|1| Amber and Claire: Wrath gets a new dress

The first time that Amber discovered her powers was on a Saturday. There's no special meaning behind it happening on a Saturday. But, Amber found it interesting anyway.

She was at the mall with her friend Clara. They knew each other in the neighborhood from a young age.  Her father Derek trusted her (mostly). Clara promised to have Amber back home by 6 for dinner, and she was 17 with a license.

It was not even two when they walked into a girl's clothing store. Amber had never been a girl that cared about fashion. Derek gave her that choice from a young age. She liked dresses from time to time so she humored Clara by going with her.

Pop music was in the background while they looked around. "How about this one?" Clare held up a blue dress.

"Nah."

"You always say that… we've been looking for an hour...Even I have my limits...come on..."

Amber sighed she pulled out. a red and pink one

"How about this?"

"Not bad."

"You're supposed to be helping."

"This is me helping you"

"Ok ok...gotcha"

"Try it on"

Amber gave Clare a blank look on her face. "Seriously. It might fit."

Amber and Clare walked to the back of the store. Amber locked the door behind her. As she was trying her dress on, Clare texted her:

Don't panic. Wrath is here.

Amber was distracted at first by how much the dress fit her. Snug but not too tight. She noticed her curves subtlety making the shape. The fact that Sara Roth, AKA the Wrath was there didn't really phase her. She opened the door and twirled for Clara.

"Very nice. You gonna get it?"

"Maybe. Where is she?"

"She's looking at leggings."

"Still don't think they're pants"

Amber and Clare walked up to the register and as Clara who had a job were paying for it, Sara and stood behind her in line.

" Where's your sunscreen?" Sara asked in her usual abrupt tone. During Gym class together, Sara noticed that Amber had to put on sunscreen before getting dressed. No one knew about the powers yet but for whatever reason the bright lights in the gym made her skin feel warm and peele over like she was in the sun all day.

"These lights are fine," Amber said while still facing forward. They grabbed the receipt and halfway ran out of the store.

"Get some sunglasses. You'll even more like an outcast."

"The hell is she talking about?" Amber told her.

"Well, that's just stupid. It's just a front for her own insecurities."

Amber started to stomp as she walked. Her head started to feel like it's on fire. They both walked out of the parking lot  Steam starting to come up out of the payment as she walks in the parking lot. They got in Clare's car and they took off.

****

Amber was silent during the ride home. Staring out the window. Clare knew that this was n't a good sign. They were driving past an empty

field. Clare pulled over.

"I don't see any cops. What's going on?"

" I should ask you the same question. Why are you so quiet?"

"It was Wrath. I knew she was gonna say that."

"Amber come on, you're smarter than that. Sara's more insecure than you."

"Oh gee, thanks."

"She's not worth thinking about. She's not even in any of your classes. Do you see her at the gym? That's not bad "

"It's different. She's pushing my buttons."

"You know how many times my parents push mine?"

" I know it just makes my head hurt."  Clare touched a side of her head. A sizzle came out like a cold piece of meat on a skillet.

" Fuck!" Clare yelled out. She shook out her hand.

Amber got restless and got off the car. She started aimlessly walking. The sun was out. It was fall. The crunch on her feet and the mounds of dirt told her that this was a harvested cornfield.

Clare was still on the side of the road. "Stopping here was a bad idea. Let's just go."

Amber looked around.  " I don't see any houses or farms, I think we're good. Just give me a minute."

Amber put the back of one of the hands-on her head like she was checking for a fever. There was no sizzle but she didn't notice. She looked down. A scarecrow was on the ground in overalls and flannel shirt with a jack-o'-lantern as a head and an old Red Sox hat next to it.

Amber lifted the scarecrow. The leaves that were inside the clothes She walked back a few feet and said to Clare "Stand back, I wanna try something."

Amber took a few steps back and but the back of her head and she was feeling hot.  " Are you ok?" "Give me a minute." and she took a few steps back. She looked up at the sun.  She could feel the warmth, even though it was slightly floating above her hands. She went through the same ritual as she did at the river.  The small orb started to form in her hand.

Clare could see this from her car. "What's wrong with your hand?" "The orb got bigger and bigger. Her whole body got hot. Steam came off her body. She held the orb for as long as she could until the orb touched her.

As soon as she felt it, she flung her arms out and the orb shot out towards the scarecrow. It caught fire immediately. Amber stood in awe as the scarecrow was on fire, Smoke was billowing out towards the road. Clare ran to the trunk opened the trunk and grabbed the two-gallon water jugs that she had for her recreational soccer games. She ran to the scarecrow with both jugs that was on the ground, still burning.

Amber couldn't move or take your eyes off of it. Clare popped the top of the jugs and the flames went out

" OK, now we gotta go."  She took Amber's wrist and dragged her along. They both got it the car and took off.

"The hell was that?!" Clare yelled out.

After a pause,  Amber said, "Don't tell my dad."

" I won't but  just tell me."

" I was...just thinking about Sara and I felt the sun in me."

" In you?"

" Yeah, it was like… in me."

"....You were possessed...by the sun?"

"No… Like I asked for its power. And it came out of me."

"Woah."

Another pause.

"Does your Dad know?" Clare Asked

"Yeah."

"How'd he take it?"

"Not too bad actually."

"Smart Dad."

"Think anybody at school will find out?"

"Nah."

"You sure?"

"Pretty sure."

Pause again. She looked at Clare. " As long as my mom doesn't find out. Which she probably won't cause I don't know where  the fuck she is."