The Last Elementalist

Chapter 1

People stared as she walked through the marketplace. To them, she looked like just another one of the homeless, only a bit younger. They were not completely wrong either and that was what scared Lielle Thomas as she walked through the many people that crowded the streets of Sierra Vista, in downtown Los Angeles, where her home once stood.

Every night since the day her home burned down, she had been dreaming about it, dreading the next day where she would have to fight to survive.

That night, when Lielle settled in her usual spot behind one of the dumpsters in the ally, she moaned as she cried herself to sleep. She knew that if she fell asleep, all of the bitter memories from a week ago would come flooding back. Out of pure exhaustion from that day, struggling to find food and fresh water, she was out cold only minutes later.

* * * * *

Lielle was walking through the market with Gabriel, whom she had been with for a few months since the end of ninth grade. Lielle had only been twelve when she started high school, but Gabriel was in most of her classes and had felt obligated to make her comfortable being the youngest in the grade. She had skipped sixth grade after learning that the work level was far too simple for her and she had been ahead of her class ever since. The couple had talked for what seemed like hours until Gabriel finally started leading her back home.

They were a block away when they heard the sirens and the panicked screams.

"Maybe we should go," Gabriel urged.

"No. It's probably nothing. Some homeless must have stolen something from the market." Lielle laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time."

He let loose a strained laugh before they continued up the block to see that Lielle's theory had been completely wrong. As they walked further down the block, they saw a burning house, flames shooting in every direction far above them.

"What's going on?" Lielle asked, confused, as there had rarely been fires where they lived, despite the nearby wildfires from surrounding cities.

"Let's try to find out," Gabriel responded.

They kept on walking to the end of Avenue 25 and found the house at the back of the dead end blazing. Through the smoking fire, they watched as firemen fought the deadly flames that were burning down the Thomas home.

Lielle watched in horror. What happened to her family? What would happen to her if they didn't get out? How could she get used to anywhere other than the home she had lived her entire life?

At these thoughts, Lielle ran as fast as she could, Gabriel hot on her heels. She reached a fire truck and found the nearest officer. As she approached, she could feel her heart racing, panicked and fearful.

"Excuse me, miss," the officer barked, "I am going to have to ask you to leave this area."

"But, sir-" Lielle started.

"Don't give me excuses, miss. As you can see, we are dealing with a situation right now."

Lielle did not care what the police had to say anymore. She just ran closer to her burning home dashing toward another fireman who was talking to a nurse from the nearest ambulance. The police called after her, but Lielle continued to run. The fireman looked her way as she ran right past him and started to talk at rapid fire.

"Is anyone hurt?" she asked, more scared than ever.

"This hardly concerns you-"

"Please, sir, I live here. My family was home. Are they alright?"

The fireman, nurse and police who had now caught up with her all gave her a look of pity. The nurse took her by the shoulders and steered her toward the nearest ambulance. On the cot lay her mother, her beautiful once waist length hair, the same as Lielle's, brown with golden highlights, burnt to her shoulders. Lielle's lips started to tremble as she looked at her; not moving, not breathing. Hot tears hit her cheek as she was brought to the ambulance across the street. She was now sobbing uncontrollably as she looked at her father's limp body, no longer staring back at her with his brilliant green eyes that she had inherited.