To Be Burned

Chapter 5

“Alright, to get a full understanding of a person you don’t exactly need to know everything about a person. You just have to be able to relate and connect to them. So I’m giving you three options. They all have fairly simple lives and I’m going to help you out by opening them up for you a little just because I’m impatient and I want this to be done faster. So first,” I held up a picture of a dark haired girl, with a bad case of acne and yet had a distinct air of confidence, “Celia Brown,” I held up another picture of a girl who looked very similar (distinctly less confidence), “Kyla Brown, twins, and” I held up a picture of a thin faced girl who was arguably the prettiest girl in Watsonville. I probably would argue against that, because I think she looks like a cow. But maybe that’s just me seeing the bitch inside shine through, “Jenny Binks.”

“Wait. Jenny Binks? She’s one of the people you understand? WTF, You and her are complete opposites.”

“And yet, not so much. She actually has the classic bitch story, you know, like she has a good reason. Whatever, she still looks like a cow,” I mumbled that last part under my breath.

“Looks like a what?”

“Nothing. Who do you pick?”

“Well, I think the twins should count as one person, seeing as-“

“Well, that kind of thinking is what makes them complete opposites actually. They have literally tried to change everything about themselves. Typical twin story. These should be no problem. If you know any cliche’s at all, you’ll be fine.”

“Way to support the cliche, Vyri.”

I gave her a look. You know the one I’m talking about.

“Choose one, Willow.”

“Why do you even have to ask? I don’t give a fuck about the Brown twins. Jenny Binks rules the school.”

“So you choose her not for the power she could give you, but for all the good you think you could help her with, yes?”

Willow smiled, “Of course.”

“Willow this is serious. You can’t abuse the power that I’m giving you. This is so important and you have to understand that. You cannot use this for personal gain. Now, you can watch as I conned with her and help open her up a bit.”

Willow looked sheepish, but she seemed glad enough for he opportunity to watch me work. I’d never connected before while someone else was watching. It was extremely stressful.

I lit my candle with ease, that was not the hard part. My ball was warm as I clutched it tightly to my chest, chain still dangling around my neck. I focused on Jenny’s face, that undeniably pretty face (because honestly, the cow part was just my imagination). The face floated behind my closed eyelids and as I focused on everything that made her, her, my ball became hotter and hotter until it burned my hands to touch it.

Behind that perfect face I could see all the sucky things in her life, the verbally abusive father who told her she was never good enough, the workaholic mother that was always traveling. I hate it when I feel guilty about hating someone.

Then it clicked. I could feel her, not inside me, but with me, together. She was at work, she worked at some fashion store in a local strip mall. She was grumbling about how her boss had her dusting. Boo hoo.

Sorry, that was cruel. I can feel her frustration and I understand why. She likes getting upset at the little things so as to divert focus from the real ones. Fair enough.

I opened my eyes to see Willow staring at me, but I could also see the inside of Watsonville Elite, the store where she worked. Willow’s eyes bore into mine then glanced at the quickly fading light coming from my hands.

Her mouth moved to form words, but I could hear nothing. No sound during the connection. 

Everything moved slower while you were connected so my hands seemed sluggish as I opened them to reveal the ball which had grown hair, a body, arms and legs. I had a tiny limp, exact replica of Jenny Binks, lying in my hand. 

I focused strongly on Willow in my mind and how I could tell her anything, and never lie. How when I pictured Willow’s face I couldn’t even think of lying. But those weren’t my thoughts. I slowly pushed the thought away from me and to Jenny, both the tiny one in my hand and the one at work. Pushing it wasn’t enough though, I had to go in and imbed the thought there. Which was much harder. I pushed and pushed, which hurt. It hurt my head and I could feel the physical ache, from the force at which I applied this one thought. If I applied it over a long period of time, simply putting it there once a day, it would be stronger, but I didn’t have the time.

I severed the connection quickly as soon as my job was done. I didn’t want to stay there any longer then I had to. Too much pain there. I probably should have given Willow a lighter option.

“Willow, you have a car right?”

“Wait, you aren’t going to explain to me what just happened?”

“Nope, we’re going to the mall.”

“I have no idea how long I’ve waited to here you say that.”

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Sorry, sat down and started this like an hour ago so its not very good, I don't have a lot of time to write so I apriciate you hanging in there with me! I'll update more next Wednesday.