Chapter 8

The next day was Christmas Eve, with our tradition of having our big meal that day. First things first, Kara and I got up, dressed for the cold, and did our chores. It was 43 degrees out, so I kicked up my speed and helped my nearly frigid sister do hers. I only hoped we weren’t being watched.

I went into the barn to do those chores, and my sister followed me in, saying, “Kal, can you warm me up, please?”

Instead of the hand rub, I pulled her up against me, and we had our most non-sibling kiss, ever.
Her hands dropped and went inside my jacket, and mine, went to on top of her breasts, although they were covered with a bra and a shirt.

“Oooh, Kal, that feel so bad and so nice. Squeeze harder, please?”

Being very careful, I did as she wished and our groins touching affected one another. “Oooh,” I said. “You feel really nice, Kara!”

“KIDS!”

We separated, and walked out separately, with Kara saying, “What is it, Mom?”

“I hadn’t seen you and had wondered if Kal had taken you somewhere, I couldn’t see. Is everything OK, you must be cold, dear?”

“Yeah, but I think warm thoughts all I can,” she said.

“Hey, Mom, it’s too cold for you to be outside, get back inside, mind you?”

“That sounds too much like your father, young man,” she said cackling just a little as she headed back inside.

I walked over to my sister, who said, “That sounded exactly like Daddy. Maybe you have a new power of mimicry?”

“Cool!” we said together.

“Want to go inside and warm up some more, big brother?”

“Sure,” I said grabbing her hand in mine.

Walking inside, Dad asked, “Could you start a fire in the fireplace, please, Kal?”

I filled the fireplace with just enough cedar from our inside pile we kept. We get delivered three full cords of it in mid-July, before the price goes up. I noticed when we went to Mr. Kirby’s he has a very large grove of cedar trees. Hmmm?

I was picking up our electric match, I had given dad a few years ago, but Kara, with her coat off, said, “Light it with your heat vision, big brother.”

“Waaaait a minute,” our mother said, practically running into the room. “Can you do it safely, without burning down the house, young man?”

“He can do it, we’ve practiced it before,” Kara said, defending my honor.

“I can do it, Mom, Dad. If something happens, I can blow it out with my Super Breath,” I said.

Dad struck a match, saying “Blow it out, without blowing it out of my hand, Kal ... remember, I’m not invulnerable.

I pursed my lips, like my sister had taught me and did just that, without it moving even halfway down to his fingers, “Good!” he said, “You have a new regular task, starting right now.”

I turned to the pile of wood in the fireplace, and it started, just like that!

“Good Job, son ... add that to the list of powers you have, and never use them outside of the farm, got that?”

“Yes, Sir, got that!”

I turned to my sister and we had a hug, and she asked, “Who did you think of to get your Heat Vision, me, or her?”

“Neither, it happened on pure instinct. I had no nasty feelings for you, or her?”

“Cool,” she said, giggling as I put the guard back up in front of the fire.

“Does this mean, you could put out a bigger fire than just a match or a fireplace fire?” dad asked.

“Probably, I used very little ‘power’ to put out the match, Dad.”

“Follow me outside, please?”

“It just got comfortable,” Kara responded.

“I don’t need you, just your brother.”

“Give me a second, please?” she asked putting back on her heavy coat.

We did, and she took my hand.

Dad had me pick up and move a full-sized fence post to a clear area, then said, “Set it on fire, please?”

What a chance to show off!

Easy enough, from twenty feet away, it caught fire.

“Wait a minute, I want a big conflagration,” he said.

The fire had gotten to twenty feet tall, then he said, “Put out the fire, Kal!”

With just as much ease, I blew it out, just ... like ... that!

“That’s quite impressive,” he said to me.

“Very!” my sister said.

Kara helped Mom, as Dad and I did some sprucing up of our family room. The tree, with the family ornaments and the popcorn strings were moved a little. Dad left and brought in a large ‘Santa-sized’ sack and emptied it underneath the tree. More presents!

“Dad, you didn’t need to get us so much stuff. How did you afford all this?” I asked.

“Ssshh, Kal – it’s all right. You and your sister deserve all of this. You’ve been such extremely trustworthy children, very smart and good to your mother and me. You deserve so much more than this,” he said, with a tear upon his cheek.