"Do you hear anything?" Terra asked.
"Rain hitting the pavement, the grass…"
"Inside, Era. Do you hear anything inside?"
"Heavy metal music blaring out from old speakers." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "One heartbeat and breath. It's all very fast. I wonder if he has a condition."
She straightened, and with a failed attempt to wipe the streak of dirt off of her blouse she turned the knob and said, "Then let’s ask."
"Terra! We can't go barging into someone's house! It's not polite!"
"It's unlocked," Terra justified weakly.
"That doesn't mean anything."
Terra relinquished her hold but not because she was having second thoughts. All she could think about was their destiny, what they had to do. She thought of what would become of them, more importantly her sisters, if they didn't do everything they could, while they could. They wouldn't get another chance to make right. Bryne would surely ignore them and their quest and a direct approach was the only way. Couldn't Era see that?
"I won't allow anything to happen to this family."
Era sighed, her breath of fresh mint. "I don't want that either. I lived alone for far too long, but... He'll come around; he'll see we're what he needs. Let’s go, Terra. This isn't right. You know it isn't. We should meet him on fair turf."
Terra knew Era was right. "Why am I acting this way? I'm more logical than this."
"You're tired of being uprooted; you're scared of what you may lose. You're not an element, Terra, you're human. I believe our powers are the elements, not us. I believe the Kin has it wrong. We all did. Do you know you sing in the shower? When it's a good day you dance while you brush your hair. You get angry when Marissa is hurt; you get emotional when we move. We encompass all of the elements. It's our powers, not us.
"Don't feel that you have to be anyone but yourself."
Terra smiled. "Makes sense..." She looped an arm around Era’s waist leading the way off the porch and towards their car. "Let’s go home to Issa."
Chapter Six
Firehouse
Era fell to her knees, her hands cupping her ears as she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. Marissa held her arm tightly, clutching her to her side descending with her.
It would forever stand out in her mind as one of the worst feelings she ever had. The fear engulfed her into an abyss that she couldn't swim out of, that she was drowning in. Her lungs were pulling in air, her heart was beating, but the world had screeched to a halt, tipping off its axis. It was for sheer moments in time and it was not really the world that had stopped, but it was too long and it was Terra's world.
Leaving drops of water like breadcrumbs they went into their clean house but only made it as far as the kitchen table when Era froze. She cocked her head as she tended to do when she was trying to listen. It was not a common occurrence for she never had to try.
"What is it Era?"
"There's only one heartbeat."
Terra left her standing as she raced to find Marissa. She went into Marissa's bedroom, the sound machine on the nightstand playing continuously of calming waves, the painted blue swirls on the walls black in the darkness. There were shapes of the odds and ends of furniture but she focused on the twin bed in the corner, shoved securely up against the wall.
She felt the lumpy comforter expecting to find her shoulder, but her hand fell and she felt the springs of the mattress instead. Her mind whirled to the places she could be and she ran to the bathroom, but it was open and no one was inside.
That was when the world stopped, but her feet ran downstairs were Era waited in the same position she left her. It was as if she froze into ice.
Terra pushed the name out of her lungs. "Marissa."
They both lunged at the door, their shoes squeaking and sliding, their hands colliding, tripping into the drizzle that the rain had settled to. Terra's knuckles and her knee were throbbing but it was at the back of her mind, to check for bruises later, to numb the pain with ice. There was a desperate need to find Marissa. They feared about what had or could happen to her.
"Marissa," she bellowed, her throat straining. She hoped that the wind didn't carry it away. "Marissa!" She spun in a full circle searching the empty area.
"She's not here."
"Where could she be?!"
It was a split second, and it dawned on them. How could they have been so foolish? It was obvious.
Era grasped her hand and tugged her to the car. Once over her shock, she ran forward alone and was again in the driver’s seat. She shoved the keys into the ignition with great force. Era was barely in the car shutting the door as they were halfway down the driveway.
She was on autopilot. She hadn't felt the rain, the insignificant injuries she obtained, she wasn't watching the speedometer. Though she knew where she was, the fear hadn't lessened. She wouldn't come to her senses until she saw her. Until she knew that Marissa was okay.
"I'm sure there's a good reason," Terra muttered, mostly to herself. "There's a good reason for all of this, she wouldn't put herself in danger like this. She has more common sense than this." Over and over she tried to assure herself that there was an explanation. She didn't want to believe that Marissa wouldn't worry them. That she wouldn't put herself in danger...
"Marissa can handle herself. She doesn't like using her powers but that doesn't mean she wouldn't." Era attempted to remind her of the small facets of Marissa's personality, but the truth was, it did little to pacify her.
Not until she saw her...
Rather than parking across from the house, Terra parked in the driveway. The engine was hardly shut off before she was out the door. "Any other heartbeats Era?"
"Two."
"That's her."
"He has a grandmother."
Terra wanted to kick herself for her lack of logic. What was becoming of her? It was as though Bryne was releasing emotions she didn't know she had in her. Even if Era's theory was correct, why then? Terra used to not care...
