Chapter 20

A Chapter by Katie Wan

For a month after that night Phoenix stayed over. He felt safer when he wasn’t at home and I felt safer when he was with me.

I sat in the lunch room scanning the whole area around me. Phoenix hadn’t come over and he wasn’t answering his phone. I tossed the corn on my plate around with my fork. Jo looked across the table at me and she tried to smile, she was standing up leaving to go to gym class. She hadn’t heard anything from Ryder either. I was getting worried now. Earlier this morning when I talked to Justin he said that there was some high security alert on the news.

The room began to suffocate me. What if something had happened to him? There was no way I would be able to live without him. I felt my lungs constrict and I grabbed the end of the table. I jumped when a warm hand grabbed my neck. A yellow tinted plate sat down next to mine and I saw Phoenix sit next to me.

I pulled my head towards him and looked up at his face. Dark circles hung under his eyes and I knew he could barely keep them open. Everyone continued with their conversations but I zeroed in on Phoenix. “Where were you last night?”

He smiled a very weak smile. “Some new villains came into town and started killing people. We had to search the whole city for them. Unfortunately they are drifters; they go in and out of people’s minds. So the only way for us to find them is to search through every mind of every person in the city of Miami. We found a trail for awhile until I lost them once again. There are only a few people who can read minds so I was sent out.” He paused and stroked the back of my neck. “Larsen gave me the 12 to 8 shift�"knowing full well that I had school today. He and the twins are out right now. Ryder went home to sleep and the rest can’t do much.”

“Have you found them again?”

Phoenix grudgingly shook his head. “I have to keep on watch while I’m here since the twins are out working.”

I nodded and he slid his plate out. His head rested on the table and he shut his eyes. “If anyone starts to die please wake me up.” I nodded and stroked the hair behind his ear. Slowly his eyes shut and I knew that he was in a deep sleep.

About halfway through lunch I heard someone scream. I looked over to see a young girl fall over passed out in her chair. Just as the girl fell, Phoenix’s head snapped from the table, his eyes illuminated. He stood up and started looking around the room frantically. Slowly one by one people would drop to the floor, getting closer to us. His eyes became wide and he looked back at me, “Run Collin.”

I didn’t hesitate. I shoved away from the table and started running away out of the cafeteria. I bolted for the doors hoping no one was following me. My hands were shaking in their balled fists as I pumped my arms closer to the door. When I reached the wooden contraptions I snapped my trembling hands to the metal bar and shoved the doors open.

As I stepped out there was nothing. The school looked exactly the same but no one was in the halls. This was strange�"even for lunch time. I knew I couldn’t go back into cafeteria, so I went to the place where I knew most of the people would be�"the gym. Jo had a class there and everyone would be getting ready or even warming up.

I ran through the halls until I finally found the door. It was amazing to me that no one was in the halls. They must’ve all been in the cafeteria and saw what happened. I knew that paramedic sirens were going to be heard overhead very soon�"I waited for those. I shoved my elbow into one of the doors and I pushed through into the gym�"no one.

I had already run in a few steps before I realized that there was nothing. Most of the lights were dimmed and I knew something was wrong. I turned around as just as I did a man dressed in dark colors appeared. He had on an old forty’s hat with an overcoat and black dress clothes. I pursed my lips together and started to back up. He looked like he should be part of the mafia, but I knew instantly that he was part of something much more deadly.

These had to be the drifters, they had taken control of my mind, or my body I didn’t know which. My feet continued to walk backward further away from this man. “Collin hanks,” He said with his sly devilish voice. He knew my name, this wasn’t a good sign. This meant he was out for me. “It’s wonderful to see you my darling.” This was bad�"very, very bad. I knew it was safest not to say anything. So I just continued to move backward�"retreating.

I’d never actually been this scared before. Not even the time I was in the alley facing death once before. Then, I had nothing to live for. If I died the only person who would be put out would be Jo. Now, my whole life flourished. I had friends; my family was starting to get back together, and Phoenix. What would happen to Phoenix if I was gone?

