Call Me Fire

CHAPTER V

'HE IS HERE--' 

"Hey, are you even listening?" Jen's high-pitch squeak pulled Tonya's attention from the doorway. 

It was a Monday morning, and she was back to her volunteer work, sitting with the kids inside Klaire City's library while holding the same brown dragon book they were debating about the last time.

Her movements were bored and slow when she turned to the little girl whose arms were in an akimbo at that time. Rolling her eyes, Tonya took a deep breath, closed the book on her lap, and held her want to send the evil child back to 'whomsoever -womb' the kid came from. 'God, why did you create a kid as obnoxious as this?' she thought before spatting out, "Anything you need, little missy?" 

"I'm telling you, we only want that book."

"But we just finished it." 

"And so?" 

"Time for another---" Tonya's voice got stuck in her throat when a familiar gushed of wind made it through the door for the second time within that day. But unlike how aggressive it came earlier, rushed between her thighs, and had her looking at the door frozen, the invisible heat was kinder now. It was just resting on the back of her neck as if kissing her tenderly like a lover and urging her to close her eyes. 'Oh...'

"Read it again, please." Saab pulled on the hem of her skirt and made her looked down amid the sensation building in her veins. "You can start with the curse if you like. Then we'll try to make up names to guess the dragon's name. Whoever comes up with the prettiest name wins!" The child blinked exaggeratedly after the suggestion, obviously convincing her to go back to the book. "Please, Tonya..."

"But--"

"Come on. Let's play!" Brendon chirped.

"Pretty pretty, please..." Linda agreed, clapping her tiny hands excitedly while elbowing Saab, who was still clinging to her skirt.

"Yay! We'll play!" Tom pushed the envelope harder by standing up and jumping like a kangaroo high on energy drinks.

Like a ripple in a river, the single reaction from Jen started getting bigger and bigger until all twelve children before Tonya seemingly transformed from little humans to hyper chimpanzees – running, laughing, and all trying to win her over with their brilliant idea. 

"O'right! O'rigth! I'll say the curse." Tonya rolled her eyes in defeat. Her attention was divided between the invisible heat gently embracing her this time and the kids. She could feel her sweat rolling down her back and sensually tickled her spine. Her heartbeat was booming when she felt the invisible heat on her nape bit her skin-- like it was made of something solid, kissing her playfully before silently laughing. She took a deep breath to keep the pleasure from showing on her face. Then waving her hand to get everyone's attention, she added, "But just the curse part, okay? It's up to you guys to do what's next."

She waited for all the kids to behave. Given how fevered they were with the game, controlling them came easy, and in less than a minute, they were all back to sitting on the floor cross-legged, listening attentively to her when she opened her mouth without flipping a single page. 

She didn't have to read the curse anymore. She already did it a few times, and she already memorized it by heart.

"Okay future dictators, you guys better listen carefully," she joked out, squaring her slender shoulders. Then, giving each kid her sweetest grin, she dramatically started chanting from the top of her head.

"Thou, Dragon of Escovia...

Who had bathe in the blood of hundred men,

Endless, thou art shall walk this world..."

And so, she went on and on...

.

.

.

.

THIS WAS THE PART WHERE FIRE SHOULD RUN.

Period.

Actually, if he still had the ability to fly out, he would doubtlessly flap his wings instead and break through one of the glass panels covering the windows.

It was just that he had lost that ability since the day he was cursed. Thus, he remained frozen and couldn't even lift his feet from that place's floorboard. 

His terrified obsidian eyes were wide open as he stared blankly at the bookcase before him. He was unable to speak or even breathe when dozens of different voices started screaming one after another from a room nearby.

"Ara... Ara... Arabella!"

"Aron."

"No, honey, it should start with 'Arag.'" He easily recognized that sweet voice, and the fact that she mentioned half of his forbidden name got his whole body shivered in fear. 

"Okay, kids. I'll make this more fun since it is my day off from the coffee shop." The owner of the sweetest voice cleared her throat before adding, "Whoever comes up with the most valid name will get a short mall visit with me. Give it your best shot, darlings. Arag?"

"Arugula!"

"That's a vegetable, Linda. Any other guess?"

'Bloody hell!' His mouth opened, realizing that they were playing with his name -- the kids and Tonya, who happened to be rumored as his filthy unacceptable mortal mate! They obliviously didn't have a single clue of what would happen once they successfully guess his name. More so, the things he could do to them once he lost his temper.

