~ Ember ~
"Hey baby, how 'bout you get me 'nother beer!" the drunken man sitting with all of his 'friends' in the corner called, his words slurring terribly. I sighed and brushed damp strands of once-silky, luxurious black hair from my moist forehead. As if he needed another. Him and his 'beer buddies' had been there for over three hours, drinking mug-full after mug-full of beer, and screaming at the in-coming customers walking through the door of the bar.
Why was this happening to me? What did I ever do to deserve this drunken abuse? I had never done anything wrong, just minded my own business, trying to live a normal life, which seemed to be impossible anywhere I went.
Outside the glass doors at the front of the bar; where I wished I could make my escape out of; the clouds were pouring down as if the heavens were weeping, and there was only a sad dismal grey canvas of sky stretched from horizon to horizon. It matched my mood perfectly.
Walking over to their table, I forced a large fake smile upon my face, and flipped my hair seductively. I leaned over to place his beer on the table, and he took the opportunity to place a couple hundred-dollar bills in the bra of my corset.
I smiled, and this time for real, surprised by his generous tip. I put my hand on his shoulder, still bent at the waist allowing him and his buds a good look down my uniform. "There you go, baby," I whispered in his ear, and turned to leave on a happy note. But as I did, he grasped my butt.
Anger flashed through me, blinding me, searing in my fingertips. I whirled on him. I didn't really plan on doing it, but it was like someone or something was controlling my body.
Pulling back my open hand to slap him, I saw a faint orange glowing from the corner of my violet eyes.
Fear burst through me, as I realized what was happening.
My hand.......
Fire.........
My hand was on fire. It didn't burn or blister my flesh, although I felt a strange warm tingling sensation shoot up my arm.
Gasps and whispers erupted all around me, and the drunken men sitting before me, fell over in their chairs as they tried to scramble away from me and towards the door.
You better run......
Some sick twisted part I me had satisfaction, as I watched the people stumble away from me, fear plain and evident on their hammered faces.
Soon the restaurant was empty, besides my flaming self, complete with tipped chairs and overturned tables. It looked as if a bar-fight had happened, and everyone had hurried to get out before the police arrived.
I watched as the flames flickered up and down my arm, blue at the bottom, and flashing orange to yellow at the tips. As my nerves slowly calmed, the flames died down, and all that was left were grey tendrils of smoke encircling my head.
Weakness tumbled through me. It felt as if someone had taken a vacuum and sucked out all my energy.....my life.....
This overwhelming sensation brought me to my knees and I gripped the leg of a table that had been long since tipped over. After a few minutes, the weakness passed and I felt I could stand on my own, but I had this sudden urge to take a very long, very deep sleep; and I knew I wouldn't be able to do that again anytime soon.
"What was that?" it was Jaque; my boss, and I had no doubt that he was mad as the devil.
"Um..... I'm sorry!" I stuttered, but he didn't care. He charged at me.
"You scared away all the customers!" Oh yeah, I forgot. All he cared about was his precious customers and money. Did he care even a little tiny bit about me; his only employee? Nope. He didn't even pay me minimum wage, and he threatened to fire me if I said anything. He knew I was scared to death if being fired because I had nowhere else to go. I couldn't get a real job, because I was forced to drop out of school when I was sixteen.
I never saw it coming............................
Pain exploded behind my eyes, and all I saw was the blinding red, as blood dripped down my face..........................
