Anger

Forest hated thunderstorms, and the weather in Citrine was always so unpredictable. It had been snowing the day before, and now there was a rainstorm. As the thunder pounded and the lightning struck outside, he lay very still. He was safe in his bedroom, and he knew the storm could not hurt him, but he was afraid to move. With the flashes of light screaming through his window, he closed his good eye, and the memories came flooding back.

He remembered it like yesterday.

It had been a sunny, warm day in early summer. Birds were chirping, the city was alive with movement, and animals were all around. Families were laughing and playing, while others worked, shopped, or enjoyed good food with friends. Citrine was beautiful in the summertime. The bright colors of the city glistened like diamonds in the sunlight. The laughter of those around him sounded like music in his ears, and the smells from the nearby shops were delightful. It was magical.

Forest sat under a tree in the city park. “Today would be perfect,” he thought to himself, “except that I’m alone.” He knew he could be with his friends right now if he wanted to, but in this moment, he needed to be alone. Just a few days before, he and his dad had had an argument. His dad had told him something that would change the course of his life, and it had deeply upset him. He had thought about it nonstop for the past three days.

His dad had told him that in the next few years, he would receive a magical power. This was something Forest did NOT want to happen! He knew the city of Citrine was magical, and that some animals possessed powers, while others did not. He had also seen what the animals with magical powers were capable of. They almost always did bad things.

Forest is to be the first fox in his family to receive a magic power. It was still a mystery to those who lived in Citrine as to how certain animals were given power. All Forest knew was that someone had contacted his dad and told him that his son would be going through some “changes” in the next few years. And everyone in the city knew what the word “changes” meant, even if they didn’t know how it happened.

Forest was terrified. He did not want to become like all the other bad animals who had power! As he sat in the park, he thought about how he could escape the “changes” that were going to come. He thought to himself, “Maybe if I leave Citrine, the magical powers can’t find me. Maybe if I went to stay with my grandparents in the countryside, they, whoever they were, can’t get to me.”

A plan started to formulate in his mind. He would need supplies, food, and money to escape the city. The food and supplies he could probably get from his house. But where would he get the money from? His parents did not keep any at home. Forest suddenly had an idea! He had been at his friend Norm’s birthday party just a few days ago, three to be exact. It was actually the day his dad had told him about the “changes” that were to come.

Forest had not wanted to go to that party after finding out about the magic, but his dad had all but dragged him to the party. He had felt bad about not being a good friend to Norm that day, after all, it was his birthday, but he had other things to think about. He vaguely remembered seeing Indigo and Sage at the party, too. He had just sat in a corner the whole time he was there. But there was one thing Forest did remember seeing at the party, and that was the amount of cash Norm had been given as a birthday present from one of his great aunts. Forest hated to even think this way, but he needed that money for his getaway plan. His plan could only work if Norm hadn't already spent that money. He would pay Norm back, he promised himself, but right now that money was his only way out of Citrine.

Forest stood up under the tree and started walking towards Norm’s house on the other side of the city. He wasn’t sure yet how he was going to get the money, but he knew he had to.

About an hour later, Forest arrived at Norm’s red front door. He knocked, and to his surprise, Indigo answered! “Oh great,” he thought to himself, “this will complicate things.” He smiled at Indigo as she invited him in. As they walked into the game room, Norm and Sage looked up. They both grinned as they saw Forest and waved at him to come join them. They were playing a board game. Forest had no choice but to join, as he needed to rethink his plan to get the money now that Indigo and Sage were here.

Forest played the game with them for a few minutes and then said, “I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back!” He got up and quickly walked down the hallway towards the bathroom. Luckily, Norm’s bedroom was right next to the bathroom. He turned the light on in the bathroom, shut the door, and then went into Norm’s room and started to search for the birthday money. He couldn’t find it anywhere! “Maybe Norm’s parents had the money in their room,” he thought. He ran across the hall and started frantically looking through their dresser drawers and under the bed. Nothing.

He glanced at the closet, walked over to it, and gently opened the door. He couldn’t believe his luck! At the bottom of the closet was a safe, and it was open. He looked inside and not only was there money, but there was also diamond jewelry.

Back in the game room, Indigo said to Norm and Sage, “Forest is taking a really long time in the bathroom. I’m going to check on him.” She started down the hallway and saw that the bathroom door was closed and the light was on. She knocked on the door and asked, “Forest, are you OK? Do you feel sick?” There was no answer. She stood outside the bathroom door for a few more minutes and didn’t hear anything.

Suddenly, she heard a loud “CRASH”! It had come from one of the bedrooms. Norm and Sage heard it too, and they came running down the hallway. All three of them ran into Norm’s parents' room. They found Forest lying on the ground surrounded by boxes. The boxes had fallen from the top of the closet.

Sage yelped and scurried towards Forest to make sure he was OK. Forest sat up and started rubbing his head. One of the boxes had hit him pretty hard. Norm asked, “What happened?” And before Forest could say anything, Norm’s mom walked into the room. She had also heard the crash and was outside, so it had taken her longer to reach the kids.

In the midst of all the commotion, Indigo stayed silent. She saw the open safe and the money sticking out of Forest’s pockets, as well as the diamond jewelry hidden behind his back. Norm’s mom had also noticed the money and jewelry. Just as Norm’s mom was about to speak, Indigo yelled, “How could you do this, Forest?! Norm is your friend!” Her emotions got the best of her. She was angry that Forest would try to steal from Norm’s family.

Forest tried to speak, to explain why he needed the money and to apologize, but Indigo’s finger was already pointing at him, as a flash of light left it and hit Forest in the chest. He froze in place. He could breathe, but he couldn’t move or speak. Because of this, Norm’s mom was able to grab him, pull him to his feet, and into the kitchen, just as he unfroze.

Forest didn’t resist, as he sat in a kitchen chair while Norm’s mom called the police. They arrived within ten minutes. The police questioned all of them about what had happened, but Forest refused to speak. He was angry. Angry that Indigo had assumed the worst about him and wouldn’t let him try to explain things. Forest shut down. He sat at that kitchen table, unmoved, as his dad arrived. Norm’s mom did not press charges against him, but he knew he was in deep trouble when he got home.

A week later, Forest found himself on a bus with several other kids his age. His dad was sending him away to a school for “troubled” kids. Most kids who were sent to this school never returned. Forests' anger only deepened towards Indigo, but “maybe,” he thought, “the magic won’t be able to get to me there.” Forest would make sure he returned to Citrine, at some point. He would have to deal with whatever magic power he was given, whether he received it while he was away or upon his return to the city. He would also deal with Indigo.

As Forest lay in bed, with the storm starting to let up, he suddenly realized why lightning terrified him. On that day, three years ago, Indigo had looked at him with such disdain as that bolt of light left her finger. It still upset him to think about it, even now. He had not known at the time that she had a magic power, and by the surprised look on her face, after the bolt of light left her finger, it made him wonder if she even knew. Regardless, he had been deeply hurt by the way Indigo had treated him, and that hurt still stirred inside of him, and so did the anger.

He got out of bed and looked out his window. It was barely raining now, and the sun was starting to peek through the clouds. “Good,” he thought, “I have things to do today.” He put on a pair of black pants and a black patch over his left eye and walked out the door.