Fire and Water

He had walked for what seemed to be days. The heat was almost unbearable and yet, he knew he could not stop. Somewhere out in the desert, she was waiting for him. He would not stop until he found her. Dead or alive, he had to know for certain that she was no longer alone. Life for Blake Carlisle had changed forever after he met Allison. She found him lost and alone and gave him back his life. He could do no less for her.

Blake found a stand of trees to rest under for a short time. Strangled by the heat and lack of water, they offered him little shade, but it was a place to rest. He took out his canteen and sipped from it. He needed to be careful and not run low on water. As he sat, trying to gain a little bit of strength, his thoughts went back to what had brought him to the desert in the first place.

Allison worked in a shelter Blake frequented, mostly when it rained. He was drawn to her immediantly upon looking in her eyes the first time. Sparkling, emerald green and filled with life, Blake knew he had to know more about this woman. She was kind and had a very gentle disposition. She did not look the other way when they met, as so many others had. She was genuinely interested in who he was and what had brought him to the shelter. Their conversations were never forceful. He could hear her voice now as if she were standing beside him.

"What is a handsome man like you doing in a shelter? Surely some lady would be happy to have you stay with them." Her voice was soft and real. "I am Allison... Ally if you prefer. Either name will get my attention."

"You don't want to know who I am. I am just another lost soul you feed every day."

"Ahhh, not every day. I only see you when it is nasty weather. Does that mean you do not have a home?"

Blake could not look away from this beautiful lady. He wanted nothing more than to say nothing. Her gentle coaxing eased it's way into his heart and mind. He felt removed, like an out of body experience happening when he spoke to her. Sometimes, he could barely believe it was Him talking to her.

"Not so very long ago, I was a somebody. I had a wife and two little girls. We lived well and wanted for nothing. One day I came home to find a man in my house. He was just an ordinary man, not ever giving me reason to worry. He was explaining to Megan, my wife, that she was the inheritant of a lot of money. A relative she hardly knew had passed away and left her fortune to the only living relative she had. That was Megan."

"If she was left so much money, why are you homeless?"

"If I tell you the answer, promise me you will not laugh or think me insane."

"I would never feel that way, no matter what you told me. Well, wait... you aren't a murderer or anything, right? You didn't kill your wife and bury her in a shallow grave?" Her smile told Blake she was merely trying to assure him she would listen and not judge him.

"I am not a killer, Ally. You have nothing to fear from me. After Megan received the money, a man began calling. He said he was the true "next of kin" and that Megan's money was his. Megan tried to find who he was. She went to the authorities and searched every archive concerning her family. She found no "lost relative" in her family or her aunt's family. We would see a car sitting outside our house more often then it should have been. The police could never find him when they would follow up on our calls. They thought we were playing some game with them."

A sudden breeze blew across the desert sand and took Blake away from his memories. He stood and looked towards the swirling dust storm coming towards him. As the dust settled, Blake felt his heart begin pounding hard inside his chest. The cause of the dust storm came into view. He recognized the vehicle and he could feel his brain racing for what his next action should be. Run? Run to where. There was 200 miles of open desert and very few places a man could hide. He knew what he had to do.

Raising his arms above his head, he closed his eyes and clapped his hands together. A thundering Boom explode from his palms. The wind began to blow as the desert sands began to form a funnel. The driver swerved to avoid the sand. The funnel followed the drivers every move. Blake could see the fear on the drivers face. From the back seat windows, Blake saw guns appear. He could hear the sound of the guns being fired. He watched as the funnel swallowed the bullets and then spit them out in the direction of the vehicle. They struck the windshield with such force, the windshield was gone in an instant. The vehicle stopped 300 yards from where Blake stood. The driver emerged from the car and was engulfed in the funnel cloud.

"This won't stop me, Blake! I will have what is mine from you. Killing you will be something that you have forced on me. I would prefer not to repeat what I had to do to your wife."

Blake could feel his body changing. He knew what was coming and he was even more sure that he could not stop it. Why would he? This man killed his wife and took his children from him.

"My daughters!!! I want my daughters back!"

"Daughters? I never said I had your little girls. If I did, however, I would Not make a trade. I only want what is mine."

"I can not give you what you want! I have told you that for 5 years, damn you!!!"

"Then we have a problem, Blake. A problem that only you can fix. While you decide, your girlfriend is out there, alone, scared and maybe, just maybe, dieing. What do you want to do?"

"I want to kill you! That is what I really want to do."

Suddenly, the man disappeared. The funnel cloud began to close at the top. Blake closed his hands tight, trying to seal the funnel at the top. He needed this man to find his daughters. He needed him alive. As the man fell to the ground, wrapped tightly in the funnel, Blake moved towards his body. The energy being given off from the funnel nearly knocked Blake to the ground. He knelt beside the cocoon that held his enemy tightly. The mans eyes had gone dark black and Blake knew that he was trying to free himself.

"It won't work this time, Leon. I will have my daughters and i will rescue Allison! You Will Not win this time. I am stronger than you now. Tell me where they are or I will simply Kill you.