I was sure that I was dead.
I opened my eyes to blinding white sunlight. The ground below me was sand. I was kneeling in a desert. I slowly and painfully pushed myself up onto my feet.
When my eyes adjusted, someone stood at the edge of my vision just far enough away to be a blurry figure.
I took a few steps toward the figure, but it just moved away, each movement matching mine. I began to run at the figure, and the figure began to run.
Heat seared all around me. My skin felt like it was melting away.
Suddenly the figure stopped running and turned towards me. I stopped in my tracks and just watched; waiting to see what was going to happen. As it came closer I could see her long, flowing red hair, the wind blowing it around like flames flowing from the back of her head.
She came closer; but still she remained blurred.
She slowed and walked to within inches of where I stood. As if someone had flipped a switch, she became crystal clear.
It was me.
I was standing inches from my own face and I was on fire. My head and my hands burned with yellow/orange flames. I looked down at my own hands and they too were on fire.
I freaked out and started trying to pat out the fire on my legs.
I opened my eyes once again when I realized that the fire didn’t hurt. I was back in the room. My hands were still ablaze and I panicked once again.
I screamed, but realized that it was like putting my hands into warm water. I walked over to the window and placed my hand on the window that Dr. Cid sat behind.
“Is this what you want?” I yelled as the glass began to melt. I didn’t let my emotions take over like the girl had asked me to. I was afraid of what was going to happen.
Before I could do anymore damage, fire extinguishers put out my flames. I began to feel sleepy. I fell against the wall and slid down to the floor blacking out.
When I woke I slammed my head into the bench and sighed loudly. I was getting fed up with the constant black outs. I had more questions and fewer answers. My head was buzzing like never before.
Rachel was sitting on the floor beside the bed. She looked disappointed, “You didn’t let your emotions take over.”
“To be honest I don’t know what I should do. Someone else told me to hold back.”
“I told her to hold back.” The skinny man was leaning against the door.
“Why did you tell her to hold back?” Rachel stood got into his face.
“Because, if she had lost control on her first time it could have killed her.” He leaned to look at me over Rachel’s shoulder, “I’m Zach by the way.”
“But Zach, she has so much power! I don’t think that this is her first time.”
“Does anyone feel that I should be clued in on what is going on?” I sat up on the bench.
“The world as you know it… it’s a front.” Zach sat down next to me.
“What do you mean a front?”
There was a noise just outside of the door.
“Got to go.” They both vanished into thin air.
The food door slid open and the normal was placed on the shelf. I reached up, took the water, and chugged every last drop.
I laid back down and closed my eyes.
I didn’t see Rachel or Zach again before a guard returned to take me away. He took me to the same room and practically shoved me onto my face into the testing room.
Dr. Cid was there again and they hadn’t fixed my hand print that I had melted into the glass.
“And today we have 297, this is the second time you have seen her. She is tier two. We might be able to sell her as foot soldier.” He took a deep breath. “Frankly I am baffled as to why you would want to see her use her abilities again.”
“Enough Doctor Cid; begin the procedure.” One of the onlookers said very calmly.
“Yes, sir.”
Everything happened as it had before. It took a while longer for the pain to reach the same height as it had the first time.
When I opened my eyes I was back in the desert. The light was still searing, but the heat didn’t bother me. The reflection of me was much closer this time. I had a distinct feeling of creepiness as I looked at myself.
She reached out for me. She was quickly being consumed by flame.
I reached out my hands, but there was a resistance like opposing magnets pushing against me. I thought about what Rachel had said about everything being better for everyone if I let my emotions take over.
I let the hatred for the pain flow into my veins.
The resistance disappeared and I fell forward into the reflection of myself. We became one and the flames spread across my body. The flames changed from dark orange, yellow, to bright blue, then to white.
I closed my eyes.
I was completely engulfed in white flames. I felt nothing but a warm rushing sensation over my skin.
I ran, yelling towards the window in front of me. Dr. Cid was my target, and he jumped as the white flames blasted through the glass. The floor disintegrated beneath me as I rose into the air letting the flames pour from my body.
The ceiling dissolved as I flew higher and then I was outside in the night breathing the fresh air that I hadn’t in so long. I watched as the fire, which almost looked like magma, flowed from my skin like water from a fresh spring. I was completely helpless to slow the movement nor could I stop the destruction that my flames were causing.
I screamed in anger as the flames blasted into a pillar above me as high as I could see.
The flames vanished and I fell to the ground like a stone. My body crumpled in a heap in the dirt below.
As the world went dark around me, I felt something warm wrap around my body as my mind began to go blank.
“You did well.” I heard as the darkness took over.
Chapter 6: Powers
The truck seat was very comfortable compared to the benches in the cells. I didn’t open my eyes because my head was killing me. Searing pain burned between my eyes. The sun in front of the truck was shining through my eye lids forcing me to turn over in the seat. I decided that it was time to face the music.
I opened my eyes.
Ronnie was driving the truck and I was in the passenger seat. Sandy and Kenny where sitting in the seats just behind us; a wave of relief flooded over me to see that they were relatively unharmed. Behind them sat Rachel and two children who were unknown to me.
“Where are we?” My voice was scratchy and my throat was dry. I suddenly became aware that I was wearing only a lab coat and a blanket.
“We haven’t stopped to check yet, but according to the signs we are heading north. I saw a sign thanking us for leaving Las Vegas and to come back soon.” Ronnie stole a glance but quickly returned his eyes to the road.
"So what is the plan?” my skin stuck to the seat with the heat from the sun.
“Well now that you are awake, I think we will stop at the next gas station and fuel up. Oh, and try and get you some clothes.” He smiled.
I was willing to bet he was as happy as a pig in slop that moment.
“So are you a real person, or are you just following me in my head?” I looked at Rachel in the mirror.
“I am a real person. I promise.” She leaned forward to speak.
“How did you know that was going to happen?” I turned around to look at her.
“I didn’t know that was exactly what would happen. But I could see in your mind. I could see the power building inside. More power than I have ever felt before.” She smiled.