The Fifth Elemental

Chapter 6

This chapter
is dedicated
to those who
continuously provide
constructive criticisms
and support for this book.

++++

burn
/bəːn/

noun
an injury caused by exposure to heat or flame

++++

| Chapter 6

Gale

I woke up to the sound of soft, careful knocks on the door. I checked the time on my phone, having to do it twice because of not paying attention the first time.

I stood up from my bed, feeling the cold surface of the wooden floor, and walked slowly towards the door.

"Coming." I managed to say loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. Upon opening the door, I was surprised to see Lena, dressed up at 7 am in the morning. "That's.. a surprise." I spoke, with the right amount of smirk to tick her off.

"That, too." She said, looking up and down at me, and proceeding to roll her eyes.

I threw the door at her as I realized I was only wearing a pair of boxer briefs, running to the dresser located next to the restroom. She stopped the door from closing, went in and sat on my bed as she laughed watching me suffer from fitting on a pair of skinny jeans.

"You're too much to handle for a Saturday morning." I threw a white shirt on and faced her.

"Then why have I been summoned?" She looked at me with the tint of annoyance she somehow always manages to keep.

"I'm hungry." She said, looking down as she fondled the hem of her over sized sweat shirt.

"Can't you cook, princess?"

"I just wanna eat outside." She replied with a pout - something she may be doing subconsciously. She wasn't the kind of person to do it on purpose.

"Spoiled much" I said and smiled, grabbing my favourite denim jacket. I walked to the door, opened it, and showed her the way out. "I'll see where I can take you."

And there it was, a rare moment. She smiled, with no sarcastic intent nor a snide remark - not even her infamous eye roll.

She smiled.

And this time, with genuine happiness.

She stood up from the bed and out the door, the two of us making our own ways down a flight of stairs.

Passing by the kitchen, we mumble our goodbyes - earning a wink from Reva and none at all from Laurence, as Lena pulled me hurriedly out the house.

It was later on that I realized she was pulling me towards my motorcycle.

"No no no no no no no..." I tried to tell her, but she wouldn't resist. "We're going through car."

"Ugh. Just one ride. You've barely let me out of the house. Besides, I'm with you anyway."

"We're using the car." I said, walking towards the 4 wheel vehicle that would most likely keep her safe.

"I'm dizzy because of hunger and car sickness won't help." I looked at her with questioning eyes. She wasn't dizzy, nor does she have car sickness. We drove for hours to get to Egypt and she had no complaints whatsoever.

But in the midst of all that, she wasn't going to drop this. She wasn't about to make it any easier for me.

"Fine." I grabbed the helmet and handed it to her, grabbing another one for myself. I sat on the motorcycle, waiting for her to do the same. I started the engine, but didn't drive off. I looked back, seeing eyes filled with both excitement and courage.

"Hold." I managed to speak despite the helmet blocking my lips.

And when she put both her arms around my empty stomach, I drove my way to much needed breakfast.

----

"Take out, please." Lena glared at me with passion, and all I could do was smile apologetically.

"You just have to torture me, don't you?" She rolled her eyes, walking out of the restaurant and waiting by the motorcycle. I took the food and paid, heading towards her.

"I'm showing you around." I spoke, smiling at her. "You haven't gone sight seeing - I'm basically the only pretty thing you've seen so far." I added with a wink, silently telling myself to avoid another flirtatious remark - I really need to stop being a jerk.

"I'm hungry." She spoke with a hint of fatigue. Just 10 more minutes and we're eating, I promise.

"I'd tell you to eat me but you'd burn your tongue." I spoke, again, slapping another one of those 'stop being a jerk' notes in my head.

"Why don't you just drive me to wherever the heck you wanna go so I can start stuffing my face with the fried rice." She said and took her helmet.

"I shall."

We arrived at the lake-side park and sat on the bench closest to the lake. "Isn't it beautiful?" I asked with a new found amazement.

"The food, yes." She opened the packaging, took a spoon and started munching her way to satisfaction.
-----

I walked into Lena's room, more exhausted than I should be. "Rest, we have training tomorrow." I spoke - She seemed to be too tired to protest.

And just as the silence grew stronger, driving me into opening the door to leave - she started screaming.

I turned swiftly around, seeing her kneeling on the wooden floor, trying to reach out and get a hold of something, anything - as she screamed in sudden agony.

I could see her upper back shed skin as it burned with seemingly hot fire. It was as if a knife was cutting her from the inside, the blade making its way to the surface of her skin. It created forms I could not fathom, and all I could do was kneel down beside her and scream for help, trying to keep her consciousness.

I could feel the heated sensation from just her screams, I could feel it burn.

She took a hold of me, her eyes about to give up as the pain started to overtake her senses. "It hurts." She screamed, then said, then whispered. It was painful to hear, but it was better than silence.

"What happened?!" I heard Reva say as she and Laurence barged in the door. She kneeled down beside me, scanning Lena with worried eyes.

She was unconscious, a hopeful sign that the pain stopped.

And that's when I saw it. The cuts - it sent a message.

Pain always has been Aiden's favourite form of art.

Alphabet, as wounds - written across Lena's upper right back, forms that took shape with crimson blood. Murderous calligraphy.

'Found you.'

-------------------------
A/N
I'M SO SORRY FOR THE REALLY REALLY REALLY LATE UPDATE.

I just moved a grade higher and coping is not the easiest. Thank you for the reads, comments and votes.

I'll try to update much faster and make the chapters longer next time.

Love, penname