For the first week, after that awful incident, I
stayed at the cottage and cried. Just when I thought I was all cried out and my
body couldn’t take any more fresh tears ripped through me, leaving me feeling
drained; both emotionally and physically.
The
feeling of helplessness ripped through me as I would drift in and out of
consciousness. Everything swirled around me in a blur. Only one thing I was
sure of……………….the rain. It beat down heavily, not letting up in the slightest.
It seemed to echo my sorrow. However, I knew the cause of the rain and this
brought fresh waves of sadness, humiliation and anger. How dare he be sad!
Towards
the end of the week was when the fire inside me began to grow. It was unlike
anything I had ever felt before. It started in my heart; the flames building
with every pulsating beat. Then slowly it spread, causing me both pain and
anguish. I would scream in horror as the feeling of being cooked from the
inside out took hold of me.
My
parents looked on helplessly, unsure of what was happening or how to stop it.
Dr Hammersmith arrived and concern was etched on his face as he watched me
squirm in unprecedented torture.
“Help
me” I begged of him one day as he sat beside my bed “Please. Help me” The fire
was burning my throat, making it difficult for me to talk.
Often
I would catch glimpses of my body as I tried to see any of the flames, but my
skin remained untainted. To an outsider I just looked like someone with a
slight fever. Oh how I wished that was true.
“Here.
Take this” Dr Hammersmith told me one morning as he burst into the cottage
carrying a bottle of orange liquid.
Not
waiting for a response he lifted me up and placed the bottle to my lips as he
urged me to drink.
The
liquid was thick and slimy and at first I was repulsed and tried to break away
“You must drink” He urged as he tilted the bottle to my lips once more. I
relented and drank deeply, finishing the whole bottle.
At
first nothing happened as my panic stricken eyes stared at Dr Hammersmith. But
just as I was about to ask him what it was he had given me and why it wasn’t
working, when something strange started to happen.
“Oh”
I gasped as the feeling of ice coursed through my veins, slowly dispersing the
fire within and making it recede back to where it had come from as it slowly
shrank and retracted back to my heart; where it faded with a fizzle and a hiss.
Like the sound when someone throws water over a fire. “Wow” I leaned my head
back down on my pillow and closed my eyes.
Everywhere
and everyone went quiet as everything seemed to wait with bated breath to see
if the drink had worked and what were the effects. The only sound that could be
heard was the sound of the rain that was lashing at the windows.
“That’s
it!” My mum, Kate, seethed. “I’ve had enough!” Anger ripped through her as she
stood riveted to the floor near the doorway. “We have to make him stop” Her
eyes closed, her head tilted up and her arms outstretched, with palms facing
up, just as tiny sparks started to leave her fingertips. My dad, John, quickly
followed suit. His eyes closed as his head tilted up. He then grabbed my mums
hand as I watched in awe just as thunder and lightning ripped through the
skies, just outside the cottage, making me jump. I had never seen them do this
before and it was truly breath-taking.
No sooner had it started then my mums
mobile phone started to ring. Silently, Dr Hammersmith stood up and retrieved
the phone from the night stand.
“Hello
Kelly” I could hear the panic in Kelly’s voice as she spoke, in what sounded
like, at supersonic speed. “Alright dear. Yes, yes. It will stop” He nodded
before saying goodbye and replacing the phone back down. “Time to stop” His
voice soothed as he looked at my parents. “The rain will cease”
I
watched as my parents eyes slowly opened and their arms fell to their sides.
They gave each other a triumphant smile just as someone knocked on the front
door.
“Can
I come in?” I heard Scott call as he opened the door.
