Elemental: The First

by Alexandra May

  In my human form this gift would have gone unnoticed; the human senses were too dull to draw in these feelings. My own emotions were hidden at least like a mirror reflecting inside thanks to the power of my enhanced senses. This man repulsed me and his actions angered me even more. But he would not see my thoughts or my reaction to his demand.

  My human form, the girl, clearly had feelings for both these boys. I could view her clear recollections, and whilst her bond with each of them was very different, they were both important to her life. I knew I could not allow this cruel man to harm them. I would save them for her. She deserved much more than the complex life she had lived because of me. I would do it for her.

  “Let them both go,” I abruptly spoke; the echo resounding around the yard. “They are not part of this, it’s me you want. I order you to release them.”

  “So you are willing to die for them? You would give your life to see them free?” he said sneering.

  “No.”

  “Then you have no choice, Halíka Dacomé. As you can see, you are out of options,” he gestured to the group at the rear who were quiet now. “You know I will kill one of them anyway if you don’t choose. Or would you prefer that I kill the girl’s friends instead?”

  Cries and gasps escaped the hushed crowd behind. I heard a loud smack as someone received a bash to the head.

  For the first time I looked down and into the faces of the two boys my human cherished. Cherished in different ways. They weren’t really boys, young men was a better term though their youth was definite. They were very different. I could sense something about one of them, something I had not felt in a while but I could not place it. I looked at the one on the left more closely, he was dark haired, but he refused to meet my eyes. The one on the right, the blonde boy, showed human fear but he showed bravery to me. I glance back to the left one. He still would not look and I couldn’t see; there was something….

  My attention was drawn back to the large, grey haired brute standing behind them.

  “Time is ticking, Halíka Dacomé, choose or they both die. You know I’ll do it,” he put the small gun barrel to the temple of the blonde boy, who flinched but held firm. The blonde’s eyes stared only at me with such trust and belief, confident that I would endure.

  I saw something out the corner of my eye ...something…what was it….?

  It was there! The boy on the left looked straight into my eyes, he opened them as wide as he could and I saw … him. My friend who I had not seen in seventy years. I felt the connection with my grey eyes like locking atoms fusing together, finally holding fast. Our connection, our link and bond had not been broken as I had feared but had been hidden in this human boy. I had been so blind I had not seen. The boy blinked knowing I would finally understand. Nerído had saved this day. Now I knew the only way to end this.

  I took a moment, stretching the time apart, millisecond by millisecond, to appraise my arena. As swift as I was in battle I could not be victorious and save them all without a little help.

  I hoped these youngsters would have the courage to fight. I could do little with the guns, held by the guards.

  My new incarnation had not grasped all my abilities yet so I would falter if I tried to disintegrate the metal. And those guards still had hands and feet to kick and punch. I would not be quick enough.

  This body still had so much more to learn. I had one option only.

  “I choose to save him,” I pointed to the blonde boy who stared back at me, his amazement was clear.

  “Very well,” said the evil man. His gun arm rose behind the dark haired boy who looked to the floor, not daring to make contact with me again. He showed no fear.

  But I was not quick enough to see the ruse. The man moved his arm quickly back to the blonde boy. The gun held straight as he pulled the trigger.

  “NO!” I screamed, my voice resonating in a perfect arc to the highest crescendo as the shot was fired……

  An ear-splitting crash of metal on roof tiles stirred me. What woke me fully was the sharp slow scratching noise on the roof above my head, back and forth. The sound like a thousand knives scratching a long blackboard upwards and downwards sent a shudder down my spine.

  I sat up and looked out the window, but there was nothing, the night was pitch black in its stillness.

  Another cold chill flushed through me, the noise was getting louder, a resonating boom with a sharp whirring noise pitched in. My skin prickled with goose bumps. The ceiling shook, making the lampshade above me tremble as the vibrations interceded with the heavy shocks. I hid down deeper into my bed. I was shaking so much I couldn’t feel the bed tremble underneath me any more.

  For the first time in my life I was absolutely petrified.

  I wondered where Daisy was.

  I wished my dad was here.

  And then the noise stopped, leaving nothing to fill my ears except for the sound of my blood pumping.

  For a few seconds I calmed myself, but dread plummeted again in my stomach as I heard a new noise behind me that I hadn’t wanted to hear.

  I sat up and stared through the iron bed bars to the door handle; it rattled and shook, then slowly turned. Deep dread filled my stomach once more. I gulped, my breathing was getting too erratic but I jumped again as the door flew open.

  There was nothing there.

  The corridor was dark and silent. I strained to listen but my ears just hummed with the stark silence of static. Like a television with no signal or a radio in between stations. I turned my head to look out the bedroom window again for some evidence of the previous disturbance. Still nothing. My alert senses caused nerves to tingle through my skin, I dared not breathe and I dared not move.

  Sitting upright and very still I listened to the normal night-time noises through the slightly opened window, for any abnormal sound, but it was over.

  Sleep would evade me now, and my soft pillow would bring me comfort but not sleep.

  My ears cleared, finally losing the humming, and the sound of human voices, softly spoken, filtered through from a room downstairs.

