Gold Fever (m×m) ✔

XXVIII: The phoenix bird

《 ELIAN PHOENIX 》

The first time I heard about the phoenix bird was from a movie adaptation of a book from a certain transphobe who shall not be named. 
Later on, I found out that the phoenix bird has many names.

In ancient Egypt it was called Bennu, sometimes the god of sun. In Arabian mythology, its name is Anqa; a heroine created with all perfections but perished by misfortune and turning into a plague that needed to be destroyed. Hindus call it Garuda, the chariot of Vishnu. Persians call it Huma, the fabulous bird, and Chinese Feng-huang. In Judaism, its name is either Milcham or Chol. 

What most of these mythologies have in common, is that Phoenix is an immortal, magical being. A bird that will be reborn from its ashes. Even after it's been burned and beaten to the ground, it'll rise again stronger than it ever was. What I am taking from it all is that no matter how many times you crash down, you can get up and start again.

As we hiked in the quiet of the forest, accompanied only by the rustle of footsteps and the sound of our labored breathing, I imagined what it would be like to soar through the sky like a reborn bird. Like a magnificent artwork, with the sun glimmering on my golden feathers.

Even if there was no getting rid of the money, there was something to take out of this experience. The human kind has greed etched into their hearts, dollar signs blinding their eyes, but they do learn from their ordeals every now and then. To be turned into gold, I imagine, is one of those learning experiences. So, who knows, perhaps the new world was going to be a better, if not a good one.

"Hey." Rain spoke in a breathless voice, as he slowed down to walk by my side. Rio and Najwa were about fifteen feet ahead of us, quiet but not in an uncomfortable way. Every now and then, they glanced at each other and smiled. "I think I owe you an apology."

"You think?" I teased, not actually harboring any ill feelings at that point. Accepting someone who had turned half a world into gold and was basically a ticking time bomb, wasn't an easy task. Especially as that ticking time bomb had managed to turn your girlfriend's mom into gold along with billions of other people.

More than people learning from their mistakes, I was waiting to see Birdy again. I could just picture it as she ran to Najwa and squeezed her while they both sobbed with joy. Then she would turn to me, and tell me how none of it was my fault. It was a great thing to dream about.

"Yeah." Rain chuckled, rubbing at the side of his neck. "I'm sorry."

"That's it? What a shitty apology." I feigned incredulity, pursing my lips into a disapproving line. Rain muttered something like, oh come on man, under his breath.

"Okay, okay." Rain gave in, holding back a laugh as a wide grin wrinkled the corners of his eyes. "Elian Phoenix, my dear, stubborn and extremely obnoxious friend, I am sorry."

Then he stopped walking, and I did the same. With new earnestness, he went on: "I mean it. I know this is hard for you too. I never meant to, you know.. And then you were gone, and I thought that.." He furrowed his eyebrows and clasped his hands together. Was it wrong to enjoy his evident trouble to come up with the words? "I shouldn't have taken Najwa's sight over yours, or say that you are, well.."

Rain has always been that way. He was fluent in talking about other people's feelings and making arguments over things that weren't strictly about him. But when it came to talking about himself and his feelings, he preferred jumping out of a window. When it came to apologizing and admitting his fault, he would have rather gotten beheaded or burned alive.

"Evil?" I offered, still feeling some of the previous hurt, but smiling all the same. Rain's cheeks blossomed red with embarrassment as he nodded. "Yeah, well, that was pretty shitty of you. But it's all in the past now, yeah? So, how about we just bring Birdy and all the rest back, and move on?"