by Liz Long
She laughed. “I know. I do not think I will ever understand what is so great about normal life. Boring! It is no wonder people come running to us. So what are you?” she asked.
I hesitated and put my back to her, opening my suitcase and focused on unpacking instead. There was a really good chance she wouldn’t like living with a Firestarter.
“Sorry, was that rude of me?” Delia straightened up from her cleaning frenzy and grimaced.
“Um, no, I wondered if you meant what I thought you meant,” I replied.
She laughed. “Oh, yes, I am sure you heard me right. No one told me anything other than I had a new roommate. Are you a Chameleon? Muse? Telepath?”
“No, I’m…um, I’m a Firestarter.” I winced; Firestarters weren’t always everyone’s favorite supernatural being due to their tempers, therefore the ability to demolish one’s life in seconds. A girl I’d known briefly in childhood had been hesitant to even loan me a sweater before realizing I had my emotions under control.
Surprise crossed her pretty face. “A girl Firestarter? Cool. I have only met guys with that gift. Only try not to set my stuff on fire, okay? I am pretty attached to my clothes. And the cookies in that drawer over there, which you can help yourself to.”
I took my only coffee mug, which had superhero cartoons all over it, and set it in the cabinet by the sink. This kitchen was way better than what I remembered from my previous camper. Maybe it wasn’t coincidence that this very gifted group had more sophisticated living areas than most.
“Well, most Firestarters are men. Women can be carriers, but rarely have the physical aspects. Imagine everyone’s surprise when I created fire from thin air as a toddler. Got lucky, I guess. Your turn—what are you?”
“I’m a Runner.”
I looked at her, puzzled. “Sheffield told me there might be those I’ve never encountered. I give up. What’s a Runner?”
Delia grinned at me and raced past me in a blur. All I saw was a split second of her dark hair before she went out the door and back to her bed just as fast. I didn’t even have time to blink.
Impressive. “Wow. Now that’s a useful gift. You didn’t do track in high school did you?”
“Nah. My family and I have been with this troupe for a while. Well, I mean before my parents retired. I was twenty-two and knew I wanted to be here.” She smiled. “They live in Las Vegas now and love it.”
“I can’t believe I’ve never met a Runner before. How the heck does every circus not have six of you?”
“We have two others here, but it is a rarity. For example, in my father’s family, it is only passed down every two generations. It skipped my dad, but my mom was from another Runner family. They got married and hoped they could break genetics. Lucky it worked.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-five, but do not spread that around. I plan on staying this age for the next few years,” she said. “So how did you get here? Sheffield rarely brings in people like this.”
“My situation is a little weird.”
“Oh?”
“My dad was a Firestarter here at this show. Lenny Sullivan, you may have heard of him? We were here until I was twelve or thirteen. Mom wanted a normal life so we left.” I put a hand up to my mouth and mock whispered, “It didn’t take for me, by the way. Sheffield and my dad were really good friends. He died a few years ago; my mom passed away last week. Sheffield left me a longstanding offer and I finally took it.”
“I am so sorry about your parents. You must miss them very much.”
I stayed silent and an awkward pause came over us. I spoke for no other reason than to break her pity gaze. “I can’t seem to place your accent.”
“I am Delia Stavros; my family is from Greece. We lived there until I was a teenager, then my parents met Sheffield. He offered for us to be with his show. Best decision they ever made, I think.” She proudly tossed her hair. “I have been talking English for many, many years now.”
“You’re good at it,” I said with a smile. “I wish we had stayed here.”
“Your father never wanted you to return?”
“I expect he would’ve eventually allowed me to come back, maybe after I turned eighteen. I’m not sure if he was ever happy about leaving either, but he loved my mom enough to trade it in for her. He knew I struggled around humans. High school wasn’t the best time.”
She grimaced. “Yikes. I have seen enough American comedy movies to know that high school is a worldly hell of stereotypes, flunking math, and awkward dances. It must be a hundred times worse with a gift. I would not trade the circus for any of it.”
