MADE

~ Paintball ~

Elijah's final word drove my legs forward as I took off into the trees. I heard Alaric's gun go off behind me as a swerved out of the way, it barely missed me. 

I heard him swear as I ducked into the cover of the trees, nearly keeping the flames at bay as I ran. My skin was hot and I knew my eyes would be alight with flames as well. 

I watched Alaric as I ran, ducking under branches as I went. With my concentraition on Alaric's dark shape, I didn't notice where I was headed. 

I collided with Clair, head on, and she flew back a few feet into the stump of a tree. She groaned, lying in the dirt. "Sorry," I half whispered crawling over to her.

"How do you do that?" she asked sitting up and rubbing the back of her neck.

"What?" I asked.

"Move at the speed of mock chicken," she whisper-yelled to me. She cocked an  eyebrow at me as if it were obvious. 

"Oh," I said, trying to find the right words again. "Fire beings can move really fast." I shrugged realizing how stupid I sounded. 

She rolled her eyes. "No shit," she exclaimed beginning to stand, "I mean, scientifically how is that possible?"

"It's not," I grinned at her. She grinned back. 

"Hiding is lame!" Alaric yelled from the edge of the forest. 

"Can I shoot him in the mouth?" Clair asked annoyed.

"Be my guest!" I said, "But we have to get around him. Corner him somehow. He's too fast."

"Yeah," she sighed, "But were not exactly invisible. How are we suppose to corner him without getting shot?"

"Ha!" I squeaked.

I raised my hand in front of us. Quickly I blended my hand until it disappeared at my wrist. Clair looked at me, grin growing larger. 

"I just hope I can do this to my whole body," I sighed, "It didn't go so well the last time, and I'm not even sure these clothes will work with it either. Alaric is still trying to work on it."

"Well better late then never," Clair quipped ignoring the negatives. "Test it out."

I bended further up my arms, up over my shoulders and down over the rest of my body. It was easy, for once. So easy and effortless. Natural, maybe. 

Clair was looking at my gun. "Cool," she said, "but a floating gun isn't easily hidden." 

"He didn't say you had to use the gun," she said. "I can take your gun if you get around him and distract him. I can lay the shots! All you got to do is make sure he doesn't know where I am."

"Deal. I'll give you a sign." I pulled a few paint balls from my gun and stuffed them in my pocket.

"Okay go."

I dropped my gun and took off in a sprint around the forest. I needed to lure Alaric to the other side of the clearing if we wanted this to work. I could see Alaric wondering around the field gun tipped over his shoulder. I slowed and took aim with one blue paint ball in my hand. I pulled my arm back and lit the back of my wrist on fire hoping to catch enough speed to hurt.

I launched it through the air and it flew by right in front of Alaric's nose. His head snapped in my direction and I ducked down. Looking at my hands I shook my head for being dumb. I was still invisible.

I stood only to see Alaric stalking my side of the tree line, with his gun raised. I moved down the line a bit further trying to keep as light on my feet as I could.