Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Her anxiety shot up, causing a corresponding increase in the intensity of the flames. Soon her whole hand was covered.

”Stop it, Kathy! Grab ahold of yourself!” The man yelled.

”I hurt someone,” Was all she could mutter. The realization of that fact sparked a new fear in her; fear of becoming a monster. She was having a panic attack. She gasped for air, her throat felt as if it was closing up.

”Look at me, Kathy. I am fine, it didn't touch me, ” he pressed on.

Kathy kept on muttering the same words while trying to breathe, ’I hurt someone, she was far too gone in her shock to listen to anything else.

”Damn it! Look at me for goddess's sake! ” he yelled shocking Kathy out of her panic attack. Her teary eyes scanned his body, checking for any injuries that might have been caused by her hands. His body was illuminated by her burning hands, so she could see in the dark. She sobbed in relief when she realized that he wasn't injured. She inhaled large gusts of air, trying to make up for the ones she lost during her panic attack.

”There, calm down you didn't hurt me. Your powers listen to your emotions. Calm down and it would too.”

Kathy tried to do what he said. She willed herself to relax, and soon enough the flames followed suit. Finally, the flames died down. Kathy sat on the road, hugging herself. She couldn't believe what had happened to her.

”Better. Now, let's get you out of here.”

He stretched out his hand, waiting for her to take his hand. Kathy didn't move, she couldn't. Her hands were trembling and her body had gone cold.

”Kathy, ” he called out to her.

Her mind replayed the scenes from earlier. She shot fire from her hands. She stared at the hands in question, it was dark out there but it didn't look like it was just on fire. She set a car on fire, burned her bag, and almost burned someone.

”Snap out of it, we need to get you out of here before anyone comes.”

”Who are you?” she finally asked.

”Call me Gabriel. Now, can we leave?”

She nodded and pulled herself up.

”My car is that way.” He pointed in the opposite direction. ”Please, try not to burn anything.”

Kathy frowned, she was not an agent of destruction. That statement sounded ironic to her considering how she just destroyed someone's car.

The walk to Gabriel's car was quiet, although Kathy had lots of questions. She was in no state to ask them. They both got into the car, and he drove off after inputting her address into the car's GPS.

”I know you have a lot of questions. Be rest assured that I will answer all of them. Try not to get too emotional until you learn how to control your powers, ” he said while he drove.

”Powers?” she asked. ”It’s just one power.”

”Yeah, one for now.”

Kathy felt like crying. Ever since she and her mum moved into that town, her life became a living nightmare. She started having weird dreams, also her mark which has been dormant all through her life started burning and glowing.

”I do not want this, I never asked for all this. All my life I've wanted to be normal. Now that dream would never come to pass because of these stupid powers and ridiculous glowing marks.”

Kathy was getting agitated again. Her hopes of being normal had been thrown out the window due to some powers. She wondered why fate was turning her life into some movie. She had no idea what her life was becoming.

”Calm down, Kathy. Don't arouse it. Sleep on it, and we will talk tomorrow when you are calmer.”

She nodded in agreement. A thought then crossed her mind.

”How did you know where I was? Also, how did you know what to do? Why weren't you surprised? I mean, it's not every day you see a girl shooting fire from her hands.”

Kathy stared at him suspiciously. It was weird how he came at the right time, and how effortlessly he helped her.

”Were you following me?” she asked again.

”As I said, I will answer all your questions tomorrow.”

”Fine.”

He parked his car at the side of Kathy's house. Kathy could see her mum pacing in front of the gate. She could not imagine what must be going through her mum's mind.

”Thank you, Gabriel. I don't know what I would have done without you, ” she said sincerely.

”You would have probably burned down the whole city but that's okay.”

Kathy would have laughed at his statement in some other situation.

”Still, thank you.”

He tipped his imaginary hat-making Kathy crack a small smile.

Kathy gently climbed down from the car, and Gabriel drove off. Kathy smiled seeing her worried mother. April ran up to Kathy, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug. The warm hug from her mother lightened her troubled soul.

”Where have you been, Sweetheart? You scared the hell out of me.”

”I will tell you everything tomorrow, mum. A night of long sleep is all I need right now.”

April led Kathy into the house. Kathy had no qualms about being in her mother's arms. Comfort was what she needed alongside sleep.

”You got me worried. It's already past eleven and you have just returned from work. You better give me a worthy explanation tomorrow.”

Kathy nodded and went up to her room. She slept off as soon as her head hit the pillow.

”Kathy.”

Not again.

”Let the gifts you possess lead you home.”

Kathy was standing in the same forest. Her legs were muddy and her clothes felt damp.

”It is time for you to return home. Your people need you.”

Her people?

”Let your heart guide your light, and your mind will heed.”

The voice sounded calm, sweet, and soothing. Kathy felt like she could listen to that voice forever.

”Green holds the key.”

Kathy woke up. This time, she wasn't gasping for air. This dream was different, it felt more like a trance than a dream. For the first time since her dreams started, Kathy had a peaceful dream. Usually, her dreams involved her running from a person or a group of people. However, this was the most confusing of all her dreams.

Let your heart guide your light. What did that mean?

”Kathy, ” her mum called out from the door.

Kathy climbed down from the bed, she was still in the clothes from yesterday. She couldn't face her mum that way.

”I’ll be down in a minute, mum.”

She ran to the bathroom. She pulled off her clothes while avoiding the mirror. She couldn't face herself in the mirror. Those eyes of hers were evil and she couldn't stand seeing them. She reached out to grab the soap when her eyes fell on her hand. The same hand that caused so much destruction last night. Kathy still found it difficult to believe that she had powers. She stared at her mark, the moon was now dormant.

”If I don't hear running water in the next minute, I'll come to bathe you myself,” she heard her mum say from her bedroom.

”How did you get into my room, mum?”

”I have a key remember.”

Kathy shook her head, then turned on the water. Once the tub got as full as she wanted, she got into it.

After her morning routine, she explained everything to her mum. She told her about Gabriel, the red moon, and about her power. Her mum was amazed, Kathy could see shock written all over her face.

”Do you mean you shot fire from your hands?” April asked, staring at Kathy's hands.

”Yes. I think it has something to do with the red moon.”

Kathy felt somewhat better that morning compared to yesterday. She was feeling calmer and she could talk properly without turning into a nervous wreck.

”I think so too. However, only Gabriel can confirm anything.”

Kathy nodded. All they had were assumptions and thoughts.

”What do we do now? Did the car owner see you?” her mum asked.

”No. I ran out before anyone could see me.”

”And Gabriel, can he be trusted? How sure are you that he isn't one of those government lab scientists?”

”I don't know, mum. I can't say for certain that we can trust him. All I know is that he knows a lot about what happened to me, and I want to find out how much he knows.

”Mum, I'm scared. I don't want to accidentally hurt someone or destroy something. I'm scared of what I am becoming. My emotions are out of control, and I don't know how much I can take before I explode.”

Kathy was almost in tears, her whole life had turned upside down in one night.

”Come here, baby.” April stood up and pulled Kathy into a hug. Kathy held her tightly, crying softly into her mum's shoulder.

”We will take it one step at a time. You will meet Gabriel today, find out what you can from him. From there, we will know what next to do.”

Kathy nodded and released her mum.

”The woman in my dream said that green holds the key, what could that mean?”

”Who knows? Let's hope for the best and pray that whatever green is, holds the right key.”