The Phoenix's Journal

Chapter 6: September 2

September 2

Did I go outside yesterday? This journal seems evident of it and I think I smell nicer...

WHAT

There was this weird knocking. It sounded like it came from outside.

I'm in the hallway now. I'm trying to write quietly. They're still knocking at the door. I don't think they can see me.

I heard a grunt. It sounds like whoever was there left.

Who was that?

September 2

I remembered the knocking from yesterday. What a strange occurrence. I wonder what I di

Somebody knocked. Maybe it's the same person?

Should I open the door?

I opened it. I walked closer when the two were there and listened through the door. There were two of them, and one sounded like the same person from those tapes. It took some courage to build up, and when I finally opened the door, they were halfway down the path leading to the big black path. I guess they heard and turned around.

We kinda stood there in silence for a while. They walked back up to the porch. I tensed up, and looking back it seems that was what fear felt like. I whimpered and shut the door.

They knocked again, saying that they "know I'm here. We saw you, Phoenix. Can you open the door for us?"

The tape man didn't talk. I opened the door again, only slightly. I don't want them worming their way into my place.

They sounded relieved. "Oh, thank God," said one of them. The tape man didn't talk and just stared at me, wide-eyed. I was probably as scared as him.

All he said was, "Agent..." very weakly.

The other one cut in after him. "I'm Shawn from HR. Did you not get any of my letters?"

I didn't say anything.

"Well, no matter. You're needed back at work, and we noticed you haven't attended in a while. You didn't even update us with any medical information or reason for absence. Can you come back to work tomorrow?"

"Hold on, Shawn," the tape man interjected. He stood there for a moment, just staring at me. "Phoenix, can you hear us?"

I nodded.

"Huh. You've been oddly... unresponsive. Are you okay?"

I looked around for something to say, but I couldn't come up with anything. I couldn't even talk.

"... WELL we are going to need you back at work tomorrow," Shawn from HR said. "I expect to see you there."

Shawn from HR turned to leave, but the Tape Man didn't budge. He just kept looking at me. He had this perplexing look on his face. Shawn from HR turned around and shouted to him to follow. He looked at Shawn from HR, then to me, then turned back around.

I don't know why, so I say if he sees this, then sorry, Tape Man, but something came over me to grab him and stop him from leaving. He looked over to me, confused. I held one finger up and quickly rushed to my room to bring the tape box out to him. Maybe he'd recognize himself in the tapes.

I opened the door and scrambled out onto the porch with the box and placed it at his feet. He crouched down next to it gracefully and just stared at the box. I guess he likes staring. He kept looking between me and the box.

Shawn from HR walked up to the porch and inquired about the box.

"These look familiar," the Tape Man said. He pulled out the tape player and the This One First tape and played it.

While listening, I remembered the first time I heard the tape. It suddenly came to me and everything in me seemed to inflate with joy. I pointed to the tape player frantically then to him. They're the same person! He looked back to me as I smiled at him with wide eyes, but he didn't respond as nicely. He looked upset.

"I worried this was the case," he muttered to himself. "Oh no..."

I stared at him for a while, wondering if I was supposed to say anything.

He then quietly turned to me and said, "You don't remember me, do you, Phoenix?" He had these big ol' puppy eyes looking at me. Was I supposed to remember him? I pointed to the tape player again.

"You know me from these tapes...?"

I nodded.

He sighed. My heart ached. He seems like such a nice person. I still feel the heartache now.

He turned to Shawn from HR. "I don't think Phoenix is in fit condition to come in to work tomorrow. I don't think I am, either, haha..." He stood up from the box and looked at me. "We'll be leaving now, Agent. Sorry for bothering you today."

He then walked back down the path with Shawn from HR. I've taken the box back inside and set it next to the chair I'm in as I write this.

"Shawn from HR" seems to line up with the Shawn from that letter, but I don't understand. Who was that Tape Man? Was I supposed to know him? Wwas I supos————