After a night in a motel (and a hot shower), Tyler looked completely different. Her blond hair was actually silky. She’d forgotten what colour it was under all the mud. Using a pair of scissors from a dollar store, she cut it short, since most of it was already damaged from neglect.

Her molten amber eyes no longer had dark bruises under them. When she smiled, it felt natural.

When she’d had a dream about eating pancakes in the street, she’d thought she’d lost her mind. But after meeting Hunter, things seemed to be looking up. Her stomach was full and she was well rested. Now if only she could stop her hands from bursting into flames.

She found a note from Hunter in the main room. Her companion had gone to the bar to get them more money. Tyler hoped she wasn’t doing anything illegal.

She was about to go looking for her when Hunter opened the door and grabbed her backpack. When she saw Tyler, she grinned. “We’ve gotta go.”

Tyler followed. They made it to the road before someone shouted “There she is!”

“What happened?”

“Big guys can’t take a loss.” Hunter laughed. “Happens sometimes.”

Tyler glanced behind them and saw half a dozen burly men chasing them. “What did you do?”

“I got us some money.” Hunter flexed her arm. “Arm wrestling contest.”

They were nearing a wooded area. The men were faster than them, and if they didn’t do something soon, they’d be caught. Tyler stopped at the first tree and placed both her palms on the trunk.

“What are you doing?” Hunter called back. “We’ve gotta go!”

The tree burst into flames. Tyler ran to the next tree and it caught fire, too. After the third tree, she looked back. The men had stopped and were backing away slowly. Tyler’s hand erupted in flames and she held it back, as if she were about to throw a football. The men ran for their lives.

“Awesome.” Hunter laughed. With her gloved hands, she swatted at the burning trees to extinguish the flames.

“Not awesome.” Tyler mumbled, stuffing her hands into her pockets. “I can’t always control it.” She quickly walked past her friend, keeping her head down.

They continued walking in silence. After an hour, Hunter took her hand. Tyler recoiled, afraid she’d burn her new friend. But Hunter grabbed at her again.

“The first time I arm wrestled.” She confessed. “I broke my opponent’s arm.” Her grip on Tyler’s hand tightened. “I had to learn to control my strength.”

Tyler felt foolish. Of course she wasn’t the only one with problems. She knew having a strong gift from a God parent was hard. Oh, woe is me. She told herself mockingly. I burn things.

She concentrated on her free hand. A small flame flared from her index finger.

Hunter laughed. “My friend, the human blowtorch.”

Tyler smiled. “To bad I’m not entirely human.”

With the mood lightened, they trudged on. They didn’t have a map, so they forged ahead blindly. The woods have to end eventually. Tyler told herself. Right?