CHAPTER 2

ANNE

Once in the parking lot, I do run , but blame it on the rain. The worst of the thunderstorm has passed, but water pours down the windows of my beat up Dodge Charger, blocking me from the world.

I scream in frustration.

The fire incident still stings after ten years. In a town where little ever happens, mistakes like that stick with you.

Except it wasn't a mistake. No one remembers that part.

I was sixteen at the time. Mom and dad had been gone for over a year by then. My older brother, Lucas and I lived with Grandma Jess, trying our best to pretend our life was okay. Lucas adjusted well to our situation. A star athlete on the basketball team and popular in school, he transitioned with ease.

I struggled. My world shattered at fifteen, a delicate age. I started feeling things I couldn't explain with my left hand. Things I shouldn't know.

I'd feared telling Grandma Jess, but she supported me and understood. She had her own version of my ability, and said I got it from her. Our shared secret skill drew us closer.

Lucas hated the whole concept of psychic ability. I tried talking to him about it once and his open disgust taught me to keep quiet.

The night of the basketball game I had no choice. I sat with Grandma Jess in the strands, feeling self-conscious. The other kids were having fun together, and I only had Grandma to sit with. Lucas captained the team. I enjoyed watching him and supporting him, but had trouble getting into the game.

I got restless and went for a walk. Roaming the halls of the school alone, I trailed my left hand along the wall. Killing time until the game ended and we could leave.

My hand slid along the brick wall, then across the metal door of a utility room. The metal of the door felt cool, but the shock of touching it nearly burned my hand. Curious, I put my left palm flat on the door.

The jolt terrified me.

Fire, smoke, heat, fear, danger, run, run, fire, fire!

I panicked. I admit that. I overreacted. I admit that too.

But real fear pounded me.

"Fire!" I screamed ,my voice echoing off the brick walls. A few people outside the gym looked at me curiously. "Fire! Run!" They looked around, no smoke, no flames. On man approached me to help, but I shot past him.

I slammed through the double doors leading to the gym full of people watching the game. Both sets of bleachers full of cheering people, the players passing and shooting the ball, and the cheerleaders jumping through their routines on the sidelines were all in danger.

"Fire!" I screamed in terror. I ran right into the court, instinctively going to Lucas. "Everyone get out, the building's on fire!"

The crowd went silent. The cheerleaders stopped cheering. The players lost track of the ball and it bounced to the other end of the court. Every eye focused on me, except Lucas. He kept his back turned, too ashamed to look. No one ran to safety.

"I said the building's on fire. Everyone has to get out!" I screamed at the bleachers.

A few people stirred and headed for the doors, not willing to take the chance. Once they started out, a few more followed in a slow stream.

The couch stormed across the court at me. "What are you talking about? What fire? The alarms aren't going off. We're in the middle of a game here." Angry spittle flew from his mouth onto my face.

"The utility room's on fire. Why won't anyone believe me?" I looked around in confusion, wanting Lucas. He kept his back to me, and hurried to the far end of the court to retrieve the baseball.

A strong, wiry arm wrapped around my waist, Grandma Jess. "Annebelle, what's going on?"

"I touched the utility room door. I saw fire." Grandma Jess stiffened next to me, understanding.

"Show me." She led me off the court.

Laughter rolled through the room. Courtless angry mouths and uncaring eyes ignored the danger and laughed at me, to be new joke of the town.

Grandma Jess led me away. I looked over my shoulder for my brother. Lucas pretended he didn't know me. His betrayal stung more than the laughter from the crowd.

People pushed past me to return to the game, giving me harsh looks.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," more than a few of them grumbled at me.

"How dare you scare us like that?" one woman accused.

Grandma Jess flashed her eyes at the woman and she scurried away.

A man in a suit strode over with authority, his shoes clipping the floor in anger.

"It's illegal to yell fire in a crowd for no reason," he barked at me. "Not a funny prank, young lady."

"Don't you threaten my granddaughter,'' Grandma Jess snapped at the man. "If Anne says there's a fire, then there is a fire."

The man startled to say something then shut his mouth.

"Open this door, and let's see," Grandma challenged.

The man hesitated. "I'll get the keys." His shoes clipped away.

Grandma Jess leaned close to my ear. "You better be right or we're in trouble."

"I sensed fire."