The Elementals

My legs start pumping before I can think. I’m not sure, but I think I say something that sounds like a garbled ’no!” but my thoughts aren’t connecting very well. I’m moving fast, reacting off of instinct. The Tide clone notices my flash of movement from the corner of her eye and suddenly the barrel is aiming at me as I charge at her.

"NO!" It’s Coal’s turn to shout. There’s so much fear and anger and horror in that one word that it surprises me and send my heels digging into the ground.

But it’s too late. I try to duck, and a loud bang echoes around room, ringing in my ears. It almost drowns out the screaming pain in my shoulder as the bullet rips into skin. She missed my chest, but there’s still a hole in my shoulder, bleeding and all that fun stuff.

“Tide!” Coal runs over, but the ground starts shaking violently as the Tide clone dashes away. Terra is trying her best to stop her, but we lose sight of her as a stalactites tumble from the ceiling. I cough in dust, making my shoulder burn with pain.

“Tide, are you alright?” It’s Coal, right next to me, gently lowering me to the ground. His right hand comes up dark with blood but he ignores it. “Of course you’re not fine,” he mutters, more to himself. “Don’t do that again, ever. Promise me you won’t. Now.”

“What?” I blink, trying to ignore the searing pain that’s taking over my arm.

“You have to stop doing things like this. You’re going to kill me doing things like that, you know? You’re going to give me a freaking heart attack.”

I’m surprised by this. “You - you care that much?”

“Of course I care!” he exclaims immediately, as if any other thought is unimaginable. “I love -”

Coal stops short, suddenly aware of what he’s saying. Our eyes lock, both processing the words hanging in the air like bombs. I wait for him to add anything - one specific word in particular - but he just has a puzzled expression on his face, like he’s guilty for telling me that.

“Tide,” Stella’s voice gets closer, breaking the stunned silence. Her thin frame appears out of the clouds of dust. “Tide, where did you -” she sees the wound and bends down, running her fingers carefully over it. “The bullet is still inside of her.” she says to Coal, then turns to me. “I will put you to sleep and then take it out.”

I frown, not really liking the sound of that. “I think I’m good -”

“That was not a question, Tide.” Stella says firmly. Her fingers lightly touch my temple and then I’m out cold.

~

I wake up feeling cold, so I tuck my legs closer to me. I’m on my side - the pain now just a dull throb - in a small room. It’s painted dark green, which makes it seem all the smaller, except for the ceiling, which is beige and has a sad little bulb hanging down to dimly light the floor. There’s no other furniture, save the lumpy bed I’m on, and a chair in the corner. It’s a cushy Victorian style one, with someone on it. I peer at the figure, blinking my eyes rapidly to wake up, and see its Coal.

I smile wryly when I see he’s asleep. He looks so cute and innocent when he’s sleeping, the usual serious darkness lifted from his face. I can see happiness, but also lots of worry and concern there, all in the curve of his mouth. It’s funny, he normally keeps all those things hidden, masking them with sarcasm and half-grins, but now they come out.

I lay back down, but can’t go to sleep. I’ve grown accustom to having someone next to me. A certain, warm someone. I roll over, and try to ignore the fact that Coal is a mere, easily manageable, four feet away.

I’m lying to myself though, and I sit back up, putting my toes on the floor. I stand, the sensation of flat, cold stone on my bare feet almost forgotten. Quietly, I tiptoe over to Coal so I don’t wake him up. I slide into the open space on the chair and pull my knees up to my chest, leaning on Coal for the warmth. My chin finds its way to his shoulder, and I feel myself falling asleep. My eyelids start to close, when suddenly he speaks.

“Promise.”

I jump, sending a shot of pain rippling through my shoulder. Guess the wound hasn’t quite healed fully yet. “What?”

“Promise me you’ll stop trying out suicide.”

“No.”

Coal gives me a flat look. “Why not?” There’s something more behind it though that he wants me to explain. I can’t promise because he can’t promise to never be in danger.

“Do you want me to lie?”

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

“Because I said so!” I say, flustered. “There.” I see he’s about to argue, so I kiss him on the cheek again because I know it shuts him up. He opens and closes his mouth a couple times, startled.

“That’s not fair,” Coal sputters finally.

“So you want me to stop?” I sit up, smirking.

Coal grins back with the tell-tale glint in his eye, reaching after me and wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me back onto him. I struggle a little, but I’m close to laughing so it’s no use. “Never.” he says in my ear, and suddenly the giggles are replaced by butterflies. My heart thumps against my ribcage as his chin rests on my shoulder.

