Playing With Fire

1.Fire Directing? There Go My Plans Of Being An Actress

(A/N: This is and edited version and its slightly different.)

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked Mr. Ray, incredulous. "There is no way we are going to train for this insane so called 'power'. I have no power whatsoever over any element on this planet, or any other planet for that matter."

Mr. Ray sighed. Julian gave me a look saying "Ashley, the guy's insane" or I might have misinterpreted it. Julian thinks the world of Mr. Ray. When he was just an orphan, Mr. Ray took him in, the same way he took Sadie and me in. He homeschooled, fed, clothed and sheltered us on the condition that we were well behaved and helped with house work or other errands. He's a nice guy, but this was a bit too much. It's not every day your awesome guardian seems deluded.

"I recognized the power in all of you and that is the reason I have watched over you. Our next generation is more powerful than the old and all of you must be trained. I can even try to prove it to you," he replied with the air of a man tired of explaining the same thing once again. That sounded like it was straight out of a fantasy book.

He walked across the table and all our gazes followed him. I frowned curiously. He then took a jug of water. He threw it down but before it could crash down, the jug slowed down, slowed down, slowed down and stopped in midair. Mr. Ray casually picked it up and put it back on the table.

"Time. An important part of our day to day lives. I can freeze time for a few seconds and slow it down for a minute or two. I'm called a Time Turner. Your powers, however may be quite different," he finished, not taking notice of our faces. Kate's glossy mouth had dropped open, Julian's eyes wide and I tried hiding my surprise with a mask of nonchalance. "Now, to find out which element your allegiance is to, you must step into the room at the end to the long corridor which you were forbidden to enter before," he continued and walked away.

"The east corridor? Wow, so it's for determining your allegiance or whatever," I scoffed. "There is no freaking way, I, have any power over anything. I trip over my own feet for god's sake!"

"Well, it's obvious that it exists but I'll believe I have a power when I see it," Julian agreed. "Oh and Ash, you're going first."

I walked towards the corridor, trying to transform my clumsy gait into something sure and steady. I pushed open the door and an eerie silence greeted me. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. It shimmered and turned to mist. I clutched my arms tightly. I rubbed my palms together, but they were white with frost. The icy temperature kept plummeting till I closed my eyes, unable to take it when suddenly, it all stopped.

I opened my eyes uncertainly. A warm, comforting light greeted me. It seemed to emanate from my very veins. My fingertips were glowing. I let out a nervous laugh. This was so unfamiliarly familiar. Some strange instinct took over and I stretched out my fingertips. An irrational happiness filled me with a feeling of confidence. It was wonderful. I was so much in control. A small fire blazed at my fingertips. It spread across my hand and became an inferno till the whole room was alive with flames that licked at its every nook and corner. There I stood, in the middle of the wild fire, still and flabbergasted. I took a deep breath, beckoning the flames towards me. I had no idea what I had been doing but the flames receded back to my body.

"There you are!" came a familiar voice. "You obviously are a natural at fire directing." Mr. Ray walked towards me with a proud smile.

"Fire directing? There go my future dreams of becoming an actress," I muttered. "You could be professionally sarcastic. You're really good at it," came his amused reply. I mock curtsied, accepting the compliment and then blacked out.

I blinked. My face morphed into a confused frown. I was staring at a pale ivory ceiling, gleaming as though it was freshly painted. I could feel myself wrapped up in a thick white blanket. I tried to move my head, but every movement sent a flare of pain through my head.