The Girl With the Lightning Touch

Chapter 8

I sit on the river bank staring down at the water. I wonder what will happen to me. I can never go back to my family. I wonder how Mark feels. He probably won't open up his feelings to a stranger. But he found me so it could be different.

I never tried to study his characteristics but he's very uncoordinated. He wears glasses that are slightly cracked and has skinny arms and legs. He trys to catch fish but misses everyone that comes near. I want to help but I do not think I could ever go into the water again. I remember the deer I shot earlier and how I grabbed it before I ran. "Hey Mark." I say. He turns and looks at me. His clothes are soaked with water. " I have food." I say holding up the meat. He processes what I said for a moment trying to think how to respond. I laugh. "I'll go find sticks then." he says walking off.

A little while later he comes back tripping over himself dropping sticks everywhere. He manages to get over to me with a couple of sticks in his hands. He drops them and goes back to collect the rest. Once the sticks are in a neat pile he holds his hand over it and almost instantly the wood catches fire. He opens his hand and almost closes it just touching his fingers together and a spiral of fire twirls out of his palm towards the sky and dissipates with a close of his fist. "This power is a gift but also a curse." he says so quietly i don't know if I was meant to hear. I agree with him. This power tore me away from everyone I love. I gather some of the bigger sticks to make a spit over the fire.

We eat in quietly until Mark breaks the silence. "We should keep moving." he says when he is done. "Okay." I respond and I get up. He waits for me to get near him before he starts walking. I walk a step ahead of him for a while until he tugs my arm. He is stronger than I expected and it catches me off guard. I fall into his arms, my hands against his chest. I look up at him and his eyes are piercing through mine. I've never really noticed them before but his eyes are specks of all different colors that seem to shift and change. Without warning he leans down and kisses me. He puts his hand on my lower back and pulls me to him. To balance myself I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in closer. For those few moments it seems like I can't get close enough. He backs me up into a tree then surprisingly picks me up off he ground. I then wrap my legs around his waist, and he rests my back against the tree. Bark digs into my back but I don't notice. He rests his hand under my thighs, still consuming me in every aspect.

I'm not sure how long we stay like that. It could be hours it could be minutes. My mind clouds and time blurs but finally he pulls back looking at my with those bright piercing eyes. "What was that for?" I finally manage to mutter between breaths. He just smiles and puts me down. My legs feel like jelly and I fall at first but he catches me and brings me to my feet. "Are you okay?" he asks before letting go. I nod and he lets go of me. I miss the touch immediately. We walk through the woods not knowing where we are going but just going strait. Craving his touch I tangle my fingers through his. In my mind I scold myself for feeling this way when I met him only two days ago. Soon I see something. "Look over there." I say pointing. On a nearby tree is a poster that says wanted with my face on it. "We must be close to a town." Mark says. "Stay down." He lets go of my hand. As we keep walking I start to hear shouting.

"We can not let these dangerous monsters be free to run around!" Someone shouts with a chanting of 'Yea's!' coming after it. When I look there are the men that was chasing me on a stage, and all the people of the town around it. "She must be killed!" the men shout. Everyone cheers. "Wait!" I hear a familiar voice shout. I take a sharp inhale of breath when my mother steps up. "She is only a child you already drove her away from her home now you're going to drag her back to kill her?" she yells. "If you're so supporting of her witchcraft, why don't you die with her?" One of the men bellow.

They grab her and hold a long knife to her neck. "This is how you take care of society!" the man yells. Everyone chants and cheers for him. I can't sit here and take this. "Stop!" I yell as I run out of my hiding place. "Mia no!" Mark whisper yells after me. "There she is!" the crowd yells. "Kill her!" They all yell. Everyone starts running towards me with their knives and pitchforks and torches. "I said stop!" I scream and everyone flies backwards landing hard. "See you attack your people, you are only hurting your family." He says and places the blade on her throat. I raise my hand at him. "Don't even think about using your powers on me. You don't want to risk hitting your mother do you?" he says menacingly , and shifts my mom in front of him.. Suddenly Mark comes up behind me a ball of fire in his hand. "There is another one." he says. "Don't worry you friend will be burned on the stake with you. He grabs my arm and closes his eyes. At first I wonder what he is doing but then I know.

