Flames

Chapter 3

                The night had become hot and sticky and the pillow had deflated once again as the feathers had rearranged to a different part of the pillow every time I laid my head down on it.  I balled up the thin woolen blanket and attempted to put it under my pillow to make it more comfortable.  I stared up at the ceiling and felt the hard, carpeted floor beneath me. In times like this, being picky is something unheard of; you took what they gave you and we got a floor.  The school was silent, except for people’s deep breathing.  It was eerie compared to the daytime when there is constant noise.  I looked at Grace next to me who was curled in a ball with her head in the center of the pillow and her hair sticking to her face, with Lolo underneath her body. She was in deep slumber by the way she breathed in and out.  Mom lied next to her, her muscules relaxed and her face, peaceful. I closed my eyes once again to try and get some sleep before morning but it wouldn’t come.  So I lay there, examining the white ceiling. 

                In a way, it was relaxing. Just having my thoughts to keep me company was enough for now.  The dinner was small, a piece of bread and a cup of soup but it held me over. We'd been here for a week now and it wasn't so bad. I'd still like our house, but what good is it to lament what is gone and irrepareable?  I looked around at the people who shared our room.  There was an old couple whose house was demolished by the bomb a couple weeks ago and there was not a single thing left but the rubble.  They were really nice to us when we first walked in and greeted us as family.  There was a family with 4 kids and their dad who slept in the corner near the door.  The two girls, Jenna who was ten and Lily who was four,were delighted when they saw us come in while the two boys, Ben who was fourteen and Jim who was six, had nothing to do with us. I don’t know where they’re mom is, but by the way they said their prayers, I could tell it wasn’t good, so I didn’t ask. 

                The heat was prickling my newly repaired legs and the night felt hotter than the flames that I walked through days ago.  To keep my thoughts away from the heat, I thought back to the day after the Shandy’s fire.  I woke up in my bed all sweaty and weak. I looked at my unscathed hands and thought, “It was all just a dream, it was all just a dream.” Mom came into my room with a cool, damp wash cloth to put on my forehead but after a minute or two, that became hot as well. 

                “I don’t understand this, Ellie.  The doctors said there was nothing wrong with you, but you’re burning up,” Mom pushed my sticky red hair behind my ears.

                “So, it wasn’t all a dream? Shandy’s actually burned down?” I frowned.

                “No, it wasn’t a dream and yes, Shandy's burned down. I was so worried about you.  You were in that fire so long.”

                “Mom? Can I tell you something?”

                “Yes, of course. You can tell me anything. You know that,” She took the hot towel off of my head.

                “Promise you won’t freak out?” I held out my pinkie.

                “I promise,” she held out hers as well and they intertwined.

                “I started the fire,” I looked out the window at the blue sky, there were no bomb raids back then.  

                “You did what? How?”

                “Yesterday, while I was in Sunset Field, something weird happened.  There was this flower and it gave me these powers.”

                “Powers?” her face was surprised, shocked, and worried at the same time, probably thinking her daughter had become some insane stranger.