Taking Time To Heal

It had been weeks since Evan nearly burned Layla to death. Because of the way things had happened everyone felt it was best to treat her within the community instead of taking her to a local hospital. It was the way of the mystics to assimilate into the Common's world and this meant there were a few highly trained medical professionals in the village that could oversee Layla's recovery.

The good news was that her external injuries were healing quite nicely with each new skin graft procedure. The bad news was that she hadn't gained full consciousness yet. She had been only awake for a few brief moments and each time she asked for someone named Cole. She cried yet no tears came out. Then there was all the screaming, not of pain as Sarah would explain since the nerve damage and morphine left Layla nearly completely numb, the screaming had more to do with emotional pain.

Evan has refused to talk to anyone since the incident. He's stayed in the dark bedroom only coming out to use the bathroom or eat the occasional meal. Sarah told the school he was home battling mono, but how long could that last? Adam kept trying to visit Layla, but each time he did his heart had become consumed with pain and Sarah made him leave. Adam had always known there was some buried hurt within Layla although he had never been able to break past her barriers to find out exactly why. Now that she was too weak to keep him out he felt it all. It amazed him how she carried this with her all these years without managing to completely self destruct.

Calla found Adam sitting by the creek one afternoon. She reached out her hand. Her soft brown eyes said the words her mouth could not. I am your friend, I am here for you if you will let me be. He took her hand and did not let go as she guided him through the woods. He didn't ask where they were going or why. This was a well needed distraction.

They came upon a large oak tree. Without hesitation she began to climb it and he followed right behind her until the reached the very top. The view was incredible. Without saying anything she pointed to some of their favorite spots below: their kindergarten bus stop, the creek they were just at, each of their homes, and lastly their training grounds.

She rested her hand on his shoulder, "You are a natural empath. What an amazing gift to have."

"I wouldn't call it amazing. Right now I kind of envy Evan for being able to shut everything off and not care and walk away."

"You really think he doesn't care?"

"I don't know what to believe at this point. It was an accident, I get that. But Layla could have died. She could still die and the one who caused it all isn't here to face the damage he's done. How is that even fair?"

Adam looked right into those large brown eyes searching for some kind of answer. A child of earth should be calm, rational, and thoughtful. She was the best person to sooth him right now. "Evan is hurting too. More than either of us will ever know. He didn't ask for this, none of us did, but here we are. Look down at the world Adam, this is all so much bigger than some kids born into the mystics. We are still human and sometimes that means we end up hurting those we care about most."

He thought about this for a moment. Maybe he wasn't so different from his brother after all. For nearly Evan's entire life he has struggled to control his natural abilities and he didn't have anyone born of fire to show him how. Layla was great, but even she had her limitations. Now Adam was facing his first real challenge with his own abilities.

Calla smiled, "I know what you're thinking. You can't turn off what you feel, but you can use it to your advantage. Empathy is the ability to connect with other people. This helps you help them."

"That's easy for you to say."

She looked hurt, "You think this isn't affecting me too? I am a child of earth, the earth feels all so therefore I feel it too. Of course not as directly or as strongly as someone of water. But I know love and loss and pain just like everyone else."

She starts to climb back down, but Adam reaches out for her hand. "Calla I'm sorry, please stay with me."

She takes his hand intertwining her fingers with his. Then she moves closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder. Adam had no clue that part of the pain Calla felt was the longing for something she could never have.