Project Phoenix: The Rise

Chapter 3 - The Veteran

Over the years that followed Liam had pushed back against society, he had been thrown out of school for his behaviour and aggressive attitude towards staff. Because school could not contain him he had found himself in one pupil referral unit to another. Liam wouldn't allow himself to be controlled and the teachers couldn't deal with his outbursts, he was eventually expelled from most of the mainstream provisions in the area.
It was at this point social services stepped in and put Liam and Alex into foster care, but this didn't work as his hate grew. It was inevitable that Liam would end up in the care system. Although Terry had lost the love of his life, Margaret, Liam's Grandmother, he couldn't bare to see his Grandson go through the misery and despair that these homes brought with them. Terry saw the care system for what it was a prison for the vulnerable and he was determined Liam would not go through that. After a long drawn out legal battle with the system, Terry was eventually granted custody of his Grandson. Liam had always been close to his Grandfather and was happy to be back with him. In his time of need, Liam would always find his way to Terry and Margaret, after his mum died they had grown closer and they did everything they could to protect the young boy and his sister. When he wanted to escape his Dad's outbursts he would walk the 10 miles to his Grandparents house and listen to one of the many tales of times gone by. Liam would hang on every word from his Grandad's stories as they transported him away all the way around the globe, too far off countries and deeds of bravery and sacrifice. Terry's stories were the one thing that gave Liam respite from a world he needed to forget.

Growing up Liam listened to the old war stories about Northern Ireland and Iraq, the stories of the bombings and riots on the streets of Belfast and the burning oil wells in the deserts of Kuwait. As his Grandfather told the stories Liam would get lost in every moment, every event, lost in the wars that had gone before "The New Troubles".

As a soldier Terry had served his country with pride, now he was a broken man, lost in the system, forsaken by a nation he once swore an oath to protect. Broke and beaten down by the establishment he once served he was now cast aside by the state, to the rest of society he was already dead, he was a ghost.

The ongoing energy and food crisis had left him without any savings, he had managed to survive on his small war pension and benefits he received. He was a war pensioner, injured during his time in service, now lived from hand to mouth, he had moved closer to be with his family when he left the forces, every day was a struggle and no one cared, "at least he wasn't in a care home" he would boast with pride, he lived in a small council house in Silkstone, a small village in the Yorkshire Dales. Even though his Grandad's house was a small two up two down and was cold and covered in rising damp and broken plaster it was still the only place where Liam felt safe, it was the only place he would return to in his hour of need. The two kindred spirits would sit for hours, whilst the old wise man would lay out the world as he had witnessed it.

Now 14 Liam he been living with Terry for nearly a year, he had started to re engage with the world around, although life was starting to show signs of much happier days to come Liam always felt uneasy. Even though Liam's life was beginning to get better, however Liam knew more than most that things always had a habit of crashing down around him.

Sat, on an old brown, slightly tatty faux leather stool, Liam got ready for one of the old man's stories.
Terry rocked back and forth in his old wooden rocking chair and that night the story started the same way, but this time it was like the old man was giving the youngster a warning

"Did you now young un It all began with the birth of extreme nationalism, in the early 19th century the world was reshaped by powerful empires that had created a vast vacuum across Europe, within this emptiness, new super powers grew, birthed from the darkness.

The super powers you see today were born from war, for centuries this country was always at war, agreements to divide Europe created new enemies and allies, which side they sat on, and which side we joined depended on the potential spoils and profits that were offered. Countries would go to war over natural resources and for the wealth that could be ripped from the conquered states.