Emma Rose

Meet-Cute

Emma Rose

Goosebumps run down my arms and I pull my coat closer, though it doesn’t warm me. I hustle down the street, wishing this feeling would go away, but I know no matter how tight my coat is or how hot the fire is, I can’t be warmed. I keep running down the street until I bump into a guy...I start to fall backward when a hand grabs my wrist and another hand wraps around my back.

“I’m so sorry, I—” I look up and my breath stops short: short dark hair, fair complexion, and ocean-blue eyes stop me from continuing my apology.

I stumble to stand upright and sputter out the words, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

A smile brightens his face, and he says, “Don’t apologize, if you hadn’t bumped into me, I probably would have bumped into you.”

Confused, I ask, “And why do you think that?”

“Because some people are just destined to meet.”

“You think we were destined to meet?” I ask, my breath slowing in anticipation.

“I think I want to get to know you better.”

I smile and pull out my phone. I hand it to him and watch as he puts in his number.

“Promise you’ll call?” he asks after he hands my phone back to me.

“I promise,” I say, not taking my eyes away from his.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you around…”

“Ali,” I say. “My name is Ali.”

He smiles and says, “See you around, Ali.”

With that, he walks past me and around a corner. As I start to walk toward my house again, I realize something: I’m not cold anymore.

Water and Fire

Emma Rose

I swirl my hand and watch as the cold water twirls around it. I angle my fingers toward the bowl, and the water rushes to it.

“That was good; you’re getting better control,” a soft voice says as a hand is placed on my shoulder.

I turn to see my mom and smile up at her. “Thanks, how’s Nathan doing with his fire?”

Her face falls but she quickly replaces the look of worry with a forced smile. “He could use your help.”

I start walking toward the stairs, when I hear a crash. I start running, taking the stairs two at a time, and by the time I get to my brother’s room, I can smell the smoke. I shove open the door and do a double take when I see the floor covered in fire and my brother at the center of it trying to lower the flames. I start moving my hands, pulling water from the air around me and using it to dampen the worst of the flames. After the fire is gone, I walk over to Nathan and put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s OK, you’ll get the hang of it.”

He shrugs my hand off and says, “Easy for you to say. I’m the older one here; why are you having an easier time than me?”

“I wish I knew.”

When I Was a Wolf

Emma Rose

Green blurs around me as I push off of the leafy floor, soaring over a fallen log. I continue to run until I reach a clearing, wide and open, filled with other wolves from my pack. I slow my pace and walk over to join a larger group gathered under an oak tree. I talk with them, watching as the younger wolves wrestle with each other, rolling over one another and batting playfully at the others’ ears.

“Ever thought of having some of our own?” my mate Aztec asks as he walks over and presses his nose to mine.

“Maybe, have you?” I ask, smiling up at him.

“Maybe,” he says, smiling back.

We lie down in the cold grass and watch the little wolves continue to wrestle. As night creeps along the sky, more and more wolves retreat to their den, first the little ones, then most of the older ones, until only a handful are left sitting under the moonlight.

I look up and see the full moon in the middle of the sky. I turn to tell Aztec, but when I turn my head, I see that he is asleep.

I slowly get up, careful not to wake him up, and take off for the woods.

I reach the edge of the clearing and take off running. I start slow but quickly gain speed. Soon I am sprinting through the woods. Most everything is hiding in the darkness, but what I can see is blurred by my running. I listen to the wind weave through the trees and the occasional bird call out. I feel the breeze ruffle my fur and the solid ground beneath my paws. I push up from the ground and tuck my back legs in as I arch over a small stream. I land on the other side and take off sprinting again. Side by side with the shadows, feeling the darkness creep in, I run.