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8/14/2019 Wind in the Tree's, In the Beginning
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Wind in
the Trees:In the
Beginning
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Prologue:
The girl was in a turbine of wind. Heavy furniture
spinning around her shaking figure in a spiral
dance. Black eyes filled with hate as she glared atthe smirking man from inside her personal hell. And
the boy who loves her watches helpless as the girl
he once loved is slowly slipping through his fingers.
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Chapter 1:Screaming is for those in pain
“Hey Captain!” I called jovially bouncing forward.
The glossy chestnut horse whinnied and bobbed hisgreat head in his stall. All around me horses stirred
and stamped their hooves. I breathed in the hay and
horse feed scent. It was the only thing that made me
feel at home. I ran my fingers over the unbelievable
silkiness of his high cheekbone. Captain leaned his
head into my palm. With my other hand I yanked
the bridle off its hook and slid it over Captainshead. I walked him out of the stall then threw the
saddle over his back. Thankfully I was so tall I had
no trouble swinging my leg over his back then
hauling myself up. Captain snorted and I shook the
reins a bit; he trotted out of the barn. Jet ran out of
the forests gloom a minute later. He could easily
talk to me even while I was seated on Captain’s
back. “Mum said I was `sposed to come with you”
he panted. I rolled my eyes and jerked my head
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towards the stall “Better take Dax, your still arookie” I sneered. Jet stalked past me and a few
minutes later he came out at an easy trot on a white
horse with grey flecks. “This year please” I sighed
dramatically. Jet shot me a peeved look and made a
rude middle fingered gesture. “Mum could’ve sent
Ben” Ben my younger brother by a year would be a
lot less annoying plus he didn’t complain when Irode faster than I was supposed to. I guess in her
mind it made more sense though if she sent the
‘sensible’ son. Yeah right... considering Jet had
been suspended from school because he graffitid the
boys bathroom. “Well Ben’s over at Kitarnya’s and
Bianca’s snuck out... again”
Jet and I laughed at that. My nineteen year old sister is always the rebel. I pretty much followed in her
footsteps to a lesser degree. While I slip out to just
walk on my own she’d meet up with her boyfriend
Declan and they’d go clubbing; resulting in an even
longer grounding. She was up to at least eight
weeks now. I scowled Ben managed to spend every
waking minute with his beautiful girlfriend
Kitarnya. So as usual that left me with Jet. He
wasn’t all bad just a little annoying at times. Jet
pulled his black hair that cascaded onto his
shoulders back into a ponytail. “Why don’t you just
cut the damn thing?” I muttered when I was beside
him galloping at an easy pace. Jet just looked at me
like I was crazy. All the boys in my household
thought it prudent to grow their hair to their shoulders. This irked me theirs grew so much
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quicker than mine. A few curls from my hair blewinto my long black eye lashes. My sisters Bianca
hair was long, straight and shimmery. Whereas
mine was very and always tightly curled. It was
long and fell just past my elbows. That wasn’t much
of an accomplishment anyway considering I was so
tall. Jet and I cruised along in comfortable silence
until he reminded me of something. “By the waymum says to make sure your back in time for
swimming practice”
OH NO! I cussed so loudly it sent birds squawking
and flying into the air. I turned Captain around
sharply and ran out full pelt back to the barn. “HEY
SLOW DOWN!” Jets yell was lost in the thud of
Captain’s hooves. In one leap I was off Captains back and had him in his stall. Yanking up my
shoulder bag I ran toward the house. Tree limbs
caught my hair and tangled it into unrecognizable
snarls. My wide two story red-brick house bloomed
into view. Emmy’s startled barks started when I
jumped the fence. Josephine stood at the back door;
Arms folded an amused smirk dominant on her
russet face. The ever present cut slicing through her
eye brow. She never told us how she got that ever
since dad died when I was two years old she was
unusually quiet. “What am I gunna do with you
Stephy” she sighed. “Its Steph” I growled. I had
asked everyone in my family to stop calling me
Stephy at the age of six. Jet and Ben had teased me
about it but shut up when my fist connected withtheir jaw. Bianca knew how I felt mum still called
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her ‘Binky’. My mum was just like all my siblingsher skin russet silk, dark burgundy hair and tall in
the extreme. She was very pretty her almond brown
eyes and cherubic face creased with laugh lines.
Emmy bounded up to me and stood on her hind legs
and pressed her front paws to my shins. Emmy was
a lovely looking dog (though we did not know her
breed... well I did anyway) Grey running down her back and coating her paws like socks. A diamond
set between her eyes. Underneath all the grey
Emmy’s coat is pure white well... besides now. She
effectively ruined the shins of my Calvin Klein
skinny’s. “Geeze thanks Em” I muttered and shoved
her off then darted inside and slammed the roller
screen shut before she could follow. Mum waslaughing petting Emmy on the head. I turned on my
heel and dumped my bag in the hallway. The house
smelt strongly of lemon citrus Josephine must have
just finished cleaning. The warm chocolate
floorboards of sorts shone in the afternoon sun
peeking through the grey clouds. The hallway
stretched right down to the front door. To my left
was our granite kitchen that had an open arch
leading to the living room. The right was our
bathroom and the laundry where I could hear the
washing machine churning. I took the stairs two at
time and skidded round and leaped into my room. I
jumped about a foot in the air when I saw Bianca
sitting cross legged on my bed. She was dressed in
her red hulterneck top and black leather mini skirt;strappy black shoes dumped on the floor. She smelt
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strongly of tobacco smoke and liquor. “Mumsgonna kill you” I warned. She looked up at me
through bloodshot eyes. Bianca is very pretty she
has an exotic and Latin look about her. Eyes pulled
at the corner, full lips, hard square jaw and more
brown skin then the reddish like mine. Her eye
lashes were impossibly thick and looked like they
were an effort to lift. Which wouldn’t surprise mewith the amount of mascara coating them. Blood
red lipstick was spread across her natural beige lips.
“Shh” she shushed me her head falling into her
hand and pointing a manicured finger at me. “Hang
over?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe” she murmured. I
laughed“Well im gonna have to turf you out I gotta get
ready” I yanked her off the bed and shoved her out
into the hall then threw the high heels out after her.
And slammed the door in Bianca’s shocked face. I
laughed quietly and turned around. My floor was a
thickly carpeted brown with matching walls and
white roses winding around them. A matching four
poster bed stood sentinel in the middle. A glass
topped desk with a humming laptop on the right
wall. I looked at myself in the body length mirror. I
was very tall only a tiny bit shorter than Bianca. My
face took after my mothers something so angelic
about it. Either the wide eyes or the full pouty lips I
had no idea. I wasn’t beautiful but I wasn’t ugly...
just border lining. Bianca was definitely the prettiest, why else would she be the most popular
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girl in school and have a contract with a modelingagency? I was okay at sports but not near enough
for it to go anywhere. Jet on the other hand is a
master at athletics. Maybe even good enough for the
Olympics. Ben being the genius of the family left
me to be the disappointment. I was going to have an
average job and an average life and be known as the
let down of the Manka family. I sighed and itfogged up the glass. Rifling through my drawers I
finally found my silky blue Calvin Klein one piece.
The blue contrasted nicely with my copper skin.
Yanking on a pair of sweats because it was chilly
out I picked up my gym bag and was out the door in
seconds. Just as Ben’s friend Harrison pulled in the
drive. Harrison was cute in the extreme with atennis tan, hair that was brushed over his eye with
blonde high lights streaking through his honey
brown hair. Harrison was so strong it was
unnerving. Plus the fact he was rich and pulled up
in a BMW 325. But I despised him. Harrison was
old for his year; seventeen. Making him my age
apparently he had travelled around the world with
his parents and they either had the choice of putting
him in the right year and be a long way behind or
keep him in kindergarten. But I just think he
repeated its not like they could get anything through
his thick skull. “Where are you off to Stephanie?”
Harrison appraised me in my slacks and one piece
with my old hang-dog gym bag sliding down my
shoulder and foam thongs. “Paris Fashion Week” Ireplied sarcastically. Oh and he could have any girl
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at school but he goes for the one not the least bitinterested; me. Joy... Harrison laughed but the
sound was to dark, just like everything else about
him. “Ben’s over at Kitarnya’s” I started to walk by
him my thongs slapping against my bare flesh.
“Who says im here for Ben?” Harrison’s voice was
soft but it had no effect on me.
“I didn’t know the grim reaper hired henchmen”“Aw im not that bad” I could hear the smile in
Harrison’s voice. I really think there’s something
wrong with this guy. “Let me give you a ride” he
offered. Yup, he is mental. “Im walking” hoping he
would note the acid. He didn’t
“Its raining” Harrison pointed out. I was about to
contradict him when a fat drop hit me on the cheek.Jet was out riding the horses, mum was walking
Emmy, Bianca was definitely in no condition to
drive and stupid Ben wasn’t here. Angrily I slid into
his passenger seat. Harrison started the car and
pulled out of the driveway smoothly. My position
very clearly said Don’t even think about it . “Why
were you coming?” I asked after a moments
thought.
“Just going for a drive then I noticed a drowned
angel”
I rolled my eyes sheesh he was so melodramatic.
“I’d rather be a drowned angel then a pissed one”
“C`mon Steph if im not your kind of guy then who
is?”
“Lets see... well for starters there’s two things Ilike”
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He looked so hopeful that I narrowly avoidedlaughing. “A brain and a heart” the hope
disappeared to be replaced by anger. We arrived at
the aquatics center in stony silence. I jumped out
eager to be out of his car until I heard a pair of
smooth footsteps behind me. I stumbled over the
door jamb when I saw Harrison trailing behind me.
He reached out to catch me but thankfully I rightedmyself. “Why are you here?!” I demanded. Harrison
shrugged smiling
“Wanted to see you swim”
Before he could say more I stormed away in an
angry fit. Dumping my gym bag on the silver seat I
pulled off my slacks and smashed them into my bag
with a little to much force. The heat swirled aroundme and my nostrils filled with the smell of chlorine.
Splashes and the shrill whistles of coaches hit my
ear drums. I turned on my heel. There were three
other teenagers in my class one of them my friend
Kadie. She was staring open mouthed at Harrison
who sat fluidly down and watched my every move.
Kadie noted my furious glower and burst out
laughing. Her silky blonde hair tied back into a
loose bun. I realized mine must have a few sticks
left in it. I shook it out before sliding into our lane
with her. The other boy and girl were talking their
backs to us. Kadie was extremely pale with flushed
rose pink cheeks. Her face consisted of mostly
cheek bones with small perfectly curved pink lips.
She was tiny compared me. The other girl in our class was the second most popular with tan skin and
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artificial long blonde hair. Un-like my modest one piece and Kadie’s two piece she was in a skimpy
bikini. Which she was doing everything in her
power to show Harrison. Who was staring intently
in my direction. Isabel was her name. The boy was
one who occasionally smiled at me in the halls. He
was good-looking and my social sphere and his did
not touch. When Kadie got over her fit of laughter she asked in between giggles “Why’s Harrison
here?”
“He offered to drive me” I muttered angrily still
scowling.
“Aw he’s your knight in shining” I cut Kadie off
with a dark sentence raised enough for Harrison to
hear “He’ll be an idiot in purple bruises if he’s notcareful” which sent Kadie into another fit of
laughter. Our couch; a tight-lipped thirty year old
woman shadow loomed above us. We all promptly
shut up. She had a very intimidating presence. Ms.
Cook. “Aiden, Isabel, Kadie three laps now!” she
barked “Stephanie six!”. Six?! Cinch! Clearly her
idea of punishment was twisted but I didn’t
complain. My legs kicked and I sliced through the
water at the perfect pace overtaking Isabel who was
at the front. I finished the lesson with my muscles
aching and tired with my heart going a mile a
minute. I trotted over to my bag and toweled my
hair which was inevitably curly. Nothing would
straighten it! “Hi, Harrison” Isabel expanded the ‘I’
on hi making her seem even dumber than usual. Thetwo were perfect for each other. “Soul mates!” I
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gasped. Harrison scowled at me and Isabel’s face litup. To my intense disappointment it was still
pouring heavily outside. “Looks like im driving you
home” Harrison said cheerily. Isabel’s face and
mine were both masks of disappointment. “Fine” I
spoke through clenched teeth and stormed past him.
“Don’t be so enthusiastic Steph or I might leave you
alone” Harrison teased me once we were seated inthe car. Every part of me soaked to the bone. Yes!
Harrisons sentence gave me the perfect plan. I
formulated it and was still going when he pulled up
in the front of my house. To say he was surprised I
didn’t fling myself out like I had just escaped a near
death experience was the worlds biggest
understatement. I had no idea how to act freakishlyclingy that was Isabel’s forte not mine. But I’d give
it a go anyway. I leaned over the gear shift towards
Harrison and his eyes widened. My fingers danced
along his jaw line while I asked “Why don’t we just
sit and... talk for a bit?” I blinked my eyes
innocently. Okay I’ll admit when I looked back on
it I should have known Harrison would take
advantage of my un-expected closeness. But at the
time I just wasn’t expecting him to press his lips to
mine then draw me closer over the gear shift. Like I
said before, Harrison was strong; scarily. He drew
my right up arm up over his neck and that’s when
he made his mistake. My left fist effectively caught
him right in the lower stomach. “Ow! What the hell
was that for?!”
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“Giving me the best advice ever” and I slipped outof the car in one fluid go and was in the house in
another.
“I CAN’T FRIGGEN BELIEVE YOU SNUCK
OUT AGAIN BIANCA! DON’T YOU CARE
ABOUT SCHOOL AT ALL!?” Hm, so mum did
find out.
“Nope” Bianca replied cheerily. I laughed as Iwalked into the kitchen. Mum had cornered Bianca
in the living room so I didn’t have to worry about
getting my head ripped off. Plus I was starved. I
caught Ben raiding the fridge with a disgusted
Kitarnya trying to focus on her homework. She was
very pretty with brown skin, glossy black hair and a
perfectly symmetrical face. I looked over her shoulder and pointed out the answers
“A, C, C, B, D, A” my finger ran down the page of
little tick boxes.
“Thanks” she replied reverently
“Anytime” I murmured then bumped Ben out of the
way to fridge with my hip. He stumbled and I
snickered then bit into a freezing apple. “Don’t you
have homework?” Ben grumbled sliding into the
seat next to Kitarnya and kissed her cheek. I made a
gagging sound then answered him “Uh-huh”
“Have you done it?”
“What do you think genius?”
Ben replied with a grunt. I pulled his long hair as I
walked past. I met Bianca on my way up the stairs
she was whistling cheerily with her hands burieddeeply in her pockets. “Nine or more?” I asked she
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knew I meant months referring to her now extendedgrounding. “Twelve”
“Damn it!”
“What?” she asked chuckling
“I had a bet on ten, so close!”
“How much did you bet?”
“Twenty”
“Ooo” she winced “By the way mums working latetonight one or two so we get pizza”
My eyes slid in Bianca’s direction she noticed my
un-ease.
“Don’t worry im not sneaking out tonight but
Declan is coming over...” her eye brows raised
higher making sure I understood. I was able to
stamp my foot once I had reached the top of thestairs “Nuh-uh no way in hell!”
“Come on Stephy”
“Well you guys will just have to keep it down”
“Keep what down? And Steph I can’t believe you
sucker punched Harrison!” Jet exulted walking out
of his room the phone still in his large hand. “Oh
my god you what?” Bianca gasped her face lit up.
“He wants to speak to you by the way” Jet held the
phone out to me I took it and made no move to keep
my voice down.
“What freaking advice?!” Harrison even sounded a
little hurt but it was an act Satan’s spawn didn’t get
hurt. “Aw poor baby is upset would you like a
bottle?” I pretended to miserable. He cussed loudly
at me and I made another suggestion as to where hecould stick a bottle then hung up. I handed the
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phone back to a confused Jet “Mum’s gonna be outtonight order whatever you want” I was halfway in
my door when an avid Bianca caught up to me. “He
kissed you” she stated. My scowl deepened
answering the question for her. Bianca burst into
hysterics. I slammed the door in her face for the
second time today. “HE DID WHAT?!” Jet roared
furiously from outside my door.“He kissed her” Bianca annunciated slowly. Jet let
fly a stream of profanities his heavy footfalls
descending the stairs. Jet was just a little to
protective of me. I hated Harrison and everything
but a sucker punch wasn’t the only thing Jet was
probably planning on doing to him. The door rattled
as I shot out of my room. I was dressed in mycotton around-the-house shorts and a T-shirt with
worn out flats. But that wasn’t going to stop me
from charging down Jet. But I was to late his car
was already reversing out of the driveway. It sucked
that I was the only kid in the family without her
license. I could think of only one thing it wasn’t
raining very hard but the path to the horse barn was
damp and muddy. More sticks caught in my hair but
I didn’t care. Captain may have been my most loyal
horse and I felt bad for doing this but Scarlet’s
definitely the fastest one I own. Captain looked
accusingly at me out of his big brown eyes. “Sorry
Cap, but I have to get there fast” with that I sent
Scarlet at a fast trot out of the barn. Once I was in
the clear she shot like a comet through the treesmaking the shrubs a green blur. Harrison’s wide
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glass house and monstrous backyard bloomed intoview. Lucky for me Jet wasn’t here yet. “Good to
see you here” Harrison called sarcastically. I
narrowed my eyes and strained my ears. I couldn’t
hear any car engine so nothing to worry about, yet. I
slid off Scarlet and tied her bridle to the fence. She
whinnied and pawed the ground. “What happened
to nutty?” Harrison asked as I jumped the white picket fence. Scarlet was midnight black with
copper running down her face. “Scarlet’s faster” I
snapped.
“So why you here, back for more?”
“You wish. Im here cause Jets on his way to kill
you”
“You told him?!”“No Bianca did, she guessed”
“Perfect...” Harrison rolled his glittering green eyes
“And why do you even care if Jet does kill me?”
“Because I think you’ve learned your lesson”
“And if I haven’t?”
“You won’t live to find out” I said darkly glaring at
him.
“DAMN RIGHT HE WON’T!” Jet roared barreling
around the corner of the house. Thankfully I was
faster than my bumbling brother. I caught
Harrison’s hand and spun him till he had landed
safely by my side. I slid in front of Harrison “Jet
calm down” I warned.
“No” he growled. “I told you Harrison sisters are
off limits”“Hey! I date whoever I want!” I yelled irked.
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“Not without my permission”“Why you bloody idiot!”
Harrison laughed though there was nothing funny
about this situation Jet was in serious danger of
ripping him apart I didn’t want to do it but I had no
choice. The wind was ferocious whipping my hair
into my eyes. “Jet! He didn’t kiss me, I kissed him”
everything was silent. Harrison was shocked and Jetwas dumbfounded. “But Bianca said”
“She guessed”
Jet’s handsome face twisted into an angry scowl.
“Im gonna go pick up the pizza...” and he stalked
back around the house. I breathed a sigh of relief
then turned to a smug Harrison. “Uh-huh! You must
like me otherwise you would have let him kill me”“Like I said I think you learnt your lesson”
“I’ll give you a ride home...?” Harrison offered his
voice trailing off. I whacked him over the head then
stormed over to an anxious Scarlet. Her eyes were
rolling in their sockets and shaking. She really hated
the rain. With one easy tug I had the knot un-done
and was seated comfortably on her back. “What?”
he laughed.