“I wouldn’t go back for all the money in the world. I can’t wait to not worry about accidentally scaring someone with a flame from my hand.”
She smiled and pulled her long hair into a ponytail. “Have you met anyone besides me?”
“Not yet. I’m pretty nervous about meeting the Firestarters and the rest of the troupe. Anything I need to know beforehand?”
Delia gave a strange half smile. “Well, you lucked out since people view me as abnormally friendly. But sometimes it can get a little…interesting around here. A lot of them keep to themselves, but some flaunt their gifts every chance they get. We all feel at home together, so we use gifts very openly when strangers are not present.”
“You’re not the first to say something along those lines. Should I be scared?”
“No, it is only that it can be a large culture shock coming here if you are from a smaller troupe or one that is more human. A few people have joined and left in a matter of days because it was so different they could not handle it. It has been a while since you have been around large groups of us.”
“I have a pretty open mind. Will they be offended if I act surprised at their gift?”
“Most likely not the first time, but after that, probably. Ready to go?” she asked. Before I even realized it, she had blurred past me, and now waited at the door.
I followed her out into the bright sunshine. “Do you do that a lot? Leave people in the dust, I mean?”
“I try not to, but I am impatient. Why take your time when you can be there in an instant?”
“Understandable. Uh, but do you think for the next few days you could slow it down for me? You’re my lifeline right now, after all.”
Delia laughed. “Sure. But I can only babysit so much on the grounds after tomorrow and you will be thrown in whether you like it or not. Think you can look after yourself once you know some people?”
We passed the grouping of campers and continued through the maze. The campers were grouped behind the tents and booths, and I could hear the low buzz of people nearby. Workers had just finished getting up The Big Top tent, the main attraction where the performance occurred each night. It sat on the back corner of the lot, guarding the living area with its side entrance providing easy availability to the performers.
“This way,” Delia said. She motioned for me to follow her.
We followed the already worn walkway around a corner, where a sea of activity blinded me. Whereas the campers were quiet, the actual circus grounds thrived with members preparing for the day.
My senses hit overdrive—colors, smells, and sounds assaulted me. Costumes covered in sequins and feathers were traded off between artists; my nose detected popcorn machines, sawdust with hay, and sweat, both human and animal. And the sounds! It was so loud between the people yelling, animals’ screeches, and equipment in use to set up stands and booths. I would have to shout at Delia to be heard.
I suddenly became very aware of why Sheffield and Delia warned me against being surprised. People made no secret of their gifts in safe company. I saw another Runner dart in and out of the crowd while Levitators floated seamlessly between the bodies. Birds flew all over, carried messages or small objects such as tools or costume props. The air filled with sounds of conversation, animals protested their displeasure of cages, and men barked orders on the best way to get tents up fast.
My heart jumped when I saw two other male Firestarters walking together. One was dressed in half a clown costume. The other one flicked a lighter and began to juggle fireballs with the clown; they walked simultaneously as they tossed them back and forth to one another, gradually creating greater space between them. Walking five feet apart, they continued juggling and while most troupe members simply walked around them and rolled their eyes, a few walked through, seemingly oblivious to the fire whizzing past their heads.
A girl walking by bumped into me. Her eyes met mine and narrowed in question but she continued walking. I saw someone whisper to his friend while he looked at me. I could’ve sworn another girl pointed discreetly in my direction. Some of the looks weren’t entirely welcoming.
My stomach clenched and my hands went into a hot sweat. The scene slowed down as I looked at Delia—her mouth moved, she talked to me about something, but I had no idea what. All I could hear was white noise. Completely overwhelmed, my body felt like it was seizing up. Flames would escape my palms and engulf me if I didn’t calm down.
Oh, goody. I was on the verge of a panic attack.
“Get it together, Sullivan,” I whispered.
