Fire

Enemies and Alliances

The red hair didn’t look bad on me actually. Of course, upon examining myself in the mirror I realized I’d also got red dye all over the back of my neck and on both of my ears. Alright, I’d just have to keep my hair down for the next week or so.

Checking out of the hotel I gave the clerk a wide smile, and she stared at me in confusion, “Did you…do something different? You look different.”

I grinned, “nope. Must be your imagination. “

The door swung shut with a bang behind me, and I started down the sidewalk feeling better than I had yesterday. When I slid on the shades that Trent had given me, I felt like no one would recognize the sullen, brown- haired girl from the TV. I needed a computer now, and after popping into another coffee shop I learned from the owner that there were no internet cafes in Sidney, but if I walked far enough down one of the side roads I could find the North Saanich Public Library. They’d have computers there and I’d be able to look up my aunt.

Of course, that idea would only work if my aunt was actually on the internet. I pushed that idea aside quickly. Everyone was on there now, right? Everyone had a blog or twitted or whatever…I mean, aside from me. Aunt Mary probably had a cooking blog or something I would find, and even if it didn’t have her address I could always send her an email and go back to the library later that night.

I started down the side street that the coffee guy had pointed out, eventually passing a couple of small convenience stores. It didn’t take long for me to be out of breath, and I felt stupid at how quickly I was growing tired. My exercise pretty much consisted of PE at school and walking down the street to the dump or the gas station that sold the chips I liked.  I’m living proof that you don’t have to be fat to be completely out of shape. I stopped for a minute, bending sideways to try and get rid of the cramp that was stabbing me in the ribs, and spotted a squat brown building across a baseball field just up ahead. There were white letters on the side of the building, almost too far away to make out, but I was pretty sure that was the library. It just looked like a library.

Cutting across the field was looking like a good idea. There was no one playing baseball there now, and my feet were killing me. The grass felt softer under my sneakers, and I was struck by the sudden urge to take my shoes off and feel it under my toes. That was ridiculous though, it was cold outside.

Who am I kidding though. I kept trying to push the thoughts aside but there it was again. It was cold outside. I could see it in the way my breath rose in frozen clouds above my head. Smoke rose up out of the chimneys of the surrounding houses. But the fact remained; I just didn’t feel the cold. How was it possible that the air around me was cold enough to freeze my breath, but I didn’t feel it? What was happening to my body?

I halted, tilting my head back to look up at the heavy grey clouds. So cold it looked like snow. I pushed the sleeves of my sweatshirt up letting the cold air lick my bare skin. Nothing. No goosebumps, no chills. But it was cold, I knew it was, even though my body was telling me it wasn’t, I could see my breath rising in columns above me.

I was so focused on this, so entranced by my hot breath leaving its mark in the air, that I didn’t see the boy step out of the dugout in front of me until he was only ten feet away. When I finally noticed, a pang of shock hit me. It was the boy from the coffee shop. The one with the dark wavy hair who’d peered over his book at me in such a knowing fashion. Now he was staring at me again, with the same burning intensity. His eyes were startlingly blue, ridiculously blue. My art teacher’s voice was suddenly lecturing in my head “topaz blue, the most vibrant shade”.

Sure, his eyes were topaz. And my brain was clearly turning to mush.

The boy didn’t move. I didn’t move, blink…breath. It seemed like infinite silence was stretching out between us. Something brushed my cheeks, a feathery touch, and my eyes flicked away from the boy for a second, long enough to see it was snowing. Then I was fixed on him again. His dark, curling hair and the way it framed his face. An angular face with olive skin that made his eyes stand out all the more. Snow was falling around him, coming down thicker and faster, but he remained perfectly still. Was my heart doing double time because I was afraid? Or was it because he was absolutely gorgeous?

He wasn’t any more warmly dressed than I was. In nothing but a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and he didn’t shiver, or make any move to try to keep himself warm.

Finally I found my voice, “Who are you?”

Now he stepped closer, “My name is Asher.”

I hesitated, not sure If I wanted him to come any further. What did he want with me? Why was he looking at me like that?

‘Asher,’ I repeated, ‘well, what do you want?” A thought occurred to me suddenly, one that made me back away, “do you work for the police?”

Asher tipped back his head and laughed, a silvery, contagious sound. I glared at him, feeling indignant, like I’d asked a stupid question.

“Why is that so funny?”

He held up his hands, “Sorry, I wasn’t making fun. Look, I think you should come with me. I can explain everything.”

“Explain what?” I took a step back, ‘I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Asher sighed impatiently, ‘look, we don’t have all the time in the world, if you would just come…”

“Explain here,’ I snapped, “I’m not budging from this spot.’

His eyes flashed dangerously, and for a moment I stiffened, thinking I was going to have to run. Then he settled back onto his heels and crossed his arms, nodding slowly, ‘Alright, how do I explain this. Um…well I suppose you’ve had some weird stuff happening to you…what with the fire and all…”

This time I did stiffen, “You know about that. You’ve seen me on the news…” I was ready to bolt if he made any move towards me.

‘We’ve been monitoring you for a long time…”

My mouth dropped open, “What?”

“My people,” he dragged a hand through his hair, eyes flickering back and forth as if he was trying to think of what to say next, “you’re not….you’re not exactly human.’

My stomach dropped abruptly, I felt like I was on some sort of terrifying fair ride being whipped around and turned on my head.

‘you’re crazy…’ I backed away from him, hands held up like I could ward him off, ‘you’re bat-shit…’

‘No, hey wait…’ he looked frustrated, ‘you can’t just leave, you have to come with me.’

‘Stay away from me!’ I turned and ran, fear pumping through me. Behind me he was shouting something, and when I looked back he was jogging across the field after me. Another jolt of panic made me run faster, and then my sneakers hit the pavement, and I was sprinting down the sidewalk as fast as I could with Asher’s voice ringing in my ears.

Adrenaline was thrumming through me, making every muscle sing, making my blood rush in my ears. Each time I looked back he was closer, until I rounded a corner, throwing myself into the turn, and lost sight of him momentarily. Dread was making my chest feel closed and tight. I only had so long before he caught up. He was bigger and stronger than me, and probably way faster.

The sound of screeching tires from the road beside me made me stumble in shock. A blue car had slammed on the breaks just ahead, the window was being rolled down. For a heart-attack moment I thought it must be the police, or someone who was with the boy who was chasing me. To my shock it was Trent who stuck his blonde head out the window and yelled,

‘Jess!  Quick, get in!”

It only took a moment’s thought, and the sound of Asher’s footsteps on the sidewalk behind me, to propel me out into the street, around the side of the blue car and into the passenger seat. Trent stepped on the gas and we sped around the corner. When I glanced in the side mirror I could see Asher standing on the sidewalk behind us, hands in his curly hair, blue eyes wide. He looked seriously pissed. Then his form got smaller and smaller as Trent sped away.

I shut my eyes and gulped in air, trying to wait until my heartbeat was back to normal before I turned to Trent. “Where did you come from? That was amazing timing.”

He hesitated, and when his brown eyes met mine I suddenly realized he must know something I don’t.