“Harrison... I have a question” I squinted at him
through narrowed eyes because it had started
sleeting. “Yes Steph?”
“Why do you like me? You can have any girl in
school you want, but you go for the one who
doesn’t even like you?”
“There’s something different about you Steph I justdonno what”
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“Well neither do I, see ya” my heart was in double-time, he won’t find out... he won’t find out... I
repeated over and over in my head all the way
home. The truth is... im not a normal teenage girl.
Im an Elemental entailing my being half-wolf. Not
creepy howling at the full moon and all hairy. But
more of a... shape shifter. It depended on the
elements and I was so lucky that mine was theelement of wind. Its so difficult to explain I wasn’t
entirely sure of it myself I’d be freaked out and
thought I’d gone insane. If it wasn’t for my friend
Francesca I’d be locked up in the loony bin. What
happens is when I concentrate hard enough my
human genes morph and change into a smoky grey
wolf. Its like the wind whisks straight through my bones the sensation is like im curling in on myself.
If you concentrated on my appearance there was
something distinctly wolf like about it. My grey
eyes were sharper than the average humans. I
moved faster than the fastest man on earth but that
was to be expected. My sense of smell was a little
more developed and oh yeah, I had control over the
wind. I led Scarlet into her stall then skipped
outside. I hadn’t been expecting the big gust that
literally knocked me off my feet. Grumbling my
torso twisted and I flicked my wrist. It died down a
bit I still had a lot to learn. Un-like me Francesca
was fiery; literally. She wasn’t sadistic about it for
which I was thankful. What scared me the most was
that I’d heard about other types... more sinister ones. Like people being able to use blood as an
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element. I shuddered. I sniffed the air once I was inthe backyard. My mouth watered. Mmm... pizza. I
hurried through the back door and sped into the
kitchen. All my siblings were gathered around the
kitchen table hoeing down slices. “Ay leave some
for me!” I protested. Ben just grinned at me through
a mouthful of food. “Lovely” I mumbled snatching
up a particularly cheesy piece. It was still hot and burned my tongue but I didn’t care. Bianca was
done and filing her already perfect nails. Jet was
fishing a stray piece of meat from between his white
teeth. My brothers were probably just about the
most charming ones on the planet... even as a half-
wolf, half-human I was more clean. I could hear
Emmy’s nails on the floorboards as she boundeddown the hall. Skid then leap into the kitchen. Her
tongue lolling out to one side and ears pricked up. It
looked as though she was smiling. I sneaked her a
piece of chicken she gulped it down in one second.
“Hey guys” Declan ambled into the kitchen. His
face fell when he noticed the empty box. “Aw you
pigs I wanted some” Declan grinned goofily. I
supposed he was cute but I wasn’t one to judge.
“So, how many weeks you get grounded for?” he
asked Bianca.
“Twelve” I answered for her then froze and flinched
when Jet spoke up
“Sweet pay up Steph!”
“Don’t have my wallet on me” I shrugged. Doing a
what-can-I-do? Gesture.
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“You never do” Jet grumbled. I poked my tongueout at him then slipped into the lounge room. I
splayed out on the couch and flicked through the
channels. At eleven I decided it was time to crash.
“Night guys” I yawned trudging up the stairs. There
was a few vague `nights drifting up the stairs. I
smiled as I slipped in my pj’s and into bed. I
clapped my hands and the lights flickered out.
Chapter 2:Screaming is for those in pain
The shrill beeping of the alarm clock woke me up
from a wonderful dream. “Stupid piece of crap” I
muttered and slammed my fist down; hard. On the
snooze button. It got the hint and stopped after that.
Eventually I couldn’t ignore the nagging voice in
my head telling me to get up and ready for school. I
dressed groggily in the outfit I had picked out the
night before. I didn’t bother with makeup as I
skipped downstairs my complexion pleased me.Mum was up and adam when I entered the kitchen.
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She set the bowl of cheerios down as I slid into thecounter stool. “Thanks” I yawned. And shoved food
in my mouth then downed the entire glass of OJ`.
“Bye mum, love you” I pecked her on the cheek
then flew out the door. I had unfortunately overslept
not that I cared much about being late but I’d been
late one to many times before. Plus 99.9% of the
time my ‘other life’ had gotten in the way. I caughtBianca climbing into her Chevrolet Camaro
Concept just in time. “Wait up!” I called waving my
arms.
“Oh so beauty queen awoke?” she teased.
“Haha” I mumbled sarcastically climbing into the
passenger seat. Ben and Jet were fighting in the
back. Bianca snorted and stuck the keys in theignition she shot out of the driveway at a speed way
past the legal limit. Thanks to Bianca’s manic
driving we were there with plenty of time to spare.
There was an un-spoken rule between my siblings
and I. I am not allowed to speak to them during
school. I was considered a bit of a freak because I
always acted so weirdly. Kadie was only a friend to
me at swimming practice. She’s more popular than
me. Francesca came bounding up to me. She was
deathly pale with straight black hair always tied up
in a bun with two stray pieces framing her pretty
face. Her eyes were slender and pulled a little at the
corners. The irises an unnerving yellow. No-one but
me had noticed but her pupils were dull ruby red.
Something that had freaked me out at first but nowit seemed to be part of her. I was last to climb out of
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the car. “Hey Steph”.“Hi Frankie”
“So, what did you do for the weekend?”
“Usual” I shrugged.
“Lucky you I was stuck at home with whack Nat”
“C`mon your grandma isn’t that bad” I elbowed her
playfully. She dodged it agilely then her face broke
out in a smile “Yeah she isn’t, look what she taughtme!”
Natalie was Francesca’s care-taker and her
grandmother or mentor. She was the only one who
knows about Francesca’s and my secret.
Francesca’s brow furrowed as she concentrated her
hand turned palm up; with fingers splayed out.
Instantly the little golden flame sprung up and shecupped it. Soon it had formed a ring and was
whirling gracefully in her hand. “Are you crazy?” I
hissed; eyes darting around to check to see if
anyone was watching. I spun my hand around and
the sharp gust of wind blew out the flame. “No” she
grumbled. Francesca came up to my shoulder blade
so she was pretty tall. “By the way, the old bird
wants you to come over this arvo` for ‘homework”
she made quotation marks in the air with her
fingers. I laughed lightly “Okay sides` we get off
early because of sport”
School wasn’t all that bad all the subjects I’d
chosen were the same as Francesca’s and they were
ones I liked. “We have cooking first then science” I
stated as she rifled furiously through her designer Gucci bag. Probably lost her timetable again...
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Frankie proved me wrong when she pulled out asoiled piece of paper. “You never cease to amaze
me” I mumbled rolling my eyes. A furrow popped
into existence between her pencil thin black eye
brows as she examined the torn scrap. Frankie held
it out at arms length and peered at it through
narrowed eyes. “You can just make out the
writing...” she murmured to low for any normalhuman ears to pick up but I heard it. I peered down
“Yeah if you squint... hard”
“Get stuffed” she pretended to scowl as she chucked
the piece in the bin with uncanny precision. The bell
rang high and shrilly as we scattered off to our role
call rooms.
“Stephanie Manka”
“Here”
“Francesca Stevenson’s”
“Here!”
I rolled my eyes. Frankie deemed it prudent to act a
little bit to enthusiastic for our last lesson of the
day. Either excitement or she was crazy. The last
one seemed more probable. The English lesson
dragged on. I fidgeted in my seat and continually
glanced at the clock for the start of lunch. English
was my final subject and I was itching for it to end.
Finally the bell rang and we shot out of our seats
but not before Isabel blocked our escape. The
zombies (what Frankie liked to call them) sniveling
like idiots behind her. “So” she began. Frankie’seyes narrowed into slits the red very apparent in her
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pupils now. The anger really brought it out. “I heardthat Harrison kissed you Stephy?” she said it like it
wasn’t possible. Damn Bianca to the fiery pits of
Hades! “Nup, never did”
“That’s not what Harrison told me” she snapped
harshly.
“Why can’t you” Frankie seethed shaking from
head to toe “Mind your own damn business!?”“Because Harrison is my business, and as far as im
concerned Stephy not yours. So hands off !” clearly
Isabel meant for the sentence to be threatening but it
had no effect on me. Frankie on the other hand was
about to explode. She basically had zero tolerance
for girls who think their all that. Which Isabel
obviously thought she was as she turned on her heelwith a disparaging flick of her hair and walked out
of the classroom. She was leaving for sport to and
Frankie and I were walking behind when she lit up a
cigarette. I nearly choked on the disgusting tar like
smoke streaming from her nose. “Careful with that
cigarette Izzy, you might get burned” my eyes
widened at a malicious Frankie. Isabel snorted
without turning our way; Frankie’s eye brow
twitched and Isabel yelled out in pain. She dropped
the cigarette and the choking gas hit my nose. I
coughed and quickly blew the revolting stench
away from me. The butt rolled into the grass by the
force of the wind. My stomach was heaving the
scent making my head swirl. How someone could
put something so vile to their lips I didn’t know.“Lets get out of here” I wheezed. Running faster
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than I should away from the choking gas. I roundedthe corner then checked down the street to make
sure no-one was watching. In a quick pirouette the
smoke had been blasted out from me. With a cold
breath I blew it away. Frankie caught up to me her
pale face screwed up in annoyance and I was
willing to bet vestiges of anger still remained. I was
right sparks were shooting out of her fingertips.“Cool it” I advised. Frankie closed her eyes and
breathed in deeply. She did this right up till we
reached her grandmothers house. It was a simple
dark brick with wild flowers sprouting everywhere.
Everything in the house was antique and smelt like
freshly baked bread. “Hi Francesca, Stephanie”
Natalie acknowledged us. Her tone was a lovelyshade of warm beige her cheeks flushed with soft
peach cream. Natalie’s skin clung in papery little
folds to her withered bones. She had long pure
white thick hair that was tied up in a little bun at the
back with the rest hanging in heavy folds around
her once pretty face. Natalie had the same eyes as
Francesca that were bright topaz but no dull red in
the pupils. Her wizened hands moved over the
ingredients she was mixing in a bowl. “Hello” I said
politely. She smiled at me small surprisingly plump
lips revealed something even more shocking; pearly
white teeth. And they weren’t even fake. “I showed
Steph that thing you taught me” Frankie spoke
loudly plopping down into a cushioned chair. I
copied her only with a little more dignity. Natalieslid the cake batter into the old-fashioned oven. She
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turned to Frankie with a raised eye brow dusting her hands on her apron. “And how did it go?”
“Steph had to help me put it out” she answered
sheepishly. Natalie laughed weakly and turned to
the pot sitting on the stove. Instead of lighting it
with a match a small jet of flame shot out of her
fingertips. The pot simmered and the scent of
pumpkin soup filled the small kitchen. My mouthwatered. Frankie had inherited her abilities off her
grandmother. Apparently it skipped a generation but
my grandma is long gone. Natalie set two round
plates and with a bowl in front of us. Two crisp
brown rolls still steaming. She lifted the pot off the
stove with a little effort the spooned us our soup.
Frankie instantly delved into hers. I waited for a bitit was true Frankie was a little more tolerable with
hot things she definitely didn’t burn easily. I waved
my index finger and a soft whisper of wind blew
across the surface. Smiling happily I slid the soaked
bedroll into my mouth. It tasted delicious.
“I see you’ve improved quite a bit Stephanie”
Natalie praised me sitting down eyeing Frankie with
a look of disapproval. I answered her once I had
swallowed “Yeah, I even got the wind to let up a
little yesterday”
Clearly that was something Natalie wasn’t
expecting. Her delicate eye brows shot right up into
her white hair. “Already? Your progressing much
faster than I expected. You must show me when
your done with lunch” I nodded my mouth full of soup. Something wasn’t right I could tell by the way
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Natalie fidgeted in her seat a slightly manicexpression gleaming in her cat like eyes. When I
was finally done she spoke. “Girls” Natalie sighed
our heads both snapped up. The ancient misery
coating her voice worried us both. “It’s the Lords”
Frankie and I both froze. The Lords being the rulers
of Elementals like us. They were very powerful I’ve
only heard of them, one woman and one man.Vespera and Alijah. And then of course their slaves
of sorts. “They called a meeting a few days from
now. Calling all of us to Pioneer Square”
“All of us?” Frankie asked confused.
“Every Elemental on the planet” Natalie replied
gravely. My mind stopped working then went into
over-drive. But surely there were far to many? Our numbers were incredible. “Why?!” Frankie cried.
“They wouldn’t say, but im afraid we don’t have a
choice”
“That’s bull!”
Natalie sighed she never scolded Frankie for her
less than perfect vocabulary. “Its not im so sorry
Stephanie dear, but can you think of an excuse? We
leave on Saturday”
Frankie shoved away from the table and stormed
out. A loud door slam indicating she was pissed.
Natalie watched her go regretfully
“No, its fine” I mumbled. Natalie didn’t answer so I
got up slowly and walked quietly down the hall till I
reached Frankie’s room. I knocked softly when she
didn’t answer I barged in. Frankie’s room was donein vibrant oranges, blacks and reds. Her double bed
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reflected in the wide glass walk-in-wardrobe. Shewas punching her big fluffy pillow. “Im not to
happy about it either”
Frankie laughed bitterly “I just hate being pushed
around by these idiots. Im not their bloody slave”
un-like me Frankie had met the Lords and she had
no intention of going back. Natalie sometimes went;
she used to be the greatest fire Elemental ever. I satheavily on the edge of her bed. “Look at it this way,
Seattle should give you more shopping
opportunities” I ventured. Instantly Frankie relaxed
and her pretty face lit up. I laughed.
Chapter 3:Screaming is for those in pain
I can’t freaking believe I only had four days to think
of an excuse as to why im leaving and may notreturn for a little while? Why? Why me? I had just
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returned from Frankie’s and finished all of myhomework. I had been trying to put off making up
the excuse but I had to think of something and fast...
Bianca shrieked up the stairs that dinner was ready.
I delayed for a bit slowly brushing through my thick
curly hair. It was kind of cute how it would spring
back up and bounce a little. Eventually no longer
could I delay. I trudged down the stairs my hands buried deeply in my pockets. Steak and mashed
potato tonight, joy... I noticed Ben wasn’t here
almost instantly I guessed he was at Kitarnya’s but
Josephine corrected my assumption “He’s over at
the golf course and Jet is at Fairmont Park with his
mates” I shrugged, like I cared. Bianca was cutting
her meat daintily whereas in one slice mine was slit.I slid most of my dinner into Emmy’s food bowl
which she downed quickly. I wasn’t in the mood for
eating. “Steph dear what’s wrong?” mum asked
concernedly. My face drooped and I yawned “Just a
bit tired, can I be excused?”
“But its your turn for the dishes!” Bianca protested.
“Nuh-uh its Bens and since he’s not here its yours”
I replied smugly. I knew it was childish but I poked
my tongue out at a scowling Bianca then slipped
from the room. On my way to my room I peeked in
Bianca’s. Her room was all gold’s and dark teaks.
What I noticed was my favourite white blouse with
the West Seattle High School captaincy badge
pinned to the collar. She must have taken it on
Sunday. I thought angrily snatching it away. Therewere no stains for which I was thankful. Around
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this time Frankie would’ve made her nightly call but I guessed she was still a little iffy about the
whole get-to-Seattle-by-Saturday thing. I slipped
into my silk pants that brushed along the floor and
my light blue camisole. I snatched out my French
manicure set and began on my toes. It was 8 o’clock
when my fingers and toes were glittering a pretty
pale pink and white. It really stood out against mydark skin. I was lucky to have a room with an
adjoining bathroom. Mum had a fair bit of money
left from when dad passed away. My GHD
straightener beeped after a minute. With my hair all
piled up on top of my head except for a fine wispy
layer I carefully set to work. Finally I finished at 10
to 11. Normally I didn’t do much before bed butsince Frankie didn’t call I had to fill in time. When
my eyes began to droop I slipped into my freshly
laundered sheets.
For a change the sun peeped in through my heavy
curtains in the morning. I was warm; lying in bed
with my sheets twisted everywhere around my legs.
I sat up groggily and rubbed my eyes. When my
vision cleared I shot out of bed. I was late; again. I
dressed quickly in calf length black tights and a
denim skirt, white blouse and Prada flats. My hair
was still straight and shimmery so I left it out and
just slid a headband on. I brushed my teeth speedily
yanked my book bag up then flew out the door;
apple in hand. Bianca was sitting in the car Ben inthe front seat. Jet was no-where to be seen.
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“Remind me to wake you up earlier” Bianca quoteddryly as she sped along the road. I poked my tongue
out I noticed she had her captains badge on.
“Something special?”
“Yeah, apparently there’s gonna be an inspection by
a guy from the department of education and Shawn
and I have to greet him” she sounded very bored by
this so I didn’t press for more information. The parking lot for West Seattle High was nearly full so
I slipped out while Bianca went to park. The front
of the school was a large brick building with
students streaming in. Some like me; had taken a
guess and gone against celebrating the weather.
Knowing all to well it would probably disappear.
Frankie wasn’t anywhere in sight so I leaned againsta pillar and waited for the bell. Lucky me Harrison
had decided to come over... joy. “Hey have you
seen Jet?” he asked nonchalantly. I shrugged I
wasn’t in the mood for his dumb games. I realized
Harrison to had his prefect badge on CRAP! I
totally forgot mine. “Forgot your badge?” he
guessed, his lips pressed together to keep himself
from laughing. “Shut up” I snarled.
“Don’t worry, the office probably has spares,
c`mon” he jerked his thumb in the general direction
of the office. I was reluctant to go but Harrison was
coming full stop. “Excuse me miss?” I asked
timidly the woman behind the counter glanced up
then smiled at me warmly. “Forgot your badge
darl?”
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“Uh, yes” I laughed. She chuckled with me thenhanded me the small gold pin on with the word
prefect engraved in it. Harrison was grinning
smugly behind me as I fumbled to pin it to my
breast pocket. “Here, let me” he offered hands
extended.
“I got it” I spat through my teeth. And I did, at least
until I pierced my skin. Swiftly his hands knockedmine aside and he had it done in two seconds.
“Screw you” I mumbled stalking past him. Harrison
just laughed and tagged along at my side. He was
about half a foot shorter than me. But I was taller
than most guys in my grade anyway. Probably why
they avoided me so much. Plus I was known as the
horse girl. “Hey Steph, I was wondering onSaturday... if maybe” I knew all to well where this
conversation was headed. “Actually I have
something that weekend so no, sorry” and I swept
past him. Eager to be out of there. All in all it was a
very boring Tuesday. And again on Wednesday
Frankie didn’t show up. I was starting to get
worried, what if she had already left without telling
me? What if she had run-away? But my fears were
squashed when it was her number appearing on my
mobile on Wednesday afternoon
“Steph?”
“Speaking” I answered calmly
“Oh hey, sorry I haven’t talked to you in awhile its
just that some people showed up. Their travelling
with us to the ‘meeting’ place”“More elementals?” I asked excitedly.
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“Yes, listen why don’t you come over this afternoonto meet them?”
“Sure I’d love to”
“Okay bye”
“See yah” I hung up then changed course and
sprinted for Natalie’s place. I was halfway down the
street when my sensitive ears started to decipher the
ruckus coming from the small house. The door swung open before I could knock. Frankie stood
beaming in the doorway. Joy dancing in her eyes.
