Fire. I stare at the fire to keep my eyes from closing. It was puny compared to the bonfire back in the tribe but it kept us warm. I let out a shivered breath and closed my eyes for a few seconds. It was a mistake because now I didn't want to open them. Phoenix sitting down beside me was what made me open them again. Now they felt heavier than ever. "Do you think it's time to call it a day?" Phoenix asked. I'm too tired to say yes so I just nod and trudge over to the tent.
"Iridescent, you're taking the first watch shift, right?" I hear Charlie say.
"Yup. June, are you doing the early morning shift?" She asks and I just give her a thumbs up before entering the tent. It's a navy blue tent that's about five feet high and a tad bigger than my bed. I take off my jacket and hoodie then fold them and put them under my backpack.
By the time Phoenix is inside, I'm under the blanket and as close to the tent wall as I can get. It was too dark for me to see anything but I could feel his presence there. "You asleep yet?" He asked and laid down on the other side of the tent. Good. I want as much space as I get from this guy. His arm barely touches mine but the cells in my arm are completely electrified. I flinch and grip onto the the blanket. "I'll take that as a yes."
A minute later there's a thud of Phoenix sitting up. "Dude, seriously? I was almost asleep." I pull the blanket over my head and curl into a ball. It's silent and I'm guessing he just needed a moment before-
"Are you okay?" He blurts out of the blue, or should I say black? All there is right now is black, at least for me.
"What kind of question is that?" I ask since I know he won't sleep if I don't answer.
"Just answer it... Are you okay?" He pleaded.
"I'm fine. Why?"
"Sorry, I'm just worried..."
"About what?" I say, now wide awake.
"You."
We're both silent. Worried about me? Why me? "I'm scared about your arm. What's happening to you. I'm scared the pain will spread to point where... Never mind. Forget I said anything." He said then laid back down.
"Phoenix I-" I flip over but all I see is the back of his shirt.
"Sorry I brought it up. I probably just made this situation worse than it already is." I stare at him in the darkness. He was right. What if, one day, my body can't take it anymore. I never thought of it that way. I hesitate before reaching my hand out and it rests on his warm back. I feel him tense up under me before little balls of light appear around us. That's right! Dad had these in his hut on the first day. I guess he meant to teach me them later.
"If you're trying to make me feel better... you are doing a good job at it."Phoenix said and rolled over to face me. He pulled me closer and rested his chin on my head. I let myself relax in his arms and fall into a peaceful sleep.
"Kitten." Phoenix whispers into my ear and nudges my arm. I furrow my brows and bury my head into my arm. "Alright... you asked for it." In an instant, he pulls the blanket away. I squeak and curl into a ball.
"It's cold!" I yell and dart my eyes at him. He has the blanket wrapped up in his arms.
"It won't be so cold when you have your jacket on." He threw it beside me as I sat up.
"Stupid sleep. Why does it have to be so good?" I grumble as I put on my jackets.
"Technically, that good feeling of sleep if when you wake up. So if you never woke up, you would never feel the refresh of sleep." I stick my tongue out at him before getting out of the tent.
As soon as I got out, the dewy air greeted me. I breathed in the freshness and looked around. The sun hadn't risen yet but that didn't matter. The sky was covered by clouds. If it rained, could we stay in our tents and sleep? I don't know why, but my body wanted to sleep even though I just did. It's like when your a teenager and all you want to do is eat. Speaking of which, I could also go for some food right now. Would you call it needy to want your basic needs that keep you alive?
Being on guard duty was boring. The others were asleep and I didn't want to waste my phone's battery. Can phones be powered by magic? I seemed to have all of mine back. Every time I took a breath, I could feel the slight pain in my chest. I would tell the others but I feel like I shouldn't after yesterday night. Instead, I ignored it and played with a stick.
The fire was just ashes now, but hovering my hand over it, I could feel the heat. I took my stick and whacked around the bushes with it. "What did that bush ever do to you?" I jump back before realizing it was only Charlie.
"Why are you awake so early?" I looked down at my phone's time. "It's only 5:53. You have about an hour left to sleep."
"Don't need to." He said flatly and walked over. I watched as he lightly touched the leaf of a bush. As he moved his finger back, a vine grew and followed it. Leaves that would take days to grow grew in a matter of seconds. It finally stopped and just stuck out like a cowlick. A bush cowlick.
I reached my finger out to touch it. The vine wrapped around my finger like a baby's hand before Charlie took it off. "Many don't think plants have souls when they do." He said and played with the vine like it was a snake. Dancing it from hand to hand and letting it climb his hand before taking it off. I wasn't sure if I was amazing or scared out that a plant was acting like this.
"You truly are amazing." I say in amazement as Charlie plucks the last leaf from it and it exploded. The green sparks flutter softly to the ground and fade to nothing. It was like that tear drop glass thing that shatters if you cut the tip of it. What is it called... Prince Rupert's Drop? It's cool. I remember Danny showing me it. Physics are weird. I never really liked them. Now I know why. What I do, make light balls float, defies the rules of physics.
"Wanna see some others cool things?" Charlie asked, proud of his powers.
"Heck yah I do!" I clap before he starts growing many vines. He loops them around into a hollow ball of vines then cuts them from the bush with his fingers. I'm not joking here. He used his fingers like scissors and cut the vines.
"Light this on fire." He sad and loosely held the ball by the sides.
"Are you sure? It's cool enough like this."
"Just do it." He motioned for me to go. I placed my fingers under it and slid my thumb and index together like a match. The quick flame lit up the ends of the vine which all separately burned to their tips. It was breath taking to watch all of them burn up so quickly yet slow enough for me to see it all happen.
"If you can do that now, I'm scared what you'll be able to do when you're my age." I say with a smile. Charlie didn't need to fight the Wolves. He could just distract them with his fancy magic and a bush. I am the slightest bit jealous of this guy. Is that wrong? Of course it isn't. This guy is straight up gifted among us Beasts. You know you're good when you're good compared to magical beings.
YOU ARE READING
Beasts
FantasyEver since June turned 18 she's been noticing changes. She's finding it harder and harder to control these new feelings but little does she know that mood swings is just the beginning of it. When she finally meets her dad along with great friends, i...