Chapter Four

 

My racing heart gradually subsided, the calming reality of my hospital room registering in my brain, followed soon after by a grating irritation of Sully’s willingness to impress Bethany Donovan. “Thought you’d still be with Bethany,” I muttered.

“Bethany?” Sully replied with surprise. “Why’s that?”

I rolled my eyes. Hadn’t he noticed her fawning over him, right by my bedside? “Oh, I dunno,” I said, heavy on the sarcasm. “Maybe because she likes you?”

“Me? You really think so?” he said. His expression changed, suddenly remembering that we’d almost kissed before she arrived.

It’s better this way, I reminded myself, ignoring the ache in my heart.

“I’m sorry, Jordan,” Sully explained. “I just showed her the way to Cam’s room.”

“Always the helpful one, aren’t you?” I grumbled and rolled onto my side away from him. Scenes from my dream repeated in vivid detail—lava pooling on the floor, my white-hot molten touch, Sully’s casual entrance that nearly cost him his life. No matter how hard I squeezed my eyes shut, I couldn’t rid the nightmarish images from my mind.

Sully let out an exasperated sigh. “All right. What is it this time? I mean, I left you and you were fine. And then I come back a few minutes later and you’re thrashing around on your bed. You can’t really be that mad about Bethany, right?”

I closed my eyes, steadying my nerves. Slowly, I rolled back to face Sully and gazed into his pale blue eyes. “You’re right. I’m not.”

A smile brightened his face. “Okay, then. So what is it?”

Under other circumstances, I would have buried my thoughts deep inside. But I could trust Sully, even if he didn’t entirely believe everything I said. And right now, I had no one else to trust. “It’s Cam’s angel. She keeps visiting me in my dreams.”

Sully attempted to hide his snorting laughter behind his hand. When the tears of hilarity faded from his eyes, he exclaimed, “Cam’s angel? Don’t tell me you actually believe his story?”

“How else do you think I knew so much about her?”

He shrugged. “I just figured you’re pretty good at making stuff up.”

I rolled my eyes again. “She sent me a message. Not only do I owe her for saving Cam’s life and for healing me, but I believe she can teach me to protect those I love.” I might never have a normal life, but I could prevent the Elementals from taking anyone else from me…assuming I found her. “Only I’ve got a huge problem.”

“Yeah?” Sully asked as one eyebrow lifted dramatically high on his forehead.

I sighed, still unsure he believed a single word. “I don’t have a clue who she is, much less how to find her.”

“Well, maybe I can help,” Sully offered. He settled back in his chair and rotated his hat around backward the way he usually did when he wanted to focus. “What did she look like again?”

“She’s beautiful. Very beautiful. And she’s got a quick temper. She can make a volcano erupt. And her hair is super long and ends in lava.”

“Makes volcanoes erupt? Hair like lava? Hmm…gimme a sec,” Sully said whipping out his phone.

I frowned. I crossed my arms over my chest and blew the hair from my eyes, wondering why I always placed a distant second to that small, inanimate object.

He turned the screen toward me to display an illustration. “You mean like this?”

My jaw hit the floor. I stared at the picture on his tiny screen, unable to believe my eyes. “Oh. My. God,” I gasped in disbelief. Her face looked as beautiful as I remembered, with high cheekbones and full lips. She wore a crown of red flowers around her head. Long black locks trailed from strong shoulders to form the sweeping slopes of a mountain. The ends of her hair glowed hot with molten lava contacting the sea. The artist even portrayed the fiery temper that flared within the woman’s warm brown eyes.

“Who is she?” I dared.

“That’s Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire,” Sully explained. “Some people say you can find her by the active volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii.”

I blinked. “How do you know all that?”

“I’m not a total wash in history.” Sully chuckled and puffed out his chest proudly. “I actually remembered a couple of stories from when my family vacationed in Hawaii a few years back.”

For a second, I recalled the puddle of spittle that collected on Sully’s desk during Mr. Tabor’s US History lesson and tried not to laugh. “If only Mr. Tabor knew the real you,” I joked.

