Roxie raises her hands and I watch as she uses her power to push the flames back towards their source. A man dressed in black pants and a red,yellow and orange shirt that appears to have been tie dyed so that he looks like walking flames. He absorbs the fire into his palms and through his mouth. He let's out a puff of smoke and leers at my girls. He speaks to them, but I can't make it out from so high up. I imagine wrapping hands around his neck and squeezing the life out of him. I know that's not a possibility so I lower myself and breeze around Roxie and Misha hoping they can feel me.
At that moment an all black SUV screeches to a halt in front of them and I return to the trees. Alexis my brother's best friend exits the vehicle and looks around. She's enraged by the spectacle and it's written clearly on her face. Alexis sits down with her back to one of the trees and places one hand on the trunk and the other hand on the ground. I start to lower myself again and the deep longing to help returns. I see the crater start to seal just before Roxie grabs Misha and makes a break for it to the waiting SUV. The driver leans out of the window and I see my big brother looking stricken. He and Roxie are beckoning to Alexis. I learned what feels like a very long time ago that Alexis' impure blood line limits her ability to use her powers and recover. I focus again and see that not only did she close the crater but she created a barrier of tree branches that is now being burned to ash. Alexis slumps against the tree. She is now completely drained and the SUV that carries my wife, daughter and brother speeds away. The man wearing the ridiculous outfit gives up his efforts to burn through the barrier and runs off in the opposite direction.
My energy hovers in front of Alexis and I beg mother earth and father God to make me whole again. A few moments pass and the there is a change in the wind that only I can detect as I'm now just as much a part of the wind as it is of me. The wind picks up faster and stronger whirling around my energy and I begin to have a sensation that I am back in the world. I stretch what feels like an arm out in front of me and see what looks to be a ghostly version of one. I do the same with one of my legs then the other. I have a corporal form again at least a version of one.
"Alexis" I whisper barely making a sound. She does not stir and I see the palm that's resting on the bottom trunk of the tree starting to join with it. The bark has begun to creep over her hand and the skin there is starting to change to the color or bark. "Alexis" I shout this time and it comes out with the force of a hurricane. Her eyes open and she looks at me in shock.
"Well I've died" she says. "I'm glad I went out in a blaze of glory" she says with a slight smirk.
"You're not dead" I say. "I am, sort of. but you've got life left in you. So you have to get up and get inside"
"What?" She asks still in disbelief. "Jayson? You better not be alive or I'm gonna have to kick your ass for leaving Roxie alone with a baby."
"Look it's a long story and I don't know how much time I'll have in this ghost form. First things first you need to get your hand off that tree before you become a part of it permanently". Alexis struggles but after a few tries she manages to break free of the tree. She lifts her other hand from under the pile of dirt that had begun to creep its way over her body hoping to keep her once she was ready to be fully returned to the earth. Alexis gets to her feet then heads to the cabin limping and taking heavy breaths the whole way. I float behind her in my ghostly form. When Alexis finally reaches the cabin she opens the door and steps inside. Before I follow I ask "do you think they'll come back"
"No. They think I'm dead. No one will be coming back here" she replies. I float in after her and she slams the door shut behind me.
