Blair Firespark's Arc

Chapter 3 of 8

The girl with braids stayed next to Blair at the stone compass, holding the water bottle against her chest. Her fingers kept touching the kitty face like she needed to make sure it was real. Blair drew a purple star in her book when footsteps came running from behind the lodge. Three bigger kids appeared, pointing at the girl. They said she took the bottle from the lost and found when it wasn't hers. They said she needed to prove it or give it back. The girl's hands shook but she didn't let go. Blair stood up and stepped between them, the walkie talkie warm in her pocket. She needed somewhere safe to take the girl, somewhere the bigger kids couldn't follow and be mean. Blair grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her toward the pink cottage covered in flowers that sat near the garden. She pushed open the door and brought the girl inside where the windows glowed yellow and warm. Blair turned around in the doorway and told the bigger kids this was hero headquarters and meanies weren't allowed. She pulled out her book and drew big X marks while they watched. The biggest kid laughed and said it was just a playhouse, but none of them came closer. Blair closed the door and locked it with the little hook latch. The girl sat on the floor and hugged her water bottle. Blair opened her book to a fresh page and drew the cottage with pink markers and stuck glitter flowers all around the edges. She drew a rainbow statue of a brave girl right outside the door, tall and shining with all the colors mixed together. Then she drew the pink ice sculpture of two kids holding hands, and she put it on the compass stone so everyone would remember where the girl had been brave. Blair kissed the page and showed it to the girl. The cottage would be the safe place now, where kids could come when bigger kids were being mean. The girl smiled and touched the drawing. Blair's fire felt warm and big in her chest because she had made something new for her team, a real place where helpers could hide until she made them strong enough to fight back.