Free Angel of Mine by Jessica Louise Page A

if he wishes he could join in too. As I watch him, I see him lose his balance, and jump to my feet. He catches a small branch and manages to stop his fall. However, his feet still dangle in mid-air trying to find somewhere to land. “Help!” His feet start kicking wildly and he clearly panics. I start to make my way over and feel Theo’s presence right behind me.
    As if in slow motion, I see the small branch the boy is holding snap, and before I am able to make it to him, he falls to the ground with a deafening crack. Pausing, I look on in horror as his bone breaks through the skin of his arm in not one, but two places.
    His shrill screams pierce my ears and my body starts to hum with energy propelling me forward. Only two steps in, I find something is pulling me back and look down to find Theo’s firm arms wrapped around me.
    “What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me,” I shriek. All the struggling in the world doesn’t help me to get free but I still try because I need to get to this boy. It feels like there is something clawing at me from the insides trying to break free and help him.
    “No,” he says assertively. “Buddy, go get your mum okay?” I hear him ask the other boys on the street to go get help, when I am capable of helping better than anyone else is, and it makes me fuming mad. Becoming desperate to get to the boy before his mum comes out, I scratch at Theo’s arms.
    “I’m not going to let you hurt yourself again Ally. Stop fighting me.” Argh , he is like an unmovable force.
    “Let go,” I screech before biting down hard on his arm. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth, but I don’t have the time to feel guilty when it achieves the result I want and his arms loosen. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse, I break free and sprint over to where the little boy is who needs me.
    “Ally no!” Paying no attention to Theo’s plea, I sit down next to the boy. He is so young and can’t handle the pain. I, on the other hand, know I will be fine once the ambulance arrives and gives me painkillers.
    Raising my hands, I find the effect taking hold immediately. There is a split second of ecstasy while my powers burst free, and then the explosive pain hits. Digging deep, I hold on. I know I have to go for longer as his arm is broken in two places. The first snap feels like someone smashed a hammer against my arm, and as my bone breaks through my skin, blood spurts up and hits me in the eye. My right arm flops down midway between my elbow and wrist where the break is. I prop it on my knee to hold it up while I continue to heal him. Gritting my teeth so hard I’m sure they will chip, I am just able to hold on until the second snap. As my stomach turns violently at the sight, I shift to the side and vomit all over the footpath. Voices around me barely register as everything goes black.
     

     
    “Damn it,” I scream as I punch the large tree trunk in frustration. I’m livid. The rough bark tears up my knuckles making them bleed. A bitter laugh twists its way out of my throat as I think of how Ally would try and fix that too if she were still conscious.
    I’m furious at myself for not restraining her properly and keeping her out of harm’s way. I reach for my phone and dial emergency services for the second time in just two weeks.
    There is pandemonium around us as people look and point, retelling the event. The boy’s mother came out just in time to witness the whole scene and I have no idea how we are going to talk our way out of this one, but I can’t worry about that right now, my main concern is Ally’s wellbeing.
    Carol’s station wagon barely pulls up in the driveway before she comes flying over to meet me, a look of utter despair on her face. She starts to pace nervously in front of Ally like a mother bear guarding her cub and glares with disdain at all the unwanted spectators.
    After giving the ambulance an address, I drop down by Ally’s side and wipe the traces of puke