Phoenix Burning

by Anne, Melody

  “Crap, she gives me the chills. What’s up with all the slutty, dark clothes she now wears? Even the sound of her voice sends shudders down my spine,” Sadie said.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t want to see any part of her except her back as she’s leaving,” Brian piped in.

  “We’re not going to let her ruin our day,” Phoenix said. They soon started sharing their ideas on the meeting. Phoenix relaxed as she hung out with her friends and let go of her bad night.

  The day dragged by sluggishly as the groups went to classes, had lunch, and tried to stay occupied. By the time they arrived at the fire, Phoenix didn’t think her nerves could take much more. Arriving early, they sat up front, relishing the fire’s heat. Other people followed soon after, just as anxious to hear what the elders had to say. All eyes were riveted front and center as the men and women approached the podium.

  “I know many of you have heard a lot of talk, so we’re not going to keep you waiting long. The time has come. We received news about a month ago, but had to verify the information before we proceeded,” Larry said with excitement in his voice.

  “Apparently someone’s on our side because the enemy factions no longer have electrical power,” he said. The room was still as people tried to process what he said and waited for him to continue.

  “Let me explain that statement. All power sources in the United States have been temporarily eliminated. The enemy soldiers have no electricity, no power anywhere. All power stations have been destroyed beyond repair. They’re on an even playing field with us now. They are grounded,” Larry said. The room remained quiet for a moment before excited chatter filled the air.

  The elders stood silently at the podium as they waited for the audience to calm down. They knew their announcement would be met with astonishment and excitement. They also knew the people didn’t really know the full impact of how crippled the enemy was without power. After several minutes the crowd grew silent once more and looked forward, expectantly.

  “I know this is huge news, but please let me explain. We’ve verified their power is indeed out. They weren’t prepared for it in the least, thinking they had a strong hold on the power stations. I don’t know how they were destroyed, but they were. They didn’t have extra fuel stocked up. They are unable to fly now. They’re conserving their fuel supplies for vehicles. Without the power of flight, they won’t be able to see us. Unlike them, we have huge amounts of supplies stored. We have plenty of fuel to complete our missions. We can slowly take back one area at a time until we once again have our country,” Larry said, his voice rising as he finished speaking.

  The room erupted in cheers as the thought of freedom settled in. Phoenix looked around the room, only catching pieces of conversation.

  “. . . could go home . . .”

  “. . . they could still be alive . . .”

  “. . . mother, she was so frail . . .”

  The people were animatedly talking about what having freedom meant to them personally. All Phoenix could think about was the terror of leaving their caves. She knew it was worth it, but she was so afraid. She looked over at Sadie, whose eyes were also frightened. They’d been out there; they’d seen the power the enemy had.

  “We’ll protect each other,” Devon said, placing his hand on Phoenix’s shoulder. She looked at him, thankful for his friendship. He’d been through so much that she felt safer in his presence, though not nearly as safe as when Jayden was with her.

  “We’ll be okay,” Phoenix said with more bravery than she really felt. She needed to leave the room, needed time to breathe. She rushed from the cavern, ignoring the shouts for her to come back.

  Phoenix ran outside, her body shaking, her panic rising. She’d known it was coming, so she shouldn’t be upset, but she deserved a moment of selfishness. She would fight to her death if that’s what was needed, but she was angry.

  She was angry at the world for being so evil they could kill one another. She was angry at Jayden for letting her fall so deeply in love with him only to leave her. She was angry that evil really existed outside a storybook. She was flat-out angry and needed to express it. She’d held it all in far too long and it was her turn to throw a tantrum.

  Phoenix ran until she couldn’t breathe anymore and her sides screamed to stop. She dropped to her knees in the middle of the woods, well aware of the guards not far behind her. She’d run farther than was acceptable and they watched her for her own safety, but she didn’t care. She dropped her head in her hands and sobbed out all of the pain and anguish she’d held inside. She felt broken, lonely, as if there was a giant X on her chest. She almost wished a bullet would pass through her, ending her torment.

  As soon as the thought went through her head, it sobered her. She didn’t have a death wish. She didn’t want to leave her family or friends. She just wanted to be selfish, safe, and have everything back to normal. She should be going to prom, out on dates, learning to drive. She shouldn’t have to tote a gun and be expected to shoot people. That’s the world she was in, though, and she’d deal with it. What other choice did she have?

  She stayed in the soggy grass until she was sure the last of her sobs were over. Slowly rising to her feet, she berated herself. How could she have such selfish thoughts? She was done pouting. Her friends, family, and many others needed help, and she’d step up and be brave. After a good night’s rest, she’d feel better.

  “I’m going back now. You can quit stressing,” she said aloud to the guards who were giving her space. She could almost hear their sighs of relief as she turned around and started walking in the direction of the cave. Her parents weren’t going to be happy when they found out she’d wandered outside the safety perimeter.

  After what seemed like hours she made her way back inside the suddenly claustrophobic cave. At least they’d one day get to be in real houses again. Well, if she lived through it all, that was.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Okay, you’ve had your freak-out moment. Now it’s time to get busy,” Sadie said as she bounded into the room. Phoenix shielded herself from the flashlight Sadie was shining directly in her eyes.

