah. I just..."
"Want to see something cool. I think you'll like it."
"Sure." I followed him down a couple of hallways and out a door to the outside. The air smelled good. It tasted good. It was sweet. When I looked back I could see the door was hidden in the side of a mountain. I still have no clue where in the world I was but the landscape was beautiful. Mountains and soaring cliffs, forests, completely secluded from the outside world. Pine grabbed my hand and led me up to a wall of leaves. He waved his hand in front of them and the leaves moved revealing a staircase of stone.
"Come on." He said grabbing my hand and leading me up the stairs. His hand was warm and I felt... Alive.
We walked up he stairs which let out at a huge plateau overlooking a valley.
"I come up here in the mornings to see the sun rise." He said.
The sky was a brilliant burst of oranges, reds, and yellows.
"It's like..." I started.
"Like fire?" He finished.
"yeah like fire." I said.
I went to the edge and placed my hand on a tree to keep my balance. The colors made me happy. I looked at him and he looked back at me, then his faced dropped and he winced slightly. I picked my hand up and realized I had burned the bark on the tree I was leaning on. I pulled it away but my hand just kept on fire. I ran to the shade and placed my hand on the cool ground. I hurt him. Pine walked over to me.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." I whimpered.
"It's okay. I know you didn't." He said with a soft smile.
"Here come on."
He grabbed my cool hand and led me over to the tree I just burned. He placed his hand on the burnt patch. I saw green sparkles of light under his palm and when he lifted his hand there was no sign of the burn anywhere.
"See? No harm done."
I was still ashamed. I turned and walked deeper into the shade with my hands tucked under my arms.
"So I know absolutely nothing about you." He said.
"And I know absolutely nothing about you."
"Fine I'll start. Age?"
"What?"
"Your age? How old are you?"
"Oh, fifteen. You?
"I turn sixteen in a month."
"So, you're fifteen."
"Technically"
I laughed. He laughed. We laughed. Together.
"So what did you mean when you told River I reminded you of someone you should have protected?"
His face turned sad and he turned from me.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."
"No you have a right to know."
"She was my best friend and she was like you. She had the ability to control fire. We were walking in the city once when we heard a cry for help. She ran to it without me. I lost sight of her. Next thing I knew there was a bang and she was gone. We were thirteen."
"I'm sorry Pine."
"That was a long time ago. River blames me for her death and now she thinks I'm trying to replace her with you."
I was speechless. What could I say? Nothing. I just went over and hugged him. He hugged me back and smiled.
From now on we would go there every morning. Watching the sunrise together and just talk. I've never had a friend before. I could get used to it.

Hey guys! Sorry bout the short chapter. Hope you enjoyed chapter four of Elementals. New chapter coming soon. ~Mady ;3