I motioned to Delia that I needed a second. I stumbled into the first tent I found, blessed the heavy fabric for its cool shade and noise solution. I opened my eyes for a brief second. I’d found a small saving grace for the moment in an empty white tent. I closed my eyes again and had a sudden flashback to freshman year of high school.
My friend Rachel and I had attended a Friday night football game. I had paid for a soda while she got some popcorn. We stood in front of the concessions stand, observing all the people. The crowd gave a disappointed sigh at a play on the field.
“Think we have a chance at winning the game?” I asked her.
“Not a chance,” she said. “We haven’t won a game in like two years and we suck worse than last year.”
“Oh, well. I’m only here because my parents thought it’d be a good experience for me. Mom actually kind of kicked me out of the house. I didn’t realize they disliked me so much,” I replied.
She had laughed and scooped another handful of popcorn into her mouth.
“How are those carbs treating you, Rachel?” a voice had slithered in. Laughter had followed. I turned to the voice—it belonged to Cassie Johnson, queen bee of the popular girls at school. She was also a raging bitch.
Rachel had frozen, her hand halfway back into the bag. Not a week earlier, she’d told me how Cassie had been her bully since first grade.
“Keep it up and you’ll have the freshmen fifteen before college. Or in your case, fifty,” Cassie continued. Her group of like-minded blonde wannabes giggled behind her.
Rachel looked down at her bag of popcorn, her plump cheeks growing bright red. She let her mousy brown hair fall in front of her face to hide the shamed blush. My temper flared and I took a deep breath to stay in check. Heat rose to my cheeks and my free hand gripped into a fist.
“What’s the matter, stuffed too much popcorn in your mouth to respond?” Cassie asked.
“I didn’t do anything, Cassie. Leave me alone,” Rachel muttered. She kept her head down but I saw tears gathering in her eyes.
“That much is obvious. Your lazy, fat ass never does anything—if you did, you wouldn’t weigh as much as a hippo,” Cassie sneered. Her gaggle tittered again.
“Back off,” I snapped. “Go impress your lemmings elsewhere, preferably near a large cliff.”
“And the new girl speaks,” Cassie replied. “I thought for sure you were a mute. How sweet to defend the fatties and losers.”
“Take your fake blonde hair dye elsewhere. We can’t breathe with all the toxins you’re producing,” I seethed. Her friends had grown quiet in astonishment.
She took a step towards me. “What did you say to me?”
My feet didn’t budge. “You heard me. I told you to leave her alone.”
“I can make your life hell. I’m going to let this one go since you’ve just now left your dungeons and dragons. But I’m telling you right now—mess with me again and I’ll make you pay.”
“Gee, that’s super nice of you. Don’t insult Rachel again. Just because you’re insecure in your own skin doesn’t give you the right to torture others. Now go get your broom and take your flying monkeys with you.” My face felt hot. Too hot.
“You’re not even worth my time. You’re a freak,” she sneered.
My palms itched to set her trashy attitude on fire. Heat had flooded through my limbs; I wasn’t talented enough to keep it together much longer. I needed to get away from her. I turned, took a long sip of my drink and walked the three steps to the trashcan. Cassie and her vultures watched my every move. I threw the drink away, my palms burning. As I turned back to face Rachel, I saw her eyes glance behind me and grow wide. I turned back around to see smoke exiting the trashcan. Flames had erupted and I’d quickly crossed my arms across my chest in case they still flamed.
“FIRE!” a nearby girl shouted. The crowd scattered while someone behind the concession stand ran over with a fire extinguisher.
No one could prove or explain it, but I was rumored to be a firebug from then on. Cassie made sure to spread the news, with a gleeful smile each time, no doubt. That had been my last football game. The whispers and stares had kept me from most school events.
I hadn’t had a panic attack in years, had trained myself to prevent emotions overwhelming me. I would not let this overtake me and spoil the first day of my new life. I shook my head and opened my eyes. The comfortable darkness of the tent put me back in the present.
“I will not panic. I am in control.”