Behind her stood four people. There was a stunning
ivory skinned female around her early twenties,
silvery blonde waist length hair hung to her waist,
the male next to her was deathly pale just like
Frankie. His midnight black hair was cropped but pieces had grown out everywhere and framed his
handsome face, charcoal black lined his topaz eyes.
The next girl was just as pale with cropped black
hair and a blunt fringe that ended just above her
pencil thin eye brows, she had blood red full lips.
The final male was muscled like a football player
with curly brown hair and grinned goofily. Frankie
noticed my stare and named them all for me “Ivy,
Christian, Belle and Ash this is Stephanie, a wind
Elemental”
“First one I’ve ever met” the curly brown haired
Ash strode forward to shake my hand. “And that
would make you...?” I asked curiously smiling. I
already knew Belle and Christian were fire
Elementals the eyes are always a dead giveaway.“An earth one” his face broke out into a huge grin
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when he dragged Ivy forward. She smiled timidly atme “Im a water Elemental” her soft melodic voice
echoed down the hall. I wondered randomly if there
were signs as to what certain Elementals some
were. For wind Elementals it was the glittering grey
eyes, fire Elementals the topaz ones, I looked at Ivy
again there was definitely something flowing and
graceful about her. Christian was leaning against thewall utterly bored his sharp eyes caught my staring,
I looked away blushing. “We’re gonna try and jam
into the one car” Frankie laughed.
“We are not!” Natalie croaked hobbling down the
hallway drying her hands on a dishcloth. The scent
of homemade pasta and oregano sauce drifting
down with her. “So” Frankie began once we wereall seated around the thick wood table. “Have you
thought of an excuse yet?”
“Excuse for what?” Ash asked curiously through a
mouthful of food. Ivy smacked him over the head.
“Why im suddenly disappearing on Saturday” I
answered curtly. When the sentence finished there
was a great deal of choking from Ash, Christian had
to slap him on the back a few times. “Your parents
don’t know?” Belle asked curiously. With a
distinctly English accent. “No”
“Odd” Christian muttered. His voice captivating
just like warm chocolate. I blushed and looked
down. “Stephanie’s mentor passed away when she
was young” Natalie clarified.
“So you’ve taught yourself everything you know?”Ivy asked in awe. I nodded sheepishly except
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Christian wasn’t impressed “So you mustn’t be verygood then” he muttered, cheek lifted as he looked
down at his barely touched food. My left eyebrow
twitched spontaneously. Everyone who knew me
figured my temper was short. And the one thing I
could not stand was people who just assume. My
fork slammed down causing the table to tremble.
“Wanna bet?” I asked through gritted teeth.“Sure where can we do this?”
Ash howled as Christian called my bluff. Frankie
was chewing slowly her eyes darting between a
calm Christian and an enraged me. Belle was
watching with a bit of amusement. Ivy was biting
her perfect nail nervously. “No, no! NO!” Natalie
yelled a volley of sparks flying into the air as shethrew her hands up in aggravation.
“Christian, Stephanie is actually an amazing
Elemental it would be un-wise to challenge her” this
sentence meant more to the beautiful foursome than
it did to me. Belle raised her eyebrows till they
disappeared into her black fringe. Ivy gaped and
Ash choked on his food again. Christian looked
disbelieving as he glared at me. I returned the glare;
this went on for about five minutes until Francesca
spoke up. “Look, you guys will be staying with us
for awhile and that means no showing off at school ”now it was my turn to choke.
“What?” I wheezed my eyes streaming. These...
teenagers attending my school ?! Belle leaned back
in her chair her topaz eyes veiled. Christianlooked... bored. Ash was leaning back in his chair
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smiling up at the ceiling. Ivy was twirling pastawith her fork while a smile played around her
perfect lips. “Is that why you haven’t been at school
for so long?” I asked turning accusingly to
Francesca. She shrugged smiling “Nah, but Belle is
a great teacher”
Natalie scoffed
“Marnie doesn’t approve of my techniques” Bellecleared up. I noticed now on her arm was a tattoo of
a thorny rose with a black snake coiled around the
stem. Though her outfit was different, white short
sleeved blouse with a black high waist work skirt,
black tights and very high glossy black heels. On
her finger was a worn out thick silver ring the same
rose and snake engraved on it. I noticed now theyall had some item of jewelry. Around Ivy’s slender
neck was a slight silver chain and a glittering swan
nestled in the hollow at the base of her throat.
Christian had a simply black and red leather band
plaited together wrapping around his pale wrist. Ash
had a tiny minuscule black stud in one ear. My eyes
fixed on Ivy; her ivory finger was going up and
down in a soft motion. The mineral water in her cup
following it in a little cylinder like glob. Ivy was
dressed in a tight fitting ice blue summer dress with
a small floaty jacket that ended just beneath her
chest. Her small feet partially covered by the same
blue ballet flats. Christian in tight fitting jeans,
black T-shirt and volleys. Ash wore baggy torn
jeans, a white thick strap top with a green sports jacket thrown over casually. And they had the best
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fashion sense almost as good as Frankie’s. Their obvious wealth made me feel a little insignificant
even though I owned four horses. And that
comforted me. “About your situation” Christian
began in a smooth voice once Natalie had got up to
wash the dishes. Ivy jumping up and helping out;
cleaning at a much faster pace. “What about it?” I
asked him rudely. Christian hid a smile.“Well, why don’t you just tell your mum your
sleeping over at Francesca’s and then going down
the coast for a bit”
My eyes widened. How come I didn’t think of
that?! I grudgingly admitted to using it which made
Christian’s smug smile even more pronounced. “I
was hoping to get some training in but its to windyand raining...” Ash murmured his eyes fixed
outside. Rain was bucketing down and the wind
whipped fiercely against the house. Ivy and I both
cleared our throats at the same time. “Idiot” Belle
muttered rolling her eyes. She smoothly pushed
away from the table then disappeared down the hall.
“Hey Steph if your not gonna fight Chris ere` why
don’t you take me instead?” Ash suggested. I
grinned happily at him
“Sure” this guy clearly underestimated me.
Everyone except Natalie and Belle tagged along to
watch. Ivy spread her arms in a wide arch and the
rain created an amazing dome above us. It looked
like there was an invisible wall holding it at bay
while it ran down the sides. The wind was evenfiercer now, it whipped my hair into my eyes but it
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didn’t sting me. I breathed in deeply then steppedforward into the middle and spun in a wide circle.
Its snarling stopped immediately. Ash looked a little
un-sure as he stepped forward but it soon dissipated
when he turned to face me. The others hung back.
Frankie most of the way she knew what I was like. I
had to admit Ash was good; but I was better. Earth
Elementals mostly relied on vibration to sense their opponents and that’s where I had the advantage. I
was so light on my feet normally my approach was
silent. I felt the lift as my feet hovered above the
ground only half a foot in the air but enough to
confuse Ash. The ground pushed up as a wave of
bricks rolled towards me. Placing my hand on the
steps it formed I flipped till I was facing Ash. I spunmy arms in a circle; air sliced towards him and
knocked Ash off balance. I didn’t give him time to
recover as I put all my strength into the whirlwind I
sent at him. My reflexes were quicker than any
other Elemental and Earth ones had the slowest;
providing me with the upper hand. Mark spun and
planted his feet firmly on the ground. Four rock
hard walls sprung up and encased. I heard his
laughter shake the ground. I gritted my teeth; he
isn’t winning that easily. I pressed my hands to the
walls and focused. Eventually I could feel the
minuscule air tunnels running through the
foundations of my small Earth prison. My eyebrows
pulled together and finally the entire thing blew out
into little sharp shards of rock. Ash stooddumbfounded along with everyone; except Frankie.
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With a final slice of my hand Ash was lying on theground still gaping at me. I smirked then hauled him
to his feet. Ivy kept the dome of water surrounding
us. “I’ve never seen anything like her” Christian
murmured apparently reassessing his first
impression. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” I
sneered.
“We’ll see, my turn” he started forward. Frankie’seyes went from veiled to dancing in a minute. Fire
Elementals usually had the upper hand when it
came to Air ones; Fire breathed off the power but
since it was raining I could work it to my
advantage. Christian moved sharply then shot a
flaming jet towards me. I ducked under it moving as
quickly as the fierce wind. I kept up the dancinggame till I had happily put enough distance between
us. I curled in on myself then un-furled quickly
sending out a blast of freezing air. It blew out past
the dome of water causing it to flutter. Then I
hauled the icy air back in. It wrapped around
Christian’s ankles and hands with a final breath it
froze. He couldn’t use his abilities anymore and I
had won... YAY! Christian hissed at me; charcoal
lined eyes narrowing. The topaz glinting furiously
at me. But what he stared at me with was grudging
awe the anger was directed internally. “Don’t beat
yourself up, she did that to me to”
“So, still think im not good?” I challenged. After
flashing a remembering smile to Frankie. “Fine” he
muttered grudgingly. I slipped inside and Ivy let the
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rain fall again. The others quickly hurried inshaking glistening drops from their hair.
Chapter 4:Screaming is for those in pain
“Aw Stephy isn’t your girlfriend here?” Isabel
called to me in her high-pitched voice from acrossthe schoolyard. I made a rude one-fingered gesture
in her direction which caused Isabel to stalk over to
me. She never failed to forget to pin on her extra
shiny Vice Captain badge. She wore it like a crown
and thought because I was a Prefect that I am below
her. Which in general order I was but boy on the
predator list she’d be around the kelp area and I’d probably be the shark. A lot of people usually felt
intimidated by my height so Isabel hung a little
further back then you would in normal
conversation. “How dare you!” she screeched. The
entire hall fell silent as if her shrill voice was the
bell. My eyes flickered to the side. I was waiting for
Francesca to show up with her ‘cousins’. A littlering formed around Isabel and I as people hastily
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cleared the way. It was un-spoken rule to get out of her and my way. Isabel’s forced mine just...
occurred. “Wait till I tell the Principle what you did
to a Vice Captain”
as I was about to make a witty remark Bianca
forced her way through the throng of people. “Yet
Izzy dearest, Stephanie here could tell the Principle
that you have threatened a Prefect”“She stuck her finger up at me!” Isabel yelled in
exasperation
“No written rule against it and no-one here saw it”
Bianca appealed to the by-standing crowd with her
eyes. No-one was willing to go against Isabel but I
doubt anyone would ever say one word against my
sister. Isabel screamed out in exasperation. Shehated being proven wrong. The tension seeped away
and people began to move around again. “Thanks” I
whispered huskily to Bianca. She smiled at me then
slithered away. “Wow” Ivy breathed. I whipped
around. Francesca stood a foot in front of her four
‘cousins’. She was dressed in a belly button
showing red couture top, black mini shorts, long
socks that reached past her knee and red wedges.
Her pitch black hair pulled halfway into a shimmery
beanie. Ivy was dressed in a short floaty blue dress
and white wedges. Belle looking sharp and stunning
in the same tight black skirt and white blouse. Ash
dressed casually and Christian in striking contrast.
With a pair of black skinny leg jeans, tight pitch t-
shirt and white air-forces. The same charcoal lininghis topaz eyes. His hair even more messy than
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yesterday. He was erring on the edge of surlyinstead of apathetic. Probably because I had kicked
his butt yesterday. A couple of girls were eyeing
Ash and Christian. But Ivy made it clear with her
body language that Ash was off limits which left
Christian the center of attention. And he certainly
didn’t like it. He hurried past girls who tried to talk
to him. Most of the time his eyes slipped to myface. It was probably bright red as I was holding
back laughter.
“Don’t even think about it” he muttered angrily to
me from between thin lips. Ivy on the other hand
didn’t bother. She went into a fit of hysterical
laughter. Ash had to hold her up. Belle rolled her
eyes and checked her jet black perfect nails.Francesca surveyed the motley group warmth in her
eyes. She turned to me with a devilish smile I was
instantly weary; this can’t be good. “Oh Steph, you
and Christian have every class together”
“WHAT?!” we both yelled unison. I looked
witheringly at Frankie. For someone who was
supposed to know me so well she could really be
dead wrong.
“Im with her?” Christian asked in his smooth voice
glancing apprehensively at me. I was somewhat
offended. I turned on Christian all my irritation with
Frankie draining away. “And what the hell is wrong
with that?”
Ash, Ivy and Francesca took a quick step back.
Then another; soon they were ten feet away fromus. “Well” Christian floundered for words
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something I had never expected “It seems as thoughyou’re a bit of an... outcast”
I snapped.
“Look I said I was sorry” Christians muffled
apology sounded so sincere I almost believed him.
Almost being the keyword. Christian was clutching
his right jaw a big purple bruise already bloomingalong his pale skin. I rubbed a small burn on my
arm. Pain shot up along it. I winced. We were
sitting outside the Principles office after being given
the verdict and let off. But only once; we had been
warned. Though right now I did consider giving
him a good punch again. I had kinda jumped on top
of Christian; pinned him to the ground and smashedhim in the jaw. But only once! In his attempt to get
me off he had accidently burnt my arm. I told the
nurse it was from a cooking incident. “What kind of
prejudiced pig are you?” I hissed. Before he could
defend himself I continued “Your just like everyone
else you know that? Because im different, because
im tall , something I have no freaking control over
they go and run because of it! You are the worlds
biggest arse!” with that I jumped up and stormed
out of the office. Just to make matters worse
Harrison was waiting by it; leaning coolly against
the steel poll. “So who’s Count Dracula?” he asked
casually. A little to overdone.
“Francesca’s cousin” I growled not in the mood for
his dumb games. Not that I ever was. Harrison kept
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up the casual pretense until we were out of hearingdistance from everyone else. “That’s a load of bull”
“Huh?” was my genius reply. Where did this come
from?
“Its bull that you burnt yourself cooking your arm
was fine when you came to school and as soon as
his hand touched your skin, Walla! Your burnt”
I stopped dead in my tracks. My mind going a milea minute. “Okay” I laughed shakily “Looks like
someone escaped from the asylum. Maybe you
should go back” my feeble attempt at blocking the
truth didn’t fool him for a minute. “I saw, what I
saw” Harrison snarled at me.
“Whatever, like anyone will believe you” I sighed
as though I felt sorry for him. When really my heartwas hammering away. I practically ran from him till
I reached my house. Gasping for air and panicking
big time. “What’s wrong with you?” Ben asked
once I had walked into the living room. I pulled out
the book I had to read for English. “Nothing” I
looked at him like he was crazy. “Where’s Bianca?”
Josephine asked awhile later walking in and
snatching the remote off an un-suspecting Jet. “Out
riding Scarlet” Jet grumbled. I decided now was
good as any time to tell mum about my ‘trip’. “Oh
mum by the way—Francesca and I are just going on
a little trip out of town on the weekend. Her
grandmothers coming to” I assured Josephine she
had started to look apprehensive but caved in the
end.“Okay but remember to take your mobile”
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“WHAT?!” Jet yelled. Josephine appraised him“How come she can get out of town that easily!?”
“Because genius” Ben said sarcastically “Stephanie
doesn’t always ditch school”
Mum’s face hardened. I felt sort of sorry for her
Ben was the only one hear who had a clean record
but it was only a matter of time before he started to
follow in our footsteps. The only thing stopping himwas Kitarnya and he would never do anything to
upset her. Jet made the gesture of a whip cracking
and Ben threw a pillow at him. Bianca came in
around six later that night.
Friday came and went faster than I thought possible.
I was packed and ready for my ‘trip’ with Francescaarriving at her place just on time. Ash beeped
angrily from his BMW. Ivy sitting dutifully in the
front seat with Christian and Belle in the backseat.
“Im driving!” sung Frankie bounding out the front
door. Her diamond studded key ring tinkling
musically in her hand. Natalie pursed her lips but
didn’t say anything. Im sure she wasn’t to fond of
Frankie driving her Lexus. It turned out Francesca
was actually quite a good driver when she wasn’t
being an idiot. To be polite I sat in the back so
Natalie could have the front. We drove in silence
Frankie singing quietly to the music in the car. It
was early dawn when we arrived in Seattle. The sky
liners and tall glass office buildings pale in the
weak sunlight. Mist swirled across the lake blurringout the horizon’s line. Mist on the Horizon. The full
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Chapter 5:Screaming is for those in pain
My mind wiped blank. I knew there were a lot of
Elementals but I never thought it possible that could
be this many. Thousands stood talking in the hall.
And right up the back pressed against the very
farthest wall were to incomprehensively beautiful
people. The woman; Vespera. Was dressed in a
flowing black sleek gown. Her fiery red hair hung
down her back in shocking contrast. The man was
tall and leonine. Golden honey hair uncombed and
frizzy. Dressed in a black cloak. They surveyed the
scene with interest. Vespera and Alijah the royal
Elementals. “How old are they!” Frankie hissed.
For they looked only mid twenties. Natalie swiftly
avoided the question. Instantly I knew she was
hiding something. “Come there’s a clear space over here” her voice a little to casual. Ivy danced around
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the close packed bodies while Ash shoved his waythrough. Christian walking languidly in his wake.
We made it to a deserted corner. Francesca
occupied herself by snuffing out all the cute boys.
Which wasn’t to hard in a hall full of Elementals.
To Ash’s chagrin Ivy was attracting a lot of
attention; all of it from the male variety. For reasons
un-known I was to and it’s pretty hard to blend inwhen your six foot. The hall im guessing is usually
used for council meetings. Which in truth this kind
of counted as one. As the day moved on at least
fifty thousand people were jam packed into the ever
increasing small space. “What do you think this is
all about?” Ivy whispered to me. It occurred to me
then that all week I had not once wondered why theRoyals called this meeting. “I have no idea” I
murmured looking straight ahead. Vespera had
moved to the front her skeletal fingers linked with
Alijahs. “Friends” her voice carried across the hall;
a high soprano.
“My dear brother and I have gathered you here to
announce some alarming news” murmurs started to
move around the wide space until Alijah cleared his
throat and stepped forward. “This can’t be good”
the words slipped from between Belle’s crimson
lips. Her face was concerned and a hint of
something else etched in her straight features. “You
see there are a handful Elementals” Alijahs voice
echoed around the hall; he paused for a second the
ring of majesty clear in his hard voice. “Whomthreaten our very existence!”
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Some people gasped: I was likely to be one of them.They were suicidal these Elementals but that left
one question un-answered. “Why haven’t the Elite
taken care of it?” a female voice asked with a heavy
Irish accent. Francesca looked like she was
wondering the same thing. I realized now the strong
intimidating figures standing behind the royals their
arms crossed over their chests. Three females andtwo males; who made up the Elite. They varied in
size; a pixie like girl’s eyes were darting
everywhere missing no detail. A coffee skinned
woman next to her standing sentinel totally still. But
it seemed like her who saw the most. The third
female screamed dangerous. Though most
Elementals had tell-tale signs of a wolf about themthis woman seemed to be more wolf than human.
Her midnight black hair course with silvery strands
wavering. She held her body defensively coal black
eyes still but glowing like the moon. The two men
had non-descript features nothing to offensive. I
wondered what set them apart from other
Elementals. And then I decided I didn’t want to
know. “We prefer to use the Elite for more serious
matters” Vespera replied coldly.
“What the hell could more serious than exposure?!”
an enraged voice roared.