Terra's fist hung in the air, ready to resume its pounding when there was a gust of cheap smoke tickling her nose and there stood Bryne. He wore faded black jeans, no shirt, and his trademark glare. She averted her eyes from his flat stomach and focused on his disheveled hair, noting a cigarette tucked behind his ear like a writer would do with a pencil.
It looked as though he had just gotten out of bed, ready to step out for a smoke. Terra felt her stomach tighten in a thick knot.
"No," Era whispered, answering Terra’s silent panic. "I would smell it."
Terra breathed a sigh of relief, and choked. Bryne took a small step back, as if she was contagious, but it did not escape her attention that his eyes flickered to Era. It was almost as if he was afraid of offending her.
"I didn't invite her." He said.
"We came by earlier, why didn't you answer," Era questioned him.
"Because I knew it was you. I don't know how your sister got in but she was sitting at the kitchen table with my chips. You owe me two-fifty."
Terra knew exactly how Marissa got in, and it made her frown in disapproval (despite her own actions earlier that night). She had liquidized herself to pool herself under the door. It was clever, and she could see out of the corner of her eye that Era obviously approved of that behavior, it was apparent by the light in her face, that of a proud sibling who had taught them to burp the alphabet.
"I'm not going to pay you for your chips."
He leaned against the door frame, his mouth curling into a haunting smirk. "You also owe me for babysitting. That'll be twenty-two-fifty."
"I'm not paying you a dime, Bryne. We came by to collect our sister is all. Now, where is she?"
"Oh. That's right, she's drinking a cola. Sorry, that's twenty-three even."
Something in the pit of Terra started to boil. She didn't recognize the feeling very well but she acquainted it with anger, though it was beyond that. It was something he was causing. Was that his power? To cause ang
er in others. Why would they want him? Why would they need him? He was useless and dangerous.
"Get her out here. We're taking her home." Terra demanded.
"That's for damn sure," he agreed taking the cigarette and a lighter from his pocket. He pressed it between his lips and lit it up, inhaling the drug deeply, as if it were air.
Era closed her eyes against the sight, her hand firmly over her nose and mouth, a shield to the poison. Terra realized how horrible it must have been for her, to smell such polluted air. It was a good excuse to get out of there quickly.
"I'd invite you in, but I don't want you here." Bryne stated.
"That's good; we don't want to be here."
He laughed, "Burning you am I? If you didn't want to be here, Terra, you wouldn't have been trying to dismantle my door tonight."
She tensed at the sound of her name from his dirty mouth. "Marissa," she called over his shoulder.
"Mari!"
"Mari?" Bryan shouted, while Terra raised a brow at the nickname.
Marissa appeared beside him, her jeans and shirt suggesting that she hadn't even changed for bed. She had planned this from the beginning.
She thrust the half full bag of chips to his chest, the crunching suggesting that none of them had survived. "I told you, stop calling me Mari. I hate that name."
"Whatever you say, Mari." Bryne joked.
Marissa rolled her eyes, and her shoulder twitched. As if she needed fresh air she came close to Era, inhaling a gust. "I'm sorry if I worried you."
"You did," Terra said gently, the relief washing over her. Her baby sister was okay, she was safe. "Don't do that to us again."
"I won't."
"Isn't this touching," Bryne mocked. "If you don't mind, I'd like if you all left me alone. For good this time."
Terra reached out, her hand on the door keeping it open as he tried to shut it. "Wait. We need to talk."
"Not happening, flower child."
"The name is, Terra."
"I don't give a flying duck." He shoved her hand out of the way and slammed the door in her face, barely an inch from her nose.
"He's rude," Marissa softly said.
"I think we've figured that out," Era laughed, like wind chimes on a spring day.
Terra wasn't about to give in then. She knocked, over and over, but he didn't answer. Inside, some music started blaring and the window panes were trembling in accordance to the bass.
Era screamed, Marissa gasped, and Terra spun.
Era fell to her knees, her hands cupping her ears as she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. Marissa held her arm tightly, clutching her to her side descending with her.
Quickly Terra scooped Era up, an arm under her knees and an arm under her back. Lifting her was easy, she was as light as a feather, and she jogged down the steps towards the car, away from the pulsing noise so similar to their heart beats but much stronger. Era buried her face into the crook of her neck, her body wracking with sobs. There was a warm wetness that trickled down her collarbone.
It was not the first time that a great noise had brought Era to such agony. It was why, even in the dead of the night, she stuffed cotton balls in her ears. They knew better than to speak, to cause any extra sounds that would increase the pain. Shortly after the first incident where an ambulance had gone by she had described the experience as having her ear drums busting. In fact, as a child, they had. It frightened all of them, to think that one day they would again, and her hearing would be permanently gone.
Marissa opened the car door, and Terra laid her inside, shutting it as gently as she could. The music had stopped the banging on her ear drums and she turned to see Bryne jogging down the path, his face worried.
"I'm sorry," he surprisingly said, his tone docile. "I…. I didn't mean to hurt her."
"You did," Marissa cried lashing out and pushed his chest, causing him to stumble back. "You did this to her!"
"I swear, I didn't mean to."
"What were you thinking?! I told you what could happen!"
"What else do you want me to say," he suddenly screamed, and at Era's small whimper he retreated, gathering himself.
