Chapter 12

     "Concentrate, Ivy. Come on you can do this," Wyatt says looking at me pleadingly.

     I look down at my hand and try to will the fire to show. Wyatt was trying to teach me how to control my fire. It seems like the only time I can actually make it come to me is when I'm angry.

     "Just think about the flame, Ivy."

     "She's not going to get It." I hear a voice say. I turn and look at Aaron leaning against the door frame. A smile appears across my face when I see his black eye. Let's just say Cynthia takes this protector thing a little far.

     "Leave her alone or I swear your other will match," says Cynthia through clenched teeth. "Now come on Ivy. I'm tired of sitting here watching you. I do have better things to do with my life. I mean think about it I could be washing my hair right now."

     "How come you can be mean to her, but I can't?" Aaron wines.

     Cynthia looks at him directly and I can see him tense. "Because she's like my little sister, and you can be mean to family, but other people can't be mean to your family."

     "That makes no sense."

     "Yes it does."

     "No it doesn't"

     "Yes it does."

     "No it d-"

     "Will you shut up?" I scream annoyed. Why can't they just be quiet? I'm trying to concentrate and all they are doing is sitting there arguing. If they wanted to argue they can go somewhere else.

     "Good job. You did it," says Wyatt interrupting my mental tirade.

     I look down and my arms up to my elbows are on fire. That's pretty cool. I glance up then automatically do a double take. Oh my God, I'm on fire.

     "What do I do? What do I do?" I scream.

     They all look at me surprised. Then they start to smile before laughter emits from each and every one of them. How can they be laughing? I'm on fire and there laughing.

     "Stop laughing! I'm on fire. What should I do? How do I stop it? Come on guys!"

     "Why are you freaking out?" Aaron asks.

     "Hello, I'm on fire. Fire hurts people, it burns people. Why wouldn't I be freaking out?"

     "Does it hurt?"

     "Well no, b-"

     "Then stop acting like a little girl. Fire can't hurt you it's your element."

     I slowly start to calm down, and finally look at my arms again. I notice the sleeves of my shirt are now burnt to a crisp where the fire is on my arms. The weird thing is though that the fire didn't spread.

     "Okay now that you did it once, you need to put it out so you can try again without getting angry," Wyatt says.

     I look down at my arms and imagine it going away, like I did with the curtains. The fire slowly started to become smaller, before disappearing completely. Well that was easy. I smile to myself. Okay now make it come back. I focus on the fire. I keep concentrating on making it appear.

     That's when I realized what I was doing wrong. I shouldn't think about it so much. I relaxed, and just let the fire take over my body. Let it cover my arms seeing as it wanted to. It really wanted to cover the whole house, but it wouldn't do that unless I asked. I looked at the house; it wasn't that nice of a house. Nobody would miss it.

     I glanced at the couch and it burst into flames. Looking around, whatever furniture I glanced at would begin to burn.

     "She let it take over," somebody screams. Whoever it is, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters, but the fire.

     "We have to do something!" this one is a female voice.

     Somebody walks in front of me obscuring my vision from other things the fire wants. I look into the blue eyes that seem familiar. He looks at me and begins talking. I don't know what he is saying, but the fire doesn't like it. I can see the flames slowly crawling up his clothing. Fire likes to drag it out. 'It's more fun if you play with your prey.' it tells me.

     I let it do its thing, it should know more about this stuff than me anyway. I look back into those eyes, and now they are filled with pain. I cock my head to the side, wondering where I knew this boy from. He looked so familiar.

     I could start to feel my hair wiping around my face, I look around and the furniture my fire took was being put out. Confused I look to the boy who is standing in front of me. I see him mouth sorry, before my air is cut off. I look around me. It looks like I'm in an air bubble, but there is no air in here. The fire coating my body is put out, and I can't breathe.

     'Ivy! Ivy!' I hear in my head. I recognize that little voice; I love that little voice. Glancing around I look for the little boy I consider my own. I don't see him though. What is his name? I wish I could just remember his name.

     'Ivy! Help! I don't wanna go with them!' it cries in my head again.

     My eyes sight is darkening, I just needed to remember whose voice that belongs to.

     'There taking me, mommy! Help!' Mommy? It finally snaps in my head. Eli. Eli's in trouble.

     I look into those blue eyes and recognize them immediately.

     "Aaron." I manage to choke out even without oxygen.

     He must have realized that I was finally in control, because the bubble around me dissipated. Before I could fall to the ground, he catches me.

     "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do. It was taking you over. You let it have too much control," he says quickly, while stroking my hair.

     I push his hand off and try to stand. I can't do it though. My body is drained, all of the energy that was once there is now gone.

     "Eli," I whisper, my throat feeling dry.

     "He's in the play room with the twins."

     "No he's in trouble. They are taking him."

     Aaron looks at me like I'm insane. "How would you know this?"

     I point to my head, and try standing again. Finally, Aaron realizes what I'm doing and helps me on my feet. He walks with me to the door of the play room. I'm afraid to open it. I don't want to know what's on the other side.

     Opening the door, I see the twins lying on the ground. Their eyes are closed, but there chest are still moving. So either they were knocked out; or somebody has the power to put them to sleep.

     Searching the room with my eyes, my worst nightmare is confirmed. Eli's gone. Aaron has been strangely quiet the whole time. I look over at him, and a shocked and sad expression is on his face. He notices me staring at him and turns to face me.

     "I'm going to go check on Aidan and Arlan. Come on I'll go sit you in a chair."

     We make our way over to the other side of the room where a table and chairs are. He sits me down and walks over to the twins. He feels for a pulse, then looks up and nods his head, signaling that they are fine. I finally notice Aaron's arms, and a gasp escapes my mouth. They are burnt, and it was my entire fault.

     He notices where my eyes are and tries to consol me. "Hey Cynthia can fix it. It's no problem. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore." 

     I just turn and put my elbows on the table. I hear a crinkling noise. Confused, I look down and see a paper lying there with elegant script on it. This isn't something any of the boys could have written.

 Dear Ivy girl,

      We know who you are. I guess that you weren't that good at covering that face of yours.

Let's make a deal. You for the boy. We know how much you love him, and believe me,

the feeling is obviously mutual. He kept screaming for his mommy as we took him away.

I'm guessing that would be you? You have two days. If you're not here in two days, you

won't like the shape that your 'baby' will be in.

     -D-