Two- Ash

chapter two in Ash's POV

Two

Ash

To embers

To coals

And to ashes

From solid to dust

Beautiful, flickering flame

Turns and adjusts

But will never change

Excerpt from “Colors of the Flame” By Sophie Lynch

I'm a janitor. It's a great job! Oh who the hell am I kidding, it sucks balls. But I needed an after school job and there was an opening, I'm finally getting paid by my school, just not to go to school. I'm sweeping up the basement, listening to music on my iPod, when I smell the smoke. It curls down the stair well and into the room. There are flames coming down the only stair well. In the flames are strange looking beasts, maybe I inhaled too much window cleaner. But, man, are they freaky!

Then I realize the fire is real.

“S**t.” If I had any chance of surviving, it's gone, I'm with the big-a*s oil tank. When the fire reaches it... Bye- bye to Whole Ash and hello to Little Tiny Bits. There's no way to get out without burning to death in the process, so I press my back to the oil tank, hoping for the fastest death possible. I'll never admit this to my friends, but I cried. I sobbed, actually. I hoped my family wouldn't be too crushed and that my friends knew to change my Facebook status to: “Chillin' with Jesus”.And while I cried, the fire advanced.

I refuse to go like a p***y. I wipe the tears off my cheeks and face the fire and the fire monsters. On carries a very real looking ax and it brings it back and then forward, but before it hits me the flames get to the oil and suddenly everything is chaos. Hunks of metal and of fire beast fly at me while fire engulfs me. Shouldn't this hurt? Shouldn't I be very, very burnt and very, very dead? Shouldn't it be hot in here? But it's not, it's actually like the a/c is on. And I'm definitely alive. I think. So, I'm what, fire-proof? I don't think I'm falling-building resistant, though, so I run up the stairs and to the entrance. I emerge as the school tumbles down, holding a flaming and partially disintegrated broom. Man I wish I had sunglasses and life was in slow motion. Crying teenagers stare at the heap of rubble and flames, not knowing what to do.

I hear a loud roar of defeat from far away, sounding like a monster far worse than the fire monsters, whatever they were.

“Did you hear that?” I ask the sobbing boy next to me.

“The thunder?” he asks.

Instead I turn to the two girls next to me. The short one looks shocked, like she just was told she won the lottery for a billion dollars, then it turned out it was actually only a penny. Her friend looks grim.

“Did you hear that? That roar just now?” The grim looking one looks at me.

“Where did you come from?”

“Well, you won't believe me, but I was actually in the basement when the school blew up.”

“Another one.” She whispers.

“So, explain to me again. I have the power to control fire.”

“That's the idea.” The taller girl, Briar-Rose, says.

“And you expect me to believe that? I'm a kid in high school, who is also a janitor, and you expect me to believe I have powers for some higher purpose? I'm gonna go home.” I get up and brush off the seat of my jeans. I turn to go.

Everyone's left now, the firemen put out the fire on the heaping pile of bricks and ash. The kids who sat and watched have been taken home by worried faced parents. Some parents remain, crying and hoping their child will somehow emerge from under the destroyed school.

We lost five teenagers today.

News helicopters swirl over head and news reporters talk about the “horror at the high school”.

“Wait,” I turn around, “how do you know?” Briar-Rose smiles a tiny smile and gestures to a dandelion near my foot. It suddenly grows up and up until I'm smelling it.

“You just did that?!” I ask, dumbfounded. She nods. “What can she do?” I look at the small, fragile looking girl, Airborne. She sniffles in the corner.

“It's all my fault! I can control air, apparently, and I was mad at Missy and wished a tornado would bring her to Oz with no way out and then, POOF, tornado and no Missy. Then because I used my power the fire monsters came and- it's all because of me!” She wails.

“Well, I'm sorry you think it's your fault, because it's not, it was a freak storm-”

“Yeah, a storm caused by a FREAK!”

“- but I still don't think I believe you.”

Briar-Rose gets up, “You need proof? I'll show you proof.” She picks a twig up from the ground, “Just picture this bursting into flame while you hold it,” I open my mouth to protest the stupidity of this, “just do it!”

“Fine, fine...!” I grumble, taking the twig in my hand and closing my eyes. My hand feels cold.

“This is stupid!” I say, opening my eyes. “Oh.” In my hand is a flaming stick. “Shouldn't this burn me?”

“Yeah, so should've the explosion.” Briar- Rose says.

“Show me the lighter or match, whatever you used, and however you made my hand fire resistant.” I say, still doubtful.

“Okay, watch this time.” She hands me another stick, I concentrate on it bursting into flame. And it does.

“Holy s**t.” I exclaim. She smiles in triumph.

“So, Saturday, training session. My house.”

Author's Note

kind of short, but there's more coming :D reviews and grammar mistakes are appreciated (maybe not fixed, but appreciated!)

Reviews

[AleyshaRosa]

Lol
"change my fb status to 'Chillin with Jesus'"
Is Ash a boy or girl?
Love his/her character and how lightly he takes the entire situation =]
Awesome as always

Koodoos

[Sophie]

He's a boy :P

[AleyshaRosa]

That's what I thought

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. I like the meeting and the good conversation about their powers. A very good ending. Some training to enhance their powers. A excellent chapter.
Coyote

[Tegon Maus]

I like it

[Archia]

I like how it tied in with the character's from the first chapter, which also shows more about them. There are a few grammar errors here and there, and if you reread it I bet you'll be able to pick them that. Other than that, keep going, it's getting interesting.

[jennifer little]

i like it keep on going it's wonderful and i loved reaind it great job keep up the good work and stay strong on what you do exalent write i loved reading it and i think you should keep on going and mabey turn it into a whole chapter book ..... i give you a 100 on rating great work

[Sylvana]

Briar-Rose seems to know it all, hm?
Nice chapter, keep going.

[Abbie]

REALLY GOOD. love the story. keep going! :) Not so great with grammar, but I didn't see any anyways.Next chapter!