Sarah Scott Journalist

Luke

I kissed her. I kissed Alleyah. What was I thinking, risking everything we have?

I should have followed her when she ran off but I know she’ll be at the lake and chasing her for a mile seemed even more stupid considering how she reacted. Her head gets cloudy sometimes and I know the lake’s secluded beauty brings her some clarity.

The warmth of the candle lighting my tent is starting to die down, so I pull a top over my exposed skin and feel the sharp sensation of cold fingers on thin skin as it passes over my stomach.

The extra body heat from my roommate Kyle disappeared when he walked off into the woods with some girl from the Earth element. They looked pretty cosy together so I left them to it. The excitement and prospect of our forever changed lives is making people do some crazy, impulsive things. I should know.

Another chill rushes over me when my tents walls take a beating from the wind that’s picking up outside. We’re still unsure about how far The Core’s weather machine reaches outside the city but causing this much wind was never their style.

 I feel a sudden rush of heat as my candles flame triples in height, almost singeing the side of the tent. I quickly channel my element to try and control it but I can feel the strength it possess. I grab the holder and exit the tent so see the chaos outside. I almost expect to see a fight between some people and their elements but instead I see people running around frantically trying to keep the tents in place.  

Alleyah’s so-called brother is telling people to take cover because of weather problems, blaming it on The Core’s machine which I can tell he doesn’t believe.

 Out of all the people on this planet, we shouldn’t be the ones with weather issues. Either the weather is real or it’s coming from a different source. . . one of us maybe, although I don’t know anyone with the power to do this.

But then it hits me… Alleyah!

When her brother has seen to it that most people are safely away, he looks around then in the direction of the lake. The exact thought has crossed his mind as it did mine; this must be her. She told me about the night her head got clouded and she didn’t even realise that she was controlling the elements around her. Our kiss must have sent her head into overdrive.

Alex looks across to where I am standing and the look he gives me can only be described as fear. He looks scared like this is something new and unknown. He suddenly breaks into a sprint down the path towards the lake which jolts me awake and I’m following him before I even realise my feet are moving.

The path is about a mile long and our pace doesn’t slow down despite the wind and now rain battering us. Every step closer to her, it feels like the elements are getting stronger. Like she’s the eye of the storm. I catch Alex up and we run in silence alongside each other till we reach the lake. I pause to catch my breath, scanning the area for Alleyah’s face but all I can see is the silhouette of Alex standing over a curled up body on the floor…

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I’m ordered back to my tent by Alex. If I hadn’t been running next to him, I would have sworn he had killed her. The way he was standing over her curled up body, covered in her blood makes me feel sick. He carried her back to the camp, crying and whispering, “I’m so sorry” in her ear over and over again. He shouldn’t be able to cry over her.

I thought she was upset, not in danger. I wish I’d followed her like my instinct told me to and maybe I would have been there to save her, or at least see which messed up person has done this to her.

I sink in to my bed, taking pleasure in the emptiness of the tent which somehow still stands. Bringing her to the medical tent in camp was like moving the whole group in to the eye of a hurricane. Everyone has been told to remove candles from their tents and use their elements to try and calm the storm which has helped but no one is as strong as her.

All I can think about is how I’ve failed her. She was at the lake because of me. If I didn’t kiss her then she wouldn’t have been there and she wouldn’t be in a crappy medical bed fighting for her life.

I need her to live so I can tell her how sorry I am. I’m keeping secrets from her and all she ever wanted was the truth. If she survives this then I will tell her everything. It’s the least she deserves.

One comfort that gives me strength she will survive is the fact that the storm is still going on outside and inside of her. She’s still fighting.

I have to go and see her. If her brother sees me, he’ll stop me so I’ll have to sneak in if I can. He made it very clear that no one was to go in the tent unless he approved it.  

I un-zip my tent and start walking to the medical tent set up about 400 metres away. I can see Alex standing outside the it and he sees me before I have a chance to hide.

“Get the hell away from my sister!” he says.

“Please. I have to see her,” I reply but all I really want to do is punch him until his eyes roll back in to his head and he can’t consciously stop me from seeing her.

“I said leave!” he shouts, stepping forward and pushing out his hands until they collide with my chest, knocking my balance.

“You can’t stop me from seeing her,” I plead. “I need to know she’s alright.” I make a run for the tent’s entrance, dodging Alex on the way. I just need to glance at her, to see she’s okay.

I run in and see her lying there with tubes and wires sticking out of her. Her hair is still damp, and she is no longer in her swimsuit. She wears a t-shirt and shorts, hardly warmer. The t-shirt is pulled up revealing her wound. I wince for her when I see the damage that’s been done. How could someone do that? What did she ever do?

Alex runs in looking angry but he doesn’t shout.

“Please leave,” he says but it sounds like more of a cry.

“I don’t have to answer to you anymore,” I say with such a convincing tone, he storms out of the tent.

Pleased with my small victory, I take a seat next to her and immediately feel how cold it is in here. How do they expect her to wake up in these conditions? I take off the hoodie I am wearing and gently place it over her. I reach for her hand which is stone cold. When we touch the storm stops, like I’ve just pressed a button. I immediately assume she’s dying, like she’s given up the fight inside her. But she’s not dying; her eyes are opening and her hand is tightening the grip on mine.

She’s waking up.

Read Chapter 9 – Violence next week