“What my sister meant to say was” Alijah hurried to
glaze over the mistake “Is that we know some of
you are itching to have a little more involvement we
understand not getting to stretch your abilitiesangers some, so we have decided to let you make a
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rag-tag team to handle this. My sister and I aregoing to provide as much information as necessary
but the Elite shall remain here unless it is absolutely
vital”
Choruses of abuse were echoed at the Royals as
they retreated the Elite three steps behind them.
Eventually the babble of voices quieted. “Well I
know for sure that im in!” a strong voiceannounced. Already Elementals were trickling out
of the hall. A burly man stood holding up his hand;
a cocky grin on his un-shaven face.
“Me to” the Irish voice I heard before came from an
very physically opposing woman. She was very
beautiful. Golden skin, long plaited bright blonde
hair and glittering green eyes. From the way sheheld her posture I hazarded a guess at an Earth
Elemental. Ash opened his mouth raising his arm.
Ivy just in time realized this; she jumped on his arm
and put all her weight in dragging it back down.
Belle laughed quietly. But Ivy could not stop an
eager Francesca from making her hand fly right up.
Enough people had left for it to be no problem to
hear Ivy and Ash’s heated argument. My heart flip-
flopped in my chest. This was a suicidal mission;
obviously if the Royals would not endanger the
Elite these Elementals were powerful beyond
anyone’s wildest imaginings. I looked to Natalie
beseeching but to my astonishment she was talking
to Francesca about fighting strategy. Belle shrugged
and she too raised her hand. I gulped and themuscles in the pit of my stomach tightened.
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Christian was leaning casually against the wall hisarm raised lazily. I hadn’t talked to him since that
fateful afternoon in the principles office. Why was
it such a problem if he wanted to join this suicide
mission? So much worse than Frankie joining up? I
felt like I was betraying my best friend. Worrying
more about this boy whom I barely knew over
probably the only person on the planet who knewthe real me. I looked around at my friends; if they
were in. So was I. It was a little hard seeing the
betrayed look on Ivy’s face as I winced
apologetically at her. “WooHoo!” Ash exulted
punching the air.
“Idiot” Ivy grumbled before grudgingly announcing
that she could be counted in. Eventually there werefifteen Elementals grouped together. We sat in
plastic chairs exchanging names. The stunning Irish
girl revealed her name to be; Isolde Smith. The un-
shaven mans was Jeff. The good humor passed
when strategy became the main topic.
“The Royal’s will give us the information we need”
a confident boy not much older than me spoke
confidently. Belle snorted and rolled her eyes
“Don’t you get it?” she asked. Everyone stared
blankly at her.
“The Royals qualified they will provide as much
information necessary”
“So?” Isolde asked raising her delicate eyebrows.
“Look at the facts. Number one; they won’t let the
Elite get involved”
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“Because they may need them for... later” Jeff interrupted her.
“Yes, but on which side?” Belle contradicted him.
“The Royals would never abuse their power!”
Natalie sounded very appalled by the very idea.
“But what if they had a motive?” Belle pushed.
“There is no motive” a small girl growled glaring
daggers at Belle.“Think again” a young female voice laughed
darkly; shrugging away from the wall. I very nearly
avoided falling out of my chair. This girl was
obviously no more than twelve. She looked like a
porcelain doll. Ivory skin, millions of raven black
curls, full red lips and wide dark eyes. She was
dressed inoffensively. Blue jeans and a black t-shirt.“You could say that one of the Elite may hold a
grudge against me”
The small girl who had growled at Belle earlier
snorted disbelievingly. “What do you mean child?”
Natalie asked kindly. The porcelain girl smiled
brilliantly at Natalie before answering. “I
‘accidently’ killed one of their mates” she made
quotation marks in the air. “Impossible a child
Elemental doesn’t have the raw power needed” Jeff
was cut off again by the girl.
“Maybe the ordinary child Elemental but a sky one
has the capability”
We all gasped. Natalie had told stories about the
Sky Elementals (in short being able to control the
weather) we thought it to be no more than mythsand legends. That kind of power couldn’t exist. And
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yet here was a small girl telling us she was one.“Liar” Jeff accused.
“She’s not” Isolde spoke softly; her tone wondering.
“How can you tell?” Natalie asked curiously.
“Earth Elemental’s can feel the vibrations in the
ground when someone is lying they increase and
she definitely isn’t”
I looked to Ash for confirmation of this. He nodded just barely aware of his surroundings. My head
snapped back to the girl. Now I understood why the
Royals hadn’t allowed the Elite to destroy her. She
was far to dangerous. The girl smiled happy to have
gotten her point across. Jeff and the small teenager
still looked a little skeptical.
“Names Felicity by the way”“Odd name” the small girl commented.
“And yours would be?” Felicity challenged. The
girl looked down and blushed
“Estella”
Ivy trying to up-lift the tense atmosphere said “Well
since we’re giving names out mines Ivy, this is my
boyfriend Ash, brother Christian and sister Belle”
Christian rolled his eyes. “Francesca and here’s my
bestie Stephanie and my grandma Natalie” Frankie
slung her arm over my shoulder I looked down
while I felt my face heat up.
“Jeff and my wife Veronica” I hadn’t noticed the
small woman standing timidly behind Jeff. He
tugged on her slender hand and she glided forward.
The difference between Veronica and her husbandwas comical. While he was fairly tanned she was as
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white as snow, while he was buff she was slender,Jeff was strong and angulated in his movements,
she had the same flowing grace as Ivy, her eyes as
wide as golf balls were a bright sapphire blue. She
had platinum blonde hair that was crimped and so
long she could easily sit on it. Veronica I noted had
a quiet beauty about her. The two reminded me so
much of Ivy and Ash the only difference Ivy wasalmost as loud as Ash.
“Quinn” the boy Belle had contradicted before
announced happily.
“Back to the topic” Isolde said between clenched
teeth. The atmosphere shifted again. Belle spoke
while a heavily disapproving Natalie glared at the
ground.“So we know they have a motive, coincidentally
who’s mate did you kill? The numbers seem even
enough”
I was reminded of the five that made up the Elite. I
remembered Natalie telling us the Elite were only
ever had even numbers. Felicity smirked dark mirth
dancing in her icy eyes. “Edan, Taryn’s mate”
This sentence meant something more to Natalie,
Isolde and Belle than it did to the rest of us. “Who’s
Taryn?” Estella asked after a long silence.
“Wolf girl” Isolde laughed. I remembered the
ferocious half-gypsy, half-werewolf woman who
had been part of the Elite. “Are you nuts?” choked
out Jeff. Veronica’s wide sapphire eyes were
widened in silent horror. Felicity raised a flawlesseye brow daring him to say it again.
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“Why though?” breathed Ivy watching Felicity withrapt eyes. I doubt anyone else saw the brief split
second of pain that crossed Felicities flawless
porcelain face.
“How about we get back to the topic?” I suggested
eying Felicity. She smiled briefly at me before
crossing her legs patiently and sitting beside my
chair. Her little pointed chin rested in her ivoryhands. She looked so child-like and innocent now;
nothing like the dark and dangerous air surrounding
her before. “Before we even think of launching an
attack” Jeff began but was quickly cut in by Quinn.
“Why not now? If we just get a rough idea of where
they are I reckon we could just go right in”
Estella rolled her eyes but Quinn persisted “Think,these people their constricted following the rules. If
we gather information they may know about it but if
we just go at random they’ll have no idea”
“To many risks” Belle instantly dismissed the idea.
“No there’s something in that” it was the first time
Christian had spoken. All eyes shifted to him; he
shrugged away from the wall and stood closely
behind my chair. So close in fact I could feel his
hands brush against my hair when he illustrated
with them. Stupid heart, there was absolutely no
reason why it was now beating twice as fast. “How
many of you know your history?” I could almost
feel the smug smile as he spoke. Confusion was
evident on all our faces. I twisted round to look up
at him. Glare seemed more appropriate though.
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“How many of you have heard of one of the lastfifteen attempts to assassinate Hitler?”
“Operation Valkery?” I asked. Christian seemed
shocked by my knowledge. In truth I knew a fair bit
about World War II I was pretty intrigued with that
part of history. “Yes, do you know how they
executed it?”
“Gained information then attempted to assassinateHitler, right?”
“Yeah”
Belle caught on quicker than I did. “Oh, I get it.
First we have to learn all their moves; plan it out.
Maybe even get someone on the inside then strike
the core once that happens we move in while their
still scrambling to right itself”I only just made this revelation along with a stunned
Estella and a surly Quinn.
“Fine, where do we meet?”
“It has to be non-descript...” Isolde murmured.
“How about my place?” Francesca suggested.
Perking up from her slouch. I looked wearily at
Natalie. She was nodding thoughtfully some
vestiges with her irritation at Belle still left in her
eyes. “Fine by me what’s the address?” Jeff said
easily smiling. Francesca shared her address with
everyone and arranged to meet in a month. I felt
like my head was crammed with to much. At least I
didn’t have to think of an excuse. I always went
over to Frankie’s without warning. I hadn’t noticed
that Christian and I were the only ones left in thegreat hall. I could hear their chatter descending the
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stairs. I shook myself out of my reverie and stood alittle bit dizzy after sitting for so long. I
remembered my previous irritation with im for the
‘outcast’ remark. I scowled as I stalked past
Christian. “Stephanie wait!” he pleaded. Christian
reached out a hand and placed it on my wrist. At his
touch an electric current shot up my arm and
warmed my chest; resonating in my soul. Im sure hecould hear my heart accelerate. “What?” I
grumbled.
“Will you let me apologize?”
“For calling me an out-cast? Don’t worry im used to
it” I hissed at him. Christian winced but ploughed
on. “I didn’t mean it” he said feebly. I raised my
eye brow skeptically. “I just want to know, why dothey treat you like that?”
“Because im tall” my voice growing forlorn. He
still hadn’t removed his hand from my wrist. “Its
not like you can help it” Christian muttered a trace
of anger in his topaz eyes. I laughed without humor
that was something I had repeated to myself
constantly. In my two brothers being tall was
considered cool in Bianca it was okay because she
was so pretty. I didn’t try to show it but some boys
just didn’t realize the control they had on weaker
esteemed girls. I remembered all too clearly when I
was in year six.
“Quick, everybody duck Godzilla is coming!” a boy
yelled pointing at me and pretending to cower in
fear. His friends snickered at me glaring with crueleyes. all I had been doing was walking past them.
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There was always a reference to my appearance. Ihadn’t known of my abilities only that every time I
got mad the wind shrieked louder till I was shaking.
I couldn’t even make it to my classroom before
fifteen comments were thrown at me. Not one day
had I made it through without being crippled with
misery. Until one day I just... snapped. “Oy move it
your blocking the sun!” the same boy called to me. Ifroze and turned slowly; eyes blazing. The wind
picked up till the shingles on the roof had started to
fall off. He was grinning goofily but it soon died
when I was three inches away from him and
effectively caught him in the gut with my fist. I
didn’t give him time to recover. Another in the jaw,
temple... and not once could he touch me becauseall the time he tried the howling wind just knocked
him back down.
“They don’t care” I growled at no-one. The memory
had dredged up my repressed depression and rage.
“Boys!” I spat “Only give a damn if the girl is
pretty! they don’t care if shes smart... or nice. No its
only looks. Pathetic losers!” with the last shrieked
sentence and eyes blind with rage I turned and
smashed my fist against the brick wall. My bone
didn’t break or splinter. Elementals were really hard
to kill. But the wall shuddered the slightest crack it
made brought me back. My hair was whipped into a
frenzy I had lost control. I could feel Christian’s
weary gaze on my back. “There that answers your
question” and I left.
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Chapter 6:Screaming is for those in pain
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“Im home!” I called dumping my school bag at the
front door. No response... Emmy barked and
scratched at the back fly screen door; her long pink
tongue lolling out to the side. No-one in the family
understood why she was so prone to sticking to my
side when ever possible. I knew it was because I
carried wolf blood in my veins. She felt it her dutyto protect me. I smiled and strode down the hall. I
thrust the door open and she flew into my legs my
knees buckled and I toppled over. Emmy leaped on
top of me and began licking my face. “Ew, Emmy!”
I laughed. Shoving her off I snatched up pen and
paper.
Mum, taken Emmy for a walk. Beback later,love StephTechnically I was taking Emmy for a walk but not
human. I rethought of the past few months and was
shocked to realize I hadn’t shifted for a while. I
jumped the fence while Emmy slithered under a
hole she had dug beneath it. I stripped out of myclothes and hung them on a near-by tree. I stood;
stock still. Feeling the wind caress my bare skin and
seeped right through my very bones. I could feel
them contract; mold and shrink. My nose was
assaulted with new scents and marks animals had
left to claim their territory.
It’s about time a clear sweet voice grumbled insidemy head. Oh, one more thing. I could speak to
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Emmy inside my head; only in wolf form though.Emmy was not an Elemental but an Essence. More
of a goddess not all Siberian huskies were uncannily
beautiful like her. At first glance Emmy may appear
a well groomed dog. But to someone who studied
her closely would notice the un-common
intelligence in her glimmering grey eyes. More like
a black sky but instead of the darkness it was astunning grey with sparkles set at different depths.
Short smoky black eye lashes gave her appearance
of wearing eyeliner. She held her body more
gracefully too. It wasn’t just a coincidence that I
found Emmy when I was out riding Captain but
fate. Each Elemental had a link. The reason for their
gift. Emmy had chosen me she was the goddess of the wind. We kept her as a pet. And she resented
having to act ‘stupidly’ like all house-hold dogs. To
her very nature was a deep insult.
Sorry Em I’ve been a little busy
My name isn’t Emmy its Stormtail Fine sorry Stormtail have you heard anything fromthe gods? Not since they gave us the same warning your rulers provided. Hm, what about Sunbeam? I referred to Francesca’s
link. Sunbeam was her god name but to outsiders it
was Sunny.
No the damned unreliable cat’s been out grooming and chasing mice.
While you have been running into glass door’sYou know I have to act that way.
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Whatever I laughed inside my head. Francesca’sother self loosely resembled Sunbeam. Un-like
Stormtail’s well groomed appearance my wolf-self
was wilder. Darker fur flecked with grey and
ghostly pale eyes. Despite being the Wind
Elemental Stormtail was stronger than me. An
immortal. What all Elementals became when the
time came for them to pass to the Divinity. I startedoff at a brisk pace finally being able to properly
stretch my limbs in such a long time.
Race you? I asked after awhile. Stormtail barked a
laugh. What’s the point? I always beat you Im feeling lucky I replied drily. Before I could so
much as take the first leap something white flashed
just barely overhead. I wheeled around; earsflattened to my skull and teeth bared. Stormtail
mimicked my defense. No normal bird could move
that fast not even an eagle.
Halt! Stormtail commanded.
Stormtail? A siren voice asked in my head. It was
smooth and distinctly female. Stormtail straightened
out of her defensive crouch ears pricked and
shimmering eyes alight. I followed her wearily.
Diamondgrace? Stormtail asked in shock. I really
think God’s and Goddesses’ had just about the
weirdest names. To my surprise a second more
familiar voice echoed in my head.
Di, what’s going on? Ivy?!
Oh, my Steph?
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Another more pleasant surprise emerged. A black swan blew down and rustled her glossy feathers the
tiny black glimmering eyes held amusement the
striking red beak looked to be smiling. A second
smaller one landed twice as gracefully beside her.
The pure white feathers of this bird looked
exceptionally soft and silky this ones eye’s were a
pure sapphire blue. Ones I new anywhere. I guess Iwasn’t surprised that Ivy’s form was of a swan. The
black one next to her must have been her Link. The
water Goddess.
Looks like we all found a companion Diamondgrace
said with a hint of bemusement.
Francesca said we might run into you Ivy said
happily. Is she here? NoOh my heart sank. All through Ivy’s and I
conversation Stormtail and Diamondgrace had been
conferring on facts of the disturbance. Ivy knew
what I was about to ask.
The Essence’s don’t know anymore than we do. Damn
Yeah, it sucksWhy’ve you come out here anyway? I asked with
genuine curiosity.
Christian and Ash are fighting which resulted in Belle getting pissed and I really don’t want to bearound for that. Plus Di was getting restless. I see I laughed.
Please come over it’ll sort Ash and Christian out.
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The temptation was too great. Sure be there in a few.Thanks replied Ivy ferverently. But I was already
bounding away. Stormtail was still conversing with
Diamondgrace. I shifted and jumped the fence.
Having dressed in a flash. Josephine was home I
noted that my bag was hung up neatly and Jets food
scraps neatly put away. I trudged up the stairs to geta clean change of clothes. That’s when I heard. If
my ears weren’t so sensitive I would never have,
but I wished I hadn’t. The lightest sob followed by
whimpered cries of
“Why’d you leave Nathan?” mum’s plea for dad
pulled at my heart-strings. I shook myself
vigorously. I walked down the stairs in a trance. Iqueried once I reached the bottom. I could take
Captain for a ride but one glance outside told me
that plan had gone to the winds. And rain. Yanking
my umbrella out of its stand I flipped it open. The
wind whipped my hair into my eyes. I shook my
head forming a little pocket of calm around myself.
Though it didn’t stop the rain pelting down onto the
umbrella. Eventually I reached Francesca’s house
my hair even curlier because of the moist air. I
didn’t bother with knocking but slipped in. I was
assaulted by the creaks of earth being twisted and
the roar of flames. Followed by a lot of shouting. I
rounded the corner to see a three way duel. Belle
livid with rage was focusing entirely on sending
Ash ten feet into the air. Francesca watched withrapture at the entertaining spectacle before her. Ivy
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smiled gratefully at me. Natalie was continuing as if no such fight was taking place. I watched the fight
through the glass back door from my safe spot at the
kitchen table. When I was battling Christian I didn’t
have time to see how his movements were so sharp
and lightening fast. The way his black hair flew in
disarray everywhere his topaz eyes flashing.
“I. Am. So. Sick. Of. Your FIGHTING!” Belleshrieked. Crimson red flame flew out of her very
skin. Christian’s eyes widened. Belle was dangerous
it was no longer playful fighting. I leaped from the
table flew out the back door. I didn’t know what I
was doing. I was acting on instinct alone. I planted
my feet and thrust my palms forward. The freezing
air shot out whipping the flames into little speckstill they disappeared completely. Despite nearly
killing her brother and her sisters boyfriend I had to
admire that not one strand of her hair was out of
place. She turned on a glossy heel and stalked off. I
straightened up standing next to Christian I felt like
I was standing next to an open flame. That was
normal for Flame Elementals. Our blood reflected
our nature. It was quite painful for Flame
Elementals at first. The feel of fire racing through
your veins rendered Francesca (when she was little)
useless. The same went for Earth ones when Natalie
was teaching us. Their blood was thicker whereas
Air Elementals (like me) had such
thin blood it was almost transparent. The saying
‘blood is thicker than water’ didn’t apply to Water Elementals. They got off scot free. Automatically I
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looked Christian over and was nauseated to see agash surrounded by pulsing red skin.
“Your burnt!” I gasped. For some stupid reason I
gently picked up his arm using the lightest touch
possible. I breathed lightly while I examined the
cut. I hadn’t noticed that everyone else had gone
inside. Why the heck did they always leave me
alone with him?! “Im used to it” he repliednonchalantly not removing his arm from my feather
light hold. “You shouldn’t be” I murmured eyes
flickering up to meet his yellow stare. My face only
inches from his. My heart drummed loudly and I
quickly dropped his arm as if he had electrocuted
me. “We should go inside” and I left.
