The Last of the Pure

Sixteen

When we pulled up to the field, Katherine and James were waiting with three people I didn’t recognize. The ten of us rushed through the forest, Samuel and I holding up the end with Serena and Thomas just in front of us.

We ran for a good five minutes before James stopped, shouting for everyone to hold back, and that’s when I saw it. There was a wall of fire about thirty feet ahead, about fifteen people waiting behind, two men in the front with terrifying smiles on their beautiful faces.

“Lucas,” I whispered to Samuel, recognizing one of the two men from my vision of Samuel and his first meetings. It was haunting how much I looked like him.

I guess I realized that he wouldn’t look as old as my dad, but seeing him was even more unbelievable. He looked to be in his early twenties; no way could he have been more than twenty five by human standards. He had dark hair that hung in his face, reaching his shoulders. Even as far away as we were, I could see his eyes, blazing green with the reflection of the fire, and they were looking right at me with his sickening smile.

I felt myself moving closer to him, my steps slowly quickening until I’d surpassed Thomas. It was like a magnet, I had no control over my actions.

I felt a hand wrap around my elbow, tugging me back, I turned quickly to glare at the owner of the hand. My eyes met Samuel’s and I felt furious that he was holding me back.

“Don’t let him inside of your head,” he whispered softly.

As soon as he spoke it was like I’d been broken out of a trance. I felt my face soften and I nodded, stepping back to stand beside him.

‘His powers are based mainly on manipulation,’ I heard Samuel’s voice inside my head and sighed a bit, glad it wasn’t Lucas again. ‘They’re very similar to mine, but a bit like Nate’s as well. If you let him in your head for too long, he can control everything you do and you won’t be able to get him out. Don’t make eye contact and try to keep your mind as closed as possible.’

I nodded, attempting to close myself off as much as possible.

We were stopped, waiting for the fire to extinguish or for them to make the first move when I had a sudden epiphany.

“Thomas,” I grabbed hold of his arm, spinning him to face me. “If I freeze us for long enough, can you put this out? That’s what we’re waiting on, right?”

Thomas smiled, nodding enthusiastically, his eyes flicking to Sam quickly.

“We should all advance,” I told them. “And when the time is right, Thomas and I will put it out, and we can make the first move.”

“Will you be able to hold off long enough?” Serena asked, looking between Thomas and I.

“If Thomas can get it put out in about fifteen seconds, I can,” I looked at Thomas and he just nodded. Then I had another idea. “James,” I looked around, finding him at the front of the group and I made my way to him, standing between him and Katherine. “If Thomas and I get the fire extinguished, you can recreate it, right?”

The smile that overtook his face was brilliant and James nodded.

“So we’ll start that way,” Thomas told everyone. When the time is right, James, Samuel, Nora, and I will step forward, you all won’t feel anything, but we’ll give you the signal and when James puts up the illusion, we’ll charge.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and Samuel looked happy that Thomas had included him, but I guess he assumed he could serve a purpose if anything went wrong.

We all began walking toward the flames, stopping nearly the exact distance Lucas and his group was on the opposite side and I looked at Thomas.

He nodded slightly, giving me a soft smile, and I grabbed hold of his hand, Samuel taking hold of my other and James grabbing Thomas’s from the other side. We began walking a bit closer and I closed my eyes, searching for the currents, and when I found them, I kept my eyes closed.