Dawn was shopping with her family. It was a normal Saturday at least that's what they thought. Almost done and at the checkout, that's when it happened, the fire. Everyone ran for their lives, except Dawn.
She was surrounded by the flames, but then realized it wasn't fire. It was more than fire. She could feel and see rocks and wind and water? Elemental storm. The term appeared in her head so suddenly she fell a step back.
It didn't make sense.
Nothing made sense.
Right then she heard a sound, no a cry. Then she saw her, a tiny baby in a stroller left alone to die in the fire—no, die in the elemental storm.
Dawn ran towards her, grabbed the handle of the stroller and ran for both their lives. But not quick enough the storm was catching up.
Then from inside the storm a boy walked out. I'm hallucinating, the panic is just getting to me, Dawn thought, trying to steady her breathing.
But, no the boy was real.
He had wavy dark blond hair, a strand of it was orange and another green. His eyes were what caught her by surprise, they were tri-colored, the first and biggest circle was black the next was orange, and finally the outer color was green.
His face looked uncomfortable wearing the soft expression he had, his face looked mischievous ready to flash a smirk. Dawn realized his eye color—colors mirrored his hair strands. He looked a little older than her twelve? Thirteen?
For a moment they just stared at each other.
Then Dawn spoke her voice shaky and quiet, almost a whisper, "Who are you? What's going on? How did you walk through the fi—storm? Did you create it?" all the questions barreled out of her mouth before she could stop them, but she still had one more.
The scariest of all in her opinion, "What do you want from me?"
After Dawn asked that one question, she broke into tears and fell to her knees. All that pressure she didn't want it, she was just eleven years old.
And the boy? He just stood there looking like he wanted to assure her everything would be alright but couldn't. "I promise, I'm here to help."
His voice took Dawn by surprise; it was so soft and soothing,his eyes big and sad.
But, Dawn realized she needed to know the answers, or else she was afraid she would go mad looking for them.
She stood up and wiped her tears, "No, I need answers, not promises. Tell me, who are you?" Dawn's voice held strong, her eyes firm, and jaw set in determination. But, the boy just stood with the same sad eyes. "If I tell you my name will you do as I say?" He asked.
His eyes locked with Dawn's and she realized this was the best and only deal she was getting, so she gave him a small nod.
He took a small breath and told her "My name's Ace." Ace she thought, now that name stamped into her memory. The boy—Ace took another deep breath and said " Now, I told you my name, so you're gonna have to listen to me. Got it?"
He waited for her to nod and continued, "I can get one of you out of the storm, but only one. You're going to have to decide who to save."
Dawn almost asked him what he meant by 'one of you' then remembered the baby. She looked at her in her stroller, somehow she had fallen asleep in all the chaos. How in the world was she supposed to choose between saving herself or saving an innocent little baby. But, Dawn felt something tug in the back of her mind. A thought, a feeling.
She took a deep breath and faced Ace. "Save her, make sure she gets out of here alive, promise me." He looked like he wanted to argue, but didn't.
He just nodded and said, "I promise." Ace finally moved from his spot over to the baby.
He looked at Dawn one last time, gave her a soft, warm smile and told her, "Be brave, I know you can." and disappeared, leaving Dawn feeling something she'd never felt before, but she didn't have enough time to interpret it.
She took a final deep breath and let the elements consume her.
I will survive.