The Cause

1

The ashes fell like snow around me. I watched the flames dance before me as the firefighters rushed trying to put it out. My family burned inside. I had caused it. I had set the house on fire. It was no accident either. They deserved what they got. I had caused their deaths and I felt no remorse. They were my flames not the flames of some lighter. Those flames belonged to me. I was always different. My family had made it a point to show me I was every day. They ignored me like what was wrong with me could be caught just as the flue is. I was like the plague to them. They talked a lot of sending me to a place where I wouldn't be different but I didn't want to leave no matter how they treated me. This house was my home. I had grown up here. They had drove me to the point of destroying my own home. They all deserved to rot in hell. I came to the realization that I would now be forced to leave. My mind began to swirl and ache. The warmth of the flames reached my body, calming me, reminding me I was safe in its presence. There was a hand on my arm suddenly. I was spun so that I now faced a tall, muscular man in a police officer uniform. "Are you the only survivor?" the man asked me. "Does it look like anyone else survived?" I asked him, gesturing to the burning house behind me. The man looked at me, his eyes showing that he was not phased by my remark. "What is your name, child?" he asked. "Vesta Cypres and I'm not a child. I'm nearly an adult." I said almost hurt by his assumption that I was a child. "Well then girl, how old are you?" he asked amused by my reaction. "I'm 17, Sir." I said, hiding my emotions from him as best I could. He pulled out a note pad and a pen to quickly scribble something down then shoved the pen and pad back into his pocket. He began pulling my along roughly by the arm around the other police officers and firefighters. I repeatedly tried to pull my arm from his grasp. He eventually got sick of my resistance and turned to face me. "Who do you think you are to resist a police officer, girl?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Who do you think you are to handle me like I'm an animal?!" I shouted causing others to look at us. "She was just kidding please go about your business." he said to them. They all returned to what they were doing and he violently grabbed my wrist and began pulling me along again. This time I didn't resist and allowed myself to be lead around like a dog. He lead me to a police car and then let go of my wrist. I held it up and examined the fresh bruises on it. It wouldn't take long for them to heal. He stood in front of me, watching my every move. I moved my arm with one quick movement and all I heard was the loud crack of the back of my hand hitting his cheek. In the instant my skin touched his I let one burst of fire go through my hand and what was left on his cheek was a huge burn mark. He dropped to the ground on his knees with both hands clasped over his cheek. "You should not have treated me like that. Now that you understand the consequences of handling me like an animal would you like to start over?" I asked him while holding out my hand. Slowly, he took it and I helped him up. He dusted off his clothes and looked at me as though what happened was normal. "They'll definitely like you." he said pulling a first aid kit out of his police car. "Who will like me? Also who the hell are you?" I asked very confused. "I ,young lady, am your escort. The government decided it would be best that you be transported somewhere safe, where you could develop your powers and use them for good. My name is Officer Johnson. You can call me Jeff." he said holding his hand out to shake mine. I ignored the gesture. "Who is going to like me?" I repeated. "You'll see. Get in kid." he said, moving around the car to sit in the drivers seat. I got in the car trusting Jeff. I'm not sure why but I did.