Phoenix Fire: From Witin the Flames

Raiders

Chapter 20
"Raiders"

I was grinning from ear to ear as we walked back to camp, a bundle of twigs in my arms and logs in Adrian's and a glistening ring around my finger. I walk alongside Adrian, smiling up at him as we walked, he'd look at me and send me a smile back.

Jamie glances over his shoulder to us, his eyes fixed in a glare on Adrian. I try to ignore him; I want to keep this happy bubbling feeling in my chest for as long as possible, I didn't want my stupid older brother screwing things up for me. I let out a frustrated sigh before beginning to build the campfire in the centre of the campsite. I create a small ball of fire and gently place it within the kindling, the dried wood quickly catches fire I smile as the group quickly huddles around the campfire to warm themselves.

Adrian sat beside me, carefully tossing another piece of wood on the fire. "Keep the flames low, who knows what's watching and waiting to see campfire" I whisper in Adrian's ear as I use my powers to dampen the flames but not the heat, he nods. I hear someone walk up behind us and I have to swallow my irritation

"Adrian," my brother's voice sounds "I need to talk with you." Adrian looks up to Jamie who still has an irritated glare on his face. Adrian looks to me, surprise flashing on his face when he noticed my narrow eyed glare at Jamie

"No, you don't" I snap irritably an angry warning glare on my face, Adrian looks at me in slight shock, Jamie stares at me in surprise, surprised I spoke against him. "What? Surprised I'm disobeying my older brother?" I sneer "You don't need to talk to Adrian, if you want to do something go keep watch or something, these flames are sure to attract something's attention." I grit. Jamie sighs, dropping to his knees next to me

"Look, Kara I know you're angry with me," the fire cracks as my anger twangs, I huff "but I had to do what I did," the fire begins to howl as the fire in my chest swells "I'm sorry I didn't come to get you, but I was a bit busy at the time..." I hear Adrian hiss an exhalation of breath, turning his head as Jamie chose the wrong words, everyone's eyes darted away from us as Jamie made the biggest mistake of his life.

The campfire exploded along with my anger, I jump to my feet, burning embers littering the campsite, I spin angrily to face my brother, my fury burning so bright my hands burst into flames "YOU WERE BUSY!" I shrill "That's your excuse for leaving me with those those... monsters for five years! For abandoning me for 1,095 days! You have any idea what pain they put me through! I was experimented on like a fucking monkey! They shocked me, the stole my blood until I became weak, they injected so many drugs into me I was sick for weeks. They jabbed me and prodded me. I thought they were trying to help me! But nooo, they were just trying to figure out how to use my so called gift! I was just another experiment! And when they were done with me they threw me into an asylum so I wouldn't get in there way, so I wasn't a danger to anyone!" tears evaporate on my cheeks, the flames in my hands extinguish as my sorrow blows out my rage

"You have no idea, Jamie. The pain and torment I went through!" my lip trembles as I fight against my tears "All my life I've been picked on, beaten and abused. And all I had to do, all I ever did, was cling to you for protection, for guidance. But then you weren't there anymore, when I thought I'd killed you, I thought I destroyed the only chance I had to live in this shit hole of a world. I waited, I waited for someone to rescue me, but no one ever came. So I..." tears streak my cheeks, my tightly clenched fists tremble "I gave up. There was nothing left for me. No hope, no family... nothing. Just the pitch black rooms I was abandoned in left in to rot like a bad apple." My voice trembles "That's all I ever was Jamie! I was the bad apple of the family, you the prized jewel. No one could love a bad, rotted apple" I wipe the tear from my cheeks as the memories of my terrible pass flood to my mind. I look around the group, all eyes on me, looks of surprise and sympathy but also... understanding like they know the feelings I've felt. But they don't know, they weren't experimented on like me, I was the first 'Freak-show' that got caught and when their experiments didn't work they didn't bother with the others. From what I've heard, Warner began collecting them to build some sort of super army or something. What a sick man. But... now they're all staring at me, their eyes piercing like the children's from my old school

"I... I need to get some air" I murmur before quickly excusing myself, walking briskly before it turns into a run.

As I run I can hear Adrian yelling at Jamie, asking why would he say something like that, why would he put his sister as a second priority? Jamie yelled back, yelled at my Adrian, snapping 'Why would you leave Kara all alone, why didn't you go after her, why didn't you save her'

Their voices became fainter as I ran further and further away, I kept running until I trip and fall into a small flowing stream. I sit in the water and sob, my tears joining the thin flowing stream, carrying away my pain and sorrow. This poor world is as damaged and broken as me, but... I guess the world is slowly healing and so am I. We'll pull through this old girl, don't worry, this forest with flourish soon, and so will I.

I hear someone coming towards me, I wipe my tears and put on a smile "I'm ok," I murmur before they could speak "I just needed some air" the person stops, and chuckles lightly making me freeze

"That's good sweet heart, but we don't really care. I just want to see where that small explosion came from" my eyes are frozen with, the whites of my eyes showing as terror fills me. Oh no, oh no oh no oh no! This is all my fault! I snap my head up, my tear brimmed eyes fall onto a tall large hulk of a man wearing tattered waste lander clothes the colour of dirt and dust, dark hair and short scuffed beard, a scar running along his jaw and eye.

He cracks a nasty smile "Come on love, show us to your leader" he grabs my arm, hauling me to my feet, dragging me back to camp. I tug and pull, fight him as I might I can't get free. I want to scream but I'm too scared, noting will come from my mouth.

"Kara, you're back! Thank goodness, I thought something..." I hear Adrian cut his words short as the hulk-man tossed me forward onto the ground in front of him. I scramble to Adrian as he pulls me into his arms, the man grinned

"Search the camp! Take anything of use!" the man barked with a laugh as the men turned the campsite upside down.