  “…how much longer do we need to wait?”

  “…not ready.”

  “…more disappearances… should have known about it.”

  “…powerless…….we need her now.”

  The voices were three or four women talking with Daisy but I couldn’t hear the full conversation.

  I climbed out of bed and, from the pile of clothes still sitting on my desk, grabbed at the black towelling dressing gown pulling it around my shoulders. I had no idea where my slippers were, barefoot would be quieter anyway. The corridor was quiet as I checked the window to the front garden. Three other cars were on the drive next to Daisy’s, why hadn’t I heard them arrive? I must have been so tired.

  At the top of the stairs, I could hear the voices were coming from the living room although the door was closed.

  “What about the sister?” a voice said.

  “She’s not important. It’s Rose he’s after, I’m sure of it,” the voice of Daisy answered.

  “After all these years, I can’t believe they were followed,” another voice joined.

  “I learned long ago not to hold grudges. He, on the other hand, has wanted nothing else,” Daisy said.

  “But your deal still stands for something. He could, at any time, have killed you and the boy. But you’re both still here,” the first voice added.

  “Meaning?” Daisy again.

  “Meaning that you still have power over him. He still fears you. You are still his biggest weakness. You can use that.”

  “What can I do? The girl isn’t ready. She has no inkling, no idea at all of any of this,” Daisy said.

  “Then you must tell her soon, before it’s too late. You cannot wait any longer.”

  “She’s only just arrived. And after the distress she’s had today,” Daisy added.

  “Daisy, there is much to consider. Our lives depend on her now. She must be told.”

  As
I leaned further over to grasp more of the conversation, I bashed my barefoot against one of the old boxes, still lying by the stairs. To my dismay I saw it crashing down the staircase until it collided with the wall causing the loudest bang. I cursed silently under my breath as I knew had just given myself away.

  “Shh,” said the first voice.

  Then Daisy spoke loudly. “Rose, is that you?”

  The door opened and Daisy stood looking up the stairway as I walked down.

  “Yes, it’s me. I needed a glass of water.” I rubbed an eye in mock tiredness, and hoped that she wouldn’t already know I had water and a glass in my bathroom.

  “Okay, sweetheart, as long as you’re okay.” She smiled and closed the door again.

  I breathed a silent sigh of relief, and made for the kitchen. As I grabbed a glass and some juice, I listened again, straining as hard as I could, but there were nothing more than whispers now, inaudible and blocked by the solid wooden living room door.

  I walked back upstairs, my mind remembering the small conversation. It had been about me. And even after her promise, Daisy was keeping secrets. I needed to find out what they were.

  It seemed like hours that I laid there. Outside the soft wind buffeted the trees, and brushed my window. I changed position again and again, soon my breathing slowed.

  I must have dozed for a few minutes when I sat up as a turbulent wave washed over me and all of my senses sparked to life.

  My ears strained to pick out the whisper, my fingers releasing energy flowing from my tips into the air, and my eyes flashed around the room. There was a voice and it spoke. The gentle multi layered tones were feminine, soft, and gentle. Not Daisy’s and none I had heard before. I shed the covers, and instinctively stood up.

  ‘They’re coming for it. It’s hidden behind stone. You must protect it. It belongs to you now.’

  ‘Where…Where is it hidden?’ I whispered slowly to the empty room.

  ‘Don’t let them take it. You must guard it. Don’t trust anyone.’

  ‘Take what? What must I guard? What do you want me to do?’ I implored. The voice seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere

  ‘Use your powers. Hide it. Keep it safe. It is your life’.

  As another wave of energy surged and pulsed through me, almost knocking me off balance and catching my breath. I lifted my hand. Its iridescent glow shone white from within, the bones almost visible through the translucent skin, the glow gently faded.

  This was a dream, I was telling myself, and laughed inwardly. Just a dream. I had never glowed like this before. My gift was a silvery thread but no glowing had ever occurred. But my body felt so alive, as if each blood cell was stampeding their way along my veins, it’s force gushing up my arms and flowing from my fingertips, down my legs and out through my toes. The flow slowed and I felt weary again.

  I closed my eyes, finally succumbing to exhaustion, the soft bed drawing me in and I was asleep within seconds.

  - Chapter Three -

  My limbs tingled, aching as I awoke. I clambered out of bed and stood in front of the full length silver framed mirror by my window. I hadn’t remembered a mirror being there before. My reflection was different now. The shield-like grey body suit seemed strange, but I recognised my bracelet on my left wrist. My grey skin was perfect, flawless but almost transparent in the light, the silver hair was tied back tightly in a high pony tail, and the almond shaped perfect grey eyes were not my own.

  She was someone else.

  I swayed to the left and right but she didn’t follow me. In the reflection, she yawned putting a hand to her mouth.

  “Time to wake up, Rose,” her words were stilted, foreign with the strange echoing low pitch.

  “What?” I mouthed back.

  “Time to wake up,” she said again.

  “Who are you?” I whispered.

  “Time. To. Wake. UP,” she shouted, anger in her face, and placed her hands onto the mirror, showing me her palms, both tattooed with a large symbol on each one. Who was she?