  “What are you talking about?” Phoenix grumbled. She’d had a hard time falling asleep the night before, and then to top it off, had once again dreamt about Jayden. At least Sadie had woken her before it came to the part where he died.

  “I’m talking about the new schedule. You freaked and ran out of the meeting, but it wasn’t over. I wanted to chase you down, but Brian said you needed time. I was totally going to ignore him and find you anyway, but John agreed with Brian, so I backed off. You missed the best part of the meeting,” Sadie said, her voice rising in excitement. Phoenix didn’t see how she could be so excited about going into battle.

  “Okay, enough with the torture of your perky morning voice. Tell me what you’re talking about, and please, take the screech factor down about ten decibels,” Phoenix muttered. If there were rewards handed out for the grumpiest morning person of all time, Phoenix was sure she’d get the gold.

  “I’m in such a good mood that your grouchiness is flying right off of me. So . . .” she drew out dramatically.

  “Spit it out, Sadie,” Phoenix snapped. She knew she was being more of a bear than usual, but she didn’t care. She’d regret it in a couple hours, but at that moment, she wanted to bury her head underneath her pillow and fall back to sleep.

  “Okay, fine, but you better remember to apologize once you’ve fully woken, because you’re being moodier than normal. Considering all the drama you’ve dealt with lately, I guess I can forgive you,” Sadie rattled on. Phoenix had to clench her teeth to keep from shouting. She waited for Sadie to spit out whatever was so important.

  “Sorry, got off track again. Okay, our parents and the rest of the elders want to ensure our safety as much as possible, especially since there are so many teenagers among our group. I didn’t realize the teens now outnumber the adults, but we do, which is prett
y cool if you think about it.” Phoenix cleared her throat to get Sadie’s attention.

  “Land the plane, Sadie . . .” Phoenix groaned.

  “Sorry, sorry. Okay, they really don’t want kids coming back in body bags, so they’ve started this really intense schedule of training us for battle. They’re even calling it boot camp, like we’re really in the Army or something. Apparently, the enemy soldiers are trying to regroup and their nearest base is like several hundred miles away, so it’s once again safe to be outside for long periods of time. Plus, they can no longer do their flybys,” Sadie rambled on.

  Phoenix’s spirits lifted as she listened to Sadie’s never-ending speech. It would be great to be outside all day, and training would be exhilarating. She could take her anger and frustration about the situation out on objects, maybe learn how to shoot a gun.

  “A large group is out making an obstacle course for us to practice on and setting up targets and all kinds of other stuff. So, you have to get up right now. We need to have breakfast and get ready for the day,” Sadie said, bouncing on the bed, jarring Phoenix.

  “Okay, enough of the torture. I’m getting up,” Phoenix said, but her grumpiness was fading. She looked forward to the afternoon. She hadn’t been excited about a new day in a long time and everything Sadie talked about sounded fun.

  “I’m going to get changed. I’ll be back in two seconds,” Sadie said, rushing from the room like a small tornado. Phoenix smiled as she lay there for a few more moments. She finally dragged herself from bed and quickly dressed.

  Sadie ran back into the room as Phoenix was tying her shoes. She tapped her foot impatiently while Phoenix slowly got to her feet and followed her to the hallway. Sadie talked a mile a minute as they made their way to the eating area, but Phoenix was lost in her own thoughts.

  “I can’t believe how late you guys are. Grab your food. The elders are going to talk in a minute,” Brian said as he slid over to make room for them. Phoenix and Sadie grabbed their trays and quickly took their seats.

  Feeling too nervous, Phoenix could only pick at her food while listening to the room explode with conversations. No one tried to include her since she was well known for her anti-social behavior so early in the morning. It worked well for her.

  “Can I have your attention please?” one of the elders, Greg, asked the room. It instantly silenced. “We’ll be working all day on a training course as I announced last night. We’ve also made teams for you to train in. This will be your team when we go out to battle, so we want you to become comfortable working together. You need to trust each other with your lives, and the lives of the people we’ll be saving. We’ve tried to place you in groups of peers you’re already comfortable around. We’ve worked hard on this and if there are any issues, please see one of us, but be respectful about it. This is no time to judge each other, or deem others weaker than you. We all work as a team or we won’t be successful.” He looked around the room, making eye contact with individuals.

  “Janet is posting the teams up here,” Larry said. “Please don’t all rush forward at once. To save time and confusion, we’ve named teams with colors. The top name is your team captain. Every team captain assigned has already proven themselves. Respect them and what they have to say. They can make the difference between life and death for you. We love you very much, and we want each and every person here to remain safe. We want to save our brothers and sisters who are still out there, and we want to take back our country. We can only do this by working hard and staying strong. We can’t fight among ourselves. If you feel there’s something you can’t do, please tell us. There will also be assigned groups to stay back in the caves to watch the children, prepare food, and give medical treatment. This is our base of operations, and it’s another key to our survival.” The entire room was mesmerized with Greg’s words.

