The Power of Four

Chapter 3 - Raine

I'm turning 14. FOURTEEN! Why did I have to grow up so quickly? I wish I could just stay small forever, with my father. I lived in a quiet little wood house on some plains next to a little flowing river. Where I lived, the grass was always green, and if you listened hard enough, you could always hear birds singing from a distance.

Near my house was little forest. I never really went in there, because it always seemed a little scary. I had lived there all my life with my father, as my mother had abandoned me when I was really small. I had never really known her, but all I knew was I resented her for not standing by my side for my journey of life. I loved my father dearly though. I can still remember him reading me stories every night when I was small, and I would always go to his room every night and plant a kiss on his forehead and say, "Goodnight Papa". I sighed as I walked over to the little brook. Being by water, or hearing the sound of water always calms me down. I placed my hand inside the flowing water and felt my body immediately relax. I breathed out a sigh as I felt my tense muscles unclench themselves. Sometimes, I wish I could stay here forever.

"Raine!" My father called, "Come and choose the decorations you want for your party!"

I huffed as I took my hand out of the water and shook it dry, grumbling as I could feel myself getting tense and grumpy again. "Coming Papa!" I yelled. I walked towards the sound of his voice. The truth was, I didn't even really want a big party. I felt like I didn't even have any real friends that actually cared about me, much less anyone I actually looked forward to seeing every day. I spent the next few hours putting up blue balloons and eating cake with my so-called "friends" from school. But I knew, they were not the kind of friends that would stick by your side during the times when you really needed them. As everyone left, I looked around at the mess my father and I had to clean up. I distastefully looked at the napkins and the piece of cake that had fallen to the ground.

"Don't worry about it Raine," my father told me, "Go enjoy your birthday, I got this."

I thanked him and wandered slowly into the darkness, unsure of what I was doing, but glad that I was finally alone. Before long, I found myself near the river running through our fields. I sat down again and just listened to the crickets chirping and the sounds of water running over rocks. This was really nice. I scooped up some water in my hand, but almost dropped it when I realized it was bubbling. The pool of water in my hand shook and I could swear that I saw mist evaporate from it. Thoroughly startled now, I let the water fall through my hands and ran back to my house. My hands shook as I messed with the lock on the door and tried to get it open. The lock clicked open and I bolted inside, pressing my back against the door.

Did I make the water do that? I thought, shook. I could swear that I saw the water move in my hands. My eyelids had started to droop and I decided to just forget about it. Gingerly, I crept over to my bed, and laid down, pulling my blanket all the way over my head.

I'm wet.... I'm wet..? I'm wet!! I'M WET!!!!
I jolted awake and found myself not laying in my bed, but instead floating in water. My whole bedroom was flooded all the way to my house's wooden ceiling.

"What in the world...''I mumbled, and I almost fainted when I realized I could talk and hear in water. Wait a minute. I thought. How am I breathing? I glided through the water downwards trying to reach my bedroom door. Surprised at how easily I traveled through the water, I reached my door in just seconds. I groaned as I saw that the hallway was also submerged in water. Mustering up more strength from my muscles, I swam towards the front door, flicking my feet to and fro like a mermaid. As I traveled down the hallway, I saw that my father's bedroom door had opened just a crack. Swimming over and opening the door, I let out a huge scream at the top of my lungs when I saw my father's body. He had sunk down to the floor. His face was a pale white, like the blood had completely drained from it, and his eyes were still open, perhaps from shock. Frantic, I swam over to him and sobbed when I saw that he wasn't breathing.

Now heartbroken, I grabbed my father by his hands and dragged him with me out the front door. As we sliced through the water towards the door, in the midst of my tears I saw that my free hand was making the water around it bubble again. Waving my arm in a circle, I jumped back in surprise as a little twister formed. The twister swirled, encompassating bubbles and creating waves. It seemed to glow of a light aqua color. I was in awe examining it that I didnt notice that it was making the whole house shake. I cowered when I saw that it had almost doubled in size. I tentatively waved my arm above it, to try and get rid of it. Absolutely nothing happened. I tried again and again, each fail making me more and more annoyed.

"Wow.." I thought. I opened the door and got my father back onto dry land. Normally, I would have been surprised that the water inside the house would have gushed right out the door, but that was too little of a thing to be surprised about now. I triple checked for breathing and for a heartbeat. Nothing. Now I was sure my father was dead. Sobbing, I carefully dug a ditch right by the little river and buried my father. Bowing my head I looked down for the last time at my father's face. I planted one last kiss on his forehead and I covered him with mud and dirt and let him rest.

"Goodnight Papa," I whispered, my voice barely choking back a tsunami of tears.

As the last bit of his face was covered with dirt and mud found from the riverbank, I crumbled to the ground and wept out a river of tears. It felt like hours before I finally lifted my face to the sun.

I must go, I thought. There is nothing left for me here.

Packing nothing but a small wet backpack I dried off, a small sleeping bag, and a loaf of bread, I set out and started trekking over the little hills that surrounded my home and headed to the woods. After all that had happened today, entering the cover of trees didn't sound that awful. When I reached the last hill, I took one last glance at my home. Blinking back more tears, I continued walking, and I continued traveling into the great unknown.