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

Chapter 6- Soal

"R-really? You do?" Noah asks tears of joy brimming in his eyes.

I nod into his shirt.

"I remember how we had a cake fight at my party and how much fun we used to have together. I remember the day I lost you. I was still recovering from my injury and you just disappeared. I started hearing voices during the camping trip and then mom was saying some weird thing about me being special or something. There was lightning everywhere and the tree branch hit dad and then he said go to someone named Tate Daikon. He said I already knew who it was...." I continue to rant on about the events of that fateful night to him. He is a good listener. Once I am done speaking, he asks his questions.

"What do you mean, hearing voices? Are you a telepath? It seems to me as if the weather responded to your emotions, though, and telepaths can't do that. So what are you? Hmmm. We'll figure that out later. As for Tate Daikon, It's probably my Tate. He explained who I am to me."

I stare blankly at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh wait. I almost forgot. You don't know. The bottom line is you have super powers. Other people do, too, including me. But you’re special. You can do things that no one else, special or not, can do."

I stare at his face for a moment then burst out laughing. He pouts at me until I can control myself.

"What?" He whines, stretching that ‘a’.

"Really? Super heroes? That's a good one."

He smirks back at me. 

"You always were hard headed. Guess you won't be persuaded that easily. Oh well," he lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Moving on to a different topic. I need to get you out of that hellhole you call home. Do you have big bags to bring all your stuff in?"

"No. Brady trashed them all after you left to prevent me from running."

"Ok. I, being the amazingly smart brother I am, predicted this and brought some bags just in case," he jokes.

"They are in my car which is currently parked at the Starbucks. Let us proceed then, my noble steed!"

He attempts to jump on my back but falls to the ground when I run a couple feet away.

I am laughing uncontrollably and don't notice when he sneaks back up on me. He starts tickling me and I only laugh harder.

"S-stop... Noah," I try to get out through my hysterics.

"What's the magic word?"

"P-please! P-please... S-stop.... Noah!"

"Alright. Only because you asked nicely." 

He relents, giving me the chance to catch my breath. Once I am fully recovered, I kick him in the shin and run, Noah close on my tail.

"Hey," he pouts when he finally catches me. 

"What was that for?"

"That was for forgetting to feed the unicorn." I think randomly sometimes, ok? Get over it.

"But I did feed Bubbles. I fed him lots of rainbows."

"First off, unicorns poop rainbows so... let’s not go there. Secondly, Bubbles is an underwater unicorn. She eats fish. Thirdly......" I pause, unable to think of another mistake he made.

"Thirdly....?" Ask Noah.

Oh well. I'll wing it.

"Thirdly, I wanna a narwhal. Buy me a narwhal."

We stare at each other for a second than we simultaneously start signing the narwhal song.

When we finish we both laugh. By then we had reached the car. Noah opens the passenger door for me and I hop in.

As we are driving down the road, I try to spark a conversation. 

"So Noah. How old are you now?"

"I am 19. What about you?" He says with a weird face.

"I, dear brother, am 16."

"I knew that."

"So tell me. What happened when you left?"

He is quiet for a while.

"That is not a tale to tell today. Sorry, sis. First you have to know what you are."

"Are you still on that super hero thing?" 

"Yup"

"Whatever"

The rest of the ride is ridden in a comfortable silence. All is going well up until we are walking up to the front door, bags in hand.

About halfway up the driveway the door crashes open.

Out comes a very drunk Brady, beer bottle in hand.

"You stupid girl. Where've been?" he slurs.

I stare at him, fear preventing my movement. 

"Did you not hear me? Answer me girl," he is next to me faster than I can blink. Next thing I know, I feel a sharp pain on my shoulder as he brings the bottle down on my skin.

I scream out in pain and sink to the floor. The last thing I remember is Noah beating the mess out of Brady before I black out.