The Elementals: Chapter 12 Fire Power

I listen carefully for the guards shutting me in and walking away. Once I’m sure I’m alone, I swing back on the chair so that it falls to the ground. I count to a hundred, but no-one comes to check on the noise so I continue. I rub my leg up and down the chair leg, slowly manoeuvring the rope off the end of the chair and eventually freeing my leg. I do the same to the other leg and roll away from the chair all together. I wriggle my hands down my body and swear off doughnuts for life as they get stuck on my bum. After some serious contortionist skills I manage to step through my hands so that they are in front of me. I bring them to the candle flame and try to burn the ropes, managing miraculously not to burn myself in the process. I stretch, enjoying the freedom and move the candle to examine the door. I find a handle and push hard against it, but as expected it is locked.
I slump down against the door and wrack my brain for another escape plan because there is no way i’m lying down to die or worse working for a bunch of kidnappers. The only thing I have in the room is the small wooden chair, some scraps of rope and a tiny candle. I dread to think how they expected me to go to the bathroom. This place is definitely not catering to even basic human rights.
There is no earth in reach for me to use. I feel trapped and I wish that I had Sky’s powers. Even with Embers fire power I could do something useful with the candle flame. I watch the flame flicker and wish that it was strong enough to melt this stupid metal container.
Suddenly the flame grows and rises up to the door handle. I watch in awe, not even blinking in case it stops. I will it to grow hotter, stronger to reach my freedom. The handle on my side drops to the floor. The candle flame returns to a small flicker. I bring it up to look through the hole. I can see the locking mechanisms but my hand is too big to reach inside. I search through my jacket pockets, but they have removed the pocket knife already. They have not however removed my hair clips. I bend one out so that it is and long as possible and set about trying to open the lock. Having never needed to pick a lock before, I’m basically blindly prodding different sections and hoping for the best. I don’t even realise I have unlocked it until my weight lending on the door pushes it forward.
When I peak out the door I see a man asleep on a chair, presumably he was assigned to guard me. I tiptoe towards him and see a bottle and a cloth that smells like the one they used on me. I press it to the guards face and he startles briefly, before falling into a deeper sleep. I search him and find keys and some kind of swipe card. I’m about to leave when I have another idea. I strip off his uniform and put it on over my clothes, luckily he is a few sizes bigger than me so I don’t need to leave my own clothes behind.
I gently open the second door with keys and let my eyes adjust to the day light. There are surprisingly few people around, so I do my best to walk confidently and casually towards the gate that I hope to be an exit from this compound. I swipe the stolen card against the scanner and the larger metal gate opens. I continue to walk rather than run until i’m out of sight of the compound. I soon realise I have no idea where I am, so I just follow the dirt track road for miles without seeing a car or another person. I decide to venture off the path into a nearby forest in case they come searching for me. I find a spot to rest, drink from a stream and try to ignore my stomach growling. I lie flat on the ground and try to feel the earth around me, like sky taught me. There is so much here, vast expanses of land and trees with no settlements cutting it off. There is something odd though, something pinching the ground that doesn’t make sense. Without any other direction to follow, I walk towards it.
I find the source of my confusion, 3 large tents are set up in a circle around a car. I can’t see the people who are camping, but the car looks old, not like what I’d expect my captors to drive. If they can afford all those machines and cameras they had in that weird room, they can definitely afford better cars. The car keys are still in the ignition and I weigh up the morality of stealing a car versus possible death if I stay here. Theft wins and I open the door to step inside, just as 3 people walk into view and I freeze.

While at first I noticed 3 people, there is only one that I focus on, the person I want to see most right now. I step back out of the car and walk towards him. Sky quickly closes the gap between us and I go to hug him, but he grabs my face and pulls me into a kiss. It is gentle and sweet and magical and for a moment I think I must be dreaming because this can’t possibly be real. Someone loudly clearing their throat draws us back to reality and Sky pulls away from me enough that I can see Ember. I’m definitely not dreaming, because my dreams would not have stopped at one kiss and while i’m not averse to the idea of a threesome, it would definitely not feature Ember. I jump away from Sky, not wanting to face her wrath.
“Relax, I’m here to rescue you, not kill you” Ember says and to my surprise she hugs me.
“Rescue me?” I question, not really trusting that she is not plotting to murder me in my sleep.
“Sky told me what you did for me, I’m here to return the favour, but it seems like you managed to get yourself out without us.” Ember says.
“Well thank you for coming, I did manage to get out of their prison, but I have no idea where we are right now and I’d probably have died alone in the woods without you guys.” I say and notice Mr Elm for the first time.
“Mr Elm? You brought Mr Elm?” I ask shocked and feeling like i’m a little kid again who has been snitched on with the sinking feeling that I’m going to end up in trouble.
“We needed a car and neither of us can drive, he is the only person we know and trust with a car” Sky explains.
“A car which, if i’m not mistaken, you were about to steal” Mr Elm turns to glare at me.
“If I had known it was your car, I would not have touched it!” I say defensively as I squirm guiltily under his glare.
“Stealing is never ok, I taught you better than that.” Mr Elm scolds.
“Well it was steal or die in the woods, or worse die letting those psychos examine me!” I defend.
“Hmm yes, well we do have more important matters to discuss, but let’s get out of here first.” Mr Elm says begrudgingly and I let out the breath I have been holding, happy that he has dropped it for now anyway.
“Believe me Lil, you need to hear what he has to say” Sky says seriously. I look over at him and my eyes fall to his lips, lips that were on mine only minutes ago. Even in all this madness, I can’t believe there is anything more important than kissing him again right now. But before I’m able to go to him, I’m pulled towards the car.
“We have to stay out of sight until we are out of the highlands since they know our faces. I will go in the boot since I doubt you are flexible enough to fit and you can sit in the footwell under the blankets, you should be able to hear Mr Elm’s story from there too.” Ember says shoving me in the foot well before I can protest.