“If only,” he agreed. His smile widened into that same cute one he’d flashed me before—the one I chastised myself for finding so alluring. I wished I had a strategy to help me focus on my task at hand that worked as well as Sully’s spinning baseball cap routine. Because right now I couldn’t think about anything besides finishing our interrupted kiss.

Luckily, Sully remained in focus-mode. His fingers flew over the miniscule keyboard on his phone as he spoke. “Sometimes these upstart airlines have pretty good last-minute deals…oh, wait, here’s one called Skyways Air.”

A shudder ran up my spine. The name alone scared me, dredging up memories of my last contact with the Air Elemental.

But Sully didn’t seem to notice my reservation. “It says they fly into Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii.”

“Hee-low?” I repeated, my eyebrows crinkling on top of my head.

“Yep. And their one-way tickets start as low as $99.”

I frowned. “I don’t have that much money.” I supposed there was no need to tell him I don’t have any money at all or a place to stay, now that Celia forbade me anywhere near her boys.

“So? You can borrow it from me,” he offered.

Shaking my head, I said, “Sully, I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I can’t ask you to—”

“Think of it as a gift.” He shifted in his chair before continuing. “And all you have to do in return is set a date for me.”

“A date?” I asked, surprised at his suggestion. Perhaps he wasn’t as interested in Bethany as I’d thought. “But how is that possible? I won’t be anywhere near you.”

He held up his phone. “It’s easy. We can see each other using the Internet. It’s like a phone call with a video feed.”

“But I don’t have a phone,” I objected. “Or a computer.”

“No, but libraries do—and you can use it for free.” He looked back at his phone, quickly touching the screen to flip to the calendar mode. “In a few days, I’ll be starting up a new job that’ll carry over into the summer. My parents said I had to start saving for college, y’know.”

“You did? Doing what?”

“Construction. A lot of places need fixing up after the superstorm’s tsunami hit Pacifica.”

“You mean Hydros’s tsunami.”

“Regardless,” he continued, “why don’t we just plan to talk when I’m done with work? Like a phone date.”

My mind fixated on his last word, even though I’d be halfway across the sea. A broad smile filled my face. “Deal,” I agreed, no longer trying to hide the rising blush in my cheeks. I’d still get to talk to Sully every day. I deliberately ignored the voice in my head that reminded me I had no guarantee I’d ever make it back to California and see him in person. But I could figure that out later, certain Pele wouldn’t let me return until my job was done…if I even survived that long.

“Hey, look! They’ve got a ticket left for tomorrow,” Sully added. “After you get released, I can take you to the airport, if you’d like.”

I had to admit Sully was sweet, just as Bethany had said. “You don’t need to do that.”

He shrugged. “Maybe I want to say good-bye.”

My heart fluttered inside my chest, wondering if I’d get a second chance at that kiss. “I’d like that,” I admitted.

“But this time, I’m driving,” he said. An infectious grin spread across his face.

I couldn’t keep myself from smiling back, perhaps a little too wide for my own good.

I would’ve given anything for one last ride on Sully’s motorcycle to the airport, letting the wind whip through my clothes as I clung tightly to his body. I longed for the sensation of zipping up and down the hills leading into the city, along the same route I’d used to escape the tsunami. But Sully didn’t want to strain my injury, even though it seemed fully healed to me. So, I had to settle with sneaking glances at him across the console of the rental the insurance company had provided while they sorted out the claim on his sister Vanessa’s crushed car.

