Girls On Fire (formerly known as Rebel Rebel)

Rebel Rebel

REBEL REBEL

Chapter 1

The Meteor

Sweetwater was once just a quiet, quaint little town that wasn’t famous for much.  Until the day the meteorite came.  Three girls, best friends, were walking home from school when it fell from the heavens.

Nikita Rice was an ambitious girl with high hopes of attending an Ivy League school after graduating from high school.   She was the tallest of the three girls with a long pleat of dark hair dangling down her back and her deep set eyes were of mocha brown, flecked with hazel.

The second girl was Megan Archer, she had dreams of making a name for herself too, but not quite the same as Nikita.  Megan dreamt of becoming a famous and loved actress.  She had spent most of her youth flaunting her good looks, curly blonde hair, blue eyes and perfect smile in beauty pageants.

Whereas, the third girl, Ruth West, was nothing like her two good friends.  Ruth was eccentric, wild and crude.  Many thought that Nikita and Megan could tame Ruth’s personality, but they failed to see that it was Ruth’s eccentricities that they loved best about her.  Her hair was brown, short and spiky, her heart shaped face was freckled and her eyes were grass green.

The girls often went Downtown, after school, to Megan’s aunt Lori’s restaurant for dinner.  None of their parents were particularly skilful cooks and more often than not they called in Chinese or Pizza for dinner instead.  It was one, clear Thursday afternoon when Lori sat down to take supper with the girls when they discussed the possible sighting of the meteorite.

“Newsmen on the radio claim we’ll see it around seven tonight.” Lori said, thumbing in the direction of the radio.

“I’ve never seen a meteor before.  This will be so exciting.” Nikita said enthusiastically.

“The only good that can come of this meteorite is if it falls down and wipes out this backwater town.”

“Really, Ruth!” Lori exclaimed.  “You’re scaring the clientele.”

“I’m really looking forward to it.  I mean, we rarely see stars and now we’re going to see a meteorite!” Megan said beaming.

“We’re all going up to the roof top to watch it, do you want to join us?”

“I can’t, I need to get my homework done tonight.  It’s due in tomorrow.”

“We can watch out for it on the way home.” Megan added reassuringly.

“Well, I suggest you head down to Circle Park.  It should be a lot less busy there.  Most folks that have come in here I’ve heard saying they’re going down to watch it from the Gazebo.”

“Circle Park it is then.” Nikita said, putting down money for the bill.

Although it was a clear night there was a chill wind running down Main Street and the girls pulled their scarves and coats tighter around them when they left.

“Thanks for the food, Miss Archer.” Nik and Ruth waved goodbye to Lori.

“I’ll see you this weekend, Megan.  You’re uncle Marc is coming into town.” Lori called back.

“Ok, see you later.” Megan waved back.

“Where’s your uncle Marc from?” Nik asked.

“Mississippi.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s okay but not fond of kids.  He kind of keeps to himself most of the time…”

“Guys, look up!” Ruth interjected, pointing at the sky above Circle Park.

The sound of applause and cheers from nearby streets and buildings rent the air as a massive, fiery blue ball appeared in the air.  Behind it was a thin, narrow trail of electric blue fire.  The girls oohed and aahed as the blue fire got brighter and brighter until….

The air got warmer, humid, and blue sparks fell to the ground lighting up Circle Park with dancing blue waves of fire before the girls looked up to see the meteorite hurtling closer and closer yet to where they stood.  The cheering, clapping and wolf whistles soon changed to screams and cries of outright terror but none compared to the chilling sounds coming from the only three girls in Circle Park trying to get away from the blue blaze and the ever nearer meteorite.

They stood near the middle of the circle and only turned to run when the meteor was less than a few miles above them.  Megan stumbled on the hem of her trousers and fell to the ground as some of the flames snaked itself around her leg like lava hot, blue serpent.

“Run!” she cried at the other two when they came to her aid.

“Get up.” Ruth shouted back.  “Come on, we’re gonna die here!”

Nikita screamed.  “I’m on fire.”  Ruth swatted at her coat all the while trying to pull Megan to her feet.

Smaller rocks from the meteor had started to fall like raining blue lava and Ruth shrieked as one flew over her head.

“Get outta here.” Megan shrieked.

“Move it.” Nikita cried as more rocks fell around them.

Dodging as best they could they saw the meteor was only a mile away.

“Ruth, move!” Nikita shouted.

Ruth fell to the ground as one of the smaller rocks hit her full in the face whilst another scraped Megan’s left eye.  Both girls went down in shrieks of agony and left Nikita the only girl standing.  She stood frozen to the ground when the sound of a nearby fire engine came shrieking down towards Main Street but stopped about two miles away.

Through tears in her eyes she could see the truck backing away down the street to keep a safe distance between them and Circle Park.  Looking down at her now still friends, Nikita knew that they were doomed.  Her sobs quietened as she tilted her head to the heavens and all she saw was blue.