Phoenix Burning

by Anne, Melody

  There were a few hundred people in the room. In the dim light, Phoenix could see their frightened eyes trained on the newcomers, who intruded into their safety zone. After about a minute, a lone figure, no older than twenty, stepped forward. He was built well for his age, as life on the run tended to do to all of them. Phoenix couldn’t see his features well enough to describe him but she could tell he had a large stature.

  “I’m Devon. Welcome to our camp,” he said, reaching out his hand.

  Jayden took charge and stepped forward to introduce their group.

  “It’s great to meet you, Devon. I’m Jayden. This is John, Brian, Cassidy, Sadie, and Phoenix. We met your friend, Ben, and have been anxious to speak with your camp.”

  Devon seemed relieved as they shook hands.

  Devon led them forward and the people parted to allow them into the center of the cavern. Phoenix was glad because they were closest to the fire. She didn’t know if it was fear or cold, but her teeth chattered as they neared the warmth. Devon introduced them to the huddled crowd.

  “These are our neighbors,” Devon said. “They’ve been in their cave about a year longer than we have. Ben told us they want to join forces, so let’s listen to what they have to say.”

  The room remained quiet — more of an eerie silence than comforting.

  “I’m happy to meet all of you. It’s truly a pleasure to see so many alive and well. My name’s Jayden. We have a plan we’d like to propose to you.” He waited to see if anyone had anything to say, but it remained silent so he continued.

  “We’re tired of sitting in the comfort of our cave while our brothers and sisters are slaughtered as if they’re no better than wild animals,” Jayden said. “We’ve been fighting back, overtaking some of the prison camps and rescuing victims. Our numbers continue to grow and we know if you join us, we can fight larger battles and start taking back our country. We have many supplies and our cave is incredibly spacious. There’s plenty of food and real beds. We have security both inside and out. As I speak to you, our elders are working nonstop to make more room so your entire group can merge with ours. I know you’re scared, and to traverse these woods is frightening, but if you decide to join us, we’ll have plenty of soldiers protecting us for the journey and we won’t try to move the entire group at once. We can transport you in small numbers so if the enemy draws near, we can easily hide.”

  Phoenix watched the way he mesmerized the crowd with nothing but his words. He spoke softly, but loud enough for the people farthest away to hear. He knew exactly what to say to offer comfort and take away confusion. She could only see the faces of those nearest the fire, but those relaxed and some even gave a tentative smile.

  She was surprised by the appearance of the group. They weren’t in as bad of shape as the prisoners they’d rescued, but their clothes were dirty and ragged. They were thin, but not malnourished. They looked tired and defeated. She knew taking them to their cave would be good for all of them.

  With the numbers increasing to nearly ten thousand, they’d have a small army. Maybe they really would stand a chance of taking back their country and once again having the freedom their ancestors had fought for.

  Jayden talked for several more minutes, no one interrupting. His words seemed almost too good to be true for the scared group. When he asked if there were any questions, no one spoke up. Maybe they didn’t need to ask anything except how soon can we leave?

  “I’m sure you’re hungry after your journey. I know our food won’t be as good as what you have back at your cave, but it would be our honor to have you join us for lunch,” Devon humbly offered.

  “We’d appreciate that,” John spoke up. Phoenix felt guilty about taking any of their food, but her father had said they’d be joining them soon and bringing all they had, and that put her mind at ease. She hoped the wait wasn’t long before they started moving them out of the dank cave they called home.

  “How did you find this place?” John asked as they sat down. It seemed the cavern they were in was their central space, where they spent most of their time. There were a few other caverns not far from that room, and they used those for sleeping quarters. They had a cavern they used as a make-shift bathroom, where they’d built wooden seats over a gaping hole. Devon said he didn’t know where the hole went or how deep it was, so they had the wall blocked off to keep the younger kids from wandering in there by mistake. If someone fell, they wouldn’t be able to recover them.

  There wasn’t a bathing area in the cave, but a stream was only a quarter-mile away. At night they took turns gathering water for bathing, drinking, and cooking. It wasn’t sophisticated but it had kept them warm, safe, and secure.

  “Most of us are actually from a small town a few hundred miles from here,” Devon said. “I used to go camping in these woods with my mom and dad when I was little and we stumbled on this cave the last time we were out here. Our town was so small — the soldiers didn’t hit it for a couple of weeks after their original attack. When my parents saw what was happening, they gathered the townspeople together and cleared out all food, clothes, and anything else they could think of, then led the entire town to these mountains.”

  The six of them were riveted to Devon’s words as he continued.

  “It took us nearly a week to get everything moved and it was a terrifying experience. We were able to drive our cars to about ten miles from the cave, and then all of the supplies and people had to be brought in the rest of the way on quads. They moved all of us kids here first, along with some food. A couple of the adults stayed behind, but my dad didn’t want hundreds of cars only ten miles from our location so most of our parents left to take the cars fifty miles away, where the lake is. Their plan was to dump the vehicles in the lake and then hike back to the caves. They promised to be back in a few days. The adults who stayed behind covered up all the quad tracks and then came back inside.”