“Tide?” he asks, and I hold my breath. Coal pauses, taking his sweet time, seeming to enjoy making me asphyxiate. “Promise.” his voice is soft, low and serious, giving me shivers down my spine but in a good way. He laughs quietly, amused by my reaction.

I sigh. “No.” I can feel the pain in my shoulder when I shift.

“Flippers, you’re still hurt.” Coal’s hand brushes the wound lightly. I flinch. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because there’s nothing you can do about it.” I mumble. Coal sighs, and I can feel his chest rise and fall under me. “Actually,” I say. “There is something you can do.”

“What?”

I roll over, wincing a tiny bit and bury my face into his shoulder. “Don’t move.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Coal says quietly, and he doesn’t until we both fall asleep.

And then a hand covers my mouth.

My first reaction is to scream, but that’s not an option anymore. My hands tighten into fists, pulling on Coal’s shirt as I’m yanked away. I try to struggle, lashing out violently, but then I’m dropped to the floor like there’s an elephant on top of me. I’m dragged over to the wall, behind the chair. My entire body seems to be stuck in place, unable to do anything.

“Tide?” Coal calls, and I hear him sitting up. I try to talk, to scream, but I can’t move.

“I’m here.”

My heart drops and my eyes widen as I hear myself, my clone, answer him.

“I was just getting hungry and didn’t want to wake you up.” she says. I can see the bottoms of her feet under the chair. “But now that you are...” she pauses, “Brownies?”

My stomach turns. How dare she? How did she even know? I will shred her to tiny little pieces once Coal figures it out and helps me -

“Sure.” he says with a small laugh, standing up and leading Tide3000 out the door. “The kitchen’s this way.”

I hear the door shut with a finalizing click and something in me dies. As their footsteps fade, the weight lifts off my shoulders. I twist around to face my attacker.

And my entire being just unravels in hatred.

“I will freeze you to the side of a mountain and leave you there to starve.” I hiss. “I will let you fall into a chasm and let you drown in a well as you cry for help, and all you will be able to hear is the echoes of your own screaming.”

Caelum looks taken aback by my threats, but he returns my cold gaze. I clench my fists, and lunge at him. Before I can touch him though, I’m slammed back to the floor, unable to lift a single limb. I try to scream, but it’s like my jaw has been wired shut.

“You know, I’m still waiting for you to strangle me.” Caelum smiles maliciously at me. “You should really come through with your threats.”

He pulls me up. I can stand, but my arms are pinned to my side. He’s gotten better with his powers.

You trusted him.

Not anymore, and never again, I promise myself, though it doesn’t help my situation.

Caelum guides me out the door and down a hallway. We emerge into the main room, the one where I was shot. Rubble is everywhere, pieces of rock littering the floor. The computers are no longer on the tables, and broken wires lie around aimlessly. We walk to the tunnel, and push through the door, closing it quietly behind us.

The darkness makes my pulse jump. It closes in and I start to breath faster. Fear makes me move swifter, racing up the passage ahead of Caelum and bursting out the door to the mountain. The snowstorm has ceased for now, the air clear and sharp.

I lift my now free arms, ready to fight but then someone else grabs me, and the heat of their hands hurts. I struggle against the Coal clone’s grip, but his hands get hotter and I cry out in pain.

“Stop it.” Caelum snaps at Coal2D2, coming out of the tunnel. “Don’t hurt her.”

The Coal clone sneers at him, but lets me go. I shake free, concentrating to gather the snow.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Caelum says warningly, the flash of protectiveness gone. “If you attack it’ll give him a reason to burn you.”

I stop, trying to think of a way out and coming up with nothing.

“Take her down to Izila.” Caelum orders the clone, turning back towards the passage.

The Coal clone motions for me to go first, but I stand rigid and shout at Caelum. ”Why?"

He stops, shoulders hunched. He looks back at me, but then shakes his head and doesn’t answer. He doesn’t need to though. I saw it all and it makes me want to cry. His eyes are angry and sad and hurt. I hurt him. I hurt him by choosing Coal. It’s not my fault though. You can’t just program that into someone. A split second passes and then he’s gone.

“Move it, we’re on a schedule.” the clone snaps. His fingers are blazing at the tips, a silent reminder.

Grudgingly I let myself get led down the mountain path.