Silverlake

Chapter 18

I didn't give him enough time to let him explain or let myself understand what he had said, instead, I I looked to the sky.

Storm clouds gathered, blocking out what little stars were out. He stared up with me, mystified but calm. 

The rain drenched the fires first before soaking both of us. 

"I've got say, you've got talent," he remained still despite the rain and the need to yell over the wind that was picking up.

"Bring me Sterling!" 

"Or what? What will you do?" He sneered. 

Without breaking eye-contact I raised my right hand and flung him backwards into a tree. His body crumpled around the trunk, but quickly he stood back up and regained his poise. 

"Where is Sterling?" Adrenaline coursed and mixed with magic making me feel impenetrable. 

"Your little tricks don't fool me. You don't know what you're doing. Let me teach you." Slowly he stepped towards me and reached a hand out to me while placing his other hand on top of his heart. "That. What you feel right now, that's not any magic, my dear. That's a dark beautiful magic. You should've listened to your friends. Your parents left to keep this town safe from you, but I, we, we won't leave you. You could truly be something amazing." The rain kept tumbling down around us, but I was calmer. He, whoever he was, was truthful. I had something that people wanted, something that they feared. 

"And what about Sterling?" I was intrigued by his offer, but Sterling was what truly mattered. If he knew this man, if he told me what to do, I would do it. 

"How about I take you to him, yes?" I eyed him wearily. 

"Why the sudden change in heart?" 

"Oh Dearest, you really don't know what it would mean to have you on my team." 

I didn't know what to make that into, but I took his outstretched hand and followed him into the building. 

Sterling was here just like he'd said. He was sprawled out against the back wall. His head hung limp against his chest while his hands were held above him tied by an unseen binding. Sweat cradled his hair line, and I knew that he'd fought and he'd tried. 

Letting go of his hand, I stepped gingerly around to the other side of the room. 

"Sterling?" He struggled to lift his head yet still managed to narrow his eyes when he saw me. 

"Oh, babes, I wish you didn't see me like this." That dumb boy made me smile despite the situation. 

"Let's get you down." I looked back towards the mysterious man. He nodded his head slightly and Sterling slumped down onto the floor. I landed onto my knees next to him catching his head before it hit the wall behind him. He coughed and his eyes fluttered as he struggled to sit himself  up on his own. He made it to a somewhat upright position before giving up and breathing heavily. 

"What did you do to him?" I gasped. 

He sprawled out his hands in front of him in a apologetic manner. 

"Reese?" Sterling's upper lit was cut and his throat sounded dry. I didn't let myself think of what might have happened to him. I couldn't. 

"You hurt him?"

"He wasn't complying." He kept his voice even, almost amused. 

"How dare you." Before I knew what I was doing the entire room was spinning around me. My eyes focused on the mysterious man and the world around him burned red. I pictured his face in my head and kept it there as I lifted his body up into the air. His legs kicked involuntarily underneath him as I pinned him against the wall. I felt his breathing grow thicker as if my magic was nothing more than a stretched out entail of my hand. He struggled more and more to catch his breath and for the first time his confidence was shaken. 

I watched as he turned blue and then started to slightly turn back to his normal pale shade. 

"Stop it." Sterling's eyes were on me, and despite him being shaky on his feet, they glowed with surprise and worry. "Let him go."

I paused and let the man fall from the place I had him levitated to. 

"Why did you stop me?" I sounded like a little kid after being told no. 

He shook his head at me. "Really?"

The man got up off the ground slowly rubbing a hand over his neck. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"Was my demonstration not good enough of an answer for you?" Sterling put a hand on my shoulder and turned me around to face him. Despite his weakened state he was still stronger than me. 

"Take a step back. What the hell has gotten into you?" 

"Listen to your boyfriend. Don't you want to know who you're meant to be?" I tried to get out of Sterling's grasp but he wrapped both arms around my waist and held me firmly. 

"I don't want anything from you. I'm fine on my own." I snarled. 

"You'll change your mind, they always do," he winked before hobbling out of the room and disappearing into the night. 

"Let me go," I pleaded with Sterling.

He undid his arms from around me, but never moved his eyes off of me. 

I ran out of the building and back out into the chill of the night. The amusement park was completely dark now and everything seemed to be fading. 

"Where did he go? Where did he go!"

I felt Sterling's presence behind me once more. This time, he caught me as I fell to the ground. I had almost killed a man, and I didn't feel bad about it. Why didn't I feel bad about it?