The Phoenix Sisters: Mystery

The girl nobody liked very much

'The bar is closing in five minutes. This means you Mystery Phoenix!' Blowing my tousled fringe out of my eyes I shoot a quick smile at Larry the bar tender. If it wasn't for his patience and his discretion my secret would have been blown a long time ago. He grins but turns away to serve Mr Abernathy.

Clutching my long neck between two fingers, I find my balance in my faithful heeled black boots. Pulling my unlit cigarette out of my shirt pocket I prepare myself for what has become a weekly ritual-discussing my life with the moon. I snuck a quick peek into my compact mirror just to make sure I wasn't a complete mess only to regard my dark eyes holding a myriad of secrets above the dark red lips that smirked slightly at the thoughts of how people tended to judge me when they saw me on a Friday night. With my dragon tattoo on full display I knew exactly what they thought of me-the town hottie on a boozy bender yet again. All leather and lace tonight I was beyond caring. I looked good and I felt better about myself for more than five minutes.

Slipping out the side door, I stumble down the footpath until I reach the stone wall on the outskirts of town where I liked to hold court. I would never be my sister. History was responsible, respectable and had earned the upstanding citizen of the year award last year. Head librarian-boring. Everyone liked her. I loved her but I didn't want to be just like her. Raising my bottle of whiskey in a silent acclamation to the Princess who had achieved more than what the modern world would ever know I swallow a mouthful of the amber liquid. Gods that burned. Warmth spreading throughout my body guarding against the chill of the hush of night.

My other sister Journey was adorably weird on the genius scale and almost a complete recluse. Some tried to pin the label autistic on her. We knew better. She'd seen too much. Felt too much. Musician by choice and healer by necessity people tended to confuse her with their ulterior motives. She had travelled playing her violin on all the great stages of the world including electric violin to the masses at Cannes. She'd become respectable without even trying.

I knew life wasn't a competition but I was so tired of trying. 'How am I supposed to compete with that?' muttering the previously unaired thought to the world. Thinking like this only made me more unsatisfied with my own life. We played the part of a multi generational family. Three sisters that always descended through the eldest daughter. We would be here until people noticed we didn't age then 'travel' in our golden years. Truth was, we had a cabin deep in the woods that no one would ever find and we would be our true selves.

Why should I care what they thought of me? I liked life at a fast and slightly dangerous pace. I didn't need them to like me. I was a complete mystery to them and a quandary to myself. I felt stuck in a holding pattern. Ears attuned to the smallest sound in the caliginosity. Freezing slightly as the town's drunks slurred voices pass by without seeing me in the gloom despite the moonlight.

Deep down I knew that I was soul broken. Attempting to mend it through the ages had brought nothing but further heart ache. 'You said you'd grow old with me.' Digging deep for the words that refused to pass through my throat for thousands of years.

'You said forever.' deliberately slurring my words conscious of others still leaving the bar. 'You left me here all alone.' Ignoring the slight wet feeling on my cheek. I was a warrior. Warriors didn't cry but I was also a woman and I was in pain. My sisters each had their own wealth of grief to deal with and I refused to add to it.

Anger bubbled through me burning like acid,' Liar!' hissing my frustration through my teeth I would never be able to explain my slightly inhuman utterance. He had promised I would never be alone again and look at me now. Centuries has passed me by and I was still clinging to the pieces of his broken promises.

'Where are you?'Screaming at the silver sphere in the sky sparked by my rage at this life. I was completely sober now and I loathed myself. My chest tightened further-I knew where he was. He was where I had last seen him. My heart was still in Pompeii not far from the House of the Phoenix his cast a perfect representation of terror reaching out blindly for help. Help that would come. Inhaling deeply at the thought I jump down to the path and meander home lost deep in my memories.

'You should've stayed at the apartment tonight Mystery.' He was waiting for me just inside the stone gates topped by dragon statues. Wondering for the upteenth time if there was something off with them I regarded the changed positions and cheeky stone grins seriously. He was leaning against his motorcycle by the side of the long gravel driveway. A frisson of delight rolled down my spine at the sound of his smoky voice. Tonight was not the night to let my hormones get the best of me. 'You'd miss these late night conversations too much Finn.' delivering my words in a dry tone I almost miss the fact that his hand snakes out to latch on my arm as I strut by. He tugs lightly so that I have to stop and face him, 'Maybe I'd prefer to know that you were safe at home with your sisters.'

Desperation filled me. I couldn't do it. I didn't begrudge my sister her happiness but I was bleeding too badly inside to stay and watch. 'You know why I can't do that.' Ever since the Dragon Ryders had rolled into town in search of History they had taken over the old barn across from the 'big' house converting it into their idea of the perfect club house minus the skanks. 'Too much happy going around.' I murmured softly for his ears only. He really looked at me then taking in the pain I was radiating on full blast. 'You can stay with me then.' He decided gesturing to the back of his bike. Once settled he turns to me and adds, 'I'm going to make your smile stick one of these days sweetheart.'