“Where’ve you been?” Josephine demanded once I
walked in the front door. I flinched when I realized
that I hadn’t left a note explaining where I was. “At
Frankie’s” I called in the general direction of the
kitchen. I turfed Ben out of the good chair and sat
down. Bianca was snuggled up to Declans side. Jet
was sprawled out onto the shaggy rug. I looked at
Bianca again and how happy she looked in the
circle of Declans arm. I felt a pang of loneliness. I
wondered what it would be like to be held by
someone who loves you. I imagined it and what
scared me was that I saw Christians face. I shook
myself mentally Snap out of it Stephanie!“Is that Ivy girl still coming to school?” Jet asked
attempting at causality and failing miserably. Under
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his dark skin crimson blood was pooling in hischeek.
“M-Hm” I replied still in a daydream.
“Aw, has Jet fallen in love?” Bianca said in a gooey
voice. Jet threw a pillow at her; Declan caught it
and threw it right back at him. Bianca laughed
lightly. I noticed she was wearing my white blouse.
“ Bianca!”“What?”
“Stop taking my stuff”
“Whoa, you fit into her stuff?” Declan asked
incredulous.
“Aw that’s mean!” Bianca mock-punched him in
the arm.
“What else do you borrow of hers?” Declanscomment was a rhetorical question. Bianca and I
exchanged glances then burst out laughing. We
were both remembering that faithful day. I guess I
should start at the beginning. Bianca since having a
contract with a modeling agency naturally you’d
think she’d have a bigger developed chest. But no,
“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded walking
in to find Bianca standing in front of her mirror
clipping on one of my bras. “ Nothing ” she’d replied
too quickly. I raised an eye brow. “Okay, I’ll spill
but don’t tell anyone else”
I’d perched on the end of her bed. “Well... im sorta small and they want me to do an advertisement— ”she didn’t get any farther considering I had bent
doubled over with laughter. “My god! Your older bytwo years and im the biggest!” I howled.
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I broke out of my reverie and smiled. “Food’s done”Josephine called the scent of roast dinner wafting
in. “Gotta go” Declan stooped to kiss Bianca on the
forehead called a few goodbyes to us then ambled
out the back door. Dinner was the usual affair of
banter and casual conversation. Just to tick her off I
threw a few food scraps at Emmy (aka Stormtail).
She growled lightly at me. I smiled smugly. “So” Istarted once I was washing up dishes with Bianca
the others going off to their nightly activities.
“How’s things in paradise?”
“Perfect” she replied with a tranquil smile. I
pretended to gag. She slapped me on the head
splattering my clothes with soapy water. I retaliated
and soon we were covered in lukewarm water.
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Chapter 7:Screaming is for those in pain
“Ugh stupid key” I uttered. Slender fingers
troubling to grasp the slim silver key. I crouched
down low on my shins and balanced my books on a
hip. The school was deserted the clang of metal the
only sound echoing down the vast halls. I stayed
behind to pack away my books and gather ones Ineeded for assignments due. To my surprise I
detected a pair of smooth footsteps. “Nice to see
you here Steph” Harrison said brightly. Or in his
case; sarcastically. I replied with a non-committal
grunt. Still fumbling with the damned key. It
slithered through the part in my fingers and jingled
once it had made contact with the ground. I cussedloudly. “Here, let me” Harrison’s fingers closed
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around the key the same time mine dead. I noticedhis fingers were pleasurably warm. I released the
key and waited for him to finish. Harrison pressed
the keys into my palm his hand lingering. “Um
listen Steph” I looked up a trifle confused by the
impish tenor of his voice.
“I know I’ve been an idiot lately and I wanted to do
things the right way... so I was wondering if maybeyou wanted to go somewhere tonight...”
I was about to shoot him down like the many times
before but I caught that glimpse of the happy
Bianca and Declan. The silent pang of longing to
feel like that. My eyes flickered to Harrison, why
not give him a chance? “Sure” I saw the brief
bewilderment flicker across his handsome face before he composed it. “Um okay I’ll pick you up at
seven” he walked away listing slightly to the side.
To late I realized Bianca had already left. I began
the treacherous walk home my books seeming to get
heavier with every step. My mind was whirling and
all of those thoughts were second guessing my date
with Harrison. I had nearly talked myself out of it
till I reached home.
“Eee!” I heard Kitarnya yell happily. I slid in the
front door curiously; Ben was chasing a squealing
Kitarnya around the living room. Both were
laughing. Ben eventually caught her and they went
tumbling onto the couch. I didn’t say to see the rest.
The heart-ache and nausea was to much.
Unfortunately I couldn’t escape Bianca.
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“Why’re you so happy?” she demanded slyly eyesnarrowing at my lightened expression. Damn! I’d
been trying so hard to not let it show. “Um...” I
flailed for an excuse. Too late “Oh my god, you’re
going out on a date!”
I nodded meekly I knew what this would entail.
“Okay who, where and when!”
“Uh” I mumbled fumbling with a strand of messy brown hair “Harrison and he’s picking me up at
seven. Im not sure where though...”
“Harrison?” Bianca repeated confused “I thought it
was that Christian guy... oh well. Wait, WHAT?!”
she screeched. Eyes going from slits to a size that
could rival Ivy’s golf ball ones. “You hate him” she
said in disbelief. Before I could even open mymouth she shoved me roughly into her adjoining
bathroom. “Makeover!” Bianca yelled jovially.
“Sucked in!” I heard Ben call from downstairs and
Kitarnya’s silvery laugh. Two hours later my
already curly hair was done in a way that actually
made it look nice. Two pieces braided and tucked
behind my head with straighter smaller strands
framing my face. Thick black mascara spreading
out my lashes till they demanded an onlookers
attention; the electric blue eyeliner Bianca had
applied expertly added to the neon effect even
more. My lips were a shimmery deep crimson
mixing in with my skin tone perfectly. She tugged
me out of the chair and slipped a tightly fitting
electric blue of the same color of my eyeliner criss-crossing top over my head. She threw a pair of the
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most artful and designer jean shorts I had ever seeninto my shocked hands. Tiny black sparkles ringed
the purposefully frayed edges. The tiny shorts and
short top exposed my midriff. Strappy black silver
shoes to match and I was done. I looked up
expecting my nose to touch the ceiling but the shoes
were so perfect and angled that I was no taller than
what I was in my volleys. I admired the beautifulshorts in the mirror again. “What designer is this?” I
asked pointing a finger at the masterpiece. Bianca
smiled and replied “Custom so is that top”
“You made this?” I asked in admiration. Bianca
flipped open a blind; squealed then ran toward her
toiletries and many bottles of perfume. She picked
up a delicate gold liquid one and sprayed just theright amount on me. Bianca stepped back to admire
her handiwork. “Perfect” she sighed then abruptly
shoved me toward the door. “He’s here” she
clarified. My heart skipped a beat then sprinted to
what seemed its last beat. What if I acted like a total
idiot? We both stopped short at the top of the stairs
when Jets voice floated up to us. “What are you
doing here Harrison?”
Bianca and I both exchanged glances worry etched
in her remarkable face. Relief flooded through me
when I heard Ben interrupt. “You here to see me?”
he asked in confusion. Bianca and I peered over the
banisters and saw the crowns of Bens, Kitarnya’s
and Jets heads. Kitarnya glanced up then did a
double take. Bianca gestured wildly telling her tohelp. Kitarnya’s eyes flickered to mine then she
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stepped forward. “Uh Jet, Ben Emmy just got outthe back we better go catch her”
“O... kay” Jet said un-certainly backing away then
following them through the back door. I swear I had
never flown down the stairs quite so fast before. I
was in front of Harrison before I could blink. “Go!”
Bianca urged quickly shoving us out into the night
air then slamming the door quickly. I turned toHarrison grinning impishly. His grin was awed and
that usual confident edge to it. I took in his tight
fitting white shirt and artful black jeans. We both
stared at each other for a moment before he reached
for my hand. The warmth of his was pleasant in the
cold night air. “C`mon before Jet gets back and rips
me limb from limb”I laughed and my stage fright vanished as quickly as
it had come. I sat down comfortably in the warm air
of his car. Harrison turned the radio down and
backed carefully out of the drive; once we where in
the clear he began. “I was gonna ask what brought
this change of heart on but I don’t want to ruin it”
I smiled thankfully at him I really didn’t want to
explain “Thanks... so uh, where are we going?”
“Change of plans” was his only answer then sped
up. He kept that up till we were in the beautiful city
of Seattle. Lights twinkled around me and the warm
scents of fancy restaurants drifted out the doors.
Harrison pulled up in front of a night club. I
hesitated slightly as he opened my door for me. The
teenagers and people in their young twenties linedup on the sidewalk intimidated me the tiniest inch.
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“Don’t worry about them” Harrison said amused. Iallowed him to yank me from the car. Some teenage
boys eyes slipped in my direction as Harrison
walked confidently up to the mammoth sized
security guard. “What are you doing!” I hissed in
embarrassment. Smug smiles radiated off those
closest thinking we were going to get told to toss
off. To my astonishment and theirs after a fewwords were exchanged the guard un-clipped the
thick twisting red rope and let us in. I was assaulted
by pulsing lights and pumping music. Bodies
swayed in time to a latest hit single. Neon signs
blared and clinking of glasses added to the dim.
Luckily there was no vile scent of tobacco. This
place had a fresh taste to it. I blinked two secondshere and I already loved it. Acting on an impulse I
dragged Harrison out to the dance floor. My body
flowed in time synchronizing with the so many
others surrounding me. “I would’ve thought you’ve
done this before” Harrison yelled. I smiled at him
and brushed a few strands of lose hair from my
eyes. I was sweating slightly but I was enjoying this
to much to stop. The lead singers voice cloaked
around me and I screamed with so many other girls.
I raised my arms above my head and tossed it from
side to side. Body swaying in time with the
wonderful pumping beat beneath my soles. I was
having the time of my life never before had my
heart felt like it might swell out of my chest with
the amount of pleasure. I never wanted this to end.But alas I had to stop the protesting stitch made sure
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of it. Harrison wrapped his arm around my waistand led us over to the bar. Pretty brightly colored
drinks were stacked on glass shelves behind him. I
swirled around on my chair and patted the bench
exultingly my many silver bangles tinkling un-
musically. “Having fun?” the bartender asked after
placing a polished glass away. I nodded barely
enough breath to speak. “Two non-alcoholicmartinis please” Harrison ordered coolly. The
bartender eyed him for a second before turning
away. “Impressive” I praised Harrison. He smiled at
me and my breath stuck slightly he was having just
as much fun as me. “Well I gotta drive home.
Besides Jet won’t take to kindly if you show up
drunk”“Hey!” I laughed punching him in the arm. I was
reminded the other night of Bianca and Declan and
their playful banter. The side-track cost me my
balance and I very nearly fell off my chair. If it
wasn’t for Harrison’s strong hands that caught me
and hauled me up I would’ve landed on my face.
“You sure she’s sober mate?” the bartender asked
wearily placing the clear drinks in front of us. I
blushed. “Yeah, she’s always like this” Harrison
busted up at my appalled grimace. I sipped at my
drink and watched the others dance. The MC just
announced karaoke and I was enjoying listening to
the slightly intoxicated girls singing; some were
actually pretty good. I didn’t notice the boy sit
himself down next to me till he spoke“Stephanie?”
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“Aiden!” I nearly dropped my drink in surprise.Harrison recognized him to but by the looks of his
darkening face didn’t seem to like it. Aiden’s curly
blonde hair was slightly matted from sweat. Mine
probably was to. “I didn’t know you came here” he
said. I didn’t know why he was acting so friendly
Aiden was popular and I was... not. We only knew
each other from swimming practice. “She’s herewith me” Harrison called over the din. He stood up
and wrapped a possessive arm around my waist. I
was for once level with him; while I was sitting that
is.
“Oh, okay” Aiden looked a little put-out. I didn’t
blame him Harrison cut a pretty impressive figure.
Not that Aiden was to bad himself. The music lulleda bit and the MC asked if there were any more who
wanted to sing. Un-thinkingly my hand shot up. I’d
been wanting to all night. “You miss!” the MC
called. Heads swiveled round to stare. I blushed
self-consciously but with a shove from Harrison I
was trotting up to the raised platform. I was trying
to remember how to exhale when a microphone was
handed to me and three words were whispered in
my ear. “Don’t screw up”
I gulped and looked out at all the expectant taunting
faces. “What do you want to play?” the MC hissed
at me. I blurted out the first song that came to mind.
The wonderful thrumming beat engulfed me and I
was totally self-possessed from there onward. I
forgot about the daunting mission ahead of me and just focused on enjoying the night. The crowd
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erupted into cheers when I was done. “Encore!”Aiden shouted above the roar. I blushed and tripped
down the stairs right into Harrison’s arms. “You
were great!” he exulted. I laughed.
“You mustn’t have been able to hear me”
“I have excellent hearing” Harrison pretended to be
insulted. I was blisteringly aware how both of his
strong arms were wrapped just above my waist andtightened when Aiden approached.
“That was amazing” he said softly. Harrison
scowled when he continued. “You ever considered
joining the after school music practices?”
“No I really don’t know anyone”
“I play drums we could go together”
I queried it really was a lot of fun singing...“Okay, where do I sign up?”
Aiden’s handsome tanned face lit up I could see his
eyes glimmering from the parts in his messy blonde
hair. “Just come over with me on Tuesday arvo`”
“Got it” I smiled at him. Aiden returned my smile
said goodbye and left Harrison and I alone. Sort of
considering all the close packed bodies surrounding
us. I checked my watch and gasped. I’d be cutting it
really fine if we stayed any longer. “We have to go”
I spoke up rather sadly. Harrison seemed to agree as
he tugged me by the hand through the crowd. The
moon shone through the gray/white clouds as he
sped down the road. Some house lights were turned
off others little warm beacons. I noticed all my
house lights were burning bright. I gulped prayingJet wouldn’t come charging outside. To my surprise
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after Harrison had left me at the front door it wasBen waiting grim faced in the hall.
“What?” I asked rudely already edging towards the
stairs.
“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded
stomping forward his head just an inch above mine.
“What does it look like im doing stupid?”
“Why’d you go out with Harry?! Where’d he takeyou and why did Bianca drag Jet away and lock him
outside!”
I laughed “She actually did that?”
“Yeah it was pretty funny, but that’s beside the
point!”
“Well while your figuring out what that point is im
a be upstairs, goodbye”I left Ben there his mouth-hanging open a glint of
fear flashed through his dark eyes. I puzzled over it
that was until a scantily clad Kitarnya appeared at
the banisters. “Ben you coming—”
Ben waved frantically but it was to late I had
already put the pieces together. I howled with
laughter bending over double on the stairs in serious
danger of falling down. “But your only sixteen!” I
wheezed eyes streaming.
“So?” Ben demanded pushing past me scowling. I
followed him up I was never going to let him live
this down. “Mum’s gonna kill you... mums gonna
kill you” I chanted over and over till I was at his
bedroom door. I peered in “What no candles?” I
teased him.
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“Get lost Steph” he mumbled slamming the door inmy face. I banged my fist against the wood “Just
remember the walls are pretty thin!” I must have
shouted to loud for a disheveled Bianca stumbled
out of her room. I heard loud snoring coming from
within the darkness of her bedroom. “What’s going
on?” she yawned stretching her arms. “Bennies first
time” I jerked my thumb in the general direction of Bens room. “Keep it down you two!” she shouted at
the door. A muffled ‘shut up’ was called in reply. I
didn’t even need a glance into Bianca’s room to tell
me what had happened. “Im gonna guess mum’s
working a late shift?”
“Guessed right now tell me all about your night
tomorrow morning in the car” she patted my headthen retreated to her room. I felt suddenly drained
with barely enough energy to wash my face and
brush my teeth. I collapsed on the bed covers not
caring about the unwelcome chill of the breeze
whistling through the window.
Chapter 8:Screaming is for those in pain
“Hey Steph” Francesca called to me from across the
school yard. She waved a black and white striped
arm. Ivy’s usual floaty shirt and pants were blowing
around her as was her silvery blonde hair. A lot of
teenage boys who passed her their heads would
swivel around to stare until Ash looked like hemight punch the next guy who would stare. Belle
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got her fair share of more than admirable looks to but they soon realized she seemed dangerous.
Normal humans felt an aversion to her. More than
Ash, Ivy and I. It was the same for Francesca and
Christian, must be a Fire Elemental thing. Of course
Christian always looked scary with his charcoal
lined eyes and cropped grown out black hair. He
was lounging against the wall his white throatexposed. I couldn’t help but admire his clear
complexion. One of his eyes opened becoming a slit
of gold while I approached. “What did you do on
the weekend?” Francesca asked innocently. I eyed
her; her expression was pretty clear and she really
sucked at lying anyway. “Nothing” I lied casually
settling up against the wall. Of course my suddenease blew away with the winds when Harrison
strode up and wrapped an arm around my waist. He
pressed his lips to my cheek lingering for a second
longer then smiled easily at my gawking friends. It
went unnoticed that Christians hands had balled up
into tight fists and he twitched angrily. “Oh
nothing?” Francesca demanded eye brows shooting
right up into her hairline. I gulped and started to
sweat a little. The bell rang high and shrilly. Saved
by the bell, how cliché. I was about to dart away but
Harrison held firmly onto my waist. “Whoa wait up
for a sec” Harrison tugged at my waist and I landed
palms against his chest. Now everyone was staring
at me. Great... Francesca backed away eyes alight
she wanted to know everything. Ivy beingcompassionate as she is quickly yanked Ash, Belle
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and Christian off. “Kay what?” I hissed eyes dartingeverywhere. Harrison smiled “I just wanted to say
goodbye” and this time he kissed my forehead
“Meet me at my locker at the end of school” he
murmured against my skin. He must have been able
to feel my heart pounding away. Harrison smiled
then walked off. A fair bit of girls threw scathing
looks in my direction but paid them no mind. For the whole day I could feel the confused eyes boring
into my back. It wasn’t a secret that I hadn’t been to
fond of Harrison but he really wasn’t that bad. I...
actually really liked him. I found myself anxious for
school to end. Finally the bell rang and students
fled. The whole place was deserted in a matter of
minutes. I snuck up the hall till I saw Harrisonleaning casually against his locker totally at ease
fingering the prefect badge pinned to his chest. As
per usual I had lost mine. He looked up and smiled
when I approached Harrison reached for my hand
and I took it gratefully. I had been missing his warm
touch. I looked down and half smiled when his
fingers traced my jaw line.
“Mind if I come over this afternoon?”
“Course not” I laughed but then gnawed a bit on my
lip “What about Jet...”
Now it was Harrison’s turn to laugh “He’ll just have
to deal”
I didn’t mention Ben we had all teased him on the
way to school. No-one said anything to Kitarnya
though she was way to nice to pay out. “Okay” I perked up. Bianca was bringing Declan over and he
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had enough muscle to tear the two apart if thingsgot out of hand. “C`mon” I dragged him halfway to
the house until Harrison was able to catch up with
my long strides. Repeating the usual ritual of
flinging open the door calling out “Im home!” and
dumping my schoolbag in the hall. Thankfully I
didn’t have to give Harrison the grand tour he’d
been coming since he and Ben were friends in year five. “What’s he doing here?” Jet demanded once I
had pulled Harrison to the Living room. Josephine
was once again working late. I hadn’t talked to
mum properly for ages. Kitarnya was curled up in
Ben’s arms flipping through a magazine. Declan
and Bianca were sprawled out on the rug his arm
thrown over her waist both of them glued to the TV.“Get over it, your just peeved cause you don’t have
a girlfriend” Bianca shot back somewhat muffled by
the arm her chin was resting on. Declan and
Kitarnya laughed. Jet scrambled to his feet and
stalked out of the room. “Where are you going?”
