trying to get as comfortable as possible. “We
can’t make a fire. Can’t take any chances of them seeing
us.”
“ Makes sense,” I said. I rolled
over, facing away from him. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep. It
took a while, but I finally managed. I don’t remember the dream
that I had. Matter of fact, I don’t think I had one. When I woke
up, the sun was hardly up. The sunlight had barely started to shine
through the trees.
I looked over and saw Nick staring
at a ball of fire in the palm of his hand. I sat up, realizing that
I was sore. But that’s what I get for sleeping on the forest
floor.
“ Does this qualify as ‘enough
time’?” I asked, startling him. He smirked a little as he closed
his hand, making the flame disappear. He sat up more against the
tree, as if he was about to tell me a long story.
“ I guess,” he said. “But no matter
what I tell you, it’d be smart that you didn’t leave.” He eyed at
me, giving a more serious look. Why would I leave?
“ I wouldn’t leave. I have nowhere
else to go, whether I like it or not.” I sat crisscrossed a few
feet away from him, getting ready to hear what he had to
say.
“ A few months ago, I found out
about my power. I was playing a game with my little sister when my
parents bursted in the house, pissed off. My mom took my sister in
her room while my dad stayed to chew me out. That’s when it
happened.
“ My dad started
accusing me of stuff like drugs and skipping school. Yes, I did
those things. But, it was because of the things my dad did. I
denied it. I denied it all. Then I started telling him how he was a
horrible person and how he didn’t care about us.
“I didn’t notice it at the time, but the fire in the fireplace had
started to grow. I was getting so unbelievably angry. The only
thing I was focusing on was my dad. I started calling him pathetic
and I told him I was embarrassed to be his son. One thing led to
another then… boom. Fire started.
“ It killed my whole family. My mom.
My dad. My little sister. All that was left was my demolished house
and piles of ashes. I stayed in the same spot for the longest time,
staring at what I did. Then the sirens came from the distance, and
I had to run.
“ That’s why those cops were there.
They identified every body that was there. Every body but mine. So
now they’re all looking for me, chasing me no matter where I go.
Now, why don’t I turn myself in? Because I feel like I’m meant for
something. I’m meant for something bigger. I need to do this. I
need to do this... for my sister.”
I didn’t know what to say. He
killed his whole family? How is he still stable? If I did something
like that, I’d die of guilt.
“ Wow...” I said. “I... I don’t know
what to say. I’m so sorry.”
“ Yeah,” he scoffed. “So am I.” He
stood up and stretched, looking up at the sun. “We best be leaving
now. We can’t waste time.” I stood up as he started walking
away.
“ Where are we going?” I asked. I
had to follow him for a good twenty feet before he
answered.
“ I have no idea, Luke. I wish I
knew. But until I do know, we’re just walking straight.” He shoved
his hands in his pockets as he walked. “This forest is bound to end
eventually, huh?” I didn’t really answer him. I just let him do
what he wanted to do.
For the longest time, we walked. We
walked for hours. Most of the time was silent, but it didn’t bother
me. Now didn’t seem like the time to really talk.
I listened to the birds as they
chirped, echoing throughout the forest. The sun had set just over
the trees, sending beams of light through the leaves and making the
mildew on the grass shine.
Like last night, Nick was talking
to himself, thinking aloud and talking about things I didn’t
understand.
Finally, after a brutal and endless
walk, we finally heard cars. A little ways in front of us, a town
started. I heard Nick sigh with relief.
“ Thank God,” he said. He