Elemental

Chapter 6

        "One more time," I beg. Ethan shakes his head, but finally relents. It's late I don't particularly wish to be out in the woods, but I have to get this right. I can't let these newfound powers get the better of me.
        I've been having power surges for the past two weeks. First, I nearly set the gym on fire. Then, I nearly flooded the cafeteria. After that...   Well, I don't need to get into that one.
        The point is, I need them to stop. If I get kicked out of school I can never find our who's been sabatoging me.
      I can't walk away from this. I have a feeling that's exactly what they'd  want.
        "Okay, now you need to bend the air and float the rock into this circle." Ethan says, gesturing at the crudely drawn circle in the dirt.
     He's already explained this, and i've been attempting it for nearly three hours without luck, but it helps me to focus on my goal. Focus is the only way I will ever be able to succeed.
       I concentrate on the rock and the air surrounding it. I instinctively hold my hands out towards the rock, fingers flexing. I try to pour all the power that has been causing the bursts into my fingertips towards the rock, but as before, nothing happens.          "Hey, June," Ethan says, interrupting my concentration.
        "What?" I snap, irritated.
        "Have you ever thought of just relaxing?" He asks, coming over. I realize my fingers curled into fists. Gently he unfolds my fingers. And I huff, dropping my hands to the side.
        "Who ever manipulated the elements without thinking?" I argue.
         "I didn't say not to think. I just meant that maybe you should think less. Every time you bend your face scrunches up and your hands curl into fists. I think if you stop over thinking it so much you can do it. You have more raw power than most of our class combined. You just haven't learned to use it yet." I don't believe it for a second, but I decided to play along.
      "Fine, I'll try it your way," i say begrudgingly. Ethan stands beside me and I see him smiling in satisfaction. I bet nothing changes.
       I keep my hands at my side this time. I even close my eyes. Idly I think about the rock floating into the circle.
       "Nothing is happening I presume?" I say, eyes still closed. All I hear is silence. "Ethan?" I open my eyes and turned around. Ethan's eyes are wide open, staring at the spot where the rock once was.
        I turn my eyes to the circle. There, in the very center of the circle, is not one rock, but an entire tower of rocks that had previously littered the forest floor. Perched on top of one another precariously, they seemed to defy the laws of physics.
        "Told you so" Ethan brags teasingly, eyes still wide with thinly veiled surprise. As with the test I can sense the power coursing through my fingertips, exhilarating and wonderful. But I can feel my tentative grasp on the power slipping.
        "Ethan, watch out!" I don't have time to see if he's safe before the pile explodes outward as I lose control. Too late for me to take cover. A shard of stone grazes my arm, stinging painfully. I hiss and slap my hand to my arm, which doesn't help with the pain. Otherwise I am unscathed.
        Ethan! I spin around to search for my best friend. No no no no no! My eyes find him on the ground. His eyes are closed and his head is bleeding. I stumble over and throw myself on the ground beside him.
      "Ethan! Ethan wake up!" His eyes stay closed. Is he breathing or is it just me? I can't even think straight.
       "Help! Somebody please help!" I scream futiley. Deep down I know that nobody can help us. I shake Ethan gently at first, then harder. Still he doesn't move.
      My body starts to shake with horrible wracking sobs. No no no no no! The words repeat over and over in my mind. I find myself screaming his name. I can't see through the blur of tears.
       How long I've sat here I have no idea. It feels like a million years. Eventually I throw myself on the ground beside him. It's all my fault. All my fault. My tears fall into the dirt. Pine needles prick my arms, but I barely notice.
        I just want him to wake up! Why won't he wake up? Why can't I help him? I feel a familiar sensation in my fingertips. This time it's so strong it's painful. I sit up gasping, my fingers burning.
       With astonishment I watch the cut on Ethan's forhead knit together. The blood disappears from around the place where the injury once was, now the faintest scar, slowly disappearing and then gone.
        I scream as Ethan's eyes snap open and he sits up in a panic, eyes wild with fear. Immediately I throw my self against him, sobbing into his shoulder.
       "Don't you ever do that again!" I cry, hugging him. We're still on the ground. Eventually he gets over his shock and hugs me to his chest. His hand holds his head to him and he doesn't pull away until my tears stop flowing and I gradually stop shaking.   
     Together, we stumble back to the school. Him largely supporting me, surprisingly steady after his near death experience. Thinking back to the horrible experience in the woods I remember he didn't have a heartbeat. He wasn't breathing.
     When Ethan isn't looking I stare at my hands, horrified. I cast a terrified glance at Ethan, walking and perfectly well. What did I do?