FireStar

Angel Jones sped to escape her thoughts. Forcing emotion behind with the Jeep exhaust.

The buildings began to shrink in the rearview.

She missed Vance. She loved him, she truly did. But... marriage?

Marriage was…

She shook her head at the foreign concept. Marriage was for normal people. Not mutants. Being married was for people who have never took a life. It was for couples who would never be called upon to do more than head the PTA fundraiser or speak at the Homeowners Association over lawn length and playground equipment additions.

Marriage was for couples who could conceive children.

She angrily shook the tears away. She was driving away to leave it all behind her.

The look in his eyes haunted her. She had caused him pain. She had hurt this beautiful, caring man, who had promised to take her pain away. She had broken him. He had spoken no words but the look in his eyes told the story of a thousand thrown away lovers. Her chest constricted, it was difficult to breathe. She immediately desired Vance’s embrace. In his arms was her happy place. In his arms was her home.

Stop. She hit the steering wheel with both hands so hard the vehicle jolted sharply. She quickly regained control and forced long breaths to calm down. She tried not to think of how selfish her thoughts had been.

God she missed Vance.

She pressed the radio button until a heavy rock song belted from the speakers, then turned up the volume. There she thought, nothing like metal music to drown the memories. She focused on the lyrics and sang along, loudly.

It was getting dark. She engaged the headlights and pressed the gas a bit. Before two songs had passed, Angel was head banging to the deep bass beats.

Suddenly, bright shocking, blinding light engulfed her. She let her foot off the gas and kept the car pointed forward, but, where was forward? She was dizzy and sick and felt as if she were tumbling through nothing. She pushed the brakes hard with both her small feet and blinked.

She was stopped. The bright light was gone. It was still dusk but she was smack in the middle of a cartoon countryside. Was I in an accident?

Angel opened her door and stepped out. She couldn’t form a thought, what on Earth was happening? As she peered around, her eyes caught movement in the distance. She looked hard to focus but it was getting dark. Was that a human or animal? And was it coming toward her?

She stood still and her heart stopped. It was most definitely coming straight at her. Fast.

She felt the fire heat within her.