  Phoenix’s father stepped up next and met her eyes for just a second. He gave her a reassuring smile before he spoke next. The elders wanted them to know they were just as united as they wanted all the others to be. It was a smart move.

  “If you’re assigned to a team and feel you’d be more suited for assignment in the caves, please let us know right away. Don’t underestimate yourselves. You’re all strong, you’re all brave,” Larry said. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting a weakness and working on it. There’s also nothing wrong with playing to the strengths you already possess. We’ve thrived in this environment because we’re a diverse group of individuals who’ve come together to make a home. Let’s keep that same philosophy as we take back our country.”

  Hands shot in the air as people asked questions, and several of the elders patiently answered all of them. Phoenix tuned them out after a while. The important information had already been given.

  “We’d better be together,” Phoenix said, for the first time afraid they might have separated her from Sadie.

  “Of course we’ll be together, Phoenix. They said they wanted the teams to work cohesively together. You and I are like peanut butter and jelly. We’re much better when we’re together,” Sadie said, and Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh. She was right. Both of their parents had been part of the team to make the groups and they wouldn’t dare separate the two girls. She didn’t care who else was there as long as she could be by Sadie’s side.

  “We’re going to call up the team captain, and then they will call out your names. Follow your captain outside and you’ll learn your schedule for the day,” Larry said. The room silenced as they waited for the first names to be called.

  Several older boys and girls were called up, and they in turn called out names. The room began to clear. Phoenix waited anxiously as more and more people left. She never stopped clutching Sadie’s hand. The teams were made up of eight to ten people. It seemed like a good number, not so large that they couldn’t easily hide, but not so small that they wouldn’t have enough to cover each other’s backs.

  “John Light,” Greg called and smiled in John’s direction. He stood up and walked to the elders, who quietly spoke to him for several minutes. Phoenix’s stomach clenched as she waited for him to call his team members. She realized how much she was counting on being with John. She’d only been worried about Sadie, but as she watched her brother stand before the room of people, she knew she’d only truly feel safe if he was there.

  He was incredibly suffocating at times, but she knew he was only so overprotective because he loved her. He’d go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe and she’d do the same for him. She waited while he looked at his list. When he smiled, she had her answer. He wouldn’t have accepted her being on any other team so he wouldn’t be smiling if she wasn’t already there.

  “Phoenix Light, Sadie Sting, Cassidy Meadows, Brian Sanders, Devon McAllister, Scott Teslow, Leah VanBrocklin, and Jacob Redington,” John called. They all made their way to the front of the room smiling at one another. It was a good group, a strong team. Devon, Leah, and Jacob were new, but they’d already formed friendships with them.

  Phoenix was a bit surprised that Devon didn’t have his own team, considering he’d been through so much and had proven how good he was at escaping sticky situations. Maybe it was because he was new to their camp. She didn’t care. She was actually glad to have him there. He was experienced, knowledgeable, and she felt safe around him. She felt secure with all her teammates.

  After several hugs among the members, John led them from the room. Several of the kids spoke quietly as they walked from the cave, but Phoenix and Sadie walked behind, still clutching each other. Brian tried to walk with Sadie, but the hallway was too small for three, so he was forced to move ahead of them. Phoenix smiled, thinking he didn’t look too happy about that. Too bad, best friends always came before boyfriends.

  Outside, John led them around the side of the cave and Phoenix’s eyes widened as she saw the work in progress. There were at least a hundred people building an elaborate obstacle course that actually looked fun. Phoenix knew
it wasn’t about fun, but it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy themselves as they trained.

  “I couldn’t be happier with my team. I trust each of you. We’re going to train hard, but I’ll also make sure we have tasks where you can have a bit of fun too. We’ll make the most of this situation and we’ll get to the point where we can communicate without speaking. You all know how much I care about my sister,” he said, which caused chuckles around the group. It was well known that John was a fanatic about protecting Phoenix.

  “I want you to know that I care about each one of you too. I value each of you equally. There isn’t one life here that is more important than the next. I vow to each of you I’d die first before letting any harm come to you. We’re a team, stronger than the bonds of blood,” John said with a strength in his voice Phoenix hadn’t heard before.

  John was made to be a leader. He meant what he said and the members of his team felt confident in his abilities to lead them to victory safely. Phoenix rushed forward and threw her arms around him.

  “Just when I thought my heart couldn’t get any bigger, you make me love you even more. Thank you for being who you are, and for caring so much about us. We’ll work hard for you because you were made to lead us — to keep us safe,” Phoenix said.

  “Here, here,” Brian shouted, causing the emotional moment to break up as the group laughed. “Now, how about we get some work done and quit all of this soul sharing,” he said. The smile on his face took the bite out of his words.

  “Way to break up a moment, Brian,” Devon piped in. He was new to their group, but already bonded with them. Brian slapped him on the back.

  “I think we’ll have Brian step forward and show us his astonishing rope climbing abilities,” John said with a wicked chuckle. Brian groaned, but followed John to a place with several strong ropes hanging from the trees.