“Ah, Phoenix.” The man’s foul breath reached my nostrils and I leaned back even further. I looked under the brim of his hat to see two completely dark eyes staring at me. They glimmered under the lights above us. My lungs took a deep breath in�"gasp. A villain. My heart pounded inside my head. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn’t run he had me now. I couldn’t try and call for help. No one would be able to hear me. I tried my hardest to think of something that I could do. Maybe I could try attacking him. What would you do in this situation? I was helpless no one would be able to help me now.

I kept my mouth shut. That’s the only thing I could possibly think to do. It didn’t help that he could read my thoughts. “That Phoenix, he means a lot to you, doesn’t he?” My eyes narrowed and I glared at the foul man in front of me.

As I continued to back up my shoulder blades hit something mushy. I turned around to see another villain right behind me. I looked around to see that there was about six other men dressed in black surround me. Each of them carried pitch black eyes underneath their hats and dark hairdo’s. I gulped and panic began to rise in my chest. I had no where I could go now. I had to fight.

So once again I balled my fists and crouched into a defensive position. This was beginning to turn out a lot like the alley. I would embarrass myself, maybe someone would save me, and then I’d go home to live my pathetic meaningless life.

The lead man stepped forward in the circle and laughed a dark laugh. Chills ran up my spine and I straightened up under his command. I no longer had control of my limbs. My feet dragged on the floor all the way to him. I tried to fight back but my body was paralyzed. There was no movement coming from any of my limbs.

The sinister man wrapped his hand around my throat and started to squeeze. I’d been here before�"that night�"with Jerry. I grabbed at the foul man’s wrist and tried to pull away. His fingers started to tighten and I knew my head would explode at any second.

I tried to kick my feet towards the man but they never seemed to connect. My lungs gasped for air but were met with failure. The blood in my veins was beginning to slow and I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. I dug my nails into his wrist and tried to scrape away the skin. He healed under every stroke.

As I kicked my body started to swing making it even harder for me to breath. Slowly but surely I felt my death coming. My legs stopped kicking. The heartbeat in my ears began to slow. And I felt my eyes start rolling into the back of my head. Saliva was dripping down my chin and tears began to roll out of my pained eyes.

Just as I was about to give up my life I heard a scream from my left. Behind the man holding me, one of his culprits was tackled to the floor. At the same time the scene around me went back to real life. Kids were playing basketball and warming up for class. Someone screamed as Phoenix crashed into the floor with the villain underneath him.

The man holding my throat realized the disturbance and tossed me with all his strength�"which was super strength. I soared across the room and landed on the floor digging into the ground making the floorboards break beneath my body. I felt bones in my hip crack and I cried out in sheer pain. Then there was something else tugging at my arm. I looked down to see one of the broken boards protruding from my arm. Another screech came from me and I yanked the wood from my arm.

Girls around me cried and screamed as they ran away. Jo was the opposite, she ran towards me. “Collin,” she whispered and knelt down at my side. Tears were streaming from my eyes now�"the pain was immense.

I tried to look forward but all I could see was Phoenix ripping clothes, shocking men, splattering blood everywhere. Teachers called for everyone to get out of the gym. Flashes of light came from all over the place and soon I could see all of the Oresons forming together to defeat these villains.

My focus went back to me. Jo wiped the sweat from the top of my head. “Just breathe, Coll.”

I felt the blood rush from my head when I looked down at my arm. A huge puddle of red liquid pooled below me. My hips pounded with a horrendous stabbingly painful constant thud. My lungs could finally get the air they needed but they also burned with every breath. I wanted to lie down, to just go to sleep, but I knew what that meant�"death. I had to stay away I needed to stay alert.

I managed to say one word to Jo and that was: “help.”

She nodded and crawled to the other side of me and took my hand in hers. “Phoenix!” she called out and returned her gaze back on me. She stroked the side of my face as I continued to get the air moving through my body again. It seemed that all the breathing did was to help the blood flow out of my right arm.

