The Elemental Four [Editing]

[Caution: Inappropriate Language] Thanks so much to TheScrub for the amazing editing!

I didn't want to do it, but I had no choice anymore. It was out of my hands. The rain poured down around us as I took a deep breath, and thrust the knife into their stomach, hard. I winced as I saw the shocked agony blooming in their eyes. 

I didn't want it to end like this, but it was the only way to save them from a far worse fate. The only way to save anything at all. They looked at me again; wet eyes filled with mingled pain and sadness, and sank to their knees. The rain kept falling, as though the heavens themselves were mourning what had happened here.

"I'm sorry" I whispered.

Three years earlier

I was running down the hall as fast as I could, breath rasping in my throat. The only things keeping me going were the fear in my heart and the thump of foot steps behind me. I turned left, then right; and then hit a dead end.

My blood ran cold. 

I turned slowly, knowing there was no escape, but still terrified beyond measure to meet his eyes. Then hot breath tickled my face, and a grisly chuckle reverberated around my head. 

“Open your eyes, Zeya…”

I sat up, breathing heavily, the last echoes of the chuckle blending into the low hum of my alarm clock.  I wiped sweaty strands of hair off my face, still feeling the heart-stopping tension of that nightmarish chase.  I glanced over at my clock, saw that it was noon already, and forced myself out of bed.     

The shower water was warm, and felt great against my skin.  My initial reluctance to get out of bed soon wore off; I wryly reflected that no matter how much I balked at having a shower, I always felt better once I did.  It took me only a few minutes to dry off and throw on some suitable clothes.  I raced down the stairs and into the kitchen, not bothering to have breakfast.   

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Mom asked, flicking her coffee-coloured hair out of her eyes.  I ignored her question for a moment, realising that I’d forgotten my car keys.

"I'm late, Mom!” I responded after a moment of frantic searching.  “I’m going out with Chelsea and a few friends, sort of as a mid-year get-together.  But I can’t find my keys!" I lifted up a cereal packet to look under it, cursing my luck.  Mom laughed, and I heard a familiar jingle.  I whirled around, and almost jumped for joy when I saw the silver car keys dangling from her hand.    

"What would you do without me?" She teased, tossing me the keys. My mom was pretty much perfect, and with her small, lithe figure and navel-length hair, she’s the kind of woman that makes heads turn when she walks in a room; to be honest, I get a bit annoyed with it sometimes.  Compared to her, I look like an adopted ape.    

"I don't know" I laughed as I fumbled the catch. I grabbed my phone and wallet off the bench, and dashed out the door, throwing a hasty “See you later, mom!” over my shoulder.

By the time my battered white Mustang pulled up to the restaurant, I was fifteen minutes late.  Three red lights, a nearby police car and a stupid old woman who didn’t understand that a turning lane was for turning had all played a part in my late arrival.

"Finally!" Chelsea exclaimed, looking vaguely irritated as I got out of my car. 

"I know! I know! I'm so sorry!"  She ran a hand through her honey-coloured ponytail, smiling faintly at my cringing apology.

"Well, you’re lucky. Adam here was late too, so we had to wait for him anyway." I looked at Adam and he threw me a guilty smile. I gave Chelsea and Amanda a quick hug before we headed inside. We walked over to an aluminium table, the shiny surface smudged with finger marks and grease. As everyone sat down, I groaned.

"I left my wallet in the car! I'll be right back."  Chelsea just grinned and shook her head. I walked outside and opened the Mustang’s door, grabbing my wallet off the passenger seat. I slammed the door shut harder than I intended, and I winced at the thunderous noise it made. I glanced around; hoping no-one had witnessed my unintentional stupidity. 

It was then that I saw him. 

You know those people who are special?  The ones who stand out in a group, the ones your eyes are instinctively drawn to?