Page 11 of The Elementalist (Four Elements #1)

The Blogger

We met at a little coffee shop named ‘Latte Morning’ in downtown Shadow Pines early the next morning.

“Can you light this, Max?”

“Anyone can light a match.”

“I’m not asking you to light it in the usual manner. With your mind, Max. And be careful. Don’t burn this place to the ground.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing, and I feel ridiculous.”

“Says the guy who just blew a napkin off a table from halfway across the cafe. Just focus, and scale it down. I happen to like my fingers.”

I did as I was told, applying the same sense of intention to my thoughts, except nothing happened. Raising my hand did nothing either.

“Try snapping your fingers,” said Michael.

I did, and the match flared brightly.

Michael jumped, and quickly shook it out. “My, my, my. I never thought I would see another person with the gift in the flesh.”

“Another what?”

“Elemental,” he said.

Of course, I had read all about elementals, which is how I’d ended up on Michael’s blog site.

But that didn’t stop my mouth from dropping.

After all, I had witnessed the matchstick igniting too.

And I’d been practicing my wind storms all night, unaware that another type of manifestation—fire—was waiting within me as well.

“What is happening to me?” I asked.

“I take it you didn’t read my book?”

“I got excited and emailed you after I’d read the blogs.”

The little man pushed up his glasses. “Understandable. Then let me fill you in on what you missed. There are many of us with the potential to be elementals. Love for nature is within most humans. A deep and spiritual connection to nature is another thing altogether. Such people are candidates to be chosen...”

“Er, chosen by whom?”

“You tell me. Were you approached by anybody?”

“No.”

“Did you dream of anybody?”

“Not that I recall.”

“Did anything out of the ordinary happen to you in the past few days?”

I thought about it. “I did feel funny after seeing the meteor.”

“What meteor?”

“The one from last week. The one that, you know, blazed across the sky. Anyone could see it.” I narrowed my eyes. Come to think of it, the meteor likely happened around the same time Crystal’s sister died.

“That’s it!” he said. “Did you see where this meteor landed?”

“No, and I’m not sure it landed. It just, you know, came and went. Streaked across the sky.”

“Max, did anyone else see the meteor?”

“Um... I haven’t asked, but the news didn’t mention it.”

“Doesn’t matter. I doubt they reported it. The meteor was both a portent of things to come... and an activation within you.”

“Activation?”

“Your abilities were dormant. Now, not so much. The meteor is the key. Hold on.”

He pulled out his phone and feverishly swiped his fingers across the screen. I looked around at the cute little coffee shop. It was no Starbucks, but people here liked it that way.

“Just as I thought, Max. There’s no mention of a meteor in this area by anyone. Apparently, you were the only one to see it, although I suspect that may not be entirely accurate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Others probably saw it as well, those who needed to see it.” the little man nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard of such meteors. Legend has it they are also a warning for the monsters among us to flee... or to clean up their act.”

“Monsters among us?”

“You missed a lot in my book, Max. There’s a theory about elementals; in particular, about their sudden presence in a place.

The theory goes like this: Nature likes order.

Nature likes the natural, as she intended things to be.

Life and death are natural, for instance.

If something breaks the natural order of things, Nature herself will seek to correct the disorder. ”

“What could break the natural order of things?” I asked.

“Think, Max. What is the one pervasive legend that surrounds this area? I live two hours away, and even I have heard the stories surrounding Shadow Pines.”

“Vampires.” I said.

“Exactly, Max. Creatures who live outside of nature, abominations that thumb their noses at the natural order of things.”

“But vampires aren’t real. They’re only stories told over campfires.”

“Max, I have looked into such things. I have studied such things. I have had witnesses contact my blog about all manner of the paranormal. I can assure you, vampires are real, and they’re here in Shadow Pines, and they have been here for some time.

Your disproportionate amount of murders and disappearances should be evidence enough.

Shadow Pines also generates its fair share of vampire stories, hence why you had the answer readily available.

Max, most towns don’t have a history of vampire stories…

and other unexplained goings-on. They just don’t.

Shadow Pines does. Why do you think so many documentaries are filmed here?

Shadow Pines is a hotbed of paranormal activity. .. and not the nice kind.”

“There are nice kinds?”

“The occasional UFO sighting. The occasional Bigfoot sightings. Ghosts here and there. Maybe a lake monster or two. Not straight up murder. Not people with whole nights blocked form their memories, which is a common occurrence in this town—and which is known to be a hallmark of an active vampire community. Weren’t two hikers killed just last week? ”

“An animal attack,” I said. “And they weren’t exactly hikers… though a lot of people who go hiking around here are never heard from again.”

“Uh huh. Another animal attack in Shadow Pines. Big surprise, Max. How many more people are going to be killed before you realize that here be monsters?”

“I don’t know how to answer that question.”

“Luckily, you don’t have to. Nature did it for you. She brought forth an answer to the unnatural problems plaguing this town, and that answer is you, Max.”

“Crap.” I gazed up at the ceiling. “Then this town’s in trouble.”