Fire & Water & Earth & Air

17: Water

Edward

           This is real bad.

           Not only is a lady leaving a house through a window, but the door is knocked down.

           So, not only is this an obvious break in, it's a violent one. Oh, and there's dead bodies strewn around. They look like the one in the courtyard, which means one thing: we've got a serial killer. Or a copy cat, which could be worse. I know, I've watched all lose crime shows.

           After the woman is far away enough, I sprint across towards the house, jumping body after body. Once I'm on the front lawn, my heart drops.  I see the electrical shocks striking the girl, but that isn't even the worst part. I hear a defiant, "You know, my mother wasn't going to run when she saw you. I think she's stepped into things that are scarier than you."

           Another blast.

           "You call that electrical? My phone has a stronger kick."

           Another.

           "Please.... I don't think you have it in you.... I have a friend, and he controls water.... I'm sure you couldn't even hurt him if you tried...."

           Juliette is obviously in distress, but she doesn't surrender. Or shut up. But, suddenly, those words make the guy stop. The light diminishes from his hand and he takes a step closer to her. Juliette throws a punch, but he catches it and twists her arm behind her back. She shrieks in pain as he kicks her feet and she lands on her knees. He gets really close to her face and says, "What did you just say?"

           She --like the angel she is-- knees him in the groin. "I said you fight like a-"

           Two things happen at the exact time, then. Juliette notices me standing in the doorway, slack-jawed, and a shot of ice comes from somewhere behind her, knocking her to the floor. She shrieks in pain (or maybe it's anger) as she gets up and lights up, then tackles the other girl. I see a spark in the corner of my eye as the man finally turns around.

            Our eyes meet and suddenly I can't breath.

            "Randy?!"

           My brother rolls his eyes and then shoots me. Searing pain rips my body in two as I fall to the floor. Tough love, I guess people would call it. I look up at my brother as he approaches me in a slow, menacing manner. "Oh brother, do not look so surprised." His hands light up and I cower a little, expecting the blast already. The grunts from the corner come to a stop and the females exclaim in unison, "Brother?"

           Randall doesn't even pay his little sidekick mind as he shoots me again. I manage to dodge it this time, then splash him with water. He shudders a little, then falls to his knees. When he looks up at me again, my brother's eyes hold pain.

           "Well, that hurt."

           "Really? Never even crossed my mind." Just then, my head hits the floor. I tilt my head to the side to see the human ice cube on me. She punches me twice, hard, before I get in a jab of my own. She falls unconscious with a grunt. "Freeze!" Randy yells, looking at the girl on the floor. Looking at me with hate, he prepares to hit me with a blast and I get ready to dodge. Luckily, Juliette lights up the room next to us, the flames slowly devouring the walls. With a fallen side kick, my brother hesitates. Typical Randy: Should I save this  girl's life, or is she expendable?  Do I have time to turn my brother into a crispy Edward sandwich?

           But when the roof begins to fall in chunks, and Juliette and I run out of the house, Randy doesn't leave with us. I turn around just in time to see him hoist the girl --Freeze, as he called her-- over his shoulder. The whole building collapses, yet I somehow know that my brother is still alive, hauling an unconscious Freeze to safety.