  “There are only a few adults here now and they haven’t said anything to us yet,” Phoenix said. It wasn’t really a question because she didn’t know how to ask him where all their parents were.

  “They never came back. I don’t know if the enemy got them and threw them in prison, or killed them, or if they had to hide somewhere else. We all pray they’re still alive and we’ll see them again,” Devon said in a choked voice.

  “I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through,” Sadie said as she slowly stood and wrapped her arms around him, as if he were a young child, though he was actually older than she was. After a pause, he brought his arm up and returned her warm embrace.

  “Thank you,” he told her.

  “I know a hug isn’t enough but I need them a lot,” Sadie said, wiping a tear away. She moved back to Brian’s side, and he kissed her cheek. Phoenix was in awe and so proud of how wonderful her best friend was.

  “We’ve had more people wander in over the years, and a few members of our camp have passed away, some have gone out and never returned, but we try not to dwell on the bad, because it’s so consuming we can’t get past it,” Devon said. “We haven’t had hope since the day we were ripped from our homes, but with your arrival I can see it shining in everyone’s faces once again.”

  Devon regained his composure and offered them a small smile. Phoenix wanted to give him a hug too, but she stayed where she was. The union of the two camps would offer hope, safety, and the security of numbers.

  “We’ll get you all moved as soon as possible, if that’s what you want. Our cave offers light, food, friends, and most importantly, hot bathing facilities,” John said with a smile. Devon’s own smile grew.

  “I can barely remember the last time I had a hot bath. I’d give up eating in exchange for one,” Devon said.

  The next several hours were spent meeting the community. They slowly became more animated as they decided to join them and learned where they were going. There were children from ages four through eighteen and only a dozen adults. The adults were far more subdu
ed than in their own camp and were much quieter than any of the kids. It was clear Devon had risen as their leader, though he didn’t seem to want the position.

  Phoenix knew she wouldn’t remember all of their names, not for a long time, but she smiled, hugged, and laughed with them. She found new friends and counted her blessings for what her parents had done to ensure their survival. She couldn’t imagine having to live in the dark cave they had endured through the years.

  Phoenix felt her eyes drooping as the afternoon wore on and night approached. The children sought her and the rest of their group, wanting any and all news from the outside world. Phoenix was disappointed she couldn’t tell them more. They wanted to hear stories of how they’d overtaken several prison camps. That gave them more hope than anything else.

  “I know everyone’s excited about our guests, but they have to get home so they can begin operations to transport us,” Devon told the group. “In the meantime we have a lot to do. We need to bag all our extra supplies and create groups of people to be led to our new home. I want those who are ill and the young children to go first. They have doctors and medical supplies there, so our people can finally be treated. We’ve been blessed by Ben wandering in the woods.”

  At the beginning of his speech, there were groans as the people didn’t want to let their new friends leave, yet by the end there was cheering. They were anxious to leave their temporary sanctuary and find a new home among friends.

  “We hate to leave you but our friends will worry if we don’t get back to them when they’re expecting us,” John said. “I promise, our soldiers will be here within a few days for the first group of people. One of us will accompany each group of soldiers so you know they’re the good guys. It’s a two-day journey, but we’ll have several groups transporting you, and hopefully it will only take two weeks, at most, to get everyone out of here. Thank you for your kind welcome, and thank you for all you’ve sacrificed. I can’t wait to be with each one of you again.”

  Many kids rushed forward and wrapped their small arms around their visitors’ legs and waists as they said their goodbyes. Phoenix and Sadie were emotional, tears streaming down their faces as they walked the long corridor, leading them into the night. They turned for one final look into the dark entrance of the cave. It had been a safe haven for its residents for years, but it seemed more like a cell. At least they had each other. Many weren’t as fortunate as either of their camps.

  No one said a word as they walked through the forest, the three-quarter moon guiding them. It seemed as bright as the sun after the darkness of the cave. The couples each clung together, the guys not willing to let go of their girls, and the girls happy to have their loves to cling to.

  They made it to their temporary camp and Phoenix saw the relief on the faces of the soldiers, who’d been anxiously awaiting their return. The men wanted to know how the visit went. They all sat by a warm fire, drank tea, and let John tell about the wonderful group who’d soon be living with them.

  “I have to admit I’ve been selfish,” Phoenix said, ashamed to admit how she’d felt. “I wanted to just sit back in our cave and keep all the people I love safe and away from danger. It sounds even worse after I’ve personally seen the conditions of the prison camps and the people rescued, but I tried to block it all from my mind. After tonight, though, those thoughts have vanished. The look of hope and happiness on all those kids’ faces made me realize how important it is for us to stand up and fight back. There are many others who need us.”

  “Phoenix, we’ve all had those same thoughts,” John said. “It’s real easy to forget the outside world in the comfort of our cave. Our parents did an incredible job of making sure we’d stay safe. Don’t beat yourself up because you don’t want anyone you love to die. That’s natural. If you didn’t care about the rest of the world then you could feel guilty, but I know you, and that wasn’t what you were thinking. You were only thinking at the moment of wanting to keep your own friends and family safe.” He squeezed her hand.