It was a mantra I had repeated a lot, especially after that Friday night incident.
I reminded myself to lock up the emotion as I had done my entire life. Now should be no different. I took a slow, deep breath, which calmed my nerves. The heat left my hands. Then I added a new line to my pep talk: “I do not need to hide who I am anymore!”
Delia popped her head in and found me. “Are you okay?”
“I am now. Just needed to get a grip,” I answered honestly. “I’m ready for whatever we need to do today.”
She grinned at me and I rejoined her outside.
“Come on then, Firestarter.”
We walked behind a Telekinetic who worked her hands to control moving a giant mirror that could cover a large wall. Mesmerized, I stared at her until Delia greeted her and startled me back into reality.
“Hey Jade! Meet a First of May, Lucy; she is a Firestarter.”
“What’s a First of May?” I asked.
“It means you are a newcomer to the circus,” Delia explained to me. She turned back to Jade. “She is my new roommate, so I am getting her acquainted with the camp.”
Jade smiled at me in greeting. “Nice to have you here,” she said in a soft voice. We walked together while she concentrated on getting the mirror to its destination.
“Jade is a Telekinetic, obviously. Why are you moving that gigantic thing, anyways?” Delia asked.
“Marty was in the middle of lifting some machinery,” she said. She turned to me slightly. “He’s an Unbreakable.”
“I vaguely remember him, actually. I never knew much about his gift. Do they have as much immunity as I’ve heard?”
“Marty can lift almost anything—machinery, cars, small houses even. His bones can’t be crushed, but he says there are other types. Ones who can help with knife practice or take a bullet,” she explained.
Jade maneuvered the mirror around a large man pounding a stake into the ground to hold a tent down. A mime began walking alongside us, pretending to be trapped inside the mirror with his reflection. One withering glare from tiny Jade and he slunk off behind a tent.
The sun disappeared behind threatening dark clouds and I heard several people around the tents groan their annoyance.
“Ugh, I’ll find Lucinda so she can work around the weather; she was still i
n her tent a while ago so she might not see those clouds yet. It’ll be easier for finish setting up. I’ll catch up with you two later,” Jade said. She and her mirror disappeared between the people and tents.
“Did I miss something? Can Lucinda control the weather?” I asked Delia. That would certainly be a trick to witness.
“Eh, not control it exactly. But between her and Mabel, they should be able to push off the rain and clouds a bit to another direction.” She started walking and continued talking.
“Lucinda is a Waterbearer; Mabel is an Airspinner. They cannot control the weather per se, but they can manipulate elements a little like you can. They will simply push the rain and clouds off for a while; create a small barrier with their energy. It is a pretty neat gift when you need it. I think she wants to create waterfalls from her kitchen sink, but I am unsure if she will be of success.”
I laughed. “Actually, I’ve heard of Waterbearers and Airspinners. I probably don’t know them specifically, but we had one or two when I was here.”
She nodded. “They are great to have around. They are nice women, smart and efficient. Lucinda wants to eventually control hurricanes and Mabel determines she will defeat a tornado. They are…adventurous?”
She looked at me with a furrowed brow as we followed the already well-worn pathway. “Is that the right term?”
“Did you mean they couldn’t do either of those things yet?”
“They have a long ways to go before they reach their goals.”
“You meant ambitious.”
“Oh, yes. They are certainly ambitious.” She rolled her eyes a bit to show she had been sarcastic.
I grinned at her. “That’s cool. Hey, I don’t know when would be a good time, but I’m supposed to go to wardrobe today.”
“Of course, we can head that way now. Follow me,” Delia replied.
We wound our way between people and tents until we came upon a large trailer with a blue tent attached to its side. Delia walked right into the trailer.
“Hey, Sasha. New Firestarter needs her suit,” Delia said in a singsong voice.
I stepped up the three small stairs into the doorway. A much older woman came into my view. She was very tall, with gray hair pulled back into a long braid, and rich caramel skin.