Red (Book One of Inferno) [ON HOLD, SEE AUTHORS NOTE]

Prologue

Prologue – July 2009

“Alright, out, ya brats!”

The man (Addam, I think it was) opened the doors of the van and waved us out.

The other guy, who was definitely younger than me, huffed. “We aren't brats. I am thirteen years old.”

Addam just chuckled. “You're a brat if I want you to be, okay, Sash'?”

Sasha rolled his eyes and helped the two girls out of the van with their bags.

“How about we get acquainted with Greg here,” – crap, that’s me – “while I run up and let Searlus know we’re here? And,” he added quietly with a laugh, “uh, tell ‘im sorry for taking the car.”

The blonde girl (hadn’t caught her name) widened her eyes. “You mean you got us without permission?”

“Let’s just say that despite my age, I’m not technically a licensed driver…”

The girl’s jaw dropped, and Sasha laughed harder than he maybe would have normally. His little sister just giggled beside him, adjusting the bandana around her forehead.

Addam shrugged sheepishly, grinning, before waving and walking down some kind of path leading into the camp. “I’ll be back in a minute!”

Sasha’s sister giggled again before turning to us. “So what does ‘acquainted’ mean?” she asked.

“It means to meet, kind of,” Sasha replied.

“Oh!” She looked at me happily. Her short hair swung with every head turn – which was a lot. “Well, hello Greg! My name is Lynelle and I’m nine. My element is Weather.” She stuck out her hand and I shakily grasped it for a brief second. “Your turn, Sasha!”

Sasha grinned at me. “Okay, Lyn. I’m Sasha Sypress. This one’s cousin here,” he nudged Lynelle, and I hummed to myself. They seemed more like siblings. “We were at that ministry home until Addam came a few days back. Now, I wanna ask you something.”

My stomach shrank.

“Um…okay?”

Sasha tilted his head would-be-innocently. “What in heaven’s name happened to you?”

The blonde girl swatted his arm and I pulled my red hood further over my bandaged scalp, as if it was even remotely possible to hide the burned flesh.

“Sasha, that’s not something you just ask people,” the girl said angrily. I rubbed my arm awkwardly – she didn’t even know him until yesterday, so why was she correcting him like this?

“I can’t help it!” Sasha exclaimed. “Poor guy looks like his head was stuck in a microwave. Doesn’t even have eyebrows for –”

I tuned him out without meaning to, fighting the stinging in my eyes.

Eventually Lynelle yanked his long hair to shut him up. He puffed and mumbled an apology. “Okay, just introduce yourself then. Minimum stuff. What’s your name and age?”

I struggled with my voice for a second. “Gr-Greg Alvarez. Fourteen.”

“Do you know your element?” the blonde girl asked, much gentler.

I closed my mouth and looked down.

Eventually… “I-It’s…it’s um…fi…”

No!

The memories flashed back as the word ran through my mind.

Burning.

Silvery flames. That man. Mom, Dad, Bella –

I bit my lip.

“Fire,” the blonde girl completed quietly.

...I nodded.

...