There were some more flashes and I could hear the students in the corner still screaming and crying. There were a lot of the Oresons now. Phoenix could now focus on me�"and I wanted him to. He started running towards me with his eyes illuminated.

There was a flash right in front of me making spots appear in my eyes. “Don’t touch him,” Ryder grabbed Phoenix’s elbow and pulled him backwards. Phoenix reared back and tried to move forward again. “Phoenix you need to calm down�"you’ll hurt him.” Phoenix glared up at Ryder. “You have to wait for Veronica.”

“Phoenix,” I said, not making the situation any easier on him. But I needed him I needed him to be by my side holding me and making sure that I was alright. I knew he was too angry, he could snap or something. Maybe he would be too rough with me. It’s true that he needed to be calm but he needed to be calm now.

Ryder kneeled next to me and gave Phoenix a good hard look. He couldn’t calm down there was too much anger inside of him. “At least stop the bleeding.” Phoenix ripped his shirt off and threw it at Ryder. Phoenix looked down at me and whispered, “I’m sorry.” He turned around and ran after the villains some more.

I sat there for another ten minutes before Veronica could be reached. When she arrived Ryder had already fastened Phoenix’s T-shirt into a tourniquet which somewhat stopped the flow of blood out my arm. Sirens were exploding outside of the school. When Veronica caught my eyes she rushed over to me. “Oh Collin.” She looked over my whole body trying to see what to fix first. Her eyes were illuminated as she looked over my whole body. “Why isn’t Phoenix doing this?” she asked as she looked over to Ryder.

Carefully she put her hands on top of the make-shift bandage. “He’s having issues.” This time I glared at Ryder who moved his gaze from me back to Veronica. Her silver eyes looked up into my eyes and she tried to comfort me with a smile.

I took a deep breath as she started to heal me. Jo knew that it was now safe to leave my side. Ryder stood up and took her in his arms. She started to cry and he slowly walked her away from me. Veronica silently did her duty without looking me in the eyes. I could feel the skin healing over itself as she used her powers. The pain was slowly diminishing, but this would be sore for awhile. Veronica healed me silently and when she was done paramedics came over to me and continued to look over my body.

I looked around the room for Phoenix but he was gone. The only face that I recognized that was alone was Justin. He was standing talking to a police officer and looking at me. The paramedics finished wrapping my arm and I slid off the bed onto the floor. My body was sore and I could still feel my muscles shaking beneath me.

Justin walked over to me and looked up into my face. “Can you take me home?” I asked quietly hoping that he heard me.

Justin put his arm around my shoulder and led me to the back of the gymnasium where he took me out the locker room and to his car. He didn’t have to say a word to comfort me; him helping was enough.

I loaded into his silver car slunk into the leather seats. I was in too much pain to put my seatbelt on so I just leaned against the door and rested my head on the window. “That was pretty crazy,” Justin said after we had left the parking lot.

“I’m starting to get used to it.” I whispered and looked out the front window. Right now all that I wanted was Phoenix. I, again, had no idea where he was, but he was all that I needed. “Have you seen Phoenix?”

I had to ask, it was pulling at the back of my mind. Justin looked over at me and shook his head. “I’m sure he’s fine though.”

My head turned back to the road in front of us. I was silent for the rest of the trip home. Justin let me just sit silently in his car. My muscles were still trembling and shaking. It felt almost like I was cold but I knew that wasn’t it. I had been through a lot in such a small amount of time.

Justin pulled up to my apartment and turned off the car. “Do you want me to help you to the door?” His blue eyes flicked over my aching body.

I shook my head and carefully lifted myself up out of his car. I leaned my head back in, “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem. Call me if you need anything.” I nodded and shut the door. I was grateful for Justin. He truly was proving to be useful. My feet seemed louder inside my ears as I walked up to my door. They seemed to echo through every muscle in my body.