  “TIME.TO.WAKE.UP!” she screamed, and with one violent punch she smashed the mirror.

  “Rose, time to wake up, dear.”

  Daisy’s voice made me jump. I was still in bed, and crushing a pillow under my fist.

  “I brought a cup of your favourite tea,” she said cheerily and placed the mug on my bedside cabinet. “Did you sleep okay, Angel?”

  “Yeah, I think so. Just a bunch of weird dreams,” I murmured, stretching.

  “That’ll be our country air. You’ll sleep better here than anywhere else.”

  I smiled sleepily at her. “I guess I will.”

  “I’ll be in the kitchen, take your time getting up. There’s no rush.”

  With that she left the room, leaving the silence behind.

  Outside the sun shone and a light breeze buffered through the open window. I felt refreshed, energetic even from my sleep despite the peculiar night. Inside my room, the covers of my bed were half hanging off, my other pillow was on the floor and the pyjamas I wore were twisted uncomfortably around my body. So much for sleeping peacefully, my room looked like I’d been in a fight, in addition to the unopened boxes and clothes still strewn everywhere.

  In the bedside cabinet drawer I had put my diary, the present from Dad. It felt ironic that he should have given me this, and now my dreams were so vivid I had something to write about. I turned the leaves, to an empty page and started to write. The cameo in the mirror was the last entry; I described her in detail making sure I left nothing out. I closed the cover and sat for a moment reflecting. I remembered some words for the first time, a strange name. Halíka Dacomé.

  Dreams were academically thought to be a representation of the subconscious mind, ideas and themes which stuck in our memories and served no purpose. But I still had no recognition of the people or places I visited. And the name didn’t mean anything.

  As I sipped my tea my stomach rumbled and I glanced at the clock, it was mid morning. I had so much to do today, the unpacking for starters, and to try to make this empty shell of a room my home.

  The unpacking would be dirty work so I pulled on a scruffy pair of tracksuit bottoms and an old sweatshirt from my wardrobe, then checked the bathroom mirror.

  Oh no! Bird’s nest hair again! I grabbed the brush and started pulling at my hair severely, wincing at the knots, and then tied it back into a pony tail, brushing my fringe forward.

  As I cleansed my skin I was relieved that there was now colour in my cheeks, my cheekbones stood out, showing off the simple curvature of my face and my eyes shone brightly again under my dark lashes.

  I smiled into the mirror. Yes! Today was going to be a good day!

  Daisy was already preparing food on the large central countertop when I got to the kitchen. The smell from the oven was delicious.

  “Morning, Daisy!” I said as I walked across the black stone floor to the bar seats next to her. “Properly this time.”

  “Morning, Angel!” she replied, switching the kettle on. “So, did you remember your dreams at all?”

  I sat down, wondering if I should say anything about the night’s events, and I hesitated.

  “Not really. Did you hear the loud noises? I thought something had dropped onto the roof.”

  “No, dear. I don’t recall anything unusual. Sometimes the army do midnight manoeuvres and if they do, it’s usually loud,” she replied. “Maybe that’s what you heard?”

  “Possibly,” I said, trying to sound convinced.

  If the noises were the army, why hadn’t I seen anything outside? Like a jeep or a tank light or even a helicopter beam in the sky? It didn’t make sense. The noises had come from the roof; that much I was sure of. What would the army be doing on the roof?

  Lost in my thoughts, I realised Daisy was still talking.

  “Sorry… what?”

  “I said. What would you like for breakfast? Toast, cereal or would you like bacon and eggs?”

  I screwed
my face up at the last suggestion. “Just cereal, please. And you don’t have to do this for me, I can get my own.”

  I bit my lip quickly, the words hadn’t meant to sound harsh but Daisy waved them off.

  “Nonsense,” she said glibly. “It’s your first morning, and I sometimes do it for Morgan anyway. It’s a shame he’s not here yet.”

  “He didn’t come back last night?” I asked, taking the cereal bowl from Daisy’s hands, and eating quickly. I hadn’t realised just how hungry I was.

  “No, dear. So, what are your plans today?” Daisy asked, casually changing the subject.

  I sighed. “Unpacking, get my things out of boxes and then, I don’t know, go for a run maybe?”

  “Well, I’ll be out for most of the day so you can get on with it all. I have to visit a friend who’s in need of some help.”

  “Okay, what kind of help? Is she sick?”

  Daisy’s brow wrinkled in anguish as she spoke. “No, nothing like that. Maggie’s husband has gone missing, so I’m taking over a casserole. She needs people around her at the moment. I’m sorry I’m not going to be here for you, Rose.”

  “Was she here last night?” I asked, remembering our encounter on the stairs.

  “Yes, she was.”

  “Can I do anything to help?” I said benevolently, but she flicked up her hand.

  “Nothing at all. I just want you to enjoy your time here, and get settled. We’ll talk later about it, okay?”

  “Sure, okay.”

  “I’ll leave a spare key in the hall stand so you can come and go as you please. The phone is in the hall so you can call your parents or Amy if you want. Help yourself to anything in the fridge when you feel peckish. Did you enjoy your breakfast?” she nodded to my empty bowl, and I smiled.