Raging Fire

It all started with fire. Hot blazing flames consuming the magnificent house. Claire had stood and watched as they all tried in vain to control the fire outburst. That’s when she her hidden talent had surfaced once again. She tried with all her might to control the flames. But apparently it was too much for a girl of ten and a talent in the nascent stage to manage the feat.

She woke up in a familiar room, but couldn’t quite recognize it. The efforts had drained her of all energy and she felt weak all over. With great difficulty, she got out of bed and went out of the room. Her uncle, Michael, was sitting in the living room, reading a book. Yes, of course, this was uncle Michael’s house, she remembered.

“Uncle Michael?” she asked.

He looked up. “Oh, you’re awake. Come here sweetling.” He patted the space on the couch beside him. “How are you feeling now? Better?”

Why was uncle asking such a question? What had happened to her? “How am I here?” she asked.

“You don’t remember?” he was a bit surprised.

The initial shock had not allowed her mind to believe what had happened. But it had all come to her later that night. She had screamed and cried and her uncle had to hold her down to get her under control.

The next day, she had decided to explore her talent. Her father had told her she possessed the talent of pyrokinesis. She had the ability to control fire. Despite her father’s urging, she had always procrastinated when it came to developing it. She had discovered it accidentally when she was quite young. A neighbourhood boy had broken her doll and in a fit of rage, she had unwittingly set his ball on fire. That’s when her parents had become aware of her abilities.

Now she wished she had mastered how to manage it. It would have been helpful to save her house and the people inside it.

The people, namely her father and mother, were inside the house when the fire had started. She came to know about it quite late after the fire had devoured almost half of the house. She had been playing with her friends a few blocks away. If only she’d stayed at home that afternoon…

Her uncle Michael was the only relative she had in the town. He had promptly arrived on the scene and taken her away with him.

“A child of ten should not have to see all of this,” he had said.

Since then, she had stayed with him. He didn’t have a family of his own, so he welcomed the company. He even guided her to control her power and use it to her benefit. He too, possessed an uncommon ability of identifying unique stones and crystals that were the powerhouses of energy. Possession of such stones was a rare luxury. Harnessed effectively, these gems could impart energies to complement one’s inherent abilities.

Her father had possessed one such crystal stone. The Carax. It had come to him as a part of the family legacy. She had seen it on occasion.

It was embedded in a triangle of silver with an intricate design on the side. The silver accentuated the translucent crystal, causing light rays to reflect in three directions.

It was kept in a safe. Her father would take it out on certain full moon days. It shone and glittered in the moonlight. Her father would handle it reverently and begin explaining to her its many characteristics.

He valued it more than his life. ‘There are evil forces out there trying to acquire this.' he would say. 'And I have a premonition, that they wouldn’t stop at anything in order to gain access to this. I will guard this with my life, Claire. I would rather die than hand it over to them.’ She had a sinking feeling, that’s what must’ve happened.

Now, she won’t be able to see it again, Claire thought sadly. It must have burned down to ashes in that fire. She hoped it was true. She had no affinity for a stone, no matter how precious or rare, that had taken her parents’ life.

“You shouldn’t be so harsh in passing judgement,” Damien said. “You don’t know what exactly happened that day.” Damien and Claire had become good friends since she had met him five years back.

He possessed a unique talent. He could calm down an angry person. That’s how they had met. Claire had become enraged and Damien happened to be passing by. He sensed her anger and calmed her down. Although it was against her will, she appreciated the talent.

“You’re right. I don’t know what exactly happened. How I wish I had stayed at home.” Claire closed her eyes in agony.

“It’s not your fault, Claire. Stop blaming yourself and feeling guilty.” Damien said. “Have you tried asking your uncle? He might know what transpired.”

“I asked. Many times. He just says I was lying on the ground unconscious. Probably passed out due to shock. The neighbours called him. More than eighty percent of the house had burned down. So uncle took me to his place.” Claire still shivered when she remembered the horrifying incident.

Her uncle had done a lot for her. Taking her in when she was alone. He loved her, but in his own way. He was not like her father, who made time out of his busy schedule to play with her, ask her about her day, take her to parks or on long walks. She missed all of that. Uncle Michael was mostly busy with his work.

Today also he was in his study, poring over a thick book.

“Good evening, uncle.” Claire went over and kissed his cheek.

“Good evening, sweetling. And where have you been?”

“I was out. With Damien. We had our usual evening walk.”

“Ah, yes, Damien.” Michael smiled. “You had a good time?”

“Yes, uncle. I have invited him for dinner tonight, if you don’t mind?”

“Oh, no not at all.”

“I’ll prepare your favourite dish too.”

“Too? Meaning the other one is Damien’s favourite dish.” Michael winked. “Prepare all you like. I’ll just get a cup of coffee for myself now. I have something interesting to study.”

He got up and went out of his study. Claire was also leaving behind him when she paused. A picture on the book looked familiar. She took a closer look. The Carax! That was one thing she would recognize anywhere. She picked up the book and started reading.

It was about The Carax, describing all of its characteristics and uses in great detail. The current page that uncle was reading was about how to use the rare stone efficiently.

But as far as she knew, uncle Michael did not possess The Carax. Or was she wrong? Why else would he study about it. Unless…

She slowly moved forward and opened the drawer. She rarely came into the study, let alone check the drawers and shelves. She wasn’t sure what she would find. She dearly hoped she would not find what she was searching.

Inside the drawer was a safe box with a lock. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting her instincts guide her. Opening her eyes, she punched in a code that first came to her mind. To her surprise, the safe opened. And there it was. The silver triangle with the same intricate design that was burned in her memory. And in between it rested her Carax. Yes, her Carax. Now that her parents were no more, it belonged to her. How did it come here? Uncle Michael!

She heard him talking and laughing. Damien had arrived. How did uncle Michael get this? She picked up the stone and went out.

“Hey, Claire!” Damien greeted her with a frown on his face. He had sensed her irritation.

“Ah, there you are,” Michael was oblivious to her distress. “You two continue. I’ll get back to my study.”

“Wait!” Claire said rigidly. “I want to know how you came to be in possession of this, uncle.” She held up the crystal in her hand.

Michael paled. Then became angry. “How did you find this? Have you resorted to stealing in my house?” he fairly yelled.

“I should be the one asking you that question, uncle.”

“What do you mean?”

“My father was right. He knew someone out there would steal it. He only failed to realize it was one of his good friends.”

“I knew he would never give it to me willingly. And he would hunt me down once I stole it…” Michael’s eyes had taken a faraway look.

“And so you killed him!” Claire was enraged by what she was hearing. The person whom her father had considered a good friend had betrayed him. “You burned the house. And all the while I thought it was just an accident.” Her anger had gone beyond her control now.

Damien’s efforts at calming her down were going in vain. If she didn’t calm down soon…

So instead, he focused his mind on getting them out of there quickly. Grabbing her hand, he ran toward the door. He could sense the flames almost licking his feet.

Before Claire could utter a word of protest, she found herself out of the house, on the pavement. The Carax still in her hand. Turning back, she felt a peculiar wave of déjà vu. Hot blazing flames were consuming the house. Strange, she thought, how it all ended in fire.