Ben yelled up the hallway his head tilted back. “Out
riding the horses”
I wondered briefly what a great reality TV show my
life would make. Five hours later and I had fallen
asleep in Harrison’s arms. I woke with a start.
Warm air blew across my face and I vaguely
registered the air conditioning was switched on. The
TV was on showing the little yellow figures of the
Simpsons jerking across the screen. The volume
was very low and it was only us in the living room.I could hear the sounds of Josephine chopping
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vegetables in the kitchen, Bianca’s chatter alongwith Ben’s and Jets playful banter. “How long was I
out?” I mumbled rubbing a hand through my hair.
Harrison was sprawled out on the couch I was
snuggled up against his chest. I was so warm it felt
like I was cocooned in a blanket. His hands were
brushing through my twisted curls. “Half an hour”
“Sorry” I yawned stretching but making no move tosit up.
“Its ok” he murmured pressing his lips to the crown
of my head. Declan had never done that to Bianca. I
definitely was falling in love Harrison. “She up?”
Josephine called. “Yeah” Harrison yelled back. Of
course I thought rolling my eyes. Mum would
probably be over the moon that I’d finally said yesto Harrison. “Francesca called she’s wondering
where you are” mum yelled out to me.
“Oh crap!” I scrambled to get up and finally landed
on my feet. “I forgot”
I was still a little sleepy and stumbled a few times
but Harrison made sure I got safely to the door. The
cold icy air did a better job of waking me up. “Do
you have to go?”
“It’s a tradition every Friday is movie night” I
explained already trotting off down the road. “Wait
first” Harrison caught my hand then kissed my
cheek.
“See you tomorrow”
“Bye” I mumbled I watched him go with regret. I
shook myself vigorously and sprinted down toFrancesca’s. Not bothering to knock I burst right on
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in. “Hey sleepy head” Francesca yelled down thehallway already settled on the couch with a popcorn
bowl in her hands. Christian was toying with the
leather band wrapped around his wrist his long
fingers moving gracefully. I gulped. Ivy was
bouncing on Ash’s knee stealing bits of Francesca’s
popcorn. Belle was flipping through a glossy
magazine. The movie had already started. As soonas I seated myself next to Frankie I was assaulted
with questions hissed in my ear. “Was Harrison
with you?”
“What do you think”
“Shut up, but seriously you should’ve seen
Christian when we got home he practically punched
a whole in the wall!”I knew where she was heading with this “Har, har
and I really doubt it”
“No honestly! Even ask Ivy if you don’t believe
me!”
I just rolled my eyes and focused on the TV.
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Chapter 9:Screaming is for those in pain
The month came and went quicker than I had
anticipated. It seemed as though I had been trying to
cram in the life of a teenage girls life in those small
weeks provided. The force of what I had
volunteered for had not hit me head-on until I was
in Natalie’s small now cramped kitchen. Not even
when I had lifted my hand to participate. “I paid a
little visit to Vespera and her dear brother before
arriving here and gathered the information we
needed” Isolde laid a thick heavy piece of paper onthe table. I leaned in peering over Ivy’s silvery
head. It held the rough whereabouts of our enemies
camp out. Isolde then pulled out another rolled up
paper this time a map of the general area. Her
slender finger traced along a route. They’d need
somewhere quiet, away from the public but not
somewhere authorities will check right away”
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“Wait” Quinn interrupted “But their Elementals and by the sounds of it pretty powerful ones”
Veronica shuddered in the circle of Jeff’s arm. “So
why would they even care about the law?”
Isolde gave him a despairing glance “As you
pointed out they don’t care but it would...
inconvenience them. Oh they’d take care of it of
course but killing a person of authority would causea lot of ruckus and they’d have to relocate”
“Kill?” Ivy asked in a small voice.
“That’s the other thing turns out our enemies have a
pretty gruesome and slow way of exposing what
Elementals are”
“They kill humans?!” Estella demanded. Isolde
nodded coldly“They’ve created a good M.O to, taking people
from ordinary families making it look like suicide
and killing them and done. No investigations and
their free to kill till the hearts content” the matter-
of-fact way Isolde said this made bile rise in my
throat. I swallowed it back. “We’re gonna need a
team to go scour the streets try to figure out where
they are” Belle said aloud eyes roving over the little
lines all over the colorful map. “I’ll go” the words
rolled of my tongue before I gave it a conscious
thought. I barely registered the little twitch
Christian gave. “Me too” Felicity chimed in “Same
here” Estella said from her dark corner. Isolde was
about to protest when Estella beat her to it “Im a
Mist Elemental it’ll be easy to provide cover”
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“Nice” Quinn said appreciatively. Estella gave hima small half smile before turning her attention back
to the plan. Isolde tossed three little black objects at
each of us. Closer examination revealed it was a
tiny compact cell phone. “Untraceable, of course
but that’s more dangerous for you so make sure to
keep in contact”
I nodded turning the slippery metal around in myfingers.
“Estella you drive” Isolde dropped a pair of keys
into Estella’s open hand. They tinkled un-musically.
I waited by the door leaving them congregated
around the dining table. I stared out at the wind-
blown lawns. Slow footsteps echoed up the narrow
hall. “Be careful out there” Christian’s voice waslow; he didn’t want the others to hear. “What’s it
matter to you? One less person there’ll still be
enough”
“It will matter to Francesca, and your family”
“What about yours”
“Mum’s dead, dads in jail” was his simple answer.
“We’re in a suicidal war. No matter what we do
we’ll end up dead” was the last words I said to him
before leaving.
“This is so boring” Estella whined lying down on
the backseat of the car. Felicity rolled her eyes and I
continued to glare out the window. Felicity’s link; a
black raven chirped from its position on her seat. “I
know, Skynight” she murmured stroking the birdssilky head. Estella snorted; Felicity glared and
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thunder clapped threateningly above us. “Im gonnahazard a guess and say that wasn’t a coincidence” I
talked while still staring ahead. Felicity laughed
lightly; her millions of curls shimmering in the eerie
mist cloaking our car. Something black with a
blurry figure moved quickly in front of our view.
“Estella part the mist a bit” Estella sat up and the
mist drifted naturally apart. Now I could easily seethe cloaked black figure moving down the street.
“C`mon!” I hissed slipping out into the night.
Felicity slithered out with Skynight perched on her
finger. “Go” she whispered. Quiet as a whisper
Skynight flapped off into the night. “Should we
shift?” Estella asked curiously while we crept down
the alley“Not yet” Felicity whispered back. For the first few
moments we were able to barely create any sound
but if we continued down this road our footsteps
would clearly echo. We all paused. I noticed the
thick leather band wrapped around Estella’s waist. I
clicked my fingers. “Felicity shift and go tail them
with Skynight. Estella give me that leather band.
Felicity didn’t question my judgment and crept off
to meet with Skynight. “Hope your good at playing
mind” I muttered to her already undressing behind a
tall bin. “What?”
“Just put your sunglasses on” I muttered a little
annoyed. She finally caught on and when I trotted
out in my new wolf form she slipped the leather
around my throat like a leash. Thankfully Estellatrusted me enough to completely shut her eyes. I
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couldn’t hear Felicity or Skynight in my head nor Emmy. A bit disgruntled I continued down the
deserted street doing my best to look like a guide
dog. Our presence became known to the figure; they
turned once but saw what we wanted them to see; a
blind woman with her guide dog. They relaxed and
continued. Once closing enough distance between
us I directed Estella into a cold alley. When themake-shift leash went slack she slid up her
sunglasses and handed me my clothes. Felicity
joined us soon after. “I saw them disappear into that
building down there” Felicity pointed out a
nondescript wide brick building. I studied it from
the outside it looked just like a large factory. Isolde
was right the authorities wouldn’t think to check here right away. I dressed hurriedly then joined
Estella and Felicity by the dumpster. “Lets go”
Estella whispered and slunk into the shadows the
eerie mist gradually making its way down the street.
I concentrated solely on my footsteps doing my best
to mark the sound. We arrived at a wide metal green
door. I tentatively shoved against it. I wasn’t
surprised when it didn’t budge. Estella pulled a
pencil and paper out of her pack. “Lets just get a
rough sketch for now, Felicity can you fly above
and give us a rough estimate of the area” Felicity
shrugged and took flight in the blink of an eye. I
shivered not only was Estella’s mist was creepy it
was freezing . I started to wish Francesca was here.
We hovered outside for a few minutes and waitedfor Felicity. I shifted my weight from foot and to
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foot and fidgeted anxiously; this place was startingto scare me. The tiniest scuffling of a mouse would
make me jump. “Finally” I muttered relieved when
Felicity landed with a thud having shifted while in
the air beside us. “About two or three hectares” she
muttered to Estella.
“Okay that’s, that lets get back to the car”
I flipped open the small black phone and dialed thenumber that had taken me forever to remember.
“Stephanie?” Isolde asked her voice slightly
muffled.
“Yeah, we got a good idea of the outside but we
couldn’t get in”
“That’s great was I right about the building”
“Mm-hmm, it looks just like a factory”“Knew it” she murmured “Now come back we have
to plan out the rest”
“Okay” I closed the phone and began at a brisk
walk down the silent street. By the time we slipped
into the black SUV I was shivering violently.
Estella backed expertly out of the narrow alley and
sped down the deserted street.
Chapter 10:
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Screaming is for those in pain
“So who do we send in?” Natalie asked in a quivery
voice eyeing Francesca maternally. “Four maybe
five people” Belle answered in a distracted voice. It
was Saturday night and we were all gathered around
Natalie’s small round table. Veronica had fallen
asleep in Jeff’s arms. She rarely spoke but when shedid it was very insightful. Jeff now studied the map
closely still cradling Veronica to his wide chest.
“We’ll need skill, power. Also one hell of an ability
to act well”
“I’ll go” Estella volunteered
“Me too” Christian murmured. Jeff nodded
approvingly.“Same” every eye in the room questioned my
sanity.
“If she’s allowed then im in to” Quinn spoke with a
cocky grin. I studied his handsome boyish features
warily. “Don’t worry he has an ability that will be
useful” Estella reassured us.
“Like what?”“Slowing down time”
My mouth popped open. “That. Is. Awesome!” Ash
yelled. Veronica jerked awake. Jeff cast an annoyed
glance in his direction. “Vespera managed to secure
a cloak from the inside here’s what it looks like”
Isolde pulled out a slippery shiny black cloak. The
hood was a smoky grey and a gold clasp clipped at
the neck. Upon closer inspection the gold clasp was
more of a symbol; a girl standing in the middle of a
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hurricane her face was beautiful with very long her whipping around her body. Why did it seem so
familiar? I shook off the odd wave of de ja vu.
“Reckon you can copy this Natalie?”
“Easy” Natalie replied studying the material in her
hands.
“I’ll help” Veronica offered.
“Thank you darling” Natalie smiled at Veronica.“Stephanie can I have a word?” Christian whispered
in my ear. I followed him in puzzlement outside
curious as to what he had to say. Outside in the
front yard caused my hair to lash viciously against
my face. I pulled it back then stared at Christian;
bemused. “Why do you want to come on with us?”
he asked abruptly.“I just want to do something...”
“You heard what Isolde said. They kill people
Steph, if they ask you to do that, you’ll have no
choice” Christian tried feebly to sway me from my
decision.
“So what makes you think Estella and you will be
able to cope, and Quinn? He’s only fifteen”
“The kids bring in the humans. The more powerful
older ones deal with them”
I shuddered “And how would you know this”
“Isolde told us when you were out”
“Hm”
“Steph, don’t do this. Stay here with Natalie and
Francesca with everyone else staying behind” he
pleaded.
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“Look if I wanna do this its my choice so but out ” Iflew around on my heel and stalked down the street;
shivering slightly from the cold wind. The sky
grumbled and freezing droplets were thrown down
“Anything else?” I growled upwards.
“No” laughed a sweet voice.
“Felicity!” I shrieked jumping a foot in the air. She
emerged from the dense trees shaking with silentlaughter. “I thought it might be a bit of a wake up
call”
“To what?” I grumbled.
“Im only a kid but I know enough to see that
Christian loves you”
I barked out a harsh laugh “No he doesn’t he just
wants me to get out of the way”Felicity walked in the opposite direction of my path
but not before I heard her mutter “Older kids are so
blind ”I shook my head so hard my hair lashed against my
arms. I walked in the front door; teeth chattering to
find Harrison sitting on the couch watching TV with
Ben. “Hey” I leaned down to kiss him on the cheek.
Ben pretended to vomit, I raised an eye brow then
opened my mouth to retaliate
“Harrison... I don’t know if Ben told you...”
“I’ll be leaving now” Ben hurriedly threw himself
off the couch and flew up the stairs. I chuckled then
snuggled up against Harrisons side “So why’re you
here?”
“Came to see you. I was gonna go to Francesca’s but I decided to wait”
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I breathed a silent sigh of relief that he hadn’t. Itwould’ve been really difficult to explain. “Why are
you over there so much, nowadays anyway?”
“I used to be really good friends with her cousins.
Its nice to see them once in a-while” the lie rolled
off my tongue so easily I actually believed it for a
second.
“How old is the boy?”“Which one Ash, or Christian”
“The pale one”
“Oh that’s Christian. He’s in my year”
Harrison’s face darkened while I studied it carefully
“Your not... jealous, or anything?” I asked
cautiously.
“Should I be”“No” I laughed “Christian and I don’t even get
along very well”
His face cleared “That’s better”
I made a small noise in the back of my throat and
snuggled closer into Harrison’s warm side. He
casually slung an arm around my waist. “You
staying for dinner?”
“Am I allowed”
“Sure your practically like a son to mum anyways”
Harrison busted up at my comment “What?” I asked
confusedly.
“Don’t worry about it” he reassured me tucking a
wayward strand of hair behind my ear. I whacked
him lightly over the head.
“Dinners up!” Josephine yelled. I heard the loudthumping and cursing; signaling Ben and Jet had
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taken their places at the table. Harrison slid easilyoff the couch dragging me with him. We took our
spots at the table Bianca and Jet bickering over the
salad. Steaming bowls of bolognaise made my
mouth water hungrily. “So Stephy” Josephine said
with false cheeriness. I heard Emmy’s laugh from
under the table even through a dogs voice. I aimed a
kick at her and prayed I hit the target. I was provenright when the answering yelp made everyone jump.
“Homework all done?”
“Yes mum” I answered her tiredly. She went
through with this every damned night. Jet snickered
and managed to land chewed up tomato bits in
Bianca’s hair. That was a very interesting dinner.
Harrison and I laughed about it on the way back tohis place. “Will I see you tomorrow?” he asked
once we were at the front door. “I don’t think so I’ll
be with Francesca all day”
“Okay then this is for Sunday” Harrison leaned in
and he pressed his lips very gently to mine. My first
kiss. Ever. For a brief nanosecond I was frozen with
shock. Then timidly my arms of their own accord
wrapped around his neck. Harrison locked his arms
securely around my waist. “See you” he murmured
against my lips then backed into his own house. I
stood there dazed and disoriented for a minute
before staggering back home. I entered the door in a
daze and almost broke my neck falling up the stairs.
I fell down spread-eagled on my bed; vaguely being
thankful that it was fairly wide. I sighed happily andstared at the white ceiling. Tracing the cracks with
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Chapter 11:Screaming is for those in pain
The weeks passed in a blur; preparations were being
made. My secret life getting more serious while my
human one continued the normal path of a teenage
girls that was until disaster struck. If I had known
that those casually spoken words may have been my
last to that person I would’ve gone over. Stopped
them from going. Chained them to a tree if I had to.
I would’ve done anything... anything to re-write theevents of that afternoon.
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Tuesday 2nd
of June. The day I lost a familymember.
“You idiot” I laughed settling down in Francesca’s
leather seat. She chortled and kept her eyes firmly
on the road. This was a treacherous stretch of road
accidents were occasionally reported. Thousands
probably millions of bags full of freshly boughtclothes filled up the back seat. I checked my already
perfect manicured nails in the light. I hadn’t noticed
Francesca slowing down to a crawl and the flashing
lights until we were ten meters from the scene.
“What’s happened?” I asked vaguely barely
glancing up. “Looks like a car crash” Francesca
leaned forward squinting “God, I’ve never seen somany ambulances” she mumbled. This time I paid
more attention. Even with all the officers and
paramedics surrounding the scene I could clearly
see the smashed up car; a Chevrolet Camaro
Concept. My heart skipped three beats, I broke out
into a cold sweat, my stomach was churning. “No!”
I murmured with a sick terrified horror. My limbs
worked automatically I ghosted up to the wreck.
Some curious bystanders studied the scene barred
from getting any closer by the yellow tape. Black
closed in no longer was I connected to this world.
The link holding me was tenuous and broke. Things
snapped inside of me deep down. One wire thin line
was holding me down. All of it banking on hope; all
those things happened when I saw the body covered by a white sheet the paramedics were loading onto
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the ambulance. I didn’t care about the handsholding me back I ran forward. Don’t let it be her...I thought with vicious hope. I wrenched back the
white sheet, and wished I never had. Bianca’s
beautiful face bled out and twisted was still. Her
body mangled and destroyed. “NO!” I screamed
staggering back. Sobs ripping up my chest. I
collapsed blinded by tears the wire broke and I wasno longer held to the world by anything. Then why
could I still feel? Why could I feel the horrible sick
grief consuming me? Covering me like a blanket
wiping away any previous feeling of happiness. My
heart throbbed pumping poisonous blood distraught
and twisted through my veins. I writhed in agony
and pain. “Bianca...” I sobbed. Memories added tothe tumult raging inside of me.
“Wee!” Bianca yelled feet thrown off the pedals of
her tricycle grinning madly; missing her two front
teeth. Thick shiny hair was streaming out behind
her. “ Binky get back here!” mum demanded chasing
after her.
“ Freak!” boys pushed and shoved at me.
“ Hey! Leave her alone!” Bianca storming up and
effectively thumping them all in the jaw.
Then... this afternoon
“Get me some new shoes will you?” she’d called at
me once I was leaving with Francesca. “Sure, sure”
I answered sarcastically rolling my eyes and
shutting the door behind me.
It felt like something was ripping me apart from theinside mercilessly slowly dragging out my vitals;
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tearing them piece by piece. I shook violently sobsripping up my chest refusing to halt. She couldn’t
be... dead. Bianca had all her life in front of her.
Why? Why did it have to be her? I could barely
hear Francesca over the roar of my pain. Her arms
were wrapped comfortingly around me; vainly
trying to hoist me to my feet. “Madam?” an
unfamiliar voice spoke in my ear. I shook violently.My head filled with the vision of Bianca. Glorious
and beautiful smiling at me; a silvery arch swirling
behind her. She beamed, waved once then turned
and disappeared into the arch. Her thick hair
fanning out behind her and shimmering in the non-
existent light. Francesca spoke quickly her voice
trembling slightly. She directed me back to her car.I stumbled and collapsed on the seat and rested my
head against the headrest. Bianca was gone. I would
never get to hear her infectious laugh again. Never
see her smile. I hadn’t liked it much at the time but
now I realized just how much I relied on Bianca.
