Inferno

Chapter Three

He sits down in front of me. I read his name tag, Dr Brendan Counsel

“What do we have here?” the doctor says.

“He’s here because he’s been getting hot” my mum informs Dr Counsel.

“A cold? The Flu?” Dr Counsel jokes

“No, it’s more than that” my mum begins to explain. “He melted our bath”.

I look up at the doctor sheepishly and I can see that he is confused. He starts to look at my body and pokes and prods me a bit. I begin to realise that this is a bad idea as I can feel my body getting hotter and hotter. The doctor yelps in pain as he touches my burning body and then begins to think to himself.

“Hmm” Dr Counsel says. “This is nothing like I’ve ever seen before”. “Ash’s body temperature is rising to extraordinary heights whilst still functioning without disturbance”.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing doctor?” My mum says worriedly.

“I’m not sure”.

We get back into the car after the report from the doctor and drive home. The entire ride was silent until my mum’s phone rings. She answers it (her phone is connected to the car via Bluetooth).

“Hello?”

“Ms Coalman, this is Dr Counsel”.

“Hello doctor”.

“I researched about your son’s condition and did not find anything”.

“Oh, that’s a shame”.

“But, I did find a child that has similar symptoms”.

“Yes, and?”

“She could lower her body temperature to minus 52oC and still function perfectly”.

“Oh my”.

“Unfortunately she lost control of it, let’s call it her power, and covered a whole town in snow”.

“Oh dear, if Ash loses control”.

“But don’t worry Mrs Coalman, I also found a hospital that helps children with these powers”.

“There are others?” I interrupted.

“Oh, am I on speaker?”

“Yes Dr Counsel, sorry that I didn’t tell you”. My mum replies guiltily

“That’s fine. Yes there are others Ash. And the school teaches the children how to control their powers and use them for good”.

I think about this statement for a while and then relate it to the X-Men academy with a kind of Charles Xavier mentor guy. Doctor Counsel is still on the phone and I decide to inquire about this school.

“Where is this school?”

“It’s on an Island off the coast of Scarborough beach Ash”.

“Thanks”.

“No problem. Say, Ash. Were you planning to check the school out?”

“I don’t think that it would be a bad idea to help me.”

“If it’s alright with your mother I can contact the principal”.

“That’s fine. If Ash would like to see this school than I am all for it”.

“Very well then. I will contact the school immediately.”

The doctor hangs up and it is silent in the car once again. I watch the scenery as we drive back home. As the trees fly past I can begin to feel the heat coming back. This time it is concentrated in my head. I can feel it beginning to get hotter around my optical region when a tree unexpectedly bursts into flames. I turn my head around quickly and close my eyes.