TO LIGHT MY FIRE

THIRTEEN

This was too much, Rinny’s words went into one ear and out the other because my head was one second from exploding. I felt like I was having a panic attack and all I could think about was the fact that I was missing gym class.

My brother is alive.

My best friend is a punching bag that punches back…

My oily haired classmate is a V---pire.

‘I’m a Mandurugo you schmuck.’ Rinny shot a pointed look at Bridget who just continued to pick at her nails.

I didn’t even worry about her comment because I was too busy thinking about stupid P.E…

‘Eve, I know this is a lot to process, but that’s why we’re here. Helping the both of you with your powers and you preparing for the position of Superior is going to take some time, but we’re here if you need us.’

Rinny’s soothing words were supposed to be soothing. If they were then why did I feel like a 2 ton piano just fell on my head?

Did she just say the Superior?

Rinny must have read my mind. ‘The Superior is the leader of the Pack. In other words, you’re like our Queen. You rule over every supernatural being that shares unique blood. We’re all bound together by our abilities.’ She looked up in caution, but her eyes were maintained. ‘There have been multiple threats toward The Pack that have been happening for an entire century now.

From my knowledge you are aware of this force. Your dreams show a dark figure with no face and shadow attackers?

Being a product of nature gives you the power to see and race through time like following the winds.

We have been waiting for you for some time now. You can save us all.’

I think I was having a panic attack. I hadn’t had one since Mom yelled at me about believing in Lucifer the day before the concert and before all this crazy shit started happening. My lungs felt like they were getting weaker from the lack of oxygen I was receiving. I could feel them shrivelling up like raisins.

I had almost forgotten about Cassi’s presence until she placed her hand on my tense shoulder. Flinching from the contact, I got up. ‘I’m going to get some air.’

With one last concerned look from Rinny and Cassi, I trudged out onto the terrace. I ended up walking along the grass by the lake and pressure immediately escaped from my hands. Looking down, I saw crescent shaped holes and blood. If you focused, you could see old patches on my palms opening up.

Tears welled up in my eyes and my lip began to quiver.

This is too much. My whole life is a lie. Everything is different now. Mom might be a murderer, and now I’m supposed to be a leader to these people. How can I be the Superior if I can barely deal with my own problems.

Everyone has been lying to me since the beginning of time it feels like. My brother had been alive all these years and I bet my parents knew. Since we found out about Parker’s death, they talked around it like it never happened.

The more I sniffed the outdoor air the less harsh my crying was. A cool breeze blew over me and dried the falling tears. I felt tiny pinches in my hands and saw my wounds closing up.

I guess that’s one of the perks of being Mother Nature, healing from the air. Why am I entertaining this?

While strolling farther from the terrace, I heard faint cries. I searched through the outdoor area and my eyes landed on a figure in the vast water. Its roars became louder and I could hear the figure’s voice.

‘Help! Please!’ it sounded like a little kid who was probably six years old from the sound of his high voice.

‘I’m coming,’ I whispered like he could hear me all the way from land. He was so deep and far in the water that I didn’t think I could get there in time.

Think. Think.

Scrunching my eyes, I felt a slight tug at my stomach and then I felt sprays on my body.

I couldn’t believe what I saw when I opened my eyes.

The crystal blue lake split in half. It was shaped like a candy sucker from the store for kids. On each side you could see little fish and other species of aqua life. The little boy was sitting on the lake’s bottom coughing uncontrollably.

I took a chance, not believing for one second that the waters would hold their form, and ran over the sandy ground to him. The closer I got the more I noticed that this wasn’t a kid. At least not a human one. It was a baby cub.

Nonetheless, I picked him up like a baby and ran like hell through the water again because I was afraid of drowning.

‘I’ve got you.’

The second I reached grassy land the water crashed back into each other with a loud splash. I set the little tiger down in the meadow.

‘Are you alright?’ I huffed as I tried to regain my breath. At that moment I noticed that his coat was a darker shade of orange than a usual tiger. His eyes were an intense red which weirdly made him look cuter. ‘Aren’t you adorable.’

‘Hey! I’m not adorable!’ The cub exclaimed and I almost jumped out of my skin when it spoke again.

‘You can talk?’ I asked clenching my chest from almost going into cardiac arrest.

‘Of course I can. And so can all the other animals in the world.’ I bent down in front of the little one.

‘If they can, why am I just now hearing about it? The world would be crapping their pants if they heard a cub talking,’

I disclosed to this wildlife animal.

‘Wait, you’re her!’ The cub hopped in excitement leaving me with a confused look on my face.

‘You’re the only one who can hear me that far from the shore because you’re Mother Nature! The entire animal Kingdom are basically your children. I’ve always wanted to meet you!’

I can freaking talk to animals, and they believe that I am their Mother. Great. I wonder what prayers my parents will give me now that I’m a psychopath.

The baby cub rubbed his head against my shin in admiration.

‘I see that you’ve met Chino,’ Oz walked through the meadow and that’s when I noticed that more people watching. I had an audience.

Dozens of people; kids, teenagers, adults, some elders, and even a couple of animals were staring at me with disbelief and surprise.

All I could do was nod my head and listen to the purring from Chino.

‘We all saw you save him,’ he was about to put his hand on my cheek but thought against it. He grew his hair out. The back was shaved but he had braids on the top of his head that were pulled into a bun. Mom would have never let him grow out his hair.

I assumed that he heard my thoughts from the scrunching of his face. He quickly forgot about it and turned toward the crowd of people.

‘Our leader has returned to us,’ he smirked at me and continued. ‘Now we have work to do.’