Downpour

by Madison Daniel

  "I can't do this again Max. Not now. Not with Madi." Her words were strong and cold.

  "Do what?" I asked, scared.

  "You know, this dance between the three of us." Her arms crossed.

  "Sam please."

  “Max, watching you walk away from me was the hardest thing I ever dealt with! I didn’t realize just how much I loved…” she cut herself off quickly. It made me shrink to hear her do it.

  “Sam…” I wanted to pull her to me.

  "You better go." She couldn't even look at me. Her eyes locked on the wet glass.

  "No!" I growled and my chest filled with fire.

  "I need time to think…this is too hard." I could barely hear her over the falling rain. I walked up to her and she watched my reflection in the window until the heat I was generating caused it to fog over.

  “We’ve had plenty of time to think Sam,” I warned.

  “Max I can’t!” Her walls were strong.

  "Who’s running now?" I asked with more anger than I probably should have. My feet pushed me back to the front door as my temper grew more. Thunder greeted me as I opened it quickly.

  "I'm sorry for everything I did that hurt you Sam. I cannot change the past." I turned to meet her prying green eyes again.

  "You taught me that," I whispered. She began to sob again but I had been through enough tonight. The last thing I wanted to deal with right now were those accusing tears. I felt numb.

  "Max."

  "Goodnight," I growled and walked out into the rain. It felt comforting on my hot skin. The fires welled up and steam twirled upward and into the night sky. But as angry as I was at Sam, I was even angrier with myself. I deserved this pain. I had earned it. The most amazingly, horrible truth was that as I loaded my pitiful self into my uncle’s truck with a semi breaking heart, I missed Asia. I missed her touch, her smell. She was my fire after all.

  My curse.

  Castaway - 18

  ~A Beautiful Mess: Jason Mraz~

  11:49 p.m.

  I was becoming a ghost of who I used to be. Sam was always on my mind. Except when I closed my eyes. When I fell into that familiar darkness, I belonged to Asia. Her and her storm. It only took me a half hour to track down that ghost and the eye of her storm. Fat raindrops and deserted streets led me to the pier where she and her gigantic luxury cruiser sat idle. Peaceful and calm, it floated as her tantrum spun the rest of the isle into the dark ages. Her smell hit me immediately, making the fires in my chest pop with anticipation. I was still plenty mad at her for keeping me in the dark about my uncle and his sickness. Sam and Madison had complicated my feelings for her immensely, but she still felt like a part of me. I guess that would never go away. I don't think I wanted it to anyways. Neither did my fire.

  Before I could get out of the truck, she was there. Silent and beautiful but stubbornly still mad at me. Her arms locked across her chest as she watched me approach from the stern of her ship. She stood above the word DAMSEL painted along the ship in blood red. The only light left was from the full moon, and it filled her angry face like a painting. She was so beautiful. We watched each other without speaking. I didn't know what to say, heck…I didn't even know why I had come here. I guess I just needed some answers. With a twitch of her hip and a flicker of lightning over our heads she spoke up first.

  "She has your mouth." Her eyes shimmered a little with tears welling inside of them but she managed a slight smile at the corner of her mouth. It helped me find my sea legs and step aboard the ship. I walked up next to her and let out a long sigh.

  "You don't have to punish the island just because you’re mad at me," I said, and the thunder grumbled above me.

  "Your beautiful mouth," she continued through tight lips.

  “Asia,” I sighed.

  "How dare she be so beautiful!" she cursed. She sounded jealous but she didn't seem as mad now.

  "She has my sisters curly hair," I added with a smile. Asia watched me light up when I said it, and she seemed to crumble a little afterwards. I took her hand in mine, softly. It was cool to my touch and I had missed it truly.

  "Asia, I don't want to fight tonight. That's not why I came here."

  "Max, if you’re here to make me leave, it's not going to happen!" she warned softly.

  "I don't know why I'm here. I think I just need some answers."

  "You need answers!" She awoke with her storm again. The boat began to rock lightly as the sea grew uneasy.

