Daughter of fire

Caught?

"Dinner time! I bet you're starving." 

The blonde Brother is smiling at me. I hurry past him, trying to distract him from the burnt wall. I should have been more careful about how I use that power, but I'm already too anxious to concentrate on the details. It's been 5 years since I've been trying to improve it and it still gets out of control sometimes.

 Daniel was the one with the idea of using it. Since we started thinking about escape, we learned quite a lot of interesting things. Things we weren't supposed to know.

We are Subjects. All subjects are in the same situation as we were; had a special power, were tortured for it daily, and then, suddenly forgotten. Daniel had the ability to move things without touching them, Liana, another girl who was with us, could read the thoughts of anyone around her, and I have the ability to produce and control fire. We are considered a B-ranking Subjects. There are also A-ranking Subjects, but they are kept in a special area and are very well supervised. I sometimes wonder what kind of power you have to have to be kept in total isolation. I shudder at the taught of it.

We have tried, with every occasion available, to persuade others to help us, but too many are afraid to even listen to us. And there is no reason for them to want to do so now. For several years, the meetings had been canceled, and instead of the usual torture hour, we had an hour in which we could communicate with each other, we could even see movies and listen to music. I would probably have been satisfied with this kind of life if Liana had not found out it would last for only five years. This pause was intended to help us get rid of the drugs used at our meetings. In time, once the organism was used to the substance, the amount had to be increased, but there was a limit below which the procedure should be performed. Thus, at a regular time interval, the organisms of the Subjects must be allowed to regenerate in order to resume the cycle. I remember vaguely that it happened before, but the resumption of the routine wiped almost every detail out of my mind. Before Liana told us, I could swear I had dreamed.

"Did you listen to this C.D.?"  

Daniel is right behind me, leaning against a wall. Since the meetings had stopped, we have been talking quite a lot about a lot of things, like music or movies. The truth is that we do not have too much diversity, but we are, after all, satisfied with what we get. I have learned how the outside world looks: Plants, animals, strange languages, delicious food, Christmas trees, balls, wars, and especially… chocolate - Holy chocolate.

"Where is she?" I said ignoring his question

"She said she is going to pretend to be sick so she could find out more from The Father. She wanted you to  warm her up a little so she looks like she has a fever."

"Whatever you want. Am I not your sun?"

"I'd say you were a radiator. Or yes. You look like a sun, you know-hot tempered and... round."

I can't roll my eyes hard enough to seem as offended as I want so I pull the C. D. from his hand. If he's going to start to do the all-entertaining and all-fun mother jokes again, then I should get my headphones on my ears faster. Before I could give in to the temptation of cooking him on low heat.  

I don't even get to relax for a second when someone snatched my headphones and curls her arms around my neck.

"Make me hotter than I already am!"

"What's the hell…?! "

"If you keep scaring me like that, I'll burn you!"

" All right, all right! Now try not to burn me like the last time, ok? And hurry up!"

Too many bosses!

The use of power itself is not extremely complicated in fact, it naturally comes when I think about it. The only problem is the amount. I never know what the right amount of heat I have to produce is. So I'm always burning something around me. The only good thing is that I can't, apparently, burn myself. Even so, heating another person without burning is a real problem. The main idea is that I have to create a small amount of heat outside of my own body, then distribute it evenly. Easy peasy until I have to put it into practice.  

I take a deep breath and I try to concentrate. I take a fixed point on which I focus and heat Liana bit by bit until her skin gets a slightly reddish complex and her face is shiny with sweat.

"I think it's enough. Thanks!"

I look at her with a half-breath, as she leaves.

"You are starting to get better," Daniel says.

"I'm starting? I was born like this, unlike you who just give orders…"

Daniel freezes.

I shouldn't have said that. I know very well how much it hurts him that his powers are much weaker than mine or Liana's. We do not know exactly what the cause is, but while Liana can read the thoughts of all the people around her in a fairly large area, and I do not even have the courage to test the limits of my fire, Daniel can only move small objects over extremely short distances. The more he tries to get over his limits, the more frustrated he gets. There are days in which we fear that he will c***k, that he will be lost in despair, and that he will give up all his hopes of the escape.

"Sorry, ok?! But I am just at my limit. I can't bear this place for a second longer."

"It's okay. Don't worry, there's a little more. We'll get out soon and see the rest of the world together."

There is a shadow of sadness on his soft childish face, though it faded quickly. That's always the case. Sometimes I think I should put a zipper on my mouth. At least that way I'd have time to process what gets out of my mouth.

Daniel approaches and gives me a big hug. He tightens his hands around me and raise me a little. I love these kinds of hugs: Warm, protective, as those of a big brother, a real brother. The kind of cuddle that makes you think everything will be fine.

"Oh! So much love!"

We both jump. Daniel gets red and I have a vague impression that I'm even redder than he is. I don't think any of us would expect one of the Sisters to be interested in what we do. She is one of the nurses or care-takers, called The Sisters. But they never give us too much attention. And I only saw her a few times, but she never talked to me. Why should she start now?  

The fear makes me numb for a second. Does she know anything?

"You two, come with me!"

We are dead...