Fire & Water & Earth & Air

22: Earth

Annabel

           Sometime around four in the morning, I hear faint crying.

           At first, I only open my groggy eyes, and look around the empty room. Then, when my brain registers that someone is crying, I start thinking the noises are coming from me.

           But that's ridiculous, I realize, 'cause I'm not crying.

           I sit up on the bed and look around. After locating the door in the dark, I tiptoe to it and slowly pull it towards me. The crying gets louder now that the barrier isn't there. Slowly, I make my way to the living room, following the cries.

           "Hey. You okay?"

           Robert, who was folded into himself on the couch, hears my voice and shoots into a sitting position. The stifled sobs stop and he slowly turns, slapping on a dazzling smile.

           "Hey. You're up early."

           "What's wrong?"

            He pauses. His smile falters. "A lot of things, I guess. Wars. Discrimination. Violence. Snails...." A pause. "Oh, and world hunger," he jokes.

           After a tired sigh, I smile as well. Robert isn't going to tell me. He's going to continue to pretend to be happy, for everyone's sake, because that's who he is.

           Robert is happy.

           Before heading off to my room again, I tell him, "Robert, you can trust me. If there's anything you would like to say, remember that I'm here for you."

           He gives me a tired smile.

           "Thanks, Anne."

           I contain my flinch and only nod, then turn around and make my way to the empty guest room. I stay up, tossing and turning over events that are unlikely to ever happen.

           Some time later, Robert finally makes his slow way into his bedroom and I hear the faint click of the lock. I sigh, and my heavy eyelids droop shut as the sun peaks through the window.

>>><<<

           I'm awoken by the fire alarm.

           My first thought is to jump out the window. After all, I have the grass to cushion my fall. But, when I hear the coughing and see whisps of gray smoke coming up the stairs, I giggle to myself.

           After stopping at the bathroom and using an extra toothbrush to freshen up, I make my way to the kitchen, where the flames consume an already-burnt pan. Robert, who is trying to put the flames out with a rag, looks at me with the rim of his shirt covering his nose.

           "Sorry. Did I wake you?" he yells above the beeping.

           I nod. "Just a little. Why not put it out the Air way?"

           He slowly lowers the rag and shakes his head. "It's funner this way!" Then he proceeds to smack the pan again.

           "Robert!" I shriek when the flame gets particularly high.

           "Cheez-its!" He hits the flames again until the flames get really big. Slowly and hesitantly, he brings his hands foward and puts out the flames.

           "There's soot on the ceiling," I point out. He glances up at it and sighs.

           "Mom usually paints over it," he states.

           Looking closer, I see faded and not-so-faded flowers decorating the ceiling. It brings a smile to my face. "Is each one for a time you tried cooking?"

           He shakes his head. "There was that one time that I didn't cook, but my laptop did spontaneously combust."

           I crack up. "And I thought Juliette had a passion for burning things."

           He cracks up, too.

           When we catch our breath, I address the elephant in the room. "You don't have to be scared to use your powers, Robert. That thing in the hospital.... He deserved it."

           Robert shakes his head. "No, he didn't. No one deserves what I did. I almost killed him, Anne." Then, "I apologize for addressing you as Anne again, Annabel Allen."

           I bite my lips and chew on them for a little. "My parents-- Robert, you have to understand, I'm not like them. My parents are evil and neglectful and-and mean. My God, they're so, so mean. They hate me." I take in a deep breath. "My dad.... he's dishonest. He works for some big-time CEO, but he's stealing from her. He's having an affair, to keep the job he has now. My father used to sit me in the bathtub, away from the outside world, because if everything is synthetic, maybe my powers will wear off. He treated me like a freak my entire life and, what you did at the hospital--"

           I have to take another breath, because the tears are rolling down my cheeks.

           "I'm extremely grateful for it," I finish.

           Robert sends me an honest smile. One that's sad and victorious and sympathetic, and it warms my heart. He opens his arms for me, and I walk right into them, then he encloses me in his safety. And his happiness.

           I sigh.

           He sighs.

           He's happy.

           I'm happy.

           We stay like that, until the beeping goes off again.

           "Cheez-its!" He grabs a cup, fills in with water, and throws it on the pan, before turning off the stove.

           I laugh.

           He laughs.

           "You know what, Robert?" I hold up a finger, as if I were struck by inspiration. "I say we find your mother. Let's go." I begin walking to the living room and motion for him to follow me.

           He doesn't follow. Instead, he tilts his head, furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. "Annabel Allen, we can't go at it alone. Four against two. Seems a little unfair to me."

           I tap my finger to my chin and pretend to ponder. "If only we knew two other super-powered humans."

           He chuckles and then smiles. "Jailbreak?"

           I mimick his smile. "Jailbreak."

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