  “Yes,” I winced.

  "Are you serious? I need some answers too!" she said, and clawed her way right in front of my tired brown eyes. The wind howled along the water and my arms wanted to embrace her. I had already begun to steam from my fire, and her breath inhaled my emotional side effect. Her eyes were steel.

  "All right, you first," I gave in and she softened slightly.

  "Did you come back for Frank or her?"

  "How can you ask me that? I didn't even know about Madi…"

  "That’s not the HER I was talking about!" Her fingers scratched against my chest and she could feel the heat under my shirt.

  "Oh…I don't know."

  "How dare you! I give you everything and it's not enough!" she screamed, and the waves pushed against the boat making my stomach uneasy.

  "Everything! You call keeping Frank’s sickness from me everything?" I asked, more hurt than mad.

  "Max that was different."

  "I could have helped him before my healing ability faded! You should have told me about his health as soon as you knew!" I found my anger again.

  "I did my best."

  "Best? And what about all the money you spent on him and your lawyers?" I added.

  "Money?" She tried to play coy, making me even madder.

  "I saw the papers. Lawyer fees, doctor fees!"

  "I did that for you," she said with her hand on my face to try and calm me. Her hands felt wonderful but I wanted nothing of it.

  "I’m trying to understand Asia…make me understand," I warned, as I pulled her hand from my face. Her eyes fell sadder and she pushed closer up against me.

  "When you died I felt guilty for not doing more to keep you safe. I couldn't save you and the guilt was choking me." She looked for my understanding. I tried to hide it but she knew me too well. She knew I would forgive her. She knew that deep down she still had a piece of me.

  "I vowed that I would keep the rest of your family safe. At any price."

  "Asia." I ran my hand along her hip to her lower back. She acted as if she would pull away but her eyes locked onto me like a weight.

  "So that's what I did. Frank needed help and I did what I did. And I'd do it all again!" she yelled with more than enough guilt seeping into her words.

  "How can I to trust you now? I needed you to be completely honest. Not what you thought would be honest enough," I scolded, and her eyes filled with wetness. The boats rocking started to settle again.

  "You know you can trust me."

  "I trusted you to come back with me. I needed you and you weren't there Asia," I continued to be stubborn. She pulled away from me and turned her back on me.

  "Max, I'm sorry I didn't come back with you. I was just too caught up in our time together. Too deep in our adventures. I was too…in love," she finished, and this time she was crying gently. Her hand ran along her matching necklace I had given her in China.

  "Our heaven," I whispered. She turned around quickly and pushed her lips into me.

  "I love you so much!" she said through her kisses. My fire thrusted back to life, filling my veins with heat.

  "Asia I've missed you too but…"

  "No!" She slid along me tightly and pushed against me harder. I wanted to fight her but she was so strong.

  "No buts Max," she insisted, and with her sweet caress I was powerless to her again. My beautiful kryptonite. As she removed my shirt, the air felt cool to my skin and her attack intensified. That was until she saw some of my latest battle scars. Her hands ran along the scrapes and
bruises I had earned from the attack in the mountains. Her silvery blue eyes filled with intensity.

  "What are these?"

  "Occupational hazard," I teased, and she filled with cautious anger. She pinned me down and surveyed the damage.

  "What’s going on?" she asked worried.

  “Oh yeah…those…” I flinched from the pain the wounds still caused me, making her worry even more.

  “Max?”

  “I was attacked.”

  “What happened?” she huffed, as she became instantly over protective. Lightning slithered above us with no sound.

  “I’m being followed,” I said. Her movements froze along my scrapes and the thunder returned.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Someone’s been watching me since I returned, and yesterday they introduced themselves.” I tried to laugh about it. She was not amused.

  “Who were they?” She was dead serious. I’d seen that look in her steel eyes before. There would be retribution.

  “They pretended to be your common everyday thugs, but that was a lie.” I shrugged nervously about what else she needed to be told. She placed herself on my lap, softly inspecting me closer as I sat up. Her hair fell along my face and the feeling along with her smell dazed me for a moment.

