The Sprout

Burning Embers: Part Four

Posted by Sambow from Cardiff - Published on 27/08/2010 at 13:23
4 comments » - Tagged as Creative Writing

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Burning Embers: Part One
Burning Embers: Part Two
Burning Embers: Part Three
Burning Embers: Part Four

Damn, if I had died this ordeal would have been over by now.

Hell - maybe I should have expected not getting what I had hoped for. But saying that, it sounds like I’d prefer to die? Hmpf, maybe living wasn’t such a bad thing.

I choked, or more like vomited, a bucket load of water as I came to. My vision was hazy and blurred; for a moment all I could make out were smudged blobs.

“Ember?” Flint’s familiar voice snapped me to attention. My eyes jerked completely open, making me squint at the sudden bright light. I was surrounded by people. To my side lay a scarily weak Flint.
“W-what’s going on?” I stammered, unable to find any explanation to how I wound up here. Last thing I remembered I died in the rain.
“We saved you.” Said a young, around about twelve looking, girl. I pointed my gaze towards her.
“Who are you?” I asked bluntly, not risking giving ourselves up. She smiled softly, looking twice her age as her eyes told a story of maturity and experience.
“I am Ash. This is Aiden, Blaze and Brande.” She motioned to the three other kids by her side. Their names were too familiar - to coincidental.
“Aiden as in little fire and Brande as in firebrand. They’re like us Em!” Flint choked from beside me. I held in a little stifled gasp as Flint suddenly spoke.

That’s why they saved us...?

“You...” I couldn’t form the words, even though I had always had the sneaking suspicion there were more of us, the reality almost seemed too surreal. It almost made me jealous we weren’t the only ones.
“Why did you save us?” I spat, becoming enraged due to my lack of knowledge. Ash, however, held her perfect stance and rested her solemn eyes on me once again. Despite her seriously young age her presence was overwhelming, she appeared so powerful. I decided she was obviously the leader.
“You are one of us; a better question would be how we could not save you.” She smiled and for the first time I noticed her appearance and not just her age. She had really short, black hair reaching just past her ears in a, what I could see as, DIY style. It flicked out at the end in cute spikes which framed her large hazel eyes perfectly. She had beautiful deep caramel skin which, again, simply made her look older.
“How old are you?” My questions seemed to be fazing the others behind her, as if I wasn’t paying her enough respect. She giggled slightly at the question.
“Younger than you. Twelve.” She answered politely. I nodded from my space on the floor. As I tried to get up I realised how badly the rain had affected me, my body still ached and my limbs were practically still paralysed.

“Ash said we can stay here with them - until we get better.” Flint murmured, obviously feeling just as bad as me. Ash looked from him to me as my expression changed to slightly relieved. No way could we defend ourselves from hunters and what-not feeling like this.
“Or forever.” She inserted, speaking before I could reply. My mouth hung open, shocked at this stranger's words. She noticed my reaction and spoke quickly, trying to explain. “We, as the Kenna, need to stick together, no? I would be happy to make the proper arrangements for a longer stay if necessary.” She held a collected expression as the three of those behind her morphed into outrage. They, however, did not speak.
“Kenna?” I asked, changing the subject before having to respond.
“It is usually an English female name meaning born of the fire but I though it was appropriate for our collective name.” She spoke the words but her eyes remained fixated on her previous question. I looked to Flint for help.
“That sounds good.” He turned his lips upwards weakly, attempting to smile. I sighed - I hadn’t expected that.

What made him so sure she was our ally, for all he knew she could be a human trying to turn us in. The thought worried me.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how can we be so sure you’re a Kenna?” Using the name felt alien, but it was easier than just stumbling for words that described 'a-fire-breathing-mutant-child'. Ash’s smile disappeared for only and instant and her little posse, that was beginning to bug me, suddenly became defensive in their position but forever saying nothing.
”You doubt me?” She sounded a little hurt but her friendly smile seemed to hypnotise me into forgetting all negative thoughts. I suddenly felt a little guilty. Shaking my head mentally of the thought I waited eagerly for her to continue - was she stalling or something?

Suddenly, shocking me out of my skin, a great rush of fire surged over my head. It instantly heated my body and even made me sweat with its awesome power. The heat of it though was not it’s most spectacular feat - I noticed how it stretched a good ten metres into the air while also proving to be dangerously wide. I looked, dumbfounded at her performance. When she finished everyone seemed calm - except for me. Her power was far beyond anything me or Flint had come up with, far more advanced, far more powerful. I didn’t say anything, anxious and if not slightly wary about her now.

The others, Blaze, Brande and Aiden copied her by blowing fire into the air. They’re displays were not nearly as magnificent as Ash’s but it was obvious they had had sufficient practice as well. When they had stopped Ash returned her penetrating gaze back onto me. I felt it stab through me like a knife, making me feel vulnerable. Despite her age she was proving to be very intimidating. I could only guess what she was about to say next.

“So, my new friends, what’ll it be?” I starred with wide, terrified eyes as she drew closer to me and Flint. “Are you in, or are you out?”

Burning Embers: Part Five

IMAGE: Fiery Rose by Zyada

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