"How about you, Lily. Would you like to guess the dragon's name?"

'Stop!' Fire couldn't recall when did he get his wits back. He was close to losing his mind when he bolted as fast as he could towards the room where the noises were coming from. His breath was faltering, and the closer their guesses got, the hotter the bones on his back burned hotly, like it was trying to melt the skin covering his spine so his dragon wings could tear out.

‘Bloody imbeciles, stop!’ He gritted his teeth in pain upon feeling the tip of his wings made that first stab out of his skin. If it weren't for the leather jacket he was wearing, all the people there could have seen the flaming claw-like edges that poked out of his upper back. 'Damn! Stop! You need to stop!

'

"Oh, Jesus--"

"Get out of my way." He must have been too forceful when he pushed the dirty mortal woman who accidentally blocked his way. However, he couldn't care less about all the books that flew out from her arms when he shoved her to the wall and passed her by.

He was in a hurry. His eyes were changing colors almost every second -- from soft obsidian to murderous gold with a red slit in the middle similar to snakes. The tingling on his arms was blazing as his scales discreetly started covering him under his long sleeves.

He was at the edge of untimely turning into a complete beast, and this wasn't the right time!

Not inside this library.

Not in this generation.

And definitely not in the middle of this city, which was packed with dirty mortals who were destined to kill him as soon as he got his full form back!

.

.

.

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TONYA WAS INTENTIONALLY AVOIDING THE 'EVIL CHILD' WITHIN THE MOB.

Why? Because she knew Jen was a genius, and the kid would easily end the game fast. She was beginning to enjoy what they were doing, more so, the cheerful vibes of the kids. She had always loved children anyway, except for her least favorite... Jen, it was, of course.

"Armani!"

"You're making that up, Veronica. That sounds like a branded suit." She scrunched her nose, looking away from the genius who was beginning to stare at her like a restless frog. Jen was jumping up and down from the back of the team with both of her hands desperately raised up and her tiny feet on tiptoes.

"I think I know the answer!" Jen kept chirping excitedly, not giving up even when Tonya was obviously evading her. "I have a guess, Tonya! Look here! Look at me--"

"Brendon, how about you?" she completely deadpanned the girl in pigtails and turned to the child who was sitting closest to her. "Come on, make something up."

"But I..." Brendon shrugged his shoulders after dragging his word. His eyes were wide with confusion when he spoke again. "But I already guessed twice, Tonya. I can't think of any names anymore."

"Me! Me! Me!"

"Come on, Brendon." Tonya pretended not to hear Jen, leaning down to the boy with a smile. "Give me a name. Just any name."

"I really can't think of any." The little boy exasperated, lifting both of his small hands to gesture 'no more'.

"Tonya..." That was still Jen, calling her name and sounding like she was about to die soon if she wouldn't get her a chance. "Tonya, please... Tonya, I wanna answer too. Call me..."

Tonya cussed under her breathe when Jen's voice went louder. Her desperation to find someone else to answer went up a notch. Scanning the pool of kids in front of her, her bored eyes were forced to stop at the only child there that she hadn't called yet. She sighed aloud while palming her face. Although she didn't want to, she was left with no choice but to point the last child. "Fine. What's your guess, little missy?"

Little Jen beamed in an instant upon recognizing her time to shine. Looking boastful, she lifted her chin and then pushed her thick glasses up her nose bridge. It made the kid looked like she was about to explain the mystery behind Aliens and Quantum Physics instead. "Tonya. I want a Booboo Talking Doll later once we get to the mall."

"Oh my God, Jen." Tonya rolled her eyes upon hearing the child's demand. "Stop being so dramatic and just give your answer--"

"His name is Arago--"

A shrill scream followed by banging distressed stomps of hundred feet cut through Jen's words. Tonya and her twelve wards stood up in horror, altogether looking at the sudden commotion just outside the door.

They saw smoke – black and thick as it started to enter where they were. The wall facing the open door looked brighter, too, not because of the bulb attached to the ceiling but because of the amber flame crawling on it like a monster eating its prey.

'Holy s**t--'

"FIRE! EVERYONE EVACUATE THE PLACE! THE LIBRARY IS ON FIRE!"