Just to do all those older sisterly things. Comforting
me when things got rough, sticking up for me.
Helping me with my hair, giving advice. I loved
Ben and Jet but Bianca was always there for me. I
loved her so much and now I wouldn’t ever get to
see her again. All those things left un-said between
us. I sobbed even harder. Desperately trying to
block out all those memories. She understood me
most beside Francesca.
“Steph?” Francesca asked softly. I trembledopening my eyes a fraction; blinded by hopeless
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tears. I wiped them away on the back of my sleeve.“They need to call your mum. Can I have your
phone for a second”
“It-its in m-m-my bag” my voice broke and hitched.
The tears flowed relentlessly down my cheeks. My
heart skipped another beat; mum. She had already
lost a husband, what would losing a daughter do to
her? And Ben... he was so young. Sirens blared, people muttered. I couldn’t bear the on-lookers
sympathetic looks.
“Mummy?” a boy asked sweetly; concern coloring
his voice “What’s wrong with that girl?”
“She’s upset dear” the mothers voice was soft and
tender. I peered through the veil of tears. The
mother had picked up her little son and was hugginghim tightly. The little boy stared back at me
curiously. I turned my head and shook with more
sobs. “Madam can you please come back with us to
the station?” a detective stood in front of me. He
wore a detached expression but I could make out
the concern in his eyes. I glanced back to the
ambulance and the still body of my lost sister. “No”
I answered in a trembly voice. I shook and wobbled
slightly but held my ground. “Im going back with
my sister” and strode past them. I held my chin high
despite the clear tear tracks etched on my face. My
lips trembled as I climbed in the back the paramedic
glancing sympathetically at me. I barely noticed
him as the doors shut and the start of the engine
signaled the ambulance moving. I just stared theturmoil twisting painfully inside. I lifted a piece of
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the white material in my fingers “May I?” Iwhispered.
“Okay” the paramedic answered. Carefully as it
would crumble at the slightest jerk I gingerly pulled
back the sheet. I drew in a sharp breath when
Bianca’s still face greeted me blood crusted on her
cheeks and temples. A gash in her neck. Her hair
was twisted; blackened and burned. But it was still just and shiny and thick as I remembered. I ran
through it with my fingers; a stream of mahogany.
Silently tears renewed the old ones down my cheeks
and curved to meet my jaw line. I tasted their salty
flavor on my lips but did nothing to stop them. I
turned my head and pulled the sheet up over. “I’ll
miss you Bianca” I murmured silently.
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Chapter 12:Screaming is for those in pain
“Bianca Manka was a promising young woman...”
the priest rambled on. Anger flared up inside of me;
he didn’t know Bianca. He had no right to talk about her with that bored tenor in his voice. To him;
she was just any other lost soul. The anger peaked
and I twitched. The sun blared overhead and for
once the winds were still, Jet and Ben were dressed
in black suits. Josephine cried dabbing her face with
a handkerchief. I held my chin high refusing to
accept reality. Living in a dream world. A worldwhere Bianca was still alive and vital. Glowing with
health and life. Francesca sat on my right Harrison
on my left. I felt sick; like a nightmare I was sure I
was going to wake up from. Every morning I woke
up expecting to hear the call of Bianca telling me to
get up. Expecting to find my clothes in her room.
Stupidity. I lashed out at anyone who tried tocomfort me. I was different. I didn’t care. I didn’t
want to care anymore. The more you care the more
it hurts. I didn’t want to know love or familiarity. I
didn’t want to know any kind of emotion that made
me feel this way. This sickening grief. Inside and
out. I was paler my hair whiter. A pearly colour
seeping up the tips. Something that would have
thrilled me before but now I didn’t give a damn
about such stupid things as looks or fashion. My
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eyes were colder no longer glittering. Emmy tried totalk to me but I shut her out. Her leaders were part
of the reason that Bianca was gone. Natalie insisted
I retire from the mission. But it was all to keep me
distracted and I wasn’t giving up without a fight.
Finally the priest stopped talking and the casket was
lowered. I rose. Family members coming up to try
and comfort me. I closed my eyes and walked away.
People stared; some gloating some sympathetic.
News that the most beautiful girl in school was dead
travelled fast. So did my changed personality and
appearance. No-one could meet my eye now out of
fear or disgust; I did not care. Francesca had trouble
around me; she was afraid. I watched all thisthrough the distant tunnel my eyes had become.
School life was stupid and tenuous. Someone
shoved deliberately past me in the hall. A high
pathetic laugh. A circle formed. Isabel sneered a
head below me. My fingers twitched. “Where’s
your sister now Manka?” Isabel asked cruelly. Nose
screwed up. She pushed against my arm. I didn’t
budge. I was stronger than her. Hushed whispers.
The faces ranged from disgust, expectation and
sneers. I glared back coldly at Isabel. Her lips fell
open in fear before she closed them again. “No-one
to protect you now is there?”
“I don’t need protection” my voice was low and
deadly. The way it had been since the funeral. Jeers
and catcalls sounded in my hollow ears. “Prove it”Isabel taunted. The wind picked up whipping her
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hair against her arms leaving open cuts and slashes.Some stirred uneasily. “Ow!” she yelled. My eye
brow twitched. How pathetic; Isabel didn’t know
true pain or anything about it. I stepped forward and
she stumbled back and fell. “Point proved” I
snarled. I turned my back on the shocked faces like
I had been doing so many times before and strode
away and out of the school grounds. Stormtailstared accusingly at me when I reached home. I
glared evenly back ditching my school bag without
a second glance. I trudged up the stairs eyes burning
with the unusual feeling of dryness. The door was
closed to her room. No-one dared even peer in now.
I opened it a crack then stepped in and shut the door
behind me. Her room was different. She wasunusually neat, then why were things broken and
tossed cleanly across the room? I ventured further
in; ice plunging deeper and deeper into my heart;
sinking to my stomach dragging my insides along
with it. I trailed a finger along her desk and touched
the ludicrous ‘wedding’ folder she had designed for
her and Declan. Only holding pictures of her Declan
fooling around. The simple white folder was usually
in pristine condition with shining golden swirls and
the word ‘love’ scribbled neatly across its surface.
But something or someone had slashed through it
roughly. I turned a page and my eyes widened. All
the pictures of her and Declan were either torn in
two or missing. The gashes of a pen point tearing
pages right down the middle. The sentence ‘loveforever’ she had written had been scribbled out. I
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scoured the desk for more answers and found themin the bin. A manila envelope had been sliced
roughly open a piece of paper peeking out. I
snatched it away quickly and sank down onto the
edge of her bed. What I had thought to be a test
result of some sort was actually a letter; written in
Declans messy scrawl. I scanned the lines greedily.
Rage seized my body closing around me like a fist.Blinded by a new emotion I banked murder in my
heart. He had broken her heart; the reason she had
left us to move on. I rode Scarlett through the thick
trees until I reached the very back of Declans
modern home. I was lucky; he was the only one
home. I slid down calm and enraged at the same
time. The agony and pain churning away like acidin my stomach. I crossed his fence in one go and
rapped quickly on the back door. Declan wandered
up the hall a stupid grin on his face. I shook with
my rage she was gone and he could smile. The grin
fell and crumbled away like dust when he saw who
it was. Declan slowed to a cautious walk and
opened the back door an inch.
“Nice to see you here Steph” he lied.
“Why?” was all I said. Coldly. Low and furious.
“Why what?” he repeated stupidly. I heard the
rising weariness in his voice.
“You broke her heart” I snarled. Something a
normal human should not be capable of. Declan
tried to shut the door but my hand stopped him. I
could feel the pressure he was exerting firstconfident then that drizzled away like rain on a
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wind-shield when he realized I was stronger. I slidthe door back effortlessly and crossed the threshold.
I glanced around quickly to make sure my
assessment was correct. It was,
“Our relationship had gotten rocky...” Declan
fumbled for lies. That’s when I smelt it; another
human. So I had been wrong. Thick perfume and
the bite of nail polish tainted the air as an older girlmoved into the room. The straps of her skimpy
dress sliding down her shoulders. “She caught you
cheating” I stated blankly. Declan had trouble
meeting my dead gaze as he bleated feebly.
“Baby” the girl asked in a sickly sweet voice
“Who’s this?”
“You sure moved on quickly Declan” I hissedstepping forward.
“Y-you aren’t allowed near me. Get out” he pointed
a shaking arm at the door. I raised an eyebrow
daring him to try. The girl backed away. I was
shaking slightly now my cool façade was slipping.
“Im calling the police” he announced in a quivery
voice. By now the girl had completely vanished.
Good, I didn’t need a witness to a murder. Declan
moved towards the phone; dived really. I whipped
the air into a frenzy. He yelled out and fell back
against the wall.
“Your stupidity amazes me Dec” I murmured
coldly a faint smirk of amusement. I turned my
wrist once in a circle and manipulated the air to
bring a sharp kitchen knife to hover beside me. Hiseyes widened “What are you?” he demanded. The
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knife inched closer. Fear starting to creep into hisawareness.
“What I am does not concern you” I snarled. My
upper lip curled back of its own accord. “Don’t kill
me” he whimpered.
“Pathetic” by now the knife was centimeters from
his furiously beating heart. I could do it. I could kill
him. If it wasn’t for him she might still be alive. Istared at the weak creature before me. No I let the
knife crash to the floor and the wind die down.
Despite all that he had done Declan still had a
family; a mother who cared about him. No matter
what kind of monster he was. I backed away and
caught the reflection of myself in the hall mirror.
The empty soul staring back was not the girl I wasused to seeing. Skin pale enough to rival Christians,
my hair a ghostly pearly sheen, eyes darkening to a
near dead black. Cruelty etched around the
hardened planes of my cheekbones. I turned my
back on what I had known.
Friends
Love
Happiness and joy.
Chapter 13:Screaming is for those in pain
I walked down the school halls; chin held high.
Weak pathetic obsessed students jumped with fright
and paced quickly away. News of my supernatural
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encounter with that thing had travelled fast. Noteven Belle dared reprimand me for such an act they
were starting to feel... threatened. And I liked it. I
revel in the new found power deprivation had left
behind. When she had died and I saw her peaceful
face disappear my heart which had been throbbing
painfully had just gone. Unfeeling and different.
Wind slashed mercilessly against my pale skin, pearly hair glimmering in the weak sunlight as I
reached the secluded part of school. There was
another lone figure crossing the schools grounds on
the way home. Harrison glared at me fear
swimming deeply in his eyes. Our brake-up had not
been an pleasant one. For him I guess for me it was
merely an inconvenience. I kept walking not bothering to even look at anyone else. Francesca
and the others had already left for Natalie’s. Jeff
and Isolde had already worked up our covers. I had
gone over my role till I was word perfect in my
head. The door was left open at Francesca’s. I heard
low muttering and hushed conversions as I
proceeded down the hall. They stopped abruptly as I
entered the room. Scrappy crude drawings of the
building was laid out on the table. The hierarchy of
the enemy was un-known but their two top ranked
followers was. Charlotte and Sharon. Two deadly
twins Charlotte able to control blood while Sharon
could make you see things that weren’t there. Your
greatest fears played out in your minds eye. I didn’t
fear them I had already seen my worst nightmarenothing could alter me now. I was gone. Hollow
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and lifeless. Whatever. Francesca glanced un-easilyat me before speaking. Only Christian was able to
sit closest to me without shivering.
“We were wondering when you were planning on
telling your mum... Steph” Francesca faltered over
my name. I shrugged and stared out the window
“Tonight I guess” voice scratchy and deep.
“Uh, okay now Isolde...” and they all threwthemselves into plotting and speculating. Our
departure booked for two days. Autumn was here,
the trees either stripped bare or some clinging to
their crimson and gold leaves. I walked listlessly
outside into the freezing cold. I made no move to
stop the wind lashing against me. Nowadays it felt
like a feathers caress compared to the acid twisting painfully in my dead heart. I glanced over my
shoulder. The picture of content and happiness sung
from it. Estella had dozed off her head resting on
Quinn’s shoulder, Quinn himself reading a thick
book. Veronica was laughing as she played with a
silky smooth tabby cat; likely to be Isolde’s. Jeff
watched her with a tender loving face from the
couch. Ash and Christians heads were close
together as they talked quickly. Ivy helping Natalie
over the stove top. Francesca was going over the
plans with Isolde as they laughed about things I
could not hear.
And it made me to be sick. I made a running leap
and jumped cleanly over the back gate and ran
without looking back. The crunch and whisper of leaves was my only companion for two minutes.
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When I slowed I was a few yards from my owngate. I slowed to a walk then finally slid to the
ground. I rested my head on my arm as I curled up
on the carpet of thick golden dried leaves. I closed
my eyes and drew in a shaky breath. I felt the
warmth as a tear slid from the corner of my eye and
down the trail of my nose. Leaves fell in a spiral
dance around me and settled over my still body. Icouldn’t move I was locked in a terrifying trance.
Her face the only thing I could see. I spasmed
uneasily then hauled myself to my feet scuffling the
leaves around to leave no trace of my previous
position. Easily skipping the gate I was through the
back door in two seconds. Josephine was already
setting the plates on the table. Ben and Jet sat bickering over the food. Josephine smiled
maternally at them as she took her seat. I hovered in
the shadows reining in my fury. Furious because
they could still act like a family when she was not
present. I sat down quietly.
“Oh hi... honey” Josephine stumbled over my name
and dismissed it entirely. Ben and Jet stopped
laughing and began to eat. I nodded at Josephine
and ate without tasting it. “Um so, Stephanie” she
began not long after. I looked up; glared the more
appropriate term.
“Yeah?” I asked rudely.
“Im a little worried about you hun. Francesca and
you rarely go out anymore and your so pale.
Harrison hasn’t been over for weeks, is somethinggoing on?”
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The fury I had been trying so hard to keep at bayover flowed at her worried sentence. I shoved
roughly away from the table “Why don’t you” I
snarled “Mind your own business?”
“Hey! Don’t talk to mum like that!” Jet too stood up
his expression fed up and angry “Try me” I growled
at him. The wind was pounding so hard against the
glass it was threatening to break. “Lets just sit back down, Stephy dear forget I ever asked!” Josephine
begged nervously.
“Just like you forgot about her?!” I demanded
furious.
“How could you—?” Josephine’s chocolate brown
eyes swam with tears.
“Just shut up, Steph” Jet muttered angrily.“Don’t tell me what to do!” I screamed at him.
“Enough!” Josephine yelled over the relentless wind
screeching outside. “Stop fighting now, all of you!
Steph go to your room”
“Forget it” I mumbled angrily and stalked out the
back door. I leaped over the back fence vaguely
registering Stormtail had scrambled under the hole
and followed me. I stripped and hung my clothes on
the bough of a tree and shifted; at once I was
assaulted by reprimands.
I don’t know much about family but im pretty surethat’s not how they usually act Leave me alone Storm No! Your different Stephanie and I don’t like it; it’s
nearly been a whole month since Bianca’s deathand you—
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DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME! Fine... but you must move on she would want you toother than change into this... girl you are nowShe would want to be alive and it’s your gods that took her from me. And for that; they can all burn inhell as far as I careStephanie... Stormtail’s voice was sad not the
furious yell I had expected. An underlying note of pity in her forlorn tone. The suppressed rage spilled
over again and I had turned on her. I had Stormtail
pressed to the ground my forepaws dug into her
back piercing through her thick fur.
I do not want your pity, I do not want anyone’s pity
now leave me alone
All was quiet in my head I backed away slowly thenleft. I travelled near our stables and caused the
horses some alarm. I shifted not caring about my
exposed limbs. I travelled forward to where Scarlett
whinnied in pawed the ground in her stall. My eyes
flickered to the cardigan hanging on the saddle. I
picked it up and sniffed at it carefully. It smelt just
like she had. My eyes filled with tears and slid
down my cheeks. I wanted her back here, where she
belonged. I placed her cardigan back on the hook
carefully and turned around slowly. Stormtail
appraised me with a critical eye. It was tempting
just to walk back un-clothed then listen to her but
with a sigh of defeat I shifted back.
They are not happy with you Stephanie
Im not to pleased with them either They wish for a meeting
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When? NowGreat...I had only travelled into the Divinity once and I was
not looking forward to it a second time. Stormtail’s
silver wind swirled lightly then jumped into a
complete vortex I shut my eyes then I was staring
into a sparkling marble courtyard.
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Chapter 14:Screaming is for those in pain
Two large pristine golden fountains spurted water high into the mauve and blue sky. Glossy sparkling
trees swayed in the warm breeze the barmy air
engulfing velvety pink roses. A raised platform of
the same marble held a throne compromised of
vines and many lipped purple flowers I did not
know. The lesser gods were standing in a semi-
circle around the one seated on the elaborate throne.All the women were undeniably beautiful and all
the men well muscled and handsome. Though the
woman sitting on the natural throne was so beautiful
she was hard to look at. Oservia. Her hair was at
least three meters long and consisted of various
shades. It looked like a sunset was painted into the
glistening strands. Her dress was no more than
wispy silks.
“Stephanie” she breathed. It seemed that all songs
of nature was transformed into her perfect voice. I
glared back coldly.
“What? Are you going to tell me that it was the
circle of life? That everything happens for a
reason?”
Oservia smiled not coldly or warmly. My deadfeatures were expressionless. My powers in the
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Divinity had no effect here so the flora remainedcalm. Stormtail’s human body stood only feet from
me.
“Thank you for bringing her” Oservia inclined her
head to Stormtail who only acknowledged the great
god with her eyes. She was anxious.
“Going to kill me then?” I snarled “It won’t make
any difference”“On the contrary it will make a big difference the
war that is going to start—”
“Why aren’t you helping then? You created
Elementals, help us!”
“I created Elementals as pure beings, connected
with the earth. You are part of the original four.”
I raised an eyebrow contemptuously“At first only Water, Air, Fire and Earth existed, but
others have found ways to manipulate their gifts...
some for good... some for bad, You Stephanie are a
very curious case. Your father was an Air
Elemental”
My eyes watered and my lips fell apart.
“He was an amazing one too but unfortunately
when he understood that Air could control all
Elements he became crazed. We sent someone to
handle the situation but he escaped. Your father
Stephanie, is the cause for this war”
“No... he died... when I was two... this isn’t right...”
I groaned clutching at my head desperately. Oservia
continued as if I hadn’t spoken
“We thought that his unique gift had died outcenturies ago but then it resurfaced first with Leon
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Manka and now with his daughter, very curiousindeed”
“No! Any Air Elemental can do what I do!”
“No they can’t, you see Stephanie Air is thin, very,
very thin its cunning but there are things that can
overpower it. But yours... its different, thicker in a
way, a way that allows you to control other
Elementals abilities as you did with that Christian boy using Ivy’s dome”
“The twins... Charlotte and... Sharon they! They!
Are the cause for this war! My pa’ is dead!” I yelled
at her. Some of the lesser gods stirred but Oservia
remained calm; and it drove me crazy.
“Where... where is she?” I spun around desperately
expecting her familiar face to peer through the trees.It wasn’t Oservia’s voice that answered me but a
husky and yet smooth one.
