Truth Fire

Enough. I’d remembered enough. “So what does that ‘incident’ have anything to with what you are hiding?”
“You really hated doing your ‘time’ didn’t you?”
I couldn’t disagree.
“You…”
He was speaking. I know he was. I could see his lips moving, just nothing was coming out. Or I couldn’t hear him. He shook me. “Marina listen! You didn’t deserve to do that ‘time’!”
I stared at him as if he was speaking another language. Then I realised what he said. “What? I’d done the crime. It was that severe I didn’t deserve another chance. I should have been in quarantine.”
“No Marina! I…” He looked down as he held my shoulders.
“What? Luke what’s wrong?!”
“I was the one who caused it to happen…” He was holding my arms now.
Silence. I couldn’t say a word. “Are you okay? Please say something,”
“You’re kidding. You’re Kidding.”
“Marina...I set that building on fire,”
“Don’t kid Luke. That was a serious part of my life, don’t make it worse,”
“I told you…What I am saying is true. I set that place on fire. I ran away. I didn’t go back to take the damage!”
“How could you have done? There was no sign of a fire starting anywhere near the premises!”
“I…”
Again; silence.
“What Luke?! What?!”
“I was just like you…”
“What do you mean ‘Just like me’?!”
“I had your ‘gift’…”
“H-how on earth?!”
“Every few millenniums; A child is born with the gift of an element. May it be Fire, to Mercury. They are given a gift.”
“Then how would that work for us?! I was born in the same millennium as you!”
“I know…That’s why I was chosen as your counsellor,”
“So those 6 months, I had to live through hell because you couldn’t admit to your crime?!”
“Marina! I’m sorry! I’ve changed! I would have been sent on the death roll!”
“That was removed from the UK years ago,”
“Then a life in prison. You would never have met or seen me in your life ever. You’d be alone here.”
I thought about it. He was right, and the pain in my chest agreed with him. It hurt more as I thought of life without him. I didn’t say anything.
“So what’s meant to happen? I take your damage and just completely ignore the fact that without my brother; I could have ended up a walking disaster?! Do we just pretend nothing ever happened and keep it the same for good?! It’s not fair Luke! It’s not fair on me!”
“Marina…I’m sorry, but there wouldn’t be anything that I could do for you to match what I’d done,”
“You have to be punished Luke! It’s unfair on me!”
“Mar~”
“Enough! You don’t have your powers anymore do you?! So even if you turned yourself in, nothing would work,”
“No I don’t have them anymore…but what happens if we just act like normal? What would you think or feel like?”
“Like…I’ve been betrayed. You couldn’t even tell me this….you’re such a waste. I hate you. I feel like burning you right now. You can’t even be the teacher here and think of something to do,” My hands flickered with rage, even though I didn’t want them too. If he didn’t stop me now, I’d be burning down the whole school. “You’re selfish. You haven’t changed Luke! You’re still that trouble maker! Even though you helped my brother; and he was grateful for that, you probably were as harsh to someone else. You’re still like that. It feels as if you’re targeting me! What have you got to say ‘Sir Hawkins’?”
My body was moving on it’s own now. My voice had a mind to itself. I was moving closer to him, flamed hands ready for anything. Anger written across my face. Luke was scared now. His face worried and his hands shook viciously. He didn’t say a thing; I did. “Let me at least give you a burn, and show you how it felt when I was locked up for 6 months…say sweet dreams Luke. Because you’ll be in them for a while!” I hissed, raising my fist to slam down on him.
Then I stopped. All my muscles stopped moving. My flames burnt out as if it had been splashes with water. I only had a second to look, before a thud, and then everything turned black.