The complex door shut loudly behind me and I flinched from the noise. I had no idea why my hearing was acting this way. My body must’ve been trying to shut out the pain but didn’t know how exactly. As I walked into my house a wave of cigarette smoke and booze filled my nostrils. It was the normal stench that floated throughout my home, but again my senses were on overload.

No one was home. Everyone worked during the day. I had the whole house to myself now. How would I spend it? Sleeping of course. My body collapsed onto the bed in the center of my room. Almost immediately my eyes shut.

It wasn’t until a few hours later that I woke up to a soft hand on my forehead. I carefully opened my eyes to see the light pouring in from the window. My eyes flinched shut and I tried to crawl back into the darkness of sleep. “Jackson will you get the blinds please.”

I waited until Jackson’s body had returned to the end of my bed. I opened my eyes to the now dark room and looked up at Veronica. Her eyes were illuminated as she stroked a sweaty strand of hair off of my forehead. “You poor thing, you look awful.” I could still feel my muscles shaking under my skin. Now I could feel a fever running through my veins.

“There’s not much more I can do for you though.” Veronica turned around and looked at Jackson who seemed to understand something and he left the room. Veronica stood up and helped my fragile body over onto my back and leaned me against my pillows. “This is a normal reaction when your body takes all of that stress then has nothing to heal. It has a sudden panic mode where it’s trying to fix something but it can’t. Eventually you get used to it.”

She smiled and helped me take my shirt off. Her bright eyes looked up and down my whole body once again. She was looking for anything she had missed. I took the time during the silence to ask the question that had been on my mind all day. “Would he really have hurt me?”

Veronica knew that his question would come. She paused from her eyes movements and she focused on the end of the bed. She bit her lip and pulled her hair over one shoulder. “He could have.” She looked behind her and reached for her jacket. I knew that she didn’t want to be talking about this but I was going to make her. There was something that wasn’t being said.

“What do you mean? Don’t you have trust in your brother?” she looked down at the purple knitted jacket in her pale hands.

She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. “He’s hurt people before Collin. Not intentionally of course. But he’s hurt them pretty seriously.” She took another deep breath and moved her eyes down to my feet. “He just can’t control himself sometimes.”

“That’s it?” I asked expecting something more.

She looked up at me like I was crazy. “He could’ve seriously hurt you.”

“You don’t think I’m different than some random bystander?” I felt air snort through my nose and Veronica glared up at me.

She pursed her lips together. “You can’t always trust us Collin.”

I shook my head. “Maybe not you, but I can trust Phoenix.” This whole outburst was liberating. I’d never talked like this to anyone before. I knew everything that I said was the truth though.

Veronica quickly changed the subject. “I told your mother what happened.” Right as she spoke those words Jackson came back into the room. He held a melted ice pack in his right hand. He quietly shut the door behind himself. Veronica smiled up at him and took the pack in her hands. I saw the steam rise from her hands and she “healed” the pack making it turn to ice.

I let her help me up as she put the ice back on the back of my neck. “That should keep you cool for awhile.” She smiled and handed her jacket to Jackson. “Your mother will probably be up later to feed you.” I had offended Veronica�"I could hear it in her tone. “We’ll stop by when we can. Call if you need anything.”

Jackson shot me a small little wave and opened the door for Veronica, who stomped out of the room. Jackson gave a quick half smile and shut my door.

The cool ice back on my neck began to cool my body down, but I couldn’t sleep. Eventually my mom came up with some soup. She stroked the top of my head and told me how sorry that she was. I know that it wasn’t heartfelt, but it was a step in the right direction. Eventually after enough awkward silence she also left.

The clouds were filling my room with a pinkish light. It had been almost the whole entire day and I still hadn’t heard from Phoenix. I tried to close my eyes and not think about it, but it seemed to be the only thing on my mind. I could feel the utter exhaustion throughout my bones but I couldn’t fall asleep. Two nights in a row without Phoenix, I would never be able to get to sleep.

