The Elementalists

COOPER

                 
Everyone knows what their element is now.

   We all came back a few hours ago, and began telling each other what we found, and who we met. We exchanged stories and discovered that everyone has now discovered their element.

   I bet Robin would be proud.

   Jamal told our story first. He explained that he was able to make the blanket fly, and that he thinks he'll be able to do it again. He told everyone that he's made it fly twice, and then he told them about Daemon.

   Emma stood up next. She told us that she met a boy named Angel, and then explained what he told her. She told us about Dark Elementalists and Light Elementalists. Then she opened her mouth to say something else, but said, "Never mind," and sat back down.

   Now John stands up. He begins to tell his story, but Peter interrupts him. He passes around a piece of paper that he says they found, and everyone reads it. I'm the last one to get the paper, and as I read over it, I get the chills.

   "Is this a prophecy?" I ask Peter, who shrugs.

   "We think so," he tells me.

   Emma stands and says, "Angel said something about a traitor. Do you think he knows about the Prophecy? That can't be all of it. If there's more, maybe he'll know." She sits back down, as if we're a council discussing our ideas. Which, I guess in a way, we are.

   "Do you think we should go look for him?" Jamal asks. "I mean, if he knows about this 'prophecy,' then maybe we should try to find out what he knows." He slowly adds, as if thinking this over, "I wonder if the Prophecy...." He shakes his head. "Never mind." He repeats his earlier question, "So, do you think we should go look for Angel?"

   I shake my head. "No," I say, "we have to find Robin and Mark."

   "Oh!" Emma pipes up. "I almost forgot!" She stands up, clears her throat, and says, "When Angel had to leave, he said it was because our 'friend needed help.' I wonder if he was talking about Mark or Robin?"

   "Maybe," Peter says thoughtfully. He looks up at the darkening sky, and says, "We should get some rest. It's almost completely dark. Tomorrow we'll finally go and look for Robin and Mark." He yawns and walks over to the blanket.

   "Well," I say, "I'm not going to sleep outside, so see y'all in the morning! G'night!" I tell everybody, and then I crawl into the tent and lie down. When everyone had returned to the 'campsite,' we'd found a backpack full of water bottles and camping supplies sitting against a tree. Two tents were strung up, and the only clue as to where these objects had come from was a note that said, 'I thought you might need these, A'.

   We'd all assumed that 'A' stood for 'Angel.'

   I close my eyes, and pull the sleeping bag—Angel had made sure that we each had one—up to my chin. I wonder why the two boys, Daemon and Angel, are helping us so much. I can't think of anything we've done for them.

   I decide not to worry about it. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

I awake to the sound of someone screaming. I'm immediately on my feet, running out of the tent, towards the source of the screaming. I look around and see no one; the scream pierces the air again.

   Soon Peter and John are beside me, repeating, "Where are Emma and Jamal?" and, "What the heck?!"

    The scream pierces the air a third time. John whispers, "Emma," and dashes off into the woods. I call out after him, but he just runs even faster.

   "Crap," Peter says, and he takes off after John.

   "Emma!" John yells. His voice is close, and I begin running faster. "Emma!"