Burning Slow

I am running on spite and fury.

Ember had been dreading the whole five hours. She didn't waste any of them but she didn't enjoy it either.

Once her alarm went off for elven pm, she made sure that everyone was asleep before leaving the house. She was dressed in all black to not attract too much attention to herself. As Nathan told them that they wouldn't get infected with the virus thanks to Grace, she left the house with ease, even without a mask.

#23 Oakland Street, Portaveno

She stared up at the house, her face scrunched up in confusion. She expected an abandoned house, not a homey looking one. For a second, she wondered if this was a trap before realizing that Grace wouldn't do that. Grace had a plan and she had to believe in it.

She took a deep breathe before entering the house; the door left unlocked.

"Of all the places in the world, why choose a location so close to the house?" Ember's voice echoed through the entire house.

"Oh, you're here. Goody." Another voice echoed. "And we're not close to your house. We're at least an hour away from your house."

"Why am I here?" She asked, ignoring the previous statement.

"I needed to talk to you." The whole house lit up, revealing Grace at the second floor balcony that overlooked the living room. "I assume you've talked to your Mother by now." Her voice wasn't soft and caring as it had always been, sending chills up Ember's spine.

-

"Why the f**k were you trying to kill me?" Ember exclaimed to the woman who gave her, her powers.

"Hi, honey." The said woman enveloped her in a hug. It conflicted Ember because this was the same woman that was trying to kill her and yet she was enjoying the motherly hug. 

"Now, what was your question?"

"I saw Faith. I know she talked to you. She's the girl who stabbed me and you're the reason for my excessive bleeding that should have killed me by now."

"I'm pretty sure Faith has already told you that humanity has crossed the line, yes?" Mother Nature smirked at the look of conflict that took over Ember's features. She turned away from the girl, walking across the meadow, barefoot, dressed in a black flowing dress and beautiful flowers in her white hair.

"I've saved your kind for more than two centuries, honey. You've crossed the line multiple times."

"Then why choose a child that would supposedly save the world?"

"That's my mistake. Which is why I'm trying to kill you."

-

"We were unconscious for two weeks, how could I have talked to her?"

"Oh, darling, it's your subconscious that always meets up with her, not your physical body. Your biological mom and dad don't even know that you're talking to her."

Ember scowled. "Why am I here?"

"Where are my manners? Please, sit." She gestured to the couch. "Marvin, darling, could you fetch us some tea?"

"Right away, Madame." A slightly robotic voice replied, followed by a whirring sound in the kitchen.

Grace walked down the stairs, a sinister smile playing on her lips. She sat in front of Ember- who refused to sit down- sipping tea just as Marvin delivered it.

"Do you require anything else, Madame?"

"I'll call you when we do. Thank you." Grace replied.

Ember's eyed followed the Marvin guy as he walked up the stairs. He was apparently a robot that looked completely like a man.

"Oh, right. I made Marvin. His voice is a little off 'cause I didn't have enough parts but he's so much better than the ones those big corporations sell. Well, except for the voice. He can do anything and everything unlike those in the market that would only cook or something."

Ember exhaled, this time sitting down on the couch in front of Grace and accepting the tea. "Why am I here?"

Grace groaned. "Can we not enjoy the tea first?"

"I know Grace. She doesn't like tea, not even if it was the remaining drink on Earth." She narrowed her eyes at the girl in front of her. "Who are you?"

Grace smirked, placing down her tea, her face morphing into Faith's. 

Well, in order to stay in this world, I need a host body and who would be better for that job rather than my own sister? You're good, by the way. You were already unconscious when that lightning hit my body, right? So there's no ways you saw me take over Grace's body. I'm surprised you're still alive, with that trauma and that excruciating pain from the wound I gave you, along with your power usage and you're most recent wound from Grace, you should be dead. Mother Nature probably still has some plans for you."

"Look, Faith, I need you to get straight to the point. Tell me wat you need to tell me and you can leave Grace's body so we can go home."

"Alright, I can work with the first one."

"You're from the future, yes?" Ember nodded, sipping her tea. "And Grace mentioned that your friend, Jacob, said that all of the events that's happening right now is just a repetition; he's right about that.

"Then why is my future different?"

"Because you weren't stabbed that time. Mother Nature and I changed the plans and decided not to stab nor harm you in any way and watch it play out. Well, you already know what happens that time, it was a good thing your father was a scientist, you get to watch a different future play out.

"This timeline is actually really messed up because of you. The norm was that I successfully kill you, your dad calls up the kids that you're with right now and the world still ends. But now," she chuckled maniacally, "Mother Nature and I are up for a big challenge to destroy the world and the human race, especially with you in the picture."

"Do you have any questions?"

"Why destroy the world?"

"Oh, honey," Faith laughed as if the answer was obvious, "humans have gone too far. You know, in 2020 there was this huge pandemic- just like know- so much was going on in the world and there was this clock in one major city- I don't remember the name- that displayed how long humans could survive with their constant destruction of the Earth. They only had seven years or so left, I think? Anyways, Mother Nature let that slide. She gave you a chance for two f*****g centuries and now what? You're even more f****d instead of trying to fix the obvious problem. I'm simply here to help her out."

Ember scowled, standing up. "I am Daughter Nature and I will not hesitate to fulfill whatever is in my legacy. Now, if you please get out of Grace's body and we shall be on our way."

"Oh, I can't do that, darling. As I said, I need a host body to stay in this world. I'll only leave Grace if Mother Nature doesn't need me here anymore."

"Then you're doing us a big favor if you just disappeared."

She chuckled, placing the cups and the tea pot back in the tray. "Marvin, will you please take this back in the kitchen, and move the table away." Marvin was at her side in a second, fazing Ember for a bit.

All her orders were done in no more than a minute as she remained seated, a smirk on her face.

"Grace, may be your sister but we are more of her family than you ever were." Ember growled. "I appreciate that you saved her and died for her but if you're just going to use her to destroy our own kind?"

Faith's hand started to glow blue. "No." She made a shooing movement with her glowing hand instantly sending Ember to the other side of the room. her back hitting the wall.

"You see, darling, I only wanted you here to possibly complete the job." Ember coughed out blood, her back aching like hell.

"I came here to save Grace. My best friend needs her- we need her. She doesn't want to help you in destroying the world." Ember rasped as she stood up, her back crouched a bit.

"Oh, but that's her legacy. She revives the wrong person and helps in destroying the world."

"Just because it's her legacy, doesn't mean it will come true."

Faith laughed, approaching Ember. "I had just about enough of you." She said before punching Ember right in the nose.

Ember's sight was blurred with tears, next thing she knew, she was on the ground, coughing up more blood, her shirt soaking up the blood from her latest wound.

"I gotta admit," Faith's irritating voice rang through her ears, "I thought Grace's body would be weak but nah. With her knowledge and strength, you should be running for the hills, child."

Ember managed to stand back up, harshly wiping away her tears.

"You may be Grace's sister but I'm still going to f*****g hit you." She growled, glaring at Faith who smiled cockily.

"What are you going to do? Curse me with your time?" Her laugh echoed through the entire house.

"I'm going to f*****g kill you." She hissed before charging with a battle cry.