Chapter 40: Out of Control

It was already six in the morning the next day, Amanda found herself waking up in her bathtub. Her fire went out of control after fighting against the half-bodied snake.

Her fire getting out of control occasionally would happen from time to time. Sometimes due to the amount of strength, she used in a battle, or if a flame is available to ignite her fire, or just out of nowhere.

She gazed at her wist and saw the mark, seemingly looking like a sword, but a set of leaves snaked around it. She remembers the mark appeared on her wrist after the sword vanished into thin air.

She knew she had to tell Trisha about the sword, but for now, she had to find Christopher. She wanted to make sure everything was alright with him.

She was planning to take another leave from work and find a way to get inside the hidden spring, however, after making her way to the park, near to the passage of the cavern, a group of seniors gathered, seemingly in celebration.

"Damn, just my luck," she muttered to herself.

Standing from the pavement, five meters from the entrance of the intimate park, Amanda looked around while holding on to her bike. She thought of a way not to be seen. Just as she was about to take another step, she heard a horn beeping in her direction.

She turned to find Mr. Thomas Kent and Andrew's old pickup truck. 'Shoot. I'm done.'

"Amanda? What are you doing there?" Asked Andrew from the passenger side of the truck.

"Hi, Amanda!" Tracy was apparently at the back.

"Um, I - I was just surprised to see so many people early in the morning," she lied while pointing to the crowd.

"Ah, it's Mrs. Clark's birthday, and she wanted a very early morning gathering. In fact, Amanda, we are here to bring their food," revealed Andrew.

She quickly bit her lip, knowing she would not escape to the cave entrance with her bosses around. She said to them, "Ah, is that so. Then, I guess I better head to Southern Deli and help - "

"Just hop in the back and I'll take you," said Thomas Kent. "I'm leaving Andrew and Tracy here to serve the food. You can help take care of the Southern Deli today all by yourself until these two return."

Amanda looked past the crowd and gazed directly and the rocks where she was supposed to go, but given the circumstance, she was sure Andrew would not let him jump into the hole. She said, "I'll just ride my bike, Mr. Kent. Thank you."

Thomas and Andrew were not surprised. Amanda had always refused help; a ride back home or any kind. She made her way to the restaurant, put on her protective gloves, and went to work instead.

At lunch, Andrew returned to help the restaurant, leaving only Tracy behind at the park. There were more than the usual guests at Southern Deli that day that Amanda was asked to help the kitchen prepare the food.

"Amanda, can you lite up the stove please and saute the garlic for me?" Requested Errol. He was behind the kitchen today.

"Stove?" She asked awkwardly. "I'm not good at cooking."

Turning to Errol, she said, "I can just prepare the plates. Wash the dishes."

"Amanda! I am grilling steaks!" Objected Errol.

"I can grill instead," she offered. She assumed it was better to grill as charcoal would rarely go up in flames.

Errol agreed, and they swapped places. Errol took care of the orders that required cooking entirely over a stove, whereas Amanda took over the grill, under the supervision of Errol.

What Amanda did not anticipate was the number of customers ordering for steak and the continuous flow of fat dripping against the charcoal was slowly kindling a fire.

Thomas Kent preferred that their steak be cooked over charcoal. He had set up all the necessary ventilation to keep it safe, but with Amanda, there is nothing too safe with her fire.

"Two more orders left and we can relax afterward," Andrew revealed, getting inside the kitchen.

"Boss, I'll just take a leak and I'll take over the grill,' asked Errol. He turned to Amanda with assurance. "I'll be back. Take care of the grill."

"Oookaay," said Amanda.

Andrew remained in the kitchen for a minute more. He directed his attention at Amanda and said, "Thank you for being behind the grill today."

She just nodded at him, forgetting to look at the grill. "You are welcome."

At that very moment, Amanda's gloves caught on fire.

"Oh, my goodness! Amanda! You are on fire!" Andrew pointed out. He abruptly took a cloth, soaked it in water as Amanda stepped away from the girl with her hands raised.

"No! No! This can't be happening! No! Abasi!" She yelled out to the master of time and space to take her away. Amanda could feel the fire inside of her igniting. It was ready to explode at anytime soon.

As all of this was happening, Andrew prepared to approach Amanda, but his eyes grew wide at the sight of her fire slowly exploring the other parts of her body, yet Amanda was not crying in pain. She was merely calling out a name that he did not know.

Despite the anomaly of what was happening, what concerned him most was Amanda's well being. He decided to throw water at her and remain in the same place.

"No! No, Andrew! Stay away from me! Leave! Leave!" She yelled out loud as the fire began to spread through the kitchen of the restaurant. "Abasi! Abasi!"

"Get out! Leave Andrew! Warn the people outside!" She yelled again.

Andrew was utterly in shock, seeing the fire getting out of control like Amanda was its source. Realizing how the fire was quickly spreading, he clenched his hand into a fist, leaving Amanda behind. He was screaming at the people outside. "Get out! We have a fire! Get out!"

The customers, including Errol, scrambled to leave the place, but despite seeing the heavy smoke and the burning color from the kitchen, Andrew still went back for Amanda.

It took just minutes for her fire to go out of control, and Amanda was helplessly calling for Abasi. Finally, he answered her call.

"Amanda, I'm sorry. I'm taking you away now!" Abasi said in her head.

She then slowly felt herself fading out, but seconds before completely disappearing, she saw Andrew come back for her. "No! No, Andrew! No!"

"Abasi! You have to save Andrew! Save him!"

A loud explosion roared from inside the kitchen of Southern Deli and the last thing that Amanda saw was the fire, fully surrounding the kitchen. She knew not if Abasi took Andrew away from harm.

"No! Andrew!"