Since I was under eighteen and had never flown before, airport security permitted Sully to pass through the checkpoint and accompany me as a personal escort. Once security finished scanning my backpack full of borrowed clothes from Vanessa, we continued to my departure gate. We walked side by side past one gift store after another, strategically situated to entice last-minute shoppers before they boarded the plane. Racks of postcards stood outside each store, displaying colorful images of the sights of cable cars traversing San Francisco’s famously steep roads, the Golden Gate Bridge immersed in a sea of fog, towering Redwood forests, and the old island prison of Alcatraz. I stopped for a moment when my eye caught a picture of the Bay Bridge spanning the distance between the city and Oakland. Only now it lay in ruins, completely unusable. I visualized the scenes from the news report of irritated motorists stranded in mile-long traffic jams and the unfathomable number of man hours required to repair the structure…all because I couldn’t get off the bridge in time. I never should have let my heart get in the way of my decisions.

“C’mon,” Sully said, placing one arm over my shoulder to direct me away from the souvenir stand.

Still, the images reminded of the nightmarish threat I posed to him. Even though I had tried to warn him before, he chose to come back. I attempted to block the horrifying thoughts from my mind and rid them from my memory. I made a solemn promise that with Pele’s help, I would never cause him harm again.

In the waiting area, the TV monitors highlighted one news story after another, each more depressing than the last. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat, wishing to say good-bye to Sully, but finding it impossible to concentrate with the newscaster’s horrific tales of accidents, shootings, drownings, and suicides. Our conversation resorted to small talk as travelers crowded the seating area.

“Sorry Micah couldn’t be here to see you off,” he finally said. I noticed his eyes had difficulty meeting mine.

I slipped my hand inside of his. “I understand. Cam needs him now, anyway.” Plus, he’s got Tessa. Someone Celia approves of. “Thanks again for all of your help,” I added. “I really couldn’t have done this without you.”

Sully glanced at the time on his phone. “They’ll be boarding soon,” he noted.

I nodded, my anxiety levels rising, as we sat in awkward silence, each avoiding the other one’s gaze.

The Skyways Air gate attendant took her position behind the check-in counter. She pulled her hair tightly up in a high ponytail that bobbed with every slight motion of her head. Her heavy makeup strongly accentuated her angled cheekbones. Wearing a white button-down shirt beneath a fitted navy blazer and a matching mini skirt, she raised the microphone up to her ruby lips, a signal to begin. The intercom buzzed with an alto voice, heavily encrypted in loud background static. “We will now begin pre-boarding for Skyways Flight 1107 with service to Hilo. All passengers who are traveling with children or need extra time are welcome to board.”

I looked at Sully and felt suddenly very confused now that I had to leave. I liked Micah. Okay, scratch that. I had liked Micah, but couldn’t have him. But a small part of me had never stopped liking Sully. Was it the fear of the Elementals that initially drove me away from him? Or my desire to win Micah’s affection?

It seemed so long ago, I couldn’t recall the minor details. All I knew now was Sully had always been there for me—picking me up on his motorcycle on the long walk home from school, taking me out for pizza after I flunked out of Driver’s Ed, and waiting by my bedside when I finally revived. Shouldn’t that be enough of a reason to like him?

The intercom buzzed again as the gate attendant continued her boarding procedure. “Now boarding Rows fifteen through thirty on Flight 1107 to Hilo.”

I glanced at my ticket with row number twenty-eight written in bold ink. Shooting Sully an apologetic look for my lame good-bye, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and stepped into the long line of passengers. Suddenly, I second-guessed whether I should leave at all. But the words I wanted to say to him inconveniently stuck inside my throat.

“Now boarding all rows for Hilo Flight 1107,” the gate attendant declared over the static of the intercom.

Sully gave me a small, sad wave and turned to leave. His shoulders slumped as he walked away, filled with disappointment. I knew I should board the plane without looking back, but sought comfort in his familiarity. A swift terror to venture into the unknown consumed my heart. I knew I couldn’t risk repeating the tragedy on the Bay Bridge. It was too dangerous for me to stay, regardless of my feelings. And if I intended to destroy the remaining Elementals, I must act now. That was the reason I needed Pele’s help. The reason I must leave.

I watched Sully walk away, wishing my decision wasn’t so difficult. I hoped he’d look back so I could say good-bye one last time.

