Frozen Embers by D. S. Novis (room on the broom read aloud txt) 📖

They grew hot, really hot. He jumped back onto his feet and looked down at them. They weren’t on fire. There was no sign of anything hot anywhere around them. He couldn’t see any reason why they were hurting like this. He began flailing them around and blowing on them. He ran over to the sink and turned the tap on full blast. Water sprayed in every direction. As it hit his hands the water turned to steam. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The pain subsided until eventually it stopped, along with the steam. He stood there staring in disbelief at his hands. What was happening to him?

“Thank you Miss, yes it is an original. You have a very good eye.” came a friendly voice from behind the curtain. Gabriel spun on the spot to see Braxton opening the curtains. He was running his hand down the front of his suit whilst a mesmerized young nurse stood next to him, open mouthed with admiration. Cecilia stood next to him with a blinding smile fixed on her face.

“Many thanks for showing us to Mole’s bed.” Cecilia said as she drew the curtains on the nurse’s face. As they turned away both their smiles fell from their face’s like they’d simultaneously trodden in something grotesque.

“Pretending like she knows what a Brioni suit looks like.” said Braxton with a scoff.

“She couldn’t spot one if it hit her in her spotty little face.” agreed Cecilia.

"You know it's just a curtain, not a door right?" Gabriel asked them. "The nurse can probably still hear you."

Gabriel was just beginning to wonder if they actually knew that he was in the room when Braxton turned to him with a look that sent a chill down Gabriel’s spine. He took a step backwards as Braxton advanced towards him like a bull about to charge.

“What was that?” Braxton spat the words into Gabriel's face. Braxton spoke in a horse whisper so nobody on the other side of the curtains could hear. He was an inch away from Gabriel’s face, bearing down at him. Gabriel didn’t say anything.

“You should be kissing my shoes right now, boy. We just cleared up that huge mess that she and you made.” Braxton pointed lazily in Molly's direction.

“What do you mean the mess we made?” Gabriel asked, astounded.

“I know your game you know. You’re trying to make us look bad to the press. After all we’ve don’t for you.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“You think we’re stupid don’t you?” Braxton voice was getting louder now. “You and that little bitch are trying to sabotage our new deal with Tokyo.”

“You dare talk about her like that. I swear I’ll-” Gabriel screamed and raised his forehead so it was now touching Braxton’s.

“You’ll what exactly?” Braxton spoke with a fury Gabriel had never heard before. Gabriel’s hands were beginning to burn again. Suddenly, the curtains were thrust open. It was Ms Clark.

“Is everything okay Gabriel?” She asked with her harsh German accent. This was very odd Gabriel thought. She was in charge of looking after Gabriel but Braxton was her boss. Surely she should automatically be on his side. But as she stood there, her sharp eagle eyes fixed on Braxton, Gabriel noticed something. Ms Clark was looking Braxton up and down in the same way she would when sparing with Gabriel. She was trying to decide which was the best way to take him down.

“Yes everything’s fine Ms Clark.” Answered Cecilia, jumping up from the chair she’d been sitting in whilst texting. Braxton broke contact with Gabriel’s head and put an arm round Gabriel. Ms Clark continued to stare.

“Yes that’s right. Gabe is just a bit flustered that’s all." Braxton began but Ms Clark interrupted.

"His name is Gabriel."

A long silence followed this.

"I’d like you to take him home now please, Ms Clark.” Braxton commanded.

“No. I want to stay with Molly.” Gabriel said with a firm voice.

“Maybe it is best if you get something to eat.” Ms Clark said with the most sympathetic voice Gabriel had heard her use. She walked up to Gabriel and put an arm around him. “Come, I’m sure you’re hungry.”

As though it were on cue Gabriel’s stomach let out an almighty roar.

“We’ll wait with her.” said Braxton with another lazy gesture at Molly.

Gabriel gave him a scowl. He walked over to Molly and kissed her on the forehead.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, I swear.” Gabriel whispered in her ear.

 

Ms. Clark took Gabriel downstairs and into the cafeteria. After having a big bowl of tomato soup he went back upstairs. Molly was alone. Braxton and Cecilia had left. Gabriel wasn’t surprised.

Gabriel and Ms. Clark sat by her side day after day. None of the nurses asked them to leave. After the third night they were given two beds that weren’t being used. Gabriel had never realized how interesting Ms. Clark was. It was probably because she was paid to tell him to do things that Gabriel had never thought he actually liked her. But he did. They sat talking together for hours. They played card games together and watched programmes on Molly’s television. She went out to get Gabriel sweets and goodies. It was clear that Ms Clark blamed herself for not being there to protect Gabriel and Molly. Ms. Clark even showed him a couple of really good magic tricks.

However, the most interesting part of Ms. Clark was the stories she had. She talked at great length about missions she’d undergone. Stories involving narrow escapes from capture, incredibly close getaways from assassins and amazing break-ins to top-secret military places all over the globe.