  “Go on,” she pushed.

  “The worst part is that they knew about my secret abilities. They knew that certain ones weren’t working anymore.” I twisted my finger in her hair. “Someone knows my condition.”

  Asia softly stared into my eyes in total concentration. Slowly, her arms wrapped around me and she pulled herself up against me.

  “Asia, one of the men mentioned something when they attacked me. Well, not something…someone.” I could feel her stop breathing for a moment.

  “Who was he?” she asked with hate.

  “Not a he.” I watched as her face filled with contempt. “She.”

  “Tell me everything,” she commanded. I didn’t want to tell her anymore but her anger was all encompassing.

  “As I suffered on the ground from the multiple taser attacks, one of the men said something.

  “What did he say?”

  “She was right,” I grumbled. Asia fell still as if someone had flipped her power switch to off. The skies filled with fresh black clouds and the rain stopped everywhere on the island, or at least as far as I could see.

  “Asia?” I asked her quietly. Her body tightened on top of me as she awoke from her thoughts and her face filled with concern. Her hands slid through my hair down to the back of my neck. It filled me with goose bumps all the way down my spine.

  “I’ll fix this. I promise. I’ll find out who’s doing this, and then they’ll be sorry,” she cursed through her clenched teeth. The ocean rose up around the dock and charged the air with crisp electricity.

  “It’s okay, I'm okay,” I tried to calm her.

  “I know and that’s how it’s going to stay. No ones ever going to hurt you again!” she said like steel.

  “You’re being overprotective…”

  “I promise.” Her lips found mine and I felt complete again. The wind rushed over us, carrying the different smells from the water, causing my fires to warm up.

  “Max, please stay tonight.”

  “I cant.”

  “Why?”

  I made up an excuse, “Frank needs me.”

  “I need you.” She was unwavering. I stood up and pulled myself from her.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow…promise.” I smiled, feeling extremely tired now. She didn’t look happy at all. She rose to her feet in a huff.

  “Can I at least take you home?” she asked, but it sounded more like a demand.

  “I already have a ride,” I winked and turned to walk away. Her chest filled with a breath, and as I turned to face my uncle’s truck down the pier, the air sizzled to life. In a split second the flash of a large bolt of lightning cut itself into Frank’s truck. Sparks flew everywhere and all the tires popped. With my eyes closed, I could feel her smiling from behind me.

  “That was a little much,” I said defeated. She rushed past me with her truck keys jingling in her hand.

  “Come on Mr. Chivalry…lets get you tucked in.”

  Asia’s control over the forces of nature was becoming biblical. She seemed to get stronger with every passing day. My brain was terrified by that thought, but my inner inferno only wanted her that much more. I slowly stepped forward, powerless to her. Why did I need her so badly? What was I going to tell Frank about his pride and joy? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about Sam? Was I going to be able to be there for Madi the way a father needed to be? So many questions and no answers.

  “Just breathe baby,” Asia whispered to me as her eyes found me in her rearview mirror. I took a long breath and closed my eyes.

  Like a moth to a flame, I was trapped by her love.

  Sleepwalking - 19

  ~Sleepwalk: Santo and Johnny~

  Wednesday - 8:38 a.m. - November 22nd.

  Asia’s sweet scent woke me immediately to the rays of the morning light. Her smooth, toned hourglass shape curled itself along the side of me. My sore and weathered ribs popped into place with a soft snap. My familiar heat washed over us as my hands naturally found the small of her back.

  "Morning sunshine," she cooed. Her intoxicating smell filled my head with fuzziness. Dazed by it, I had almost forgotten that she had stayed the night.

  "What are you doing here?" I asked, embarrassed by my lack of will power around her. She had taken me home last night after incapacitating Frank’s truck and tucked me in. I really felt guilty about letting her stay, especially when I found my attention toward Sam growing stronger. But my inner fires still burned for Asia and her supernatural rain. I was beginning to fear that it would always be that way.

