The Elementals: The Rise of the Deviants

Chapter 2

Chapter two

Staring at the ceiling in the dark, Same old empty feeling in your heart
'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast, Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep, 'Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep

Well you only need the light when it's burning low, Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low, Only hate the road when you're missing home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go

Passenger – Let Her Go

[Derrek’s POV]

I felt like the remnants of a dying camp fire as the rain drizzled down on me. I don’t know how long I stood staring down at Max’s grave stone, and I had no idea why I was here... again. The past fortnight had been torture. Not knowing where the hell Val and Cara was, yet knowing Val, at the very least, was alive. For the past week I had begun to make the forty-five minute drive to the cemetery where Max was buried and would talk to him about any new information or thoughts I had on the search for Val.

I don’t know why I felt indebted to do so, but in the back of my mind thoughts of Max sacrificing himself so that I could love and take care of Val would haunt me. I felt like I had failed him and his death was all for nothing... I sighed and tightened my coat while pulling my hood lower over my face. I hated rain.

“Mr Obsidian still won’t let me search for Val and Cara” I grumbled at the dirty white gravestone. “I’m so close to burning half the campus down again just as a distraction so I can start the search while they’re busy” I kicked at the soggy weeds.

The day Val and Cara went missing I immediately searched for Helena and the other Elementals in case I was, by some chance, wrong. They were just as horrified as I was and Cameron knocked an entire wall down in anger. We ran straight for Mr Obsidian, I wasn’t sure if we did it for his help or to tell him we were leaving to look for Val and Cara. He completely denied us leaving.

“Derrek, the Elementals are barely able to stay here as it is. The Control is searching for the shadow and as soon as it’s located they will be returning for them too. If you leave and they return to find that you have all gone missing... I can’t even imagine the consequences of those actions. Besides, we have no idea what Malum has up his sleeve... if he was able to walk into the campus and take both Cara and Valerie then he must be surrounded by very powerful Elementals for him not to be afraid of getting caught. I’m sorry, I truly am, but until The Control has gathered the Elementals no one is going anywhere” I remembered Mr Obsidian state apologetically, yet firmly.

It was after that, that I went on a slightly too big of a burning spree. Half the campus went up in flames within half an hour and it took three Water-abled teachers to freeze me long enough for me to gather some sense. I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes tightly. It was all these Elementals’ fault. First the ones with Malum, then the shadow and even the four remaining good ones here. Val could be on the edge of being dead. My Stinger abilities were practically useless and I was beginning to think that my knowledge of the two girls being alive was a gut instinct instead.

“I’ve gone through the history books over and over again until I felt as though my eyeballs might drop out and even though I’ve managed to nullify the majority of possible Stinger hide outs I have no idea where they could be” I shoved my fingers through my hair, successfully knocking my hood back and messing up my hair as the rain soaked into it quickly. “I’m stuck! I feel useless and I have no idea what the hell I’m even doing!”

It occurred to me that I was shouting at a grave stone and I growled in frustration. Trails of rain were running my face and I scowled, pulling my hood back up again and standing straight up. “Help me out, man” I whispered, “You were so good at doing that... I’m not good at helping. I’ve only ever looked out for myself and now there are two lives that seem to be hanging on my shoulders”