Phoenix

2. The arrival

"That's so weird." He hesitates. "But cool at the same time."

"It's not cool. I felt like I was dying. That's just in class. Then there was the shower. I didn't know what to do... I'm scared Jake. What's going to happen to me? How do I get rid of this? Will I die?..." I ponder.

" You get through this. But in the meantime. You're gonna have to tell mom why the clothes she just bought you are burnt to a crisp. And we are gonna have to get you something fireproof."

I nod. "How am I gonna tell the others though?"

"I'll do it with you." He assures me. "And you need to change I can almost see your boxers. And it smells like burnt hair. You also have to more leg hair dude. It could have just been that that burnt your clothes."

"I hope." I laugh. "I'll go change." I run to my room and change my clothes. I check the time and I realize that my parents are gonna be home in about half an hour.

I grab the fire blanket and go sit upstairs to watch some tv. With a fireproof hat on to hide my burning hair. Jake works the remote so I don't have to.

I wait uneasily until they get home with my two sisters and my other brother.

My mental agony is at its peak.

They walk in a and see Jake and I sitting on the couch.

" Hey, guys." Jake greats like he normally would. He's always been chill like that.

" Hey. Seth why weren't you at school for me to pick you up?" My dad instigates me.

" Well, I took a half day and got Jake to help me with something. But I have something I need to tell you."

"Are you gay? We still love you, Seth." My mom comes over to give me a hug but stops when I speak again.

"Um... not exactly." I hesitate.

"He has fire powers and doesn't know what to do." Jake blurts. My mom drops her purse on the ground and my sister's just stare. My brother
however just keeps his one business like. Like a robot.

My dad laughs. " Your getting better at these jokes Jake. Now Seth. What is that you really need to tell us?"

I slowly reach for my hat and take it off. Removing my hat revels my flame head hair.

Now my little brother along with everyone else is staring in awe.

"He wasn't joking dad."

I start to cough into my sleeve. Burning through the material I put my arm down afterward to reveal my sleeve half burnt off. I wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't for half of my sleeve falling to the ground then burning to ashes.

I stare at it until there is nothing left to stare at. My family does as well. Expect Jake who looks like he was expecting that to happen. He puts his arm on my shoulder to use me as an armrest. But immediately taking it away in pain. I catch a glimpse of his arm and there is a slight burn mark.

" What am I going to do?"

"I don't know. But we'll figure it out. For now. I want to move your room to the basement because of the stone."

I nod. "Jake. Help me move your brothers' bed down the stairs." My dad declares.

Jake agrees and they start for my room.

I'm glad I finally told them. But what will happen now? Will they be afraid, too? What will my school say? Will I get kicked out because people are scared of me? Will I set off the fire alarms just by going near sensors?

Thoughts race through my head and I go down to my room. I throw on a pair of gloves that I don't care about and start taking my posters down. I bring them all down to the basement and hang them up again. I completely move into the basement. At least I don't have to share with my little brother now.

The room itself is giant. But I feel lonely down here. I've had my little brother share a room since I was 5. When he was born.

I replace all my blankets with fire blankets and a makeshift pillowcase made out of another fire blanket. I don't need to be lighting the place up in my sleep or anything.

I watch tv in my new room for a bit until Jake comes down.

" Hey, little bro. Callum is rearranging his improved room since your gone. Stacy and Jessica are complaining that they can't have their own rooms." He laughs as he looks around.

"Ha. I see I destroyed the balance of bedrooms." I joke.

"Ha. You sure did. So. What do you plan on doing with the other two-thirds of this place?" He wonders.

"I don't know. It's kind of lonely down here though. I've shared a room with Callum for ten years." I explain.

He pauses. "Well. I'll move down here if you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah. One of the girls could take my room and they would stop whining. I could take the other side of the basement then everyone's happy. Even mom and dad. They might be happy that someone's down here to look after you."

"That would be great. Go ask dad."

"OK. I'll be right back."

He comes back down with a bunch of posters from his room and a smile on his face after about ten minutes.

Soon after all of his stuff is moved down and he's setting up his side of the room.

The basement is about half the size of the main floor other than it has lower ceilings. Not too low. Just a few feet. About 10 feet high down here. And 15 up there.

The staircase comes down the center of the basement and ends near the middle of the room, which splits our sides of the room up. The bathroom door is on the wall in front of the staircase.

So this is more than perfect set up for Jake and I.