  “I’ve felt the same way too, Phoenix,” Sadie confided. “We’ve seen so much horror in the world in the last few years and I’ve wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening, but seeing the look of hope on all those kids’ faces today renewed my conviction that we can’t sit by.

  “I know our parents would be happy to fight this war without us, but we won’t stand by any more. We’re going to do some major ass-kicking,” Sadie said with a grin.

  Phoenix saw the fear in her best friend’s eyes, but she also saw a glint of determination. They weren’t little kids anymore. They were strong and would prove so, more than either of them knew in those innocent moments around their campfire.

  “I’m exhausted. Let’s get some sleep so we can leave early and get home. I don’t want to leave them there any longer than we have to,” Brian said.

  He’d been so quiet during the entire ordeal that Phoenix almost forgot he was there. As she looked at him, holding Sadie tight to his chest, Phoenix realized he was stronger than she thought. He’d seen his own share of horror and dealt with those situations differently from Jayden, but it didn’t make him weaker.

  “That’s the smartest thing anybody’s said all night,” Jayden said, standing. He grabbed Phoenix’s hand and pulled her up, kissing her quickly.

  “Don’t get any ideas, Jayden. You’re still in the guys’ tent tonight,” John said. He quickly kissed Cassidy and pulled Jayden and Brian behind him. Phoenix pouted as she piled into a tent with Cassidy and Sadie. The three of them talked until exhaustion overtook them and they fell asleep.

  They left before morning’s first light and drove all day and into the night to get home. They didn’t want to camp out any longer; they wanted to get home. They stumbled into their own cave in the middle of the night, but the extra hours on the quads were worth it because they could crash in their own beds and get up early to tell the elders to start the rescue mission.

  Chapter Ten

  “You haven’t called me for a while,” Jessica pouted as she met Vyco in their secluded place.

  “Did you miss me?” Vyco asked in his smooth tone. Of course, he knew she had missed him very much. He’d left her wanting him, needing him, craving his presence and touch. He’d make her nearly crazy with her need of him.

  “Don’t play with me,” Jessica snapped.

  Vyco could see the anger building in her and it thrilled him. He was tempted to throw away his plan and cart her off to the underground. He found himself observing her often. She intrigued him and he deemed that as weakness on his part. That’s the only reason he’d forced himself to stay away from her so long.

  “I’d never play with you,” he said as he stepped closer. She stood near him, refusing to look in his eyes. It was her minor rebellion for him withholding his presence from her.

  Vyco stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. She stayed stiff for a moment before she melted against him. He could punish her for her insubordination but he liked the fight in her. He also liked how much she craved him. It fed his ego.

  He had many minions and he was never alone when he didn’t choose to be, but he almost craved the desire he saw lighting her eyes, the way she more than worshiped him. He could practically taste her excitement.

  “Tell me your news,” he said as he caressed her back and bent forward to nibble on her neck. He wanted to bite into her skin, taste her very essence, but he withheld from doing so. He was afraid he’d kill her and that wouldn’t sit well with him.

  “It seems there’s another camp. I don’t know much about it — no one seems to trust me much,” she said, and he fought to keep from laughing. Of course they didn’t trust her — they were smart not to.

  “Go on,” he said. His body tightened in frustration, yet he continued stroking her skin.

  “They’ve been sending out soldiers who return a few days later with groups of people,” she said. “I didn’t find out it was happening until several hundred had alr
eady arrived at our cave. The first groups were mostly sick and stayed in the medical wing. I don’t usually go to the nightly meetings, so it took me a while to find out what was happening. Since then, I’ve made myself attend the boring, hypocritical meetings. Not much was said until last night. Apparently over half their group has already been moved. Just what we need — a lot more mouths to feed.”

  “You’ve done well, Jessica. I’ve already blessed you with a reward for your loyalty, and I have more for you,” Vyco told her. Her eyes lit and she reached toward his shirt, slipping her hand inside, not comprehending what he was telling her.

  “Yes,” she purred. Vyco laughed at her enthusiasm, which caused her eyes to narrow. It was obvious she didn’t like being laughed at.

  “Always so eager to please, but your reward isn’t that — it’s not time, yet. You’ve had a taste of the power I’ve bestowed upon you, and you’ll gain much more if you please me,” Vyco said. She looked at him with a pucker of her brows. He knew she couldn’t think of what she wanted more than for him to take her.

  “I’ve gifted you with power. Not a lot, for the moment. You’ll need to ease into your powers gradually. If I give you too much, you won’t know how to control it,” he said with a smile.

  “What kind of power?” she asked, practically drooling.

  Vyco knew he needed to be extremely careful with her. If he gave her too much and she turned from him, she’d be a strong enemy. He needed to control her because he wanted her at his side. It took all his self-control to resist her but he wouldn’t give in to temptation until she knew he was the one in charge, not her.

  “You didn’t think the bowl moved on its own in that room, did you? That’s only the beginning. Remember who gives you everything . . . and also remember who can take it away,” he said, his tone menacing. He wanted to make sure to get his point across. He gripped her chin, finally sliding his mouth down to hers and giving them both a taste of what they wanted. She greedily drank from his lips, while he barely managed to rein in his desire.