She stared up at the scorched tree in awe.
It had happened so quickly, and if she couldn't see the dead, burned branches Arabella wouldn't have believed it even had. She glanced down at her singed finger tips, the blackened ends were slowly fading back to their normal peach colour. The feeling was quite surreal. Like one of those abstract dreams, and it was fading just as quickly as one. She tried her hardest to recall that feeling, that tug deep inside her mind that had been as simple to ignite as moving her pinkie finger, however it had passed and she felt like the normal Arabella.
But she was different.
This was the third time something like this had happened. First with a book, second a chair and now this tree. Each time it had been the same. It started as a small headache which quickly spread into a dizzying migraine. Her vision blurred and then seconds later it cleared and her hand, along with whatever it had been touching, went up in flames. She backed away slowly, examining the ruined remains. From what she could see the fire had burned the tree right down to its roots. The damage was considerable.
And if this tree were a human, they would be dead.
She shivered at the thought.
Arabella had barely made it in the door before she heard a loud crash and the sound of her aunt's exasperated voice. "Benjamin Shepardson, get back here young boy!" This was followed by the giggles of a child and small feet padding against the floor overhead. Two of her cousins sat in the living room, the young girls were chatting and knitting. Ari could see that their mother must have been with them, by the looks of her discarded scarf. The two girls barely looked up when the door banged shut after Arabella, too engrossed in their gossip.
She could also hear the quieter noise of people talking in the kitchen.
"I want you to go into town," as she came into the room, Arabella could see her uncle press a few silver pieces into his son's hand. "I need more help then just you, and Ben is too young. Offer these silver pieces and a bed to any man willing to work." Ari watched her tall, broad cousin nod towards his father. "Sure, I still think it's unnecessary though. I can do it, Pa." Her uncle scowled a bit, his eyebrows furrowed and his chin dipped. "Go into town, Jason."
Uncle David was a large, looming man. Intimidating when he wanted to be, a huge softy the rest of the time. However, now was one of his intimidating moments and as he walked out of the room, Arabella saw her cousins jaw tighten a bit. "Can I come with you? I want to pick up a few things." Her voice broke Jason from whatever he had been thinking of as he watched his father leave. "Yeah, sure. C'mon."
The two were silent for half of the trip. Walking down the road, dust picking up after them. She opened her mouth to talk when Jason raised a finger and pointed to a tall, gaunt man. "Who is that?" They both looked in awe at him, it was very rare that they saw newcomers. The wall kept everyone, and everything, out. "I don't know. He must be new." Arabella's voice was very quiet as they walked past him wide eyed. She slowed a bit, her gaze stayed on him curiously. "Hurry up, Ari! Pa wants me to find someone to work before supper." Her head snapped forward and she yelped a quick apology. Her face heating a bit when she realized she had been staring.
"Sorry, coming."
It had happened so quickly, and if she couldn't see the dead, burned branches Arabella wouldn't have believed it even had. She glanced down at her singed finger tips, the blackened ends were slowly fading back to their normal peach colour. The feeling was quite surreal. Like one of those abstract dreams, and it was fading just as quickly as one. She tried her hardest to recall that feeling, that tug deep inside her mind that had been as simple to ignite as moving her pinkie finger, however it had passed and she felt like the normal Arabella.
But she was different.
This was the third time something like this had happened. First with a book, second a chair and now this tree. Each time it had been the same. It started as a small headache which quickly spread into a dizzying migraine. Her vision blurred and then seconds later it cleared and her hand, along with whatever it had been touching, went up in flames. She backed away slowly, examining the ruined remains. From what she could see the fire had burned the tree right down to its roots. The damage was considerable.
And if this tree were a human, they would be dead.
She shivered at the thought.
Arabella had barely made it in the door before she heard a loud crash and the sound of her aunt's exasperated voice. "Benjamin Shepardson, get back here young boy!" This was followed by the giggles of a child and small feet padding against the floor overhead. Two of her cousins sat in the living room, the young girls were chatting and knitting. Ari could see that their mother must have been with them, by the looks of her discarded scarf. The two girls barely looked up when the door banged shut after Arabella, too engrossed in their gossip.
She could also hear the quieter noise of people talking in the kitchen.
"I want you to go into town," as she came into the room, Arabella could see her uncle press a few silver pieces into his son's hand. "I need more help then just you, and Ben is too young. Offer these silver pieces and a bed to any man willing to work." Ari watched her tall, broad cousin nod towards his father. "Sure, I still think it's unnecessary though. I can do it, Pa." Her uncle scowled a bit, his eyebrows furrowed and his chin dipped. "Go into town, Jason."
Uncle David was a large, looming man. Intimidating when he wanted to be, a huge softy the rest of the time. However, now was one of his intimidating moments and as he walked out of the room, Arabella saw her cousins jaw tighten a bit. "Can I come with you? I want to pick up a few things." Her voice broke Jason from whatever he had been thinking of as he watched his father leave. "Yeah, sure. C'mon."
The two were silent for half of the trip. Walking down the road, dust picking up after them. She opened her mouth to talk when Jason raised a finger and pointed to a tall, gaunt man. "Who is that?" They both looked in awe at him, it was very rare that they saw newcomers. The wall kept everyone, and everything, out. "I don't know. He must be new." Arabella's voice was very quiet as they walked past him wide eyed. She slowed a bit, her gaze stayed on him curiously. "Hurry up, Ari! Pa wants me to find someone to work before supper." Her head snapped forward and she yelped a quick apology. Her face heating a bit when she realized she had been staring.
"Sorry, coming."
