TO LIGHT MY FIRE

EIGHT

My thoughts were going rapid as I processed all of this.

Cassandra was drenched in her own blood along with Lucy’s

Lucy continued to lay lifeless on the floor after her throat was sliced through like she was a captured prey.

This stranger I used to call my brother was firmly holding my shoulders to keep me from bouncing off the walls.

Then, his eyes began to change colours.

Hazel. Bright Blue.

Hazel. Bright Blue.

‘Your eyes,’ I whispered and stopped fighting against him.

He let go of my shoulders and trudged over to the chair I was strapped to minutes ago.

‘Our history, your history, goes way back to the 1600’s.’ He plopped himself down and took out a photo.

‘While we get to know each other I will be able to educate you about our family, Evie.’

I haven’t heard that nickname in years.

‘Parker - Mickey, whatever your name is, I don’t know who you think you are, but my brother died almost a decade ago.’

My hands and knees began to shake.

‘I saw your coffin - the entire congregation did!’

Laughter erupted from his mouth like it when we watched cartoons.

‘Shelbie really outdone itself,’ he said this more to himself than to me. He went silent for a moment and turned the photo in his hands.

‘I was running from home.’

PARKER/MICKEY’S POV

8 YEARS AGO.

‘We have to do it tonight,’ I threw some T-shirts and jeans in my backpack.

Switching my phone to the other ear, I checked the hallway and slightly closed the door to my room.

‘Alright, text me when you’re here.’

Quickly and gingerly, I tucked some pillows under my comforter to create the ‘Illusion me.’ When it was up to my standards and looked like a body, I grabbed my charger and walked to my door. I had one more stop to make.

Taking one last look at the multiple balls taped to my wall and the guitar that laid silent by my window, I left it all behind and shut the door as quietly as I could.

The hallway was dark and full of intensity. I could feel my fingers tingling as the moon began to rise.

You may be thinking how is this 14 year old black kid walking down the hallway of his house and not getting caught?

Well, answer is that I used a ‘Privacy Incantation’ so I could sneak around the house without being heard.

I discovered my ‘Powers’ when I wasted coffee on my teacher’s lap with my mind. The teacher was convinced that I did it, but my Dad offering to service his car free of charge for the rest of the year made him completely forget about the burning sensation in his lower region.

Dad knew about my abilities, but it never seemed to bother him. However, I didn’t fool Mom. She knew about my ‘Special Powers’ since before I was born.

She was also ‘burdened with this darkness’ as she would say. Her magic vanished when she had Eve.

She never was the same since we came back from Plinko. Mom told me about Sheba and that if she ever harmed me to know that it was Sheba’s doing. I knew what took over her body, and my goal while on this trip is to save Eve and Mom.

I opened Eve’s butterfly printed door and closed it behind me.

She was sleeping on her as always. Her face would get cold at night which she always complained about. In the shadows, Mom and I would share a knowing look.

We both were aware of the dark shadow that lurked in her room. Sheba. Mom knew what was happening to her, but her being possessed made unable to help her own daughter.

‘I’m coming back for you. I swear on my life, Evie!’

Moving one of her frizzy curls away from her slobbery mouth, I couldn’t help but smile. I was gonna miss this little minx and her unbearable snoring.

The hairs on my neck rose and I knew we weren’t alone anymore. It was here.

‘You will be stopped,’ I mutter to the dark shadow sitting in Eve’s favourite rocking chair. Loud bellows sounded from its throat like thunder; yet, Eve didn’t wake up at all.

Before leaving my sister for a while, I set a ‘Sealing prayer’ on her room so it wouldn’t come near her anymore. Playing it safe, I enchanted her shiny gold necklace that she never took off. This way she’ll be protected wherever she goes.

The prayer also resulted in putting her magic to a halt.

Kissing her forehead and taking one last look at the beast who wanted my sister’s blood, I slipped out the door and prayed to God that I did the prayer right.

Passing by my parents’ room, I could hear their voices rise the closer I got to the front door.

Prior to leaving, I made sure to protect Mom too. I rebuked her so whenever Sheba wanted to harm anyone that Mom would drink on instinct.

After I slipped out, the last thing Mom hollered kept repeating in my thoughts.

‘Either you kill them, or I kill them myself!’

I hopped in my friend’s car. Even though he was 14, he was a decent driver and who got away with everything.

‘You sure you want to do this?’ He looked at the house which needed to protect at all costs.

‘I need to do this Clark.’