Burnt (Book One in the Elementals Saga)

Chapter Three

Hello readers! I would like to thank you all for reading my story, which isn't very good, and for continuing to read! I haven't updated in a few weeks so tonight I'll be posting (hopefully) three chapters.
Thanks!

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For a few moments the world seemed to wash away. It seemed to disappear out of existence. But then the pain slapped me back into reality.

I let out a small moan. That fall had definitely not been good for my health. I'm sure I had a broken rib or two. And the numbness in my hand couldn't be good.

Shit.

I attempt to pull myself up, but my injuries  notify me that I can't. A hand wraps around my neck and yanks my body upward so my feet are now dangling in the air and I'm eye to eye with a red-haired boy with a cruel smile.

"Aren't you just a little letdown?" He smirks, his brown eyes scanning me. There's a look on his face that reminds me of a farmer looking at cattle. Like he's trying to figure out if I'm of any use. If I'm worth anything.

His expression tells me I'm not.

"So," he says, "who are you?"

I glare at him. "I don't need to tell you anything."

He cocks his head to the side, a playful smile on his face. His hand releases my neck and plop down onto the ground. I scramble up, not wanting to make myself seem weak. He's already taller than me.

I study his face, wondering how he found me. I notice that, like his hair, his eyes have a sort of orangish glow.

"Name's Blaze-" he offers his hand but I ignore. "-and I've been looking for you a long time."

The hair on the back of my neck stand up. There's a smoothness to his words that tell me he isn't lying. Of course, that would mean he's telling the truth, which in turn, would mean that my years invested in staying invisible have amounted to nothing. But there is a slim chance he's insane.

I'll go with that.

"Why have you been looking for me?" I ask, backing up slowly.

"Because," Blaze answered, taking a few steps towards me, covering the distance I just created. "I need you."

Holy crap, he's actually insane.

I swing my fist and it connects with his shoulder. I take off, zigzagging between trees. Dead leaves crunch under my weight, informing me that I am not being very quiet. I pick up my pace hoping that I can outrun him to Dorhaven. I might lose him the crowds. Even if I don't, I can always ask-

"Shit!" I scream. My foot caught on a root, and now I'm sure that my ankle is twisted. I try to pick myself up but my ankle can't hold up against the pressure. I slam into the ground, once more.

I hear a snort behind me.

I've lost my advantage and he knows it.

He's sauntering over to me, enjoying his easy victory. He stops for a second, studying me. He clasps my ankle ("CAN YOU NOT!") and jerks me back. He uses his foot to flip me over. I stare at his smug smile, loathing him.

"Like I was saying," he says casually. " I need you. You need me. Now, what the hell is your name?"

"Jonathan." I lie, not hesitating. Blaze examines me for several seconds. Then he shrugs.

"Okay Johnny," he crouches over, grabs my shoulders, and pulls my face so close to his that I can feel his breath on my cheeks. He stays silent, placing a serious mood over us like a blanket.

"What do you know about fire?"

I laugh. He raises his eyebrows, as if he can't see anything even remotely humorous.

"What?"

"That was very anticlimactic."

"Sorry?"

"No prob."

"Anyways," Blaze drawls, "What's your answer?"

I shrug. "Fire burns stuff."

"Have any personal experiences with fire burning stuff, Jonathan?"

Michelle's screams fill my ears momentarily. Blaze smiles.

"N-nope." I stammer, but its useless. He's caught me. Strangely, I can't tell if this is a bad thing.

"Let me tell you something," Blaze brings my face tortuously close to his again. "I know your name isn't Jonathan. I know you're hiding something. And I know why you sleep in that tree.

"You killed them didn't you?" His eyes bore into mine. I fell my breathing quicken. There's a burning sensation in the pit of my stomach that I haven't felt since...

"You killed your family."

His words slam into me. I can feel the tears. They want to escape. They want to run free. But I won't let them.
I am not weak.

"I didn't kill them!"  I scream. "It wasn't me!"

"Then how to you explain that?"

My eyes follow to where he's pointing to and I find myself staring at fire.

The forest is burning.