Ember

A weird feeling crept into the pit of my stomach. I looked away from Elin’s eyes. I guess I was being sort of unfair to her. It wasn’t her fault our parents stuck us together. Which I still was confused about, I mean, they don’t really expect me to believe that hourglass nonsense, do they?

I sighed dramatically, crossing my arms. I bit my cheek as I looked at the people passing by. Elin was looking at each and everyone of them, searching every detail of their expressions. I didn’t get what was so interesting about them.

“ Tell me what you’re looking for.” I said calmly. “ Maybe I could help.”

Elin turned and looked at me, as if she was unsure what to say.

“ It’s complicated.” She answered.
“ Well that’s not fair. Why do I have to be here then?” I retorted, trying not to raise my voice.

Elin sighed, then shook her head. “ Didn’t your parents tell you ANYTHING?” She focused back on the people walking by.

“ What, you mean all that nonsense about the Hourglass?” I scoffed.

Something sparked in Elin’s eyes as she turned to me again.
“ It’s true.” she nodded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
“ Funny.”
“ I’m not kidding. Haven’t you noticed it? You’re one of them. The Protectors. You were given a special-”
“ Yeah, yeah.” I interrupted her. “ Special ability to protect a prophecy thing. There are Element Keepers and then there are the people with mind abilities or something. I’ve heard it.” I rolled my eyes.

“ Ember, can’t you see? You are one of the Element Keepers. Just like your parents were.” So much passion filled her eyes it became hard not to believe her words.

“ I don’t have any special powers.”

“ Open your eyes!”

“ THEY ARE OPEN!”

Elin turned away again. I sighed again and grumbled angrily to myself. Things have been getting pretty weird lately. Like what happened with Ben’s motorbike. Ben worked so hard to perfect everything on that bike. How could he have messed up on the wiring? And that crazy light thing that night my parents told me everything. I was so mad at them. I have gotten mad before and nothing weird happened. Then when they dropped me off, the car alarm randomly started up. Did I do all that?

“ You’re looking for the Protectors.” I whispered.

Elin turned and smiled at me. Then without warning, she snapped her head in the other direction. Two men were standing on the sidewalk, chatting. I craned my neck to hear them, making out a few words.

“ Did you see the news yet? Some... shooting happened at a gypsy fair over in... Apparently... shooter was a teenage girl.” One man said.

“ Yeah, one of my coworkers told me about it...People at the fair... about how weird the girl was. She ran so fast or something like that. Weird stuff, huh?” The second man said. They started to walk past us, their conversation becoming clearer. The first man shook his head.

"Some lady was kidnapped, too, or she went missing anyways. A doctor. Hey, I recognized her name... Who was your doctor last year?"

"Dr.Fran?"

"No, no, the other one."

"Uhh... Dr.Thayer?"

"YEAH!"

"Julia Thayer? REALLY? She's missing?"

"That's what they said. Oh, hey, hold on, someone's calling me..." The two men walked past, and the first guy dug around clumsily in his pocket on his way by.

I looked at Elin, and she gave me a wide eyed look. I had a feeling that things were only going to get weirder.