A deep frown settled over my face as I stepped forward in line. Half a dozen people remained ahead of me, each waiting to present their boarding passes to the flight attendant. I glanced over my shoulder again before bolting from the line.

“Sully!” I called, sprinting to catch him. He turned, his head cocked to one side in a quizzical way.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, confused.

“Nothing, it’s just that…” My voice trailed off, unexpectedly at a loss for words. Unable to convey all my thoughts toward him, I took a step closer, bridging the gap between us. Rooted to his spot, his eyes held mine. And that was all the confirmation I needed.

My conscience warned me to return to the line and board the plane so I wouldn’t complicate our precarious relationship, but my emotions suddenly overruled logic. Before I could stop myself, I stood on tiptoes, pressing my lips softly to his. A look of pleasant surprise quickly replaced the initial shock registered across Sully’s face.

I kissed him without reservation. I knew I didn’t deserve this, not for how I’d treated him in the past. Still, I couldn’t break away from our kiss. Fear had a funny way of clouding my emotions and influencing my actions. Now with the element of fear minimized after Hydros’s death and the superstorm receding from the Bay Area, I could relax slightly and appreciate Sully. Especially when he was here with me now…

And Micah wasn’t.

“Final boarding call for Flight 1107 with service to Hilo,” the gate attendant declared over the crackling intercom.

I broke away from our kiss and peeked nervously at the door of the Jetway, my boarding pass clenched in my fist. The flight attendant looked at me disapprovingly for complicating her job.

“I don’t think I’m ready,” I admitted to Sully.

“But I thought you said this was the only way you’d get the answers you need.”

The intercom buzzed again with the gate attendant’s irritated call. “Paging Skyways passenger Jordan Smith,” she announced. I glanced over my shoulder. The woman pursed her lips and tapped her foot on the floor, waiting impatiently. Looking me straight in the eye, she raised the microphone to her lips once more. “Jordan Smith, please return to Gate D3 so your plane can depart on time.”

“Guess it’s time,” Sully said with a crooked smile.

Trepidation filled my body, uncertain of what lay ahead.

Sully planted a quick peck on my cheek. “You’ll do great. I know you will.”

I smiled thanks as the intercom buzzed again. “Just a reminder, this is the final boarding call for Flight 1107 with service to Hilo. All passengers must board at this time.”

I shot the gate attendant a pleading look, desperate for one last minute before they closed the Jetway doors. She replied by tapping her index finger to the face of her golden wristwatch in an aggravated way. Maybe she needed to loosen that ponytail and relax a tiny bit.

“Hey,” Sully said, brushing his fingers across my cheek to get my attention again. “I’m still here for you. Remember that, okay?” He gave my hand a final squeeze.

I braved a smile, grabbed my bags, and dashed for the door. The gate attendant set the microphone upon the counter. Her three-inch heels clicked on the protective floor mat as she met me by the gate, her ruby lips turning into a smug smile. Snatching my boarding pass from my hand, she scanned it with a jerky motion. “Welcome aboard. It’s nice of you to make it,” she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. She thrust the paper back into my waiting palm.

Stepping onto the Jetway, I turned to give Sully one last wave good-bye before the gate attendant closed the door on my face.

I raced down the Jetway, my backpack thumping against my body with every stride. I entered the cabin, feeling suddenly very hot in Vanessa’s tight jeans. I took a deep, unsatisfying breath of the recirculated air, confining and stale in my lungs. Unable to meet the irritated faces of the flight attendants busy with last-minute preparations, I headed for my seat. Walking down the narrow aisle, I felt the weight of many passengers’ eyes upon me, appearing anxious to depart on time.

I squeezed past two passengers and plopped into the last vacant spot on the entire aircraft, and crammed my backpack under the seat in front of me, wishing I packed fewer clothes since now I couldn’t stretch my legs. At least I stowed my bag nearby if I had to make a hasty exit. Looking out the window, I subconsciously tapped on the double panes of glass—too hard for me to break through, and hopefully thick enough to prevent Skye from detecting my presence in her realm.

