ended up in a group of something like 3.33 percent. Pretty darn special. Why is this my lot in life? Why does my family deserve me to be this way?
October 17
I have to write this quickly so I don’t forget anything and because I’m so tired I might pass out at any moment, and I can’t do that because we’ve got our science midterm next week. How will I ever get this all down?
Last night, we had another fire drill. Or so I thought. It was earlier than the alarms usually go off, about ten thirty. Jill and I had just gotten under the covers when the blaring started. We’re practiced at this now, so we had our flip-flops, sweatpants, and sweatshirts (it’s definitely fall now) ready to grab by the door. I checked Jill’s pocket for my safety sack and she checked for hers and we were out the door.
Since I got a buddy, fire drills have been kind of fun. I don’t have to fake-smile anymore. I just go with Jill and find our little group and stand around in good company, listening to Raúl’s latest stupid comments. This time, we went down to the designated area on the docks and quickly found Brian and his buddy in the crowd, but there was no hanging around.
“Hi,” I said casually, but both Brian and Raúl were panting, and Brian had this intense look on his face.
“There’s an actual fire,” he said. “It’s going to be a while before we can go back inside. Jill, can you cover for Kelly?”
She grinned like an accomplice. “I got this. And so does Raúl.” I watched her punch Raúl on the shoulder, but still had no clue what was going on until Brian grabbed my wrist and started moving away from the group. My heart was leaping out of my chest—Brian was kidnapping me. The boy I liked was taking me away in the dead of night. Didn’t he like Jill? What was he planning? What did any of this mean?
Pretty soon, we were holding hands and running, and finally the questions cleared out of my head because we were headed in the direction of Waterplace Park and, was that—? Yes, through the buildings, I could see masses of people gathered along the water’s edge, and flickering, shimmering air, and tendrils of smoke. We were going to WaterFire! In sweats and flip-flops over pajamas, but still. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.
Before we even arrived at the waterfront, I could hear the snap-crackle of the burning wood. We gazed at the spot at the opening to the harbor where the first pyre juts out of the water. Each pyre rests a good foot or two above the water on a pole, both buoyed and anchored in place by three large black underwater spheres. Both the first pyre and the next one, headed inland at the mouth of the river, were burning low embers.
“Go ahead, Kelly. Refresh the flames,” Brian said, almost like a dare.
I started to protest, but then realized Jill had my safety sack and my patch was off for the night. The feeling of freedom almost knocked the wind out of me. I looked to make sure no one was watching—it was only farther down along the river that the real crowds started. I felt a whirlwind of crackling happiness around me and poof! The first pyre was healthily ablaze again.
“That’s so cool how you do that. You could become an arsonist and no one would ever suspect you.”
“Would you want to commit arson?” I asked. I hate that word so much.
“Well, not really, but my Talent is so obvious, I’m amazed by your subtlety.”
He hadn’t had his turn yet in Ms. Matheson’s class, so I’d never seen his technique. “Please let me see. Go ahead and light that pyre.” I pointed to the one next to mine. It was about ready to go out. Where was the official stoker?
He considered for a moment, then really took a look around, even more thoroughly than I had, and pointed at the pyre with his arm fully extended. Just when I thought nothing was going to happen, that he wasn’t really a pyrokinetic at all, and what was he even doing at the PMA, a stream of sparks arced from
October 17
I have to write this quickly so I don’t forget anything and because I’m so tired I might pass out at any moment, and I can’t do that because we’ve got our science midterm next week. How will I ever get this all down?
Last night, we had another fire drill. Or so I thought. It was earlier than the alarms usually go off, about ten thirty. Jill and I had just gotten under the covers when the blaring started. We’re practiced at this now, so we had our flip-flops, sweatpants, and sweatshirts (it’s definitely fall now) ready to grab by the door. I checked Jill’s pocket for my safety sack and she checked for hers and we were out the door.
Since I got a buddy, fire drills have been kind of fun. I don’t have to fake-smile anymore. I just go with Jill and find our little group and stand around in good company, listening to Raúl’s latest stupid comments. This time, we went down to the designated area on the docks and quickly found Brian and his buddy in the crowd, but there was no hanging around.
“Hi,” I said casually, but both Brian and Raúl were panting, and Brian had this intense look on his face.
“There’s an actual fire,” he said. “It’s going to be a while before we can go back inside. Jill, can you cover for Kelly?”
She grinned like an accomplice. “I got this. And so does Raúl.” I watched her punch Raúl on the shoulder, but still had no clue what was going on until Brian grabbed my wrist and started moving away from the group. My heart was leaping out of my chest—Brian was kidnapping me. The boy I liked was taking me away in the dead of night. Didn’t he like Jill? What was he planning? What did any of this mean?
Pretty soon, we were holding hands and running, and finally the questions cleared out of my head because we were headed in the direction of Waterplace Park and, was that—? Yes, through the buildings, I could see masses of people gathered along the water’s edge, and flickering, shimmering air, and tendrils of smoke. We were going to WaterFire! In sweats and flip-flops over pajamas, but still. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.
Before we even arrived at the waterfront, I could hear the snap-crackle of the burning wood. We gazed at the spot at the opening to the harbor where the first pyre juts out of the water. Each pyre rests a good foot or two above the water on a pole, both buoyed and anchored in place by three large black underwater spheres. Both the first pyre and the next one, headed inland at the mouth of the river, were burning low embers.
“Go ahead, Kelly. Refresh the flames,” Brian said, almost like a dare.
I started to protest, but then realized Jill had my safety sack and my patch was off for the night. The feeling of freedom almost knocked the wind out of me. I looked to make sure no one was watching—it was only farther down along the river that the real crowds started. I felt a whirlwind of crackling happiness around me and poof! The first pyre was healthily ablaze again.
“That’s so cool how you do that. You could become an arsonist and no one would ever suspect you.”
“Would you want to commit arson?” I asked. I hate that word so much.
“Well, not really, but my Talent is so obvious, I’m amazed by your subtlety.”
He hadn’t had his turn yet in Ms. Matheson’s class, so I’d never seen his technique. “Please let me see. Go ahead and light that pyre.” I pointed to the one next to mine. It was about ready to go out. Where was the official stoker?
He considered for a moment, then really took a look around, even more thoroughly than I had, and pointed at the pyre with his arm fully extended. Just when I thought nothing was going to happen, that he wasn’t really a pyrokinetic at all, and what was he even doing at the PMA, a stream of sparks arced from
Similar Books
