Fire and Djinn

Meet The Parents

Bo shut the car door behind me as I put my seatbelt on. I watched him as he walked around the front of the car. Now that he was closer than when I first saw him, I could really get a good look at his tattoos. They looked like they were in another language, the pictures looked like what you would see on the inside of a cave by native Americans or Egyptians. Bo sat down in his seat and started the car.

“The tattoos on your arm? What do they mean?” I asked him. His face fell slightly.

“It tells the story of my life. Not something I wish to relive.” He said in a clipped tone. I watched as his jaw clenched and unclenched. Even being irritated he looked good.

“Oh. Then, why did you get it tattooed?” I asked him.

“I didn’t. Because Djinn are so powerful and are prone to be drawn to the darker side of our power, our sins are forever engraved on our bodies.” He explained, his tone indicating he wanted me to drop the subject.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” I said softly. With how many tattoos he has, he must have done a lot of wrong. And to think all I could see was his arms and neck. Well, he has also been alive for such a long time, I guess it isn’t too bad. Maybe what he did wrong was unavoidable.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t ever hurt you.” He said in a gentler tone as he stared at the road.

“I didn’t think you would.” I answered honestly.

After a couple minutes of silence, I noticed my house in the distance. I felt a pit I’m my stomach about leaving my parents, and my home. My parents deserved better than me just up and leaving them. As we approached, I noticed both my parent's cars in the gravel driveway. It looked the same as when I left a couple weeks ago. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea what the day had for me. I thought I would get on the bus, talk with Lisa about her mom some more, go home, and be greeted by my parents with hugs and I love you’s. Boy, was I wrong.

We pulled up in front of the 2 story, single family house that I called home. As soon as we were in the driveway, my parents came out. My mother was crying, and she ran to me, and bear hugged me.

“Oh sweetheart, we were so worried about you! We just heard a few minutes ago about the bus. We didn’t know if you were alright. They said there were casualties!” The guilt sunk in as I had realized I had my parents worried sick.

“I’m fine mom, not even a scratch. Lisa is fine too, we just dropped her off.” At those words, my mother realized the stranger that was with me, and wiped her tears away.

“Who is this?” my mom asked straightening her shirt and brushing the wisps of hair from her eyes.

“The better question is what is this?” my father said harshly, looking at Bo's tattoos.

“Dad?” I asked confused. My mother looked closer at Bo, and she tensed up and put me behind her.

“What are you doing with my daughter.” My dad asked threateningly.

“Dad! Stop it. He is a friend!” I tried to come out from behind my mom, but she blocked my path.

“He is dangerous.” My mom said.

“Elena, it’s okay. It seems your parents already know what I am.” Bo said. “Hello my name is Damush. I am Elena’s protector.” He said formally.

“Damush?” my mother repeated quietly.

“There hasn’t been a record of you for centuries. Why would an ancient immortal such as you be the guardian of Elena?” my father asked, still on edge.

“Do you even know what your daughter is?” Bo asked him.

“The only clue we had is she heals quickly, but that can be any one of the majorities of the supernatural species.” My father answered.

“You knew?” I asked him. My father looked at me like he felt guilty about something.

“You’re our daughter. Your mother and I both research and teach about the supernatural realm. Of course, we know. And regardless of whatever race you are, you will always be our daughter.” He finished.

“Show them Elena.” Bo said nodding towards me.

“What?! Are you crazy? I already blew up a gas station, do you want me to blow up my house too?” I yelled at him. My mother gasped as she turned around and looked at me.

“You blew up the gas station?!” She was horrified.

“No, she did not.” Bo interjected. “Elena, calm down and just use your hands.”

“Okay. Use my hands.” I said backing away from my parents. I closed my eyes and envisioned my hands on fire. Nothing was happening. Great, I’m a dud.

“I can’t do it.” I said frustrated.

“Deep breath in and out and think of how wind blows and brushed against things.” Bo said. “Now picture that the wind is circling your hands, but instead of it being wind…”

“Fire.” My mother interrupted. I opened my eyes to see fire circling my hands and I smiled.

“Holy crap I did it! Look mom, I did it!” I shrieked.

“There is any number of super naturals that can wield fire.” My father said.

“But only one can die and come back to life in minutes.” Bo interjected. My mother and father both looked at Bo in shock. I turned the fire out, and waited for what was to come next.

“A Phoenix?” my father whispered.

“Yes dad.” I spoke.

“How do you know? You have never died.” He said in disbelief.

“I have. When I was seven.” I told them. My mother's eyes began to water, and she hugged me.

“Oh, my baby.” she cried

“How? When?” My father asked me.

“Remember when someone stole my backpack at school?” I asked him and he nodded. “No one stole it. I was hit by a truck. My backpack wasn’t salvageable.” I couldn’t look at them when I said that last bit. I felt guilty for some reason.

“Oh honey.” My dad said as he came to hug me.

“You know you can tell us anything right?” my mother said as she looked into my eyes.

“Well, I do now. But we have another problem.” I spoke. “I can’t stay here.”

“I don’t understand.” My mother furrowed her brows.

“I’m the last Phoenix. My kind was hunted to extinction by the supernatural council.” I said to them. I didn’t think I would ever break my parents’ hearts. I never thought I could do anything to disappoint them.

“Maybe there is a way to ensure your safety.” My father said as my mom cried.

“My biological mother already thought of that.” I said gesturing to Bo.

“Why can’t you stay home?” my mother asked.

“The incident at the gas station. It’s a big enough event for the supernatural counsel to investigate. When they do, they will question everyone and their families. You will be questioned.” Bo said.

“Then what do we do?” my father asked.

“I will alter your memories to ensure that they cannot get information from your mind against your will. You will believe that Elena is a foreign exchange student I’m Israel. She is Israeli by blood, so it’s not a stretch to believe she’s going there to research her ancestor’s culture.”

“Why didn’t you just alter our minds when y’all got here?” my father asked.

“That would be disrespectful to Elena. Also denying Elena the chance to say goodbye to her parents is not in her best interest.” Bo answered.

I then realized that even though in reality, it would have been easy to just alter their memories as soon as we arrived. Instead, he cared and respected me enough to take the more time consuming, and difficult route.

“Thank you.” My mother said to him as she hugged me.

My mom and dad both gave me tearful goodbyes before getting their memories altered. Yes, I cried too. I was saying goodbye to my parents, and I didn’t know when I would see them again.

I went to my room and packed my essentials as Bo altered their memories. As more tears dripped down my face, I decided I had cried entirely way too much today, and this is the last time I would cry. While I was up here, I took the opportunity to change out of my damaged shirt.

Zipping up my duffel bag, I headed downstairs. As I opened the screen door, Bo walked up to me and took my duffel bag from me, and I gave him a small smile in appreciation. I went and gave my parents another hug and kissed their cheeks before crawling into Bo’s passenger seat. Bo turned over the engine while I clipped my seatbelt. I waved one last time to my parents as we pulled out of the driveway, and then began to drive away. I took a deep breath to calm myself so I wouldn’t start crying again.

“Are you okay?” Bo asked with his eyes still on the road.

“No.” I answered honestly. “But I will be.”