“In the Levity” I spun on my heel to glare at;
Crania, the gatekeeper of the Realm of Death. I
understood the ‘Levity’ to be the balance between
the Divinity and the Crude.
“Take me to her!” I demanded forcefully.
“Stephanie!” Stormtail hissed shocked. Her human
form was blurred but still bore signs of her wolf
body. She was dressed in wolves fur; wrapped like a
towel under arms and ended high above her knee.
The thick grey boots were the same tone as her coat.
Her long hair was silvery and matted with the ears
of a wolf poking out from between her tresses.
“I think its time you go, Stephanie” Oserviawhispered and the same silvery wind spun in a
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dance around me. The wind had died out and I wasstanding in the same golden forest as before.
Though the celestial spinning had long since ended
I continued to see it before my eyes. The
information I had thrust upon me so un-willingly
stuck to my mind. Stormtail glared accusingly at me
with her eyes. I made a rude fingered gesture thenstalked away blindly. Trying to get as far away from
her as possible. I had never really cared about
having extra abilities. I had liked it in a way. But
now I resented my gift. Annoyed that it can cause
this much turmoil. Furious that I was part of a
freak’s world. Miserable that what Oservia said was
right.
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Chapter 15:Screaming is for those in pain
“This is it” Quinn said nervously shrugging into his
silken black cloak. I shrugged mine on and flipped
up the hood. I moved my chin a fraction upwards toallow Natalie to clasp it together. Estella’s cloak
brushed the ground slightly while mine only just
touched it.
“Mmhm” Christian murmured his face hidden in
shadow. I avoided his gaze. It was nightfall outside
the darkness eerie and still. We slunk outside and
slid quietly into the smooth black car provided.“Be careful” Natalie warned; concern swimming in
her eyes. Francesca merely nodded her eyes alive
with doubt as she stared at me from outside the car.
Christian started the ignition.
“If anything goes wrong...” Isolde began keeping
the door open for Estella
“Get out, quickly and quietly, we know” Estellarolled her eyes and hopped in. she was giddy:
excited.
“Jeff, Felicity, and I will be near-by if you can’t get
out, okay?” Isolde said solemnly. Ivy and Veronica
had their arms woven around each others waists;
they had become great friends over a very short
time. Ivy was nervous; she kept hopping from foot
to foot. “They’ll be fine” I heard Ash whisper in her
ear. She sighed and for a moment her eyes flickered
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to mine. I looked away as Christian started theengine and reversed. They waved then retreated
inside. The trip was silent. I hadn’t told them about
my father and I refused to. Quinn’s link; a ferret
was peeking out from underneath the cloak its dark
eyes insightful and clever. Estella’s link was a black
fox it had slunk underneath the drivers seat.
Christians black raven soared overhead whileStormtail remained hidden in the alleys following
the quiet car invisibly. Christian cut the engine. The
trip was quicker than I’d remembered. I stared at the
apparently empty industrial building; this would be
my home now, it could be for days or years.
“It is odd, the master does not usually send four teenagers out alone” Chase’s cold voice echoed
down the vast stone halls. Metal doors had light
streaming out from underneath them. Christian and
I were ahead while Estella and Quinn brought up
the rear. Chase; our guide was snide and cold he
was showing us to our quarters “We are very
capable” I answered back easily.
“Capable or not, girl, it is not right”
“What is right and what is not is dictated by the
master. Not his servant” my voice was the hollow
void it always was and I saw shock flit across
Chase’s face. I was glad Christian had a dark aurora
about him and enough wit to remain silent. Months
ago he may not have expected me to be able to
handle the pressure. But deprivation, loss and painhad snuffed out the capability to show any emotion
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other than a blank and dead face.“Your chambers” Chase snarled and pushed open a
heavy green door. The room was bleak, cold, with
two bunks and stuttering candles stuck to the
windowless walls. All was stone. When all of us
were inside Chase spoke before shutting the door
“The master will be in to see you”
My heart skipped three beats and my nostrils flared,I looked nothing like my old self but would a father
be able to see through that? Or if the rumors were
true would he even be human enough to feel
paternally? I could ask no-one these questions but
myself. The metal door swung shut with a clang.
“What are we going to do?” Estella panicked.
Quinn’s face mirrored hers“I say we get out now, we know enough already”
“You may leave, but im staying” I answered curtly
surveying the room leaving my hood up. Hoping it
would mask some of my face.
“No way” Quinn sounded appalled. Estella wrung
her hands worriedly.
“You two could probably pull this thing off, but I
don’t think I can” Estella spoke to Christian and I.
“Estella shut up, your ability is to create mist that’s
creepy enough for me” so it should be creepy
enough for my father I finished in my head. She was
about to protest when I heard the smooth tandem of
footsteps “Shush, sit down!” I commanded. My
heart beat rapidly as the door opened slowly.
Christian hung back near my elbow, and LeonManka entered the room. His skin was the same
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brown her’s had been, he was tall; as tall as me.With thick curly brown mahogany hair. I was
positive Christian saw the resemblance. Leon
could’ve had the same grey eyes as me if it weren’t
for mine been a flat black. His cloak was a silvery
grey sparkling slightly in the dim light. Two
females entered in his wake. Charlotte and Sharon.
Charlotte was pale as bone, with flaming red hair,eyelashes, lips and scarily so; eyes all crimson.
Sharon was her opposite, equally pale though with
jet black hair, eyelashes, lips and her eyes to.
Charlotte wore a sparkling black cloak while
Sharon wore a red one. So different, yet so similar.
The way they looked could have been comical but it
was more intimidating though.“So you’re the four who ruffled Chase, so” Leon’s
voice was smooth a mocking edge to it. Charlotte
wore an identical smirk to Sharon’s.
“I do not recall ever meeting you though” Leon
continued.
“Forgive us” I murmured bowing low, I saw his
eyes flicker briefly “But we knew of only one way
to meet the infamous Leon”
Leon’s cheek lifted up in a snide grin. “Ah yes, but
how do I know to trust four teenagers?”
“You don’t” Christian answered sarcastically. Un-
like me he had his arms folded and leaned against a
bunk a mocking grin plastered on his half shadowed
face. I could feel Quinn’s and Estella’s tension. The
smiles fell off Charlottes and Sharon’s face andthreatened to turn into snarls. To our surprise Leon
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started to shake with laughter. “I like you four, whatare your names?”
“Christian Vance”
“Estella Knolls”
“Quinn Hardmen”
“Stacy Manka” I relished in the way I saw Leon
flinch at the mention of my last name. But I didn’t
want to give the game away so kept my first name asecret. I did not look forward to answering the
others questions later. Unfortunately I forgot this
man was my father so he must be something like me
“Manka, that is an interesting last name, tell me
Stacy, what are your siblings names?”
“I am an orphan, I have no family” my voice as coldas the air around us. Leon’s eyes became cloaked
once more.
“You don’t have one ounce of affection in you” he
didn’t phrase it like a question but a statement and
began to walk around me in a slow circle. My chin
lifted an infinitesimal amount. “You, Stacy will be
useful in the higher ups, and you... Christian”
“You two, will be gatherers” he nodded
dismissively at Estella and Quinn. Estella was
slightly insulted for a second then composed her
face again. Leon Manka swept from the room the
two frightening women in tow behind him. The
door swung shut again.
“Looks like we’ve just been sorted” I murmured
turning to the others. Before Quinn could speak Christian beat him to it.
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“What was that about? Your not an orphan”“I don’t want him to know anything about me”
“Fair enough” Christian muttered but the suspicious
hint deep in his yellow eyes never vanished.
“What’s a gatherer?” Quinn asked tentatively
breaking Christian and I out of our reverie.
“I have a vague idea” Estella answered in a quivery
voice; we all stared“Didn’t any of you listen to Isolde? The-they take
people... and... and... kill them, that’s what he meant
by ‘gatherer’ and you two I guess you do the deed”
I had known what she meant. A part of me noted
that they may be the reason for the humans murder
that Quinn and Estella will not have to take part in
he killing. But could I do that? Could I take awayanother’s loved one? I remembered with awful
clarity how it first felt when I saw her face. The
pain had no less dimmed but I had just become so
used to it that now it felt like I had always been this
way. I turned my back on them hiding my face from
their eyes. Uncertainty is a weakness. A lesson I
had been taught so brutally. I felt a hand on my
shoulder; only just singing through the silky black
coat then the double protection of my shirt.
“We should get some sleep” Christian’s voice
echoed in the cold room. Estella shivered as she
pulled off her cloak she turned away for a second
then placed the cloak folded up on the lower bunk
“Its okay you’ll be warmer if you sleep up top”
Quinn insisted. She smiled warmly at him thenhoisted herself up onto the top bunk. I noticed how
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easily she was able to do that “You’re a dancer” Inoted eyeing Quinn. I was occasionally perceptive
and you had to be a moron not to notice that he was
one step away from falling in love with her; fool.
“Yeah” Estella mumbled slithering under the sheets.
The sheets were stretched taught across her
shoulders and yet she still shivered. Quinn stripped
a sheet off his bed and threw it up over her. Hesmiled wanly at us then rolled over on his side.
Within seconds he was snoring loudly. The sound
magnified ten times but the cold stone walls.
Sighing heavily I yanked the pillow off my bed and
placed it over Quinn’s head; it muffled the sound
only slightly. Quinn gagged and rolled over.
“I was hoping I was going to have to do this” Igroaned. I made the motion of waves with my hands
and the sound completely blocked itself out.
“How’d you learn that?” Christian asked in slight
shock as he came up behind me.
“Taught it to myself” I muttered finishing off with a
final stroke
“Hm... Stephanie how did you figure out all these
things you can manage, Natalie’s a Fire Elemental
there’s no way she could’ve taught you all that...
stuff”
“Long story, and im tired” I answered drily
avoiding the answer. I had so frequently wondered
why I knew how to control others Elementals... and
yet I had no answer, until now. It was in my blood.
My father, the man I had only just met. He looked
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like me but... why? Why did he fake his own death?Cause mum so much turmoil?
...mum... Ben, Jet and... and... her why would he do
it? Only a monster could leave four children and a
wife behind then resurface as a monster so many
years later, monster and I was back to the previous
question. I was related to Leon, his very own
daughter, with the same dark gift. Did that meanthat I too was going to turn out like him? Killing for
the sake of it? Murdering just to get the gods
attention? Slaughtering just so he could become
famous. Forcing innocent kids no older than three to
die, or kill. Why? Why did I be the one to be next in
line for this gift? Why not, Jet or Ben... or her. Jet
and Ben handled their sisters death better than Icomforting Josephine, trying to fill the void they
felt. But I refused to move on, see the truth for what
it was. That she was gone and never coming back
no matter how much I wished for her to be here.
Quinn and Estella had given up their life, their
families so willingly. Christian was an orphan he
had nothing to give up. And yet I’d taken mine for
granted. Not given a seconds thought to how
Josephine would cope after her second daughter
disappearing. I rolled over on my side and the
squeaked. I reached out a hand and traced the cold
wall. The unfamiliar warmth of tears spilled over
the rim of my eyes and travelled down my lips. I did
nothing to stop them. And then I was back there.
Staring at her perfect face, bloodied, bruised and beaten. Dead. I closed my eyes preying sleep would
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take me captive soon. All night I tossed and turnedand didn’t fall asleep until three.
Chapter 16:Screaming is for those in pain
“Wake up, wake up!” Quinn urged shaking my
shoulder roughly. Not thinking my predatory
instincts kicked in before realization. I shot up at the
same time a strong gust knocked him off his feetand slammed him roughly into the wall. I noticed
time slowed by a fraction so Quinn’s back did not
hit the wall as hard as it should’ve.
“Sorry, sorry!” I was out a bed and crouched in
front of him before anyone else could react. “You
took me by surprise” I mumbled scanning him for
bruises. Christian was bent double; laughing, eyesclosed. Estella to was smirking slightly.
“Nice” Christian chortled “You really aren’t a
morning person” he lapsed over in more laughter.
Grumbling inaudibly the wind carried my cloak
over and draped it on my shoulders. A quick fast
thrumming sounded a couple of times on the door
then stopped. We all paused and stared bemused at
it. Soon loud chatter and footsteps started up
outside. I opened our door a crack and bodies were
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walking past, all different shapes, colours and sizes.I was reminded irresistibly reminded of school
when the bell rang. “Looks like its our morning
assembly” I smiled then slithered out the door.
Christian shoved the door aside roughly with Quinn
and Estella in tow. Christian and I both had our
hoods up covering our brows and eyes in darkness
while Estella and Quinn let theirs fall down.Estella’s slightly tangled, dark braided hair spilled
all the way down to her waist. An part of my mind
noted that though the people walking past looked to
be around twenty or fifteen. The oldest seemed to
be only twenty eight. “Where do we go?” Quinn
whispered
“Follow” I breathed and joined the flow. Christianremained firmly by my side. Some faces we passed
turned curiously to stare at us. Judging by their eyes
only a few Water Elementals were collected in this
group. Going up to Earth, Fire and more Wind
Elementals than I’d ever seen before. Some though
like Estella and Quinn were unidentifiable. The
room we filed into was bigger than one the Elite had
called the gathering to. The ceiling so high it looked
as though it had no end while rows and rows of
wooden seats were lined along its vast floor. And
there; sitting on a raised platform with a throne that
resembled a distorted version of Oservia’s sat Leon.
Charlotte to his right, Sharon to his left. And then
six girls; three on each side were seated at the same
table. Nothing would’ve seemed odd about it but allthese girls held a slight resemblance to me. All
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looked to be around seventeen, bronze skin, curly or dark hair, and glittering grey eyes. The smallest
being five feet two. Creepy... How Leon Manka
picked me out from among the thick crowd I did not
know. Though the minute he stood up and raised his
hands all was quiet and I knew what was going to
happen before it did. Us four were the only still
standing“Wauneta, show our three newcomers to their
proper seats” he whispered. One of the girls who
looked more or less like me stood up and trotted
down the hall. She knew what my father meant and
took Quinn, Estella and Christian to a free bench.
Christian hovered reluctantly for a second then with
a nod from me followed her. The intensity of theothers gazes were like a tangible feel on me. My
face still hidden shadow showed nothing of the fear
making my heart pound like a steam train.
“Stacy why don’t you come up here” he whispered
though it echoed like he’d screamed in the silent
hall. My footsteps made me flinch with every step
that took me closer to the stage. Eventually I was at
the top standing with my back away from all the
cold faces. I kept my eyes trained on the ground.
Hoping vainly I was wrong about my presumption.
Leon walked forward very deliberately until he was
right in front of me. I was as tall as him. He turned
me around very slowly though I did not resist.
Breaths quickened they knew something major was
going to happen. My hands were curled into talonsand my breathing hitched constantly. This was it,
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this was it. I kept repeating in my head. The hoodhid my face completely in shadow.
“As you all know I have been looking for the one
who I promised would help us, take us to the top,
rule over sniveling humans and the Elite!”
Cheers and roars erupted. I squeezed my eyes shut
tightly and tried to stop the minor tremors rocking
through my body. It felt as though I had beendoused in icy water.
“Well now I have found her, Stephanie Manka!
Yes, my daughter!” Leon roared and pulled my
hood back. My pitch blac hair spilled over my face,
my white hands strained so tightly the bone looked
like it may pierce my skin. My jet black irises held
only a small hint of their once grey. A vicious hopeconsumed my entire being I did not look anything
like my usual self. I did not even sound like the old
Stephanie. The only similarity was the height. There
was silence. I did not dare look for the faces of
Christian, Quinn and Estella. No matter what I was
now I could never be able to stand their shocked
and disgusted looks.
“I see you have changed daughter” Leon murmured
a smirk threatening the edges of his dark lips. He
noticed my only slight wince at the mention of
daughter.
“But you are not my only child, though the others
are of no use to me...”
He’s baiting you... don’t react... don’t react I
chanted over and over in my head. If I react thegame was up.
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“I expected it to be her you see, Stephanie, Bianca”he purposefully clarified not missing my obvious
blanch at the name I’ve tried so hard to suppress.
“But when the girl showed no sings of our
uniqueness I gave up, faked my own death and left
that pitiful woman”
He’s talking about mum I hissed furiously in my
head. The fury bubbling in my stomach was becoming unruly. I wished nothing more than to
leap at him and tear him apart, skin from bone. He
was putting my life on display for so many I did not
know.
“Then I heard about a girl, displaying wild abilities,
how the wind picked up when she was mad” he
murmured in my ear.“Oh but your sister, she knew... she’d figured it out
and that” he laughed “Was a complication”
I spun sharply to face him “She knew?!”
Leon’s smile was smug but I paid it no mind that
the game was over, that he’d won.
She... she knew... but... why? Had she known that her sister was a freak? Is that why she’d gone? Ashamed to be related to me? So many questions
and the man I loathed so much held all the answers.
“Oh yes she knew alright, and was going to
confront you. And I couldn’t have that. So I had
dear Sharon here”
Sharon’s black lips were pulled up in a smirk.
“Morph the boyfriends mind, oh she was upset, very
upset and it was only a matter of tampering with her breaks and... no more Bianca”
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I stood still for a nanosecond processing this. He’ddone it; killed my sister. His daughter without so
much as a glance as she’d fumbled for the brakes.
She would be here. I saw red; it slunk over
everything and I tasted nothing but raw blood on
my tongue. A vicious craving for his death took
over every particle, every bone, every muscle and
every organ in my body. I shook violently whilenothing but Leon clouded my vision. I snarled and a
tornado grew into existence. Reaching up to the
never-ending ceiling. And he smiled . I felt others
powers, trying to help their beloved leader. Yells of
fright, screaming trying to get out. Now everything
was a blur various objects picked up by the tornado
were spinning in front of me. I was about to thrustevery heavy object I could find at him then
everything slowed by seconds. Soon I was able to
disconcert even the dust particles. I came back to
myself, realizing for the sake of others killing Leon
would not result well. I could not risk anyone else’s
life. Estella was holding up a weak Quinn. I
glanced at him then Christians confused face then
sighed. The objects dropped with almighty crashes.
Time began at its normal pace again. Quinn
breathed out heavily and sunk to the floor.
“Your gifts will be useful” Leon murmured exiting
the hall with a final winning look at me.
“Why?” was all Christian asked gazing heavily at
me “You knew, from the moment he walked in—”
“NO! I knew long before than, I knew whenStormtail took me to the Divinity, Oservia told me!”
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“Then why the effing hell didn’t you tell us?!” heyelled back.
“I JUST SHOWED YOU WHY!” I screeched. My
echo bounced off the walls. The furious silence
billowed between us. It felt like there was a veil.
Separating me from them. Christian and I were
breathing in out heavily locked in a heated gaze. I
hated them, I hated Leon, I hated my ability. Thereason so many were dying. I didn’t want to be me.
I wanted to be young again when I could run into
my mothers arms and cry, she would comfort me
and say everything would be alright. But it wasn’t
going to be. And it never will be again.
Wind in the Trees; In theBeginning
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Annoyed that it can cause this much turmoil. Furious that I was part of a freak’s world.Miserable that what Oservia said was right.
Stephanie Manka hides in secrecy with the
rest of her world. Living happily as a little
more than ordinary teenager. A normal life,normal friends. But when someone from her
clandestine world threatens to expose her
secret; which side will she choose? The
answer seems obvious but more and more
secrets are revealed and only some
answered.