  "Breakfast in bed," she said through a sly smile. She knew I was trying way too hard to ignore her temptations. Her hands rustled along my chest and she purred along me with another slow kiss. I didn't even try and fight her this time, it felt too good. It felt too right, and if my uncle hadn't walked through the door I'm sure we would have never left the room that morning.

  "Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize you had company." Frank blushed from the doorway. I felt my face fill with embarrassment as Asia began to giggle lightly.

  "Morning Uncle Frank," Asia smiled.

  "Hey Uncle." I tried to catch my breath. He smiled back at me and winked.

  "Could you two speed things up a little…I have a breakfast to finish and everyone will be here soon."

  "Oh crap," I cursed. I had forgotten Frank was hosting one of his famous gatherings. Surely Asia would have a problem with this. Sam was on the list and last time my uncle did this, the two of them almost came to blows. I cringed, awaiting Asia’s contempt.

  "Breakfast," she whispered. Her eyes found mine as I filled with fear. She arched her back with a tiny pop and sat up quickly. A devilish smile appeared.

  "You get cleaned up Max. I'll help your uncle with the food." As she said the words I couldn't believe it. Where was that unforgivable temper of hers? Where was the cold demeanor toward my uncle and his habit of putting her and Sam in the same room?

  "Umm…" I mumbled like a zombie.

  "That would be great," Frank agreed with a slight laugh and a cough. He would never admit it to me but he wasn’t feeling 100%. Asia kissed my neck before jumping to her feet. She was only wearing one of my beat up tank tops with a famous hair band logo plastered across the front of it. Frank blushed quickly and disappeared around the doorway toward the kitchen. I sat up, flustered.

  "Asia, where are the rest of your clothes?"

  "He’ll get used to it!" She winked and pointed to my desk chair where her summer dress hung across it. She quickly grabbed a pair of my jeans and slid them over her hips in one quick, fluid motion.

  "Why would he?" I began to ask.

  "Because…" she said softly, with a roll of fresh thunder yawning outside my bedroom window.
The smell of an approaching storm was close.

  "I’m home," she finished. I felt my heart skip a beat. Raindrops softly sprinkled along the glass of my window. Her words silenced me as I slid from the comfort of my bed and walked up to her. The thunder rumbled a little louder, closer to being fully awake.

  "Good morning." I kissed her slowly. Her smile filled the room as her hand pulled her dark curls into a tight ponytail. She bounced off toward the kitchen as I made my way into the bathroom. It only took me a few minutes to clean up but I felt a nervous pit in my stomach. This morning would be the biggest test of my emotions yet. Asia, Sam, Madi, and Kai, all in the same room…

  "Ewww…this could get messy," I sang softly into the mirror.

  As the morning progressed I found myself in awe of Asia and Frank. They were laughing together, cooking together, and at times, singing along to Frank’s favorite golden oldies together. This was like an episode of the Twilight Zone. She knew I was watching her closely and she enjoyed that fact immensely. She blew me a kiss from across the room and playfully tossed Frank a hand towel. It was nice to see them so close. Weird, but nice.

  9:22 a.m.

  The morning was rolling along sweetly when Asia surprised me once more.

  "Okay Uncle, let me show you just how amazing," she announced loud enough for me to hear. She had placed a small, black book upon the dining room table and her eyes found mine over her shoulder.

  "Ahh…perfect!" Frank clapped his hands together.

  "What is that?" I asked nervously. She smiled wickedly and opened it to its first page.

  "Scrapbook."

  There, in living color was a couple dozen photographs documenting our recent adventures. Funny how I only remembered her taking a couple of the shots. From Mexico to Fiji to Las Vegas…every stop was there. She didn’t say much as Frank flipped through the pages. She let the images speak for themselves. It was enough for Frank though. He smiled bigger with every page.

  “Amazing. Truly amazing my dear,” he beamed.

  “There are a couple more pages to fill up. Maybe you could join us next time around,” she asked, watching my every move. I was having a hard time breathing as she did.