The Elementals

After Maple and Sparky finally ran out of energy, they fell right asleep. Breeze then Terra and lastly Steel followed. The night is welcomingly warm. Sure everyone is sleeping; I creep out and climb to the top of the ridge, by the falls.

I study the bracelet. It really is beautiful. I can see the top of the wave, foaming and cresting perfectly. It also has a new shine to it. It glows with the starlight. I twist it back on.

“Can’t sleep, Flippers?”

I don’t even flinch this time. Coal sits down next to me.

“No, actually I’m in a coma and that’s why I’m sitting on the edge of a waterfall.”

Coal is silent for a bit. “I can’t figure you out Flippers.”

“How’s that?” I say, turning towards him.

“You’re afraid of fire, so you just decide to hang out with the fire Elemental. You’ve never fought in your life, yet you can think of a battle strategy in two seconds. You just met two girls, and then you decide to go rescue them without another thought.” He says, sitting up, “I yelled at you, and you still unlocked my door. And you didn’t even wait for a thank you.”

“There wasn’t time.”

“There was time to free three random kids you’ve never seen before.”

I shrug. “It seemed like the right thing to do. Besides, I just met you and decided to teach you to swim by drowning you.”

Coal chuckles. His face is normal again; relaxed, acting like he owns the world.

“How come you’re so different around people?” I ask.

“Not this again.”

“I’m serious. What is your problem with them?”

“They’re strangers.”

“I was a stranger and you didn’t glare at me like you wanted to toast me.”

“When have I done that?”

“Just today!” I glance at him. “You looked like you wanted to kill Steel.”

“I don’t like him.” Coal mutters.

“Why?”

He leans back, lying down. “I don’t know. I just don’t like him.”

I cough. “People issues.”

He sighs, but I can tell he’s trying not to smile. I look at the woods for a while. The birds are quiet but other nocturnal animal noises are evident.

“Do you really think the government people think we’re dead?” I ask. It’s been bothering me ever since the explosion.

Coal is silent. I look over at him. He’s asleep.

I’m about to wake him up when I get an idea. I smile evilly.

“Coal!” I hiss, trying to sound panicked. I shake his shoulders. “They’re here! They have the others!”

Coals eyes snap open and he jumps up, looking around wildly. “What?”

“This is what you get for falling asleep!” I snicker and shove him off the rock.

“Oh no you don’t, Flippers!” He twists around and grabs my arm and we both go tumbling off the edge.

I plunge into the water. It’s crystal clear, except for the foaming bubbles we’ve created. I pop my head up.

“If I go down, you go down, Flippers!” says Coal. He’s behind me.

I laugh and duck back under the water, enjoying the clarity it brings. It washes off my worries. I reach the bottom, loving how I don’t have to resurface for air. I look around. The pool is only about 12 feet deep in the middle. The edges are relatively shallow, except for the part below the waterfall. I squint. There’s a crevice in the rock. I swim towards it. It looks like I can fit. I slip through it and then I’m in a small cavern. It dips down into a kind of bowl shape, and there’s a bit of rock providing a ledge above the water. I swim back out and up to Coal.

“What-where were you?” He asks. “I thought you had drowned!”

“Can’t.” I say, “I can breathe underwater.”

“Okay Gill Girl, what were you doing?”

“I found a cave!” I say happily, and drag him under. I point to the crevice and go through it.

After a few seconds Coal comes up next to me.

“Isn’t it cool?” I ask, diving under and swimming to the rock outcropping.

“Yeah,” Coal says. “If you like water.”

“Oh come on! It would be a good bunker or place to hide.”

“Whatever you say, Flippers.”

I splash him.

“Anyway, you probably woke everyone up pushing me off the edge-”

I snicker.

“That was not funny.”

“Yes it was.”

He makes an annoyed sound and dives under to leave. Still laughing, I follow. We come up and see that everyone’s still sleeping.

“Like logs, aren’t they?” Coal says.

“I bet they wouldn’t wake up even if I fought a guy right outside and then dumped ice water on them.”

Coal rolls his eyes. I quietly slide onto the rocks. Coal comes up next to me. He ignites into flames and the water evaporates off him. I don’t mind being wet as long as I’m not cold.

“I’ll take first watch.” I offer.

“Yes, because somebody interrupted my sleep.” says Coal, but he’s smiling. He crawls over to a corner away from everyone, especially Steel.

I like sitting here. The water from the falls sparkles in the moonlight. It sort of echoes here in the cave, making it sound like the water is all around.

That’s why Coal doesn’t like it here. I think. It’s okay, we’re not going to stay. Maybe a little while. Not for very long though.