The Elementals

We Take A Ride In The Death Mobile

I wake up to the steady thrumming of rain on the roof. I sit there, because no one else is awake, and listen before getting up and walking outside. I stop in the hallway so I can absorb the sound of the droplets echoing off the walls, like music.

I can taste the thick dampness in the air that comes with the rain, and the downpour soaks my entire body in a matter of seconds. The droplets stream down my face and wash off all traces of dirt and blood.

I forgot how much I loved rain. I love the way the water makes my hair wet and my clothes cling to my body, how the air is heavy, how the sun barely filters through the thick layer of clouds, and how each drop on my skin sends tingles down my spine.

Suddenly filled with a random euphoria, I run forward and flip into a cartwheel. At the end, my hands slip in the mud and I fall into a puddle. Instead of getting up though, I just sit there and let the rain rewash off the grime. I tilt my head up, smiling.

    “Do you have to go outside when it’s raining?”

Coal sits down next to me. It’s like a flipping sixth sense he has whenever I’m missing. Needless to say, I’m not specifically annoyed that he’s here.

    “You don’t have to come out.” I say, laughing.

There’s a quiet, and I look over at him. His hair is in his eyes, and his entire position is different. More vulnerable almost. He’s soaked, obviously, but he looks more like the Coal I know is there, on the inside. He looks miserable however, so I take pity on him and create a bubble of water around us. He smiles at me half-heartedly, and that’s when I know something’s wrong.

    “What’s the problem?” I ask, knowing full well what.

Coal stays silent, and I turn to him.

    “Look, if Caelum hadn’t told-” I begin to defend myself.

    “He betrayed you!” Coal interrupts, and we start to argue.

    “Do we have to talk about this now?” I ask, trying to keep from strangling him.

    “Yes.” He says stubbornly.

I breathe out irritably and we sit there, rain falling around us.

    “Can’t you two just get along?” I whine.

    “No.”

We lapse back into an edgy silence. My arms are crossed, and I quickly look over and see that his are too. Right now, Caelum doesn’t seem so bad. Caelum knows when to shut up and follow directions. Caelum isn’t insanely protective. Caelum doesn’t constantly argue with me.

But. . .

Coal doesn’t follow orders because he knows when I’m being stubborn and won’t admit I need help. Sometimes it’s nice to know someone cares about you enough to bother you 24/7. Coal has stopped me from doing extremely stupid things by talking me out of it.

Suddenly, I’m filled with the assurance that I don’t want Coal to be mad at me. I don’t want to be mad at Coal either. I don’t like this wall of tension and pent up emotions sitting between us. I don’t like it at all.

    “Coal?” I venture quietly. He nods silently for me to go on. “I’m about to be confusing again.” I warn him gravely.

    “What?”

I lean forward and wrap my arms tightly around him, and kiss him quickly on the cheek. Then I get up and half run, half walk back into the warehouse to wake everyone up.