The fire inside

Chapter 16

I stared at her in shock. "He's where?" I said barley above a whisper.

She didn't say anything but she looked like she was holding back tears. I saw her gaze drift to the tree line and to the woods beyond. She opened her mouth to say something but I took off running before anything came out of her mouth.

I ran down the familiar path toward Trents house. The trees raced passed me in a blur of brown and green. I tripped over something and fell, scraping my knees and cutting my hand open on a sharp rock. I yelled in pain but I was up and running again in a second, the pain in my hand forgotten. I stopped just inside the tree line looking across the back yard to the very familiar house. I was breathing heavily from both exhaustion and fear. I knew what would happen once I stepped out of the cover of the trees. The man that was once so kind to me would try to kill me again. The thought made me want to run away.

As I was turning to run away, another thought crossed my mind. It was a single word that meant everything to me: Trent. I stopped and faced the house again. I would not leave him there no matter what.

Just as u was about to step out of the safty of the trees, Trent ran out of the back door. His face was covered in blood and cuts. I stepped out so he could see me. He looked shocked. Then I saw his father behind him and I hid again. I watched as his father tackled him just infront of the tree I was hiding behind.

"You will never see her again," Trents father shouted. "Even if I have to kill you to keep you from her!"

I felt my jaw drop. Would he really kill his own son? I thought to myself.

He dragged Trent back into the house. Trent kept his eyes locked on me silently begging me not to go after him. Tears filled my eyes as they disappeared into the house again.

I dropped to my knees and tried to push past the fear and sadness to figure out how I could save him. The only way I could even think to save him was to use my powers but I didn't have any fire with me.

Yes you do.

I looked around, sure that someone had said it outloud, but there was no one around.

The fire is inside you.

I knew it was true. I don't know how I knew I just knew. That gave me the courage to leave my hiding spot and run across the yard. I got to the back door and crouched waiting to see if Trents father noticed me, but the only sound coming from inside were the sounds of Trents grunts. I peeked through the window and saw that his grunts were caused by his father hitting him. I quickly ducked below the window. I forced back tears and steadied my breathing.

You can do this, the voice in my head said.

I trusted the voice and moved toward the door. I reached up and slowly turned the doorknob. Suddenly the door flew open and I fell inside. I looked up and saw Trent's father standing over me.

The look on his face was one of sheer hatred. "What are you doing here?" he growled. I couldn't find my voice and just looked over at Trent. His father grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me to my feet. "There is no way in hell you're getting your hands on my son."

I looked at him and I knew he could see the fear in my eyes. I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest. Trents father glared down at me and threw me into the wall next to the door. He slammed the door shut, grabbed my hair and dragged me across the kitchen. He sat me in a chair and tied my hands and ankles to the chair with thick rope. He had me facing the wall and even turning my head I couldn't get a good look at Trent.

"How could you turn your back on your family for a witch?" He said the last word as if it burned his tongue to say it.

"I love her," was all Trent replied with. That response was quickly fallowed by another grunt and I lost my temper.

I felt white hot anger burning in the pit of my stomach. I felt my skin heat up and suddenly the rope that had my hands and ankles bound burst into flames. I used the fire to surround Trents father stopping him in his tracks. He looked ay me with disgust and anger.

"How dare you," he spat.

As I held Trents father immobile in a cocoon of flames I burned Trents restraints. He tries to get up but I could tell he was too weak to move. Seeing Trent so weak and covered in his own blood made me furious enough to kill his father.

"Go on," Trents father growled. "Kill me. Show my son what you really are."

I had all intentions on making this vile man burn to death when I heard something that made me forget my thoughts of killing him.

"Ellie," Trent said in a small, weak voice. "I just want to get my stuff and get out of here. Can we get my things and go?"

I could not refuse him but how would we get back? Trent could barely stand, let alone walk, and I couldn't carry him. Just as I was about to tell him this, the back door flew open. I looked over to see my mom standing in the doorway with wind whipping wildly around her.

She looked at Trent and rushed over to him. She checked his wounds and tried to lift him. She couldn't do it herself. I rushed over to them and helped her.

"Your grandmother is out front in the car," my mom said. "Let's get him out there."

"M-my stuff," Trent said even weaker than before.

My mother and I started to help Trent move and I grabbed his bag on the way out of the front door. I looked over my shoulder and noticed Trents father was still surrounded by flames. I left him that way until we were all safely in the car then I let him go. I saw him run out the door right before the whole house disappeared from sight.