World Wanderer

The sound of water running over small stones and people chattering surrounds me as I lay on the ground. A blazing red fire to my right and my friends, Alexander, Elise, Makenna, Grant, and Marissa to my left. They were talking about a girl in our year that wore a shirt that was too slutty... as if that mattered. Let the girl wear what she wants, it's not like she is hurting anyone by wearing what she enjoys. I think to myself. Slowly I get up from my position on the hard ground and tilt my head to look over at my group of friends clustered by the fire, "Hey, do you guys want to go into the water? It could be fun," I suggest. By the looks on their faces, it was clear to see that there was no interest in going for a swim. It was confirmed when Elise spoke up for everyone, "Really Cora? We don't have bathing suits and it is way too cold. If we get our hair wet it would get all crusty as well! No way are we going into that," she motions to the rough waves crashing on the shore. I sigh with frustration, this always happens. All they want to do is sit and do nothing or gossip about nothing that even concerns us. Isn't there more to life than that? I really do hope so... "What about just going for a walk down by those rocks? Maybe there will be something interesting," I try again but this time no one even acknowledges it. It hurts, it really does. Sometimes I feel like I may as well be a ghost to them. My friends... usually, when people think of their friends it is a happy image but for me, it is often exhausting. Sometimes I don't even want to put the effort into them, but in the end, they did take me into their group. Without them, I would be absolutely nothing. I wish that wasn't true but there is no one else in this small town that I can remotely relate to, this will always be as close as it gets. I look into the fire and watch the violently dancing flames going from left to right.

I look up from the burning light to see trees and bushes surrounding me. Exotic sounds are all around me, engulfing me with their sweet noises. I stand up from my seated state and hear a branch crack behind me, hastily I turn around to see someone running towards me. Turning, I start to sprint away, adrenaline taking over my body, fighting to go faster and faster with each step. My breath was hitching as I spun past tall trees and over their thick roots. Suddenly arms are around my body and a cloth put over my mouth. I feel myself begin to burn up, probably from fear.

The next thing I know I am tied to a chair in a dark and damp room. There wasn't much light apart from the blazing torches hooked to the wall. How medieval, I think to myself. The ropes tied to my hands set ablaze. That's it, I'm going to die! Is all I am able to think to myself. When I realize that I feel no pain from the fire I look down and see it is coming from my hands! Quickly after my hands are released I put them down to my tied up ankles and begin to burn off the rope. The very second I get myself free from the bounds, I run from the gloomy room into a wide open field.

Around the field there are many guards, they all seem alert and ready to attack. I go behind a rock for cover and begin to convey my escape plan. There are a few trees through the grounds and large vehicles scattered around. If I am able to go from one to the other without being noticed, I could get past all of the guards and get to the forest to hide. I get up and approach my starting place, a large boulder, roughly the same shape as a wave. From there I poke my head out from the rocks and scan my surroundings. To my left, there are two tall guards armed with... water guns? I begin to notice that all of them were carrying the same weapon. Scrapping the old plan I decide to just go for it in a sprint, it's not like water will hurt. All those years of track and field better be worth it. A few seconds go by and then I begin to hear footsteps behind me and I take a glance back. All of the guards are coming after me. At first, I am terrified, but soon remember that fire could literally come out of my hands. I turn to shoot flames at them.

As soon as I do I feel a hand pulling me back, "Hey, Cora! What the hell are you doing?" Alexander asks and he pulls me away from the flames. I look at my outreached hand and see it is inches from the flames, clearly about to touch it. "What were you thinking?" Alexander softly asks again, making up for the tone beforehand. "I'm not actually quite sure..." I softly respond, still trying to calm my heartbeat down from the intense beating. What was I thinking? I get pulled from my own thought by Makenna speaking up, "Okay, that is clearly enough of this for the day. Let's all head back to Cora's house so she doesn't get herself killed," Makenna borderline scoffs this. She and I have always had our differences but it is just something I've learned to deal with. "But guys, we haven't even done anything yet! We pretty much just got here and all we have done is sat around and gossiped. Can't we just do something fun for once?" I attempt to plead with them. There is no response but a clear tell of some disgruntled faces. I heave myself up, discouraged and a little confused about why I tried to put my hands in the fire. We hop into our cars and drive back to my house.