"Will you come with us now?"
"Will you leave now?"
"Please….”
"You know why."
Terra stuck a foot between them. "Tell us?"
Bryne pursed his lips together, debating. "You all have a good life. Enjoy it." He glimpsed to Era curled in the backseat. "Take care of her. I am sorry. Tell her I said that." He turned and left back to the house, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched to his ears, and his head down. He really was sorry.
Sighing, Terra shook off the concern she felt towards him and looked up to a bare tree. Its spidery branches reached out, crisscrossing each other to create a lovely web against the black night sky. If she didn't know any better she would think of it as a sign. Like them, a web was interconnected, you touched one strand, and the whole thing was affected, for better or for worse.
Behind her the horizon was painted a light blue. It was already near morning, and in response, she yawned. "You have school. I'll drop you off."
Marissa groaned. "What about Era?"
"I'll take care of her."
"And Bryne? I have to tell you what he said."
"You'll tell us after school."
"I'm tired."
Terra shrugged. "You should have stayed home like we told you. No more excuses, get in the car, Issa. It's been a long night."
She looked like she wanted to argue, but she did as Terra told, and scooted alongside Era, propping her head in her lap, smoothing her silvery hair back. She cooed promises of home and quiet, as soft as a feathers flight.
Terra took one glance to fire's house. She saw his shadowy figure in the window, watching them as they drove off.
Chapter Seven
Scars for Remembrance
She wouldn't let him do it. They were in it together, if one of them failed, they all did. They would endure. She would make sure of it, because no leader was going to abandon their troops in the battle field. It was bad enough that the war had begun without their knowledge...
The bed was the best invention of man. Better than the wheel.
After dropping an averse and bitter Marissa off at the loading dock of her school, Terra went home. Aunt Gwen stood in the kitchen area, a mug bought from a park in Orlando steaming from Irish coffee in her hand.
"What happened," she whispered frantically, her eyes wide at the sight.
"Long story," Terra whispered in return. "I can take care of her. Go on to work, she'll be okay."
Aunt Gwen was discerning, but nodded. "Call if you need anything."
"Thanks.”
While she gave a wave and left, stifling the jangle of the keys in her hand, Terra climbed the staircase to Era's bedroom. She laid her on the comforter, bringing up the other half and wrapping it around her.
“I'm going to give you some piece and quiet. I'm going to leave for a while, okay?”
Era flinched to show that she heard. Terra didn't want her disturbed by the sound of her heart beat, her breathing, her footsteps and the rustle of clothing and bed-sheets. It would serve no good and hinder her wellness.
As quietly as possible, tip toeing through the house, Terra took the car. Hating the loud noise the engine made, she drove to an offside dirt road a good five miles from the house. On either side of her were yards of yellow grass, the changing of the weather stripping it of its green color. In the distance she could see houses, statuesque against the light hue of the sky.
She parked to the side and killed the engine with the turn of her key. She jerked the handle at the bottom of her seat and laid back pulling her cell phone out of her jean pocket. She set the timer for her to pick up Marissa and then she pitched it to the dashboard.
Wiping the strands from her forehead, she truly relaxed, the tense muscles in her back and shoulders unwinding. Sleep was immediate.
A large m
etal pot hung on a hook over a fire. Dangling, the water inside sloshed and spilled over, the fire hissing in anger, the water boiling in retribution. Bubbles built in climax popping.
A candle in a tall votive flickering with life, licking the air. The cover came down by an invisible hand and the small fire shrunk, attempting to re-spark, to survive, but it died, curling smoke in its place filling the top in an illusion of fog on the glass.
Grass, a sea of it, swaying in the breeze. Dirt, rock, worms, dirt, and more dirt. Further and further down... Fire.
Blackness. A ticking. Ticking... Tick... Tick... Tick...
"Terra..."
Tick... Tick... Bang!
“Terra!”
Wheezing, she shot up, her hands seizing the wheel, her hair flying over her face.
"Terra?"
Out of the window was Bryne, lowering his fist from the window. It seemed as though he tried to smile kindly, but if he was, it was pretty terrible and unpracticed. Hadn't he ever been a child? At least he was dressed in jeans and a wrinkled button up plaid shirt.
She motioned for him to come in and he did, heaving himself into the seat, his knees hitting the dashboard. Grumbling incoherently but probably curse words he slid the seat back releasing his cramped legs.
"So," he finally said. "You're the ring leader."
"What?"
"I told Mari to get you all to leave the state, or at least the country, but oh no, you're still here."
"What's your problem, Bryne? Why do you want us to leave so badly?"
"Think about your life, flower child. Has anything bad ever happened to any of you?"
"Yeah…”
"Death, grief…”
"My parents are dead. Era was an orphan."
There was sympathy, for a second, but then his eyes were guarded once more. "Continuously," he corrected.
She thought, but nothing came to mind. "No..."
"That's right, because the danger is with me. My parents died, my brother died, and now my grandmother is dying. I have scars over my back to remind me not to cross the line. I'm risking everything to talk with you right now. Your sister pushed it farther than it should've ever gone last night. Stay away from here."
The Elementals Page 5
