For Now | Dreaming Trilogy | Book 1 (HEAVY CONSTRUCTION)

Phoenix | Ashes

Sometimes quiet was violent, and I was learning that very quickly. I was also learning the limits of how long a teenager could go without food. Or water. It was awful. All I could hear was the crunching of leaves beneath my feet and the whispers that my lack of water brought on. I'd intentionally left all necessities with Shane, Jake, and Shyanne. I wanted them healthy.

It worried me when I heard roars in the distance. In their direction. And then I heard voices, these ones clear and real.

Stitch and Ringlett came into view without my friends. "Well, would you look at that!" Stitch cried, smiling at me. "We found ourselves a rogue."

Ringlett smiled, but somehow it looked just like her baring her fangs.

I held my own snarl in. "Where are they?" I asked stiffly. Every voice in my head was screaming for me to run.

"They're fighting their own demons, Phoenix," Ringlett said, that sneer-ish smile returning.

"You promised to help them," I said, my voice low and dangerous. The two seemed unafraid. Something about that fact unnerved me.

"And we did," Stitch said with a nod. "We can help you, too."

I frowned deeper than normal. I could see my dark eyebrows, blocking my view of the clouding sky. It was almost as cloudy as my thoughts, tangled between reality and this stupid Dream Void. "I don't need your help."

Ringlett laughed, cold and sharp as her features. "Fine. But it's not our fault if you die."

And then they were gone, leaving me with the silence seeping into my bones. That is, until I heard a man's yelp (much too deep to be Shane or Jake's) and the thudding of hooves. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a roar and flapping of huge wings. But the thundering hooves were getting closer, and I knew I had to hide.

With blue hair sticking to my forehead, I climbed a tree as high as I could and waited.

And she came into the clearing. Wings like a bat's spread out about nine feet, shiny black mane being shaken with each smoke filled step. The horse's long face was nothing but a skull, being tossed this way and that to try to free herself from the chains around her muzzle. Apparently this was someone's idea of a bridle. Her eyes were like mine: fire. She had a long, sleek body that was the color of the night sky a few days before a storm.

I jumped down. I'd loved horses when I was younger. This was no different. The horse turned to me, front hooves leaving the ground as she reared. "Shhh..." I said, holding a hand out. It hit me how frail I must look.

The horse stomped its hooves, tossing her head nervously.

"Here," I spoke softly. "Let me help you." Slowly, I stepped forward. The horse didn't back away. I made my way to her and slipped the metal off her regal head. She turned to stare at me with those sockets of flame.

I stared back for a moment, before her nostrils flared, smoke erupting from them, and she tossed her head. She turned and disappeared into the trees. I turned and realized why. I saw the disgusting brown dreadlocks first, followed by green tinted skin and matching eyes.

A Soldier stared me down. He didn't seem in the mood to do much talking, as I only had seconds to roll out of the way of the tree falling where I had stood before.

He screamed, showing nasty yellow teeth. I felt a tug in my gut and my tingling hand, smoke rising from it as I glanced. My hand wanted the sword. I fought it.

The Soldier rose his arm again, a new tree in his hand. The last one was merely splinters on the forest floor. He slammed, I dodged. The broken fragments clung in my hair like mini spikes, ready to kill me.