The Story of the Wild Ones

Chapter 2

I ran down a few more roads before I reached the familiar black-painted house. I didn't even bother to knock, I just walked right in and called for Jinxx. "Willow!" someone called from the back of the house. I walked back there to see Jinxx standing in the middle of the room, standing over a flaming life-sized human doll. With a wave of his hand, the flames disappeared and he turned to me, grinning. "You know, if this was anyone else I walked in on doing this, I may be concerned," I joked. "We've spent too much time around each other then," he responded, engulfing me in a hug. I smiled and hugged back. "So, what brings you around?" he asked, breaking away to pick up the now-burned doll. "Another FEAR attack," I told him.

I saw him wince as he propped the doll against the wall. "You...you know about those?" Jinxx asked hesitantly. "I just watched one happen," I answered. He sighed and turned to face me. "Look, we didn't mean to keep it from you, we just-" he started, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Don't worry about it. You didn't think you needed me for this, I get that. Come on, let's get the burning over with," I said. "Willow, that's not-" he began, but I just walked out of the room. I heard him sigh and follow me out of the door and out of his house.

When we got back to the square, a crowd had gathered around Andy and the dead man. Jinxx and I pushed our way through the mass of people until we reached the center. Jinxx leaned down and did his usual check for a pulse. "Peter Baker, age 21, deceased exacly 23 minutes ago. Would the friends and family of Mr. Baker please step forward?" he called. A few people shuffled forward, some of which who appear as if they've been crying, or were about to start. I glanced at them sympathetically as Jinxx leaned down and pressed his hand to Peter's temple. Within a few seconds, a flame began to take over Peter's body. A girl around my age burst into tears, and an older woman began to comfort her.

As soon as Peter's body was in ashes, his remains were scooped into a jar and carried out of the square to a burial site just outside. The people that stepped forward followed the people. I looked up at Jinxx, and he was just staring after them. "I hate it," he whispered. I looked up at him in confusion. "I hate being able to do this. I don't like to see their faces as they realize they'll never see the one they love again. I just hate it so much," he said, clenching his fists. I wrapped my arms around his waist and his fists unclenched and he sighed, hugging me back. "I'm sorry. It just gets to me sometimes," he said. "I know, you'd have a heart of stone if it never got to you," I told him.

I looked around Jinxx and saw Andy staring at Jinxx and me. Andy had an unreadable expression on his face before turning around and walked away. Jinxx let go so he could follow Peter's family to comfort them, and I was about to go after Andy but he was already gone.