Gabriel's favorite story Ms Clark called The Resurrection in Krakow. Ms Clark had gone undercover in a Polish mob run by two brothers called the Stasko Twins. Her assignment was to get intel on the brothers. However, Ms Clark was double crossed and the Stasko Twins ordered her to be killed. Ms Clark was shot three times in the chest by a hitman whilst at dinner with the Twins. Only thing was that she wasn't really shot. Ms Clark had realized that she was about to be found out. She also knew that the Twins would never stop hunting her till she was dead. So arranged what she called a Switch. It had never been done before. She got another agent to take out the hitman that she knew would be the first on the list to kill her. The agent then took the hitman's place and agreed to shoot Ms Clark. However he only used blanks and Ms Clark wore a vest that is used in filming to fake being shot. Agents posing as policemen were then called in and for all the Twins knew Ms Clark had just been killed in front of their eyes.

Gabriel would be fixated on her for hours. He felt he could never have done any of the wild things that she had. But Ms. Clark said ‘you’ll never know what you’re capable of until you’re forced into making a split second decision with someone’s life in your hands.’

 

*

 

Two weeks had gone by and Molly was still unconscious. Gabriel hadn’t left her bedside in all that time but on the fourteenth night Ms. Clark made Gabriel realise that it was time to go home. He found it incredibly hard to leave Molly. He swore to her that he would be back every day to see her.

Outside the hospital were still a lot of fanatical people with banners waiting for a chance to see the Mr Indestructible. So Ms Clark and Gabriel snuck out of the cafeteria exit and got a taxi.

The apartment was eerily quiet without Molly there. Gabriel thought this was odd because even when she was here she didn’t make much noise. It was Gabriel that would sit around playing his guitar or watching television. Molly would sit reading long novels about romantic or heroic figures. Maybe it was just Gabriel that was the reason for the quiet. He still wasn’t himself.

Since Gabriel had got home he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the robbery. His brain buzzed with unexplained questions. Who were the men in suits? Who was the winged man? How had Gabriel and Molly survived that fall? He had a twisting feeling in his stomach that made him think that very soon he’d have his questions answered.

Whilst in hospital Gabriel had been dying to test out two things. Firstly he’d try the easier of the two. Gabriel went into the kitchen and grabbed a sharp cleavers knife and a box of matches from the draw. He concealed it under his top until he was in his room. He closed the door behind him. He took the knife out. He rotated the small blade, watching how the light reflected off. Then he struck a match and began running the flame along the surface of the blade until it was hot. Time to find out if he was indestructible after all.

He took in a deep breath, closed his eyes and grabbed the blade of the knife so the sharpened side pressed tightly into the inside of his palm. He went to pull on the knife but fear got the better of him and he dropped the knife. He calmed himself and tried again. He managed to not drop the knife but through fear again he had loosened his grip on the blade. He attempted it again and with one swift tug he yanked the blade out of his hand, slicing through his hand like butter.

Blood flew out the gash and dripped all over his carpet. Gabriel’s hand throbbed with pain. A deep gash was on his palm. What was he thinking?! What was he expecting to happen? His idea had been ridiculous. The image of his hand being impervious to the knife, maybe even braking the blade, were eradicated from his mind.

He held his bloody hand up and sprinted to the door. As he went to turn the handle he looked at his hand. The pain had gone, replaced by a warm tingling sensation. The gash seemed to be closing up before his eyes. The skin sealed over until all that remained was the blood that leaked out.

Gabriel stared open mouthed. He prodded and poked the place where the gash had been. His skin was almost fully healed. He did notice a slight scar had formed. This explained the police report he’d heard in the ambulance on the way to St. John’s. He had said that Gabriel was broken when he’d fallen. This must have been true. Then he thought about what the doctor had said. About how Gabriel's breakages looked months old. This was also true. They looked months old because Gabriel had healed incredibly fast. So it wasn’t that he couldn’t be destroyed. He was not a Mr Indestructible. He was not bulletproof like Superman. He could be injured but he could come back. Gabriel could fix himself.

Okay one problem down and now for the harder of the two. He was going to try to fly.

Gabriel took his shirt off. Better to take it off now, rather than let it rip like his school top had on the bank roof. He stood there and tried to force out the wings. He concentrated and tensed his whole body as though he could push them out. After several minutes of straining he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He just looked constipated. He collapsed back onto his bed, red faced and panting.

Why couldn’t he do it? Gabriel thought. It had been so easy before. He thought back to when they’d sprouted first, on the roof of the bank. They had come out by themselves. Gabriel hadn’t done anything to make them appear. But something must have caused it.

He tried to relive what he’d been feeling. He had been angry and afraid. Maybe that was it. Maybe they would sprout out whenever he was in stress. Like a defence mechanism. No, that can’t be it. If that