Through the Fire and the Flames (The Ember Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 2- Soal

-Flashback- 

          "Soal, darling, come on. We're gonna be late", said my mother from kitchen. 

          "Coming mom!" I finish my makeup and adjust the waist on my purple skinny jeans. I straighten out my black escape the fate shirt. When I reach the bottom of the stairs I pull on my black combat boots and grab my iPod off of the table.

          "There you are, Soal. You took so long I thought you might have died. You   look gorgeous by the way. Escape the fate. That's the band with hot drummer, right?"

          "Good job mother dearest. You’re learning." We both laugh and my father comes, a quizzical look on his face.

          "What are my two favorite girls up to now?" He questions as he kisses our foreheads. 

          "Oh, nothing." My mother grins mischievously. 

          "Hmmm. Alright then. Onwards my peasants, the movies wait."

          We all laugh and hop in the car. I can't shake the feeling that I'm forgetting something. Someone important. 

          We arrive at the movies and buy our tickets for 300. The movie was put back in the theatre for its 5 year anniversary. All through the movie, I feel like I'm sitting next to someone. But it can't be mom or dad. They are both on one side of me. Yet, every time I look over at them, the seat is empty.

          After the movie, we head to the car. 

          "Hey, Soal. Look at this pothole. A pothole. Really? What is this?"

          "This. Is. SPARTA!!" I scream and we all bust out laughing. 

          As we sit in the car, I can't help but feel like once again, there is another person there.

          We are all chatting about the movie when we see a camping ground.

          "Okay we're here." Says my dad

          "Umm where exactly is here?"

          "Well..... I planned a camping weekend for us!"

          "Woo. Thanks dad!" I didn't really like outside but it was always fun with my dad.

          We took our camping gear out of the trunk and took it to the reception desk. 

          "Hi. I have a spot reserved."

          "Last name, please," asks the blonde receptionist.

          "Summers."

         Okay. I have you down for site 7. Just follow the orange arrows until you get to the spot."

         "Alright thank you"

         We do as she says and are lead to a camp ground we make a couple friends around the campground and settle in to our tent. 

          As I lay down, I here it.it starts off as a whisper but then gradually increases to yelling. The yelling of so many people. I cover my ears. It hurts. It hurts so much. 

          As l clench my skull, tears start to fall stream down my face. 

          'Did you see that Emo girl?'

          'Yeah. She's so depressing. She probably cuts herself and has no friends' 

          'She's such a freak.'

          'Stay away from her.'

          'Why does she have to be here?'

          'I wanna go home.'

          The voices are overwhelming. I scrunch into a ball on the floor

"Soal? Darling are you alright? Baby? Answer me honey. Baby?"

I ignore my mother and focus on the voices. How dare they talk about me like that? So what, I'm different. I like the color black. I like rock music. Does that make me a lesser creature than you? I think not. I'm probably a better person than all of you anyway. I'm tired of this. The constant disappointed stares. The insulting comments. I'm done with this.

As anger contorts my features, the wind picks up and it's starts a heavy rain.

'They hate you, Soal. They hate you and they've never even met you. Do you really deserve this? You'll never fit in anywhere. You will be an outcast forever just because you're different.' 

More anger courses through my body. The wind picks up and lightning strikes a nearby tree causing it to burst to flames.

More lightning strikes and trees begin to fall. 

"SOAL! Stop it! Baby please! Don't listen to their thoughts! I know you’re different! You’re more special than you know. But baby you have to stop this. Try to control it."

I don't know what she's talking about but I try to calm down for her same. I can't do it. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins. 

"Andrew it's not working! She can't calm down!"

"We have to get out of here! Come on sweetie."

I feel arms wrap around my thin frame. My dad runs with me in his arms and my mother on his heels. People are running frantically everywhere.

I hear a loud crack and next thing I know a tree branch is hurtling towards us. 

I scream, “DADDY! WATCH OUT!"

It's too late. 

"NO! DADDY!" The branch hits him straight on the chest and hits my head.

"S-Soal, baby, listen to me."

"N-no daddy, don’t talk. Save your strength."

"Listen to me. You’re special, okay? You can do things others can't. When the time cones you will know what I am talking about. When the time comes you must look for a man named Tate Daikon. You know him well. He will help you. Now you and Noah must run. Your mom and I will help out here. I love you baby. Now go."

I get up to go run but my head spins and I crash back down to the floor. 

"Mom! Dad! Soal is down."

"Take her and run Noah. Go! I love you baby. I love both of you so much."

Then everything goes to black

-end of flashback