...

I wake up with my legs intertwined with Marks. I detangle myself from him trying not to wake him up. I run my hands through my hair thinking about my dream and the night before. My dreams keep getting more and more vivid. My lips are still throbbing. Its still dark outside the only light is the lantern in the corner and the faint moon shining through the trees.I reach over and kiss Mark on the head and stand up to stretch. I want to go for a walk. I doubt I will get into trouble because we were deep in the woods and no one comes out here any more. I know that the sun is near to rising because the sky is almost kind of a dark blue. I used to love walking in the woods because you could hear the birds chirping and the animals moving around even if you can't see them. I know that Mark will be mad that I've wandered off, but I want to do something and I wont be able to get back to sleep. I start down the ladder but stop to look at Mark sleeping. His glasses are askew on his face and he only stirs a little. I think about my mom.

Maybe I could pop back in and explain what is going on. Should I? It would be a stupid and dangerous move but if it means her being aware what's happening it could help me out of this mess. I want to do it before the sun comes up so I won't be caught in broad daylight. I drop the rest of the way off the ladder and land with a thump. I stand for a moment to make sure Mark didn't wake and make a break towards my house as fast as I can. Every house and street sign that pass' by me is a blur. At the pace I go I reach my house in minutes, but when I arrive I regret coming immediately.

When I near to my house I know that the were waiting for me. I quickly go to the side so they don't spot me. There are people barking orders and black vans surrounding my house. The sun starts to peek over the horizon making the sky a pinkish yellow. I start to worry because I can't hide in the shadows anymore. I know that Mark has woken up by now and knows where I have gone. Maybe I can run back without anybody seeing me, but I think it is too late. There are men everywhere waiting for me to come out. I take a chance and try to run but they spot me immediately.

"Catch her!" someone shouts. A man grabs my arm. I try to break free of his steel grip, but he doesn't budge. Dr. Miller walks out from inside my house. "Hello Ms. Johnson." he says. "What do you want!?" I yell at him struggling against the the person who constrains my arms. "You did not want to be tested on when I asked you and now I have a warrant to take you in myself. We have the proof that you can produce electricity and that is a danger to the society and you must be contained." he says calmly.

"What did I ever do to you?!" I snarl. He walks closer to me almost a foot away. "Look this is not personal it is business. Millions of scientists around the world would pay me to see your results. I'd be rich! Your gift will make me millions." he says. On pure instinct I spit in his face. His face cringes like he tasted something something foul. The man that holds me twists my arm and pushes my head down. Dr. Miller pulls a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wipes his face. "I will warn you Ms. Johnson I am allowed to do whatever is necessary to take you in, so we can do this the hard way or the easy way." He says looking down at me. I try to kick his shin but he expects it and steps back in time.

"Okay fine it was your choice." he says and walks back to the cars. I try to move my hand enough to touch the man's arm. When I do I heat up my hand and he yelps. Unexpectedly he pulls out a gun and points it at me. On instinct so does everyone else. I hold out my hand switching from person to person each one flinching when I move my eyes on them. Dr. Miller comes back out again with my mother and she is crying. "I told you I am allowed to whatever is necessary." he says and holds a gun to her head. I drop my hand and swallow my sob. She cries harder. Suddenly I feel someone grab my arm again but this time its Mark. "Do you have the band Mary gave you?" he whispers. I look down and on my wrist is the black and white bracelet. I nod my head. "Focus on that." he orders quietly. He holds out his hand and I do the same. Lighting sparks and dances over my palm and so does fire on Marks. "I am warning you I will pull the trigger." Dr. Miller says backing up and dragging my mom with him.

I close my eyes and I see myself standing in front of the crowd with the men holding a knife to my mother's neck. My realities are switching back and forth. I feel myself getting warmer. The electricity on my hand grows brighter and brighter. My visions switch back and forth until I see both. I open my eyes and lightning shoots out intertwining with the fire. It goes strait at Dr. Miller and hits him in the chest. His face goes blank and pale. He lets go of my mom and stumbles backwards. My vision goes blurry I can't see anything. I collapse and everything goes black;