(Luke)
We began training right after picking up all the branches and sticks. Sensei told me that he wanted me to light the piles of branches on fire, without starting a forest fire. He said that we had to control our thoughts and focus on an emotion. The emotion to focus on is the opposite of the emotion we regularly show. I don’t know what emotion I regularly have. Does boredom count, because being with three girls all day everyday get a bit boring. Probably not. The only other thing I could think was worry. What’s the opposite of worry? What do I feel like everyday? Uncertain, hectic, alone. Okay, calmness we’ll go with calmness. How do I feel calmness. I can’t, I don’t know how. I’ve never felt calm before. Except when I was in that fire, that was calmness. Which is weird because I was engulfed in something that could kill a normal person if they got as close as I did but we already established that none of us are very normal….. It’s insane but true. So I just imagined myself inside the fire. By the time I was out of la la land. Alex was standing next to me with a huge smile on her face. I looked at what I had done, the sticks were on fire and burning marvelously, and not a blade of grass around it was burning!
~What emotion did you focus on, Luke?~
~Calmness~ I replied.
~Good~
(Meghan)
I love all of the different colors, and I really have been missing out on a lot. Alex and Izzy have been showing me different things telling me what the colors are. It’s almost like learning a new language, very confusing and you call something purple that is really yellow, but in the long run it is very worth it. We are all currently training to learn how to use our emotions to control our actions. I was told to go lift the water from the lake above our heads. This could get a little messy…..We were all told to focus on the opposite emotion we usually have. I like to think I’m usually a happy and cheerful person. So the opposite would be depressed and unhappy. Looks like I get to think of like what everyone else thinks when they need to be sad. Their puppy that has passed away, but all I’ve had is a gold fish... I try that that but it doesn’t work, the only thing that happens it a little wave that erupted from the middle of the lake. So what else could i think of to make me sad? So what is the saddest thing I can recall? Obviously Luke's love life! Or Tunay murdering my parents. I try to move the water and I place it directly over Luke who is currently trying to corral the campfire. I put the fire out, without a drop getting on anyone. And I got to see it all!
(Alex)
Well I guess its my turn now, great now I can embarrass myself in front of them, again. That’s the way I always feel. I’ve always been made fun of for being deaf, people mock me, and tell me how stupid I am. So I’ve always been a little self-conscious. Okay so opposite of self-conscious… Confidence, that’s what I need, confidence. Easier said than done…. Where do I start? What makes me feel confident? Knowing that my siblings won’t judge me. And even though random people say that I’m stupid, doesn’t mean it’s true and they will never know why this family is truly messed up! Matalino said to go and try to make a bush so that’s what I did. I tried, and tried, and tried. I couldn’t do it. Was I focusing on the wrong emotion? Was I just not focusing enough? I don’t understand. But then I hear the roar of thunder. I mistook it for the sound of roots growing in the ground. Then lightning strikes the fifth cabin that we met Matalino in, the cabin catches fire instantly. Meghan quickly uses the techniques she had learned only 5 minutes ago and lifts the water from the lake onto the fire. Then lightning strikes the ground near the cabin Meghan went into, it was closest to the lake. The strike leaves a path for water to pass into the cabin and it instantly begins flooding the first room with water. Luke starts a small fire large enough to boil all the water away without catching the cabin on fire. The lightning strikes again onto the cabin that Izzy entered. It catches fire and Izzy creates a vortex around the cabin, it sucks all the air away from the fire. No air, no fire. I have never felt so useless. This isn’t helping build my confidence. Then I see a huge strike of lightning coming down from the clouds above. Its like the world went into slow motion. It was headed straight for Meghan, in my head I ran over and tackled her. But that is not at all what happened. Then I hear a huge bang and cracking and smell burning. Wait I heard it, that means I used my powers. But I didn’t, did I? I open my eyes, I did! I made a tree, the tallest tree I’ve ever seen. And it was right next to Meghan. The bulk of the branches draped high above Meghan’s head, forcing the lightning to strike the tree instead of Meghan. I actually did it! But what emotion. Fear… I was so scared of losing Meghan and her getting hurt, but that’s the emotion Izzy used. Are her and I that much alike?
~Matalino, what’s going on?~ Izzy asked screaming over the sound of rain, thunder, and high wind
~It’s Tunay!~
~The man who killed our parents?~ I asked
~Yes, he must be trying to distract you, or kill you~
~What do we do?~ Izzy screams
~We need to hide~
We all run into the woods that have been surrounding the entire campsite. Lightening following us with every step. Luke trips and lightning strikes leaving a huge cloud of dirt and leaves obstructing our view of him.