Relax, Jordan, I told myself, inhaling a few deep breaths, thinking about the details Sully recounted about flying. Skye didn’t know I was here…and I’d like to keep it that way. I needed to focus on finding Pele. Nothing else.

While the flight attendants explained the list of safety procedures for this aircraft, I ran through possible escape plans in the event Skye caused the plane to fall out of the air. Unfortunately, none of my scenarios seemed encouraging to guarantee everyone’s survival.

Worse, the lovesick honeymooners in the seat in front of me wouldn’t stop kissing each other long enough to take a breath. I couldn’t tell which made me feel more nauseous: the rattling of the airplane wheels across the tarmac, or hearing the bride call her new husband pet names like “Baby” and “Hubby” in her sugary voice during those brief moments when their lips parted.

“Flight Attendants, prepare for departure,” announced the pilot’s broken voice over the cabin speakers.

A nervous energy consumed my gut. The pilot’s voice filled the speakers, announcing our status as next in line for takeoff. I reached for the fan on the console above my head, hoping the breeze would soothe my nerves. The plane’s jets roared at maximum power. Seconds later, the forward burst of speed thrust me backward in my seat, my stomach moving in the opposite direction of my body. This was a really bad idea, but I couldn’t turn back now.

At liftoff, the sudden change in the cabin pressure made my ears scream, on the verge of exploding. I imagined the view leaving the city of San Francisco edging the Bay normally would’ve been beautiful, if the Bay Bridge hadn’t lain in ruins, its upper level collapsed upon the outbound traffic below. I looked away, another wave of guilt consuming my soul, certain it would take an awfully long time to repair the damage I’d caused. The media had attributed the damage to nature—the worst storm to smother the area in more than one hundred years. Still, the weight of the disaster weighed heavy on my soul, especially now that I witnessed its magnitude from above.

The familiar sights of the Bay Area quickly grew faint leaving the coastline. I soon saw nothing beyond the deep blue ocean that extended all the way to the horizon. A new sickening feeling filled my stomach. I glanced out the window, loathing the sea. It reminded me of how much I hated Hydros for ordering William Mills’s death back in Salem Village. I did what I had to do. Now she was gone and could never again hurt anyone I loved.

A sea of clouds soon obscured my view of the ocean. Drained, exhaustion consumed me. I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes, the light motion of the plane soon lulling me to sleep.

I woke abruptly to the pilot’s warning over the intercom, requesting all passengers to securely fasten their seat belts. Violent turbulence shook the plane simultaneously up and down. My tired eyes jolted into sudden alertness. I stared out the window, frightened I might lose my last meal. Outside, a dense black cloud resembling the shape of the head of an anvil towered high above the others. Its flattened top stood massively tall, protruding into the darkness. The sky quickly shifted to the black of nightfall. Rain pelted the glass, striking the window and blowing ferociously toward the rear of the plane.

I made a mistake in entering the Air Elemental’s realm. My stomach lurched as the plane shook and unexpectedly dropped through the air. I feared for the safety of these innocent travelers and clasped my hands together, praying the pilot’s skill would overcome the worsening weather. The anvil-headed cloud’s blackened features appeared to twist and contort until they resembled the face of Skye, but in reverse. Skye’s pale features appeared to transform into their ghastly negative image similar to the X-ray of my broken arm in the emergency room in Pacifica.

While the newlyweds in front of me whispered frantic admissions of love, I scolded myself for flying at all. This flight was far riskier than I’d originally guessed. Skye still found me, even concealed inside the metal hull of the plane.

My knuckles turned white when bold flashes of lightning pierced the coal-black sky outside. Sully meant well, but his efforts were in vain. I’d never reach Pele, never complete my training, and never learn how to protect the ones I loved.

Because I wouldn’t survive this trip.

A very loud crack—like the boom from a cannon—rocked the plane. The hurried conversations and reciting of prayers stopped instantly as the cabin plunged into absolute silence. I closed my eyes, certain that deafening sound marked the end of our time on this earth.