I painfully rolled over onto my side and grabbed my cell phone off the night table. Painfully once more I rolled back onto my bed. The phone rang two and a half times. In the middle of the third I heard him pick up. Nothing was said from his end. We both sat silently listening to the other breath. It was nice to know that he was actually alive. “I need you to come over.”

Phoenix sighed, “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea tonight.”

I tried to sound more forceful this time as I spoke the same sentence. “I need you to come over.”

Phoenix became silent once again and I knew that he was actually debating coming over. Finally after a few silent seconds he whispered, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Usually ‘as soon as I can’ wouldn’t take much time at all. This time he took fifteen minutes to get to my house. I heard him drive up�"drive up? That was something new. He would usually just warp to my house.

I heard him starting to climb up the tree. I tried to force my body up off the bed so that I would be able to meet him at the window�"that wasn’t happening at all. I sunk my head back down onto the pillow and just waited with my eyes shut. I felt the pressure of his body on the end of my bed. “It’s good to know you’re alive.” My tone wasn’t as nice as it should’ve been. I felt him lean up against the baseboard of my bed.

We both sat silently in my room. Having him present sent my body on a vacation. There was a whole load of stress that was lifted off of my shoulders. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I could see a hurt deep inside of him. It shown out of every pore in his body, “You would’ve have hurt me.”

“You don’t know that.” He hissed back and looked down at my limp body. His hand softly touched the top of mine and then pulled away. I was about to speak when he intercepted my thought. “Jackson was hurt once. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Phoenix’s eyes narrowed to a single cell on my carpet�"he was completely focused on this story. “He was almost killed. It was probably the worst thing I’d ever seen, until today. I was not ready for anything like that.” Phoenix paused and looked at me while biting his lower lip. “You almost died Collin�"because of me.”

“But I didn’t.”

Phoenix took a deep breath, “I’m grateful for that.”

“So am I, but his can’t be a reason for you to just take off Phoenix. I know you would’ve never hurt me�"not intentionally.”

“That’s the thing,” he stood up and stroked his hair back up over his head. “I won’t intentionally mean do it, but I will�"eventually�"whether it’s physical or emotional.” He paused and looked at me, “I keep thinking I’m not the one who is supposed to take care of you.”

I pursed my lips together and thought about that sentence. “What do you mean?”

He looked down at me and then quickly away. “I keep seeing someone else.”

“Who?”

“I don’t want to get into this.”

“Well, we’re getting into this.” I hissed at him.

Softly his eyes lifted up into mine. “I don’t know, Coll.”

With great force I sat up and leaned closer to his standing body. “I choose who takes care of me Phoenix.” His silver eyes grazed over my face and they suddenly focused for the first time. “Before I chose myself�"now I choose you.” (Pikachu). Phoenix stopped with his rampage and took a seat back on the bed.

“I was so scared Collin. I couldn’t find you anywhere. I just had to follow the trail of falling bodies. The whole time I could hear you screaming for help in your mind. You were calling for me and I couldn’t get there.” Once more his hand touched mind and it warmed taking away all the pain in that appendage.

“I love you,” I whispered softly. “I always will Phoenix�"no matter what happens.”

Phoenix’s eyes pinched together as he tried to hold back some tears. This whole situation seemed to be more stressful for him than it was for me. Carefully he rotated and lowered his back onto my bed. I touched the top of his chest and he rolled over to me. I followed his action back, once more, to the bed and rolled over to my side so I could look up into his eyes. His cool breath grazed across the hot skin surrounding my neck.

He grabbed me and pulled me tight into his chest. I felt his body warm as mine began to cool. He was healing me through his touch. I curled my arms between us and ducked my head between his chest and chin. My trembling muscles eventually eased and I moved my face up to him. One of his hands came up to my chin and pinched the frail bone. He pressed his lips into mine and didn’t stop until I was fast asleep.

prev chapter