Aquamarine

The Elementals

          "You live in a tree?" I asked, trying and failing to keep the incredulity out of my voice. I could feel the twists and turns of the massive oak before me, as well as the living space made of roots and packed dirt beneath it. I could feel the rough wooden furniture, braided carpets, and wool blankets that decorated the area.

          "Where else would we live?" Era asked from beside me.

          "Oh I don't know, with other people? In a village, perhaps?" I snapped unnecessarily, uninterested in answering stupid questions. I felt Era take my hand and lead me like a child towards an opening in the tree's roots. I stiffened and gently took my hand out of hers, hoping she'd get the hint. She didn't, she just tried to reach for my hand again.

          "Era, I may be blind, but I can walk by myself. Are we going into that opening?" I was firm, not betraying any emotion.  When Era nodded, I stepped into the opening and found myself tumbling down a chute made of packed dirt. Fumbling, I felt panic seize my body as I flopped into the largest tree-room, falling in a heap on the floor. I heard squeals from the opening as the others gracefully slid down the chute. Quickly, I scrambled away just in time to be be flattened by Era, Leah, Maya and Ryan. That would not have good. The said crew were now a pile of limbs, laughing and joking. I smiled at the family dynamic, which brought me to wonder where their parents were. 

      "I would hate to be at the bottom of that pile." I said as I observed the group. "Era, I don't mean any offense, but how can you stand so much weight on top of you?" I asked Era, who was on the bottom of this makeshift tower. The others all paused and gaped at me, mouths open wide. Did I say something wrong?

       "How do you know that I'm small?"Era breathed.

       "I can see you." Isn't it obvious?

       "But how? You're blind!" Oh, that!

       "Oh, excuse me, I forgot to explain that." I paused, looking around the room, and back at them. "Could I say this when you all are not on top of and under each other?" I raised my eyebrows, waiting. Immediately the five people began to untangle themselves, slowly but surely. After a very comical ten minutes, I settled on the comfortable woolen carpet in the center of the room and the others sat in the chairs around the room.

        "Ever since my mother, a sorceress, discovered that I was the Water Elemental, she taught me how to use my Gift as part of who I was. I can not remember when I couldn't use my Gift. When I was three I fell fatally ill. To save me, my mother used her magic, and the only part of me that didn't heal were my eyes, which suffered irrepairable damage." I heard Maya suck in breath and Ryan let out a low whistle. "I use the water around me; its everywhere, the air, the ground, animals, humans, plants..." I trailed off. "Its my eyes."