Happy Robert Burns Day! Sorry not sorry for the last chapter's ending, but things are getting interesting! Can you guess how long Kara's gonna be able to hide this? It's most likely longer than you think. Also, question. Should I just post one of these every day, or every other day or something? I'm writing them enough to. Just suggest something please. :)
I try to stop screaming, or try to start screaming, I don't know what I'm doing. I bolt out of bed, fumbling for the glass of water on the bedside, and pour it over the fabric, putting out most of the fire. I back into something, knocking it over and making a loud CLANG as someone's feet rush through the hallway.
'Kara?' I hear Sophie call.
'I'm fine!' I yell back, barring the door shut with a chair as I frantically try to pat out the remaining flames before they spread to any of the other furnishings. 'Um! Nightmare! Sorry! Go back to sleep!'
'Is everything alright?' I hear Biana's sleepy voice murmur.
'I'm fine!' My voice is higher than normal as I try to slow my breathing, and I lean against the door hoping to keep everyone out.
'Are you sure?'
'I'm fine, Bi!'
'But-'
'I'm fine! Go back to sleep!'
I hear quiet muttering, but then feet clomp away, and I sag in relief, until I see the hem of the tunic I'm wearing is set ablaze, and I have to rush to put it out. As a side note, I refused to wear the weird fluffy pyjamas the Black Swan had given me, so I slept in a spare tunic and leggings. Don't judge!
I stare around the room, trying to figure out how to make the burn marks less noticeable, when my brain catches up with itself. Burn marks? But… I can't be… Can I? I can't, that's for sure. Right?
But, as I look around, I think, It's the only way this makes sense.
And it is the only way this makes sense. I guess this means I'm a pyrokinetic now. My life got even more complicated, and I don't think I can even tell Keefe about this one. Not for a good long while, though. And definitely not Dex, or Sophie, and Fitz and Biana would feel something too, and Forkle probably has something against pyrokinetics, and Granite and Squall and the other collective members would disapprove, and Della might feel weird about me being around her kids, and-
My hands catch on fire, and I have to bite my tongue, hard, in order to stop myself from screaming again. I can't feel any pain, so I decide to bite my lip and try to calm myself down. As I slow my breathing, the fire dies down, until it's a simple spark on my right middle finger.
'Karalahni?' Della suddenly asks from outside my door, and the flames lick higher up my arm again. 'Are you alright?'
'I'm fine!'
'Are you sure?'
'I'm. Fine.'
'But-'
'I'm. Fine!'
'Yes, yes, yes. Call if you need me.'
'Fine!'
'Goodnight.'
'Goodnight.'
Della leaves, and I make the flames die down again. This is going to be tough, but I think I have an idea. It involves the hydrokinetic, though. And I'll need to somehow speak to her without my friends. And the shade guy will certainly be there, so I sigh, and change into my Exilium clothes, leaving the mask and hood down for now.
I write a hurried note, flip the blankets over so that the burn marks are less noticeable, and lift my Exilium bead to the faint light starting to seep through my window. At the last second, I see a light in Keefe's room click on, but the light drags me away before he has a chance to look out.
'Gone to do something important. Don't worry, be back after school. Trust me. -Kara.'
As I rebuild, I see a plague zone, and nearly pass out. The flames cover my arms, and I slap them away, cursing the uniform for not being flameproof. Thankfully, it's black, so the burns don't show.
I gaze around, and… It's awful. I'm standing on a cliff overlooking horrid, plague-ridden trees. As I turn away from the ghastly sight, I yelp and run behind one of the only trees up here. Nobody sees me, but I still shakily levitate up to the tree's top as I watch the tents being put expertly up. Now I just wait for people to show.
It's a good thing it's so early, because I almost light the tree on fire several times, and someone definitely smelled smoke. But as the waves of waywards start to trickle in, I pull up my hood, lift up the mask, and I slip down and join the mass, hunting for the girl with the wave pin, near the boy with the dark hand on his.
The moment I find them, I walk directly behind them, but don't look their way. I stand with my back to them, though I can tell he knows I'm there for them, and she seems to want to slink away.
I need your help, I transmit, not bothering to pretend I'm not a telepath. This conversation wouldn't work otherwise.
I can tell he's studying me, but after a few seconds, his shadow cloaks mine and he whispers into my ear, You don't have a pin. Who are you, and what do you want?
Remember the five abilitied girl? I'm one of her friends. And I don't have a pin because nobody knows I'm a telepath.
And what do you want? he asks after a moment of taking that in.
I actually need her help.
What do you want? he asks, more urgently.
Relax, little shady-kid. It's just, uh, a small thing.
Then what is it?
I can't explain here, because if I do, something will happen.
What will happen?
That's the thing I can't tell you yet.
Sure.
It's true. I swear I don't want to hurt anybody, I don't have to know who you are. I just need your help.
No, you need my sister's help.
Same difference, it seems. My emotions flare, and I clench my fists to avoid lighting something else on fire. Please?
What do you want? he asks after a minute.
After school, fifteen minutes, somewhere we can talk freely.
Deal, on one condition.
What's that?
You tell your five abilitied friend that if she wants to tell my sister thank you, she can do it herself.
Is that it?
No, but I need to think for a little bit. But, yes, deal. Find me after this torture ends, and we'll think about helping you. Is that good enough?
It's good enough.
Then that's it. We need to stop talking though, I think the coaches are getting suspicious.
Okay.
Okay.