Prologue
Rita had never been in the back of a police car before and hoped she never would have to be again. It was stuffy, hot and smelled of something weird but that wasn’t the worst of it. Outside of the police car and being lifted into the back of an ambulance was her little cousin, blackened from the fire.
She wanted to curse and shout. Bang her fists against the window but she also wanted to cry.
It was all Kevin’s fault for being a bloody idiot and getting her into this mess. Yet as the sirens started to whir and the ambulance doors banged shut she found the thoughts clogging in her throat. She watched with dread as her cousin was driven away past the surrounding policemen and women who didn't seem to know what to do with themselves. Rita blinked slowly, trying to get the sting out of her eyes and then the car door opened and a young policeman stooped down to look at her.
“You okay Miss Teal?” He asked gently. “I got you a cuppa.” He pressed a polystyrene cup into her hand.
She nodded mutely, feeling that it would be impossible to speak without spilling her guts onto the car floor. She was far from okay, okay seemed to be sailing quickly away and had no hopes of coming back.
“I’m going to have t’ take you down to the station, just t' clear some things and we’ve called your ma and da. They’ll be coming to pick you up as soon as they can.” He tried a reassuring smile then closed the door and moved into the driver’s seat and she stared at the back of his head.
What the hell was she going to tell them?!
That part of the explosion had been her fault? That she had set most of the trees on fire herself? That…that she had walked through fire itself to grab the boys and Kevin and hadn’t come to an inch of harm.
How could she tell them that she, Rita Teal, could control fire and didn’t have the foggiest idea why or how?
