Phoenyx Rising

Chapter One

I'm running, running through the night. I can't see his face, but I can feel my brother's strong hand gripping mine, pulling me through the pitch-black night. Tears stream down my face. They're dead; they are both dead. We will never get away with this. They will find us and kill us. I squeeze his hand tighter, my only lifeline. He is all I have left in the world; I won't let them take him away too. A whimper escapes my lungs as I gasp for a breath. I can't run anymore; my legs are ready to give out. Inside, I'm screaming with pain from running, but I won't breathe a word. We are running for our lives. We can't stop, not ever.

A shudder of fear runs through my body. I'm so scared. Locking away my fear, I try to focus on my feet running and our hands locked together, but mine are covered in crusted, drying blood, her blood. I squeeze my eyes shut against the image of her lifeless body. I can't hold on anymore. A sob cracks free. Stumbling, I fall hard to my knees.

"She's dead," I whisper, curling into myself, finally giving in to the wave of despair that is pulling me under. She's dead, my mother is dead.

"What will happen to us now?" I ask, but Marcus ignores me, pulling me to my feet, as he keeps running, dragging me behind him.

We break through the trees into a clearing, our breaths heaving clouds into the cold night. In the distance, there sits an old worn-out barn. The full moon lights up the field with a silvery glow. My brother kneels in front of me, so he can see my eyes. Taking my face in his cold hands, he brushes his thumbs over my cheeks, trying to take away the pain with the tears. I don't think I will ever stop crying again. I don't understand how I am still breathing when my mother is dead. She was everything to me.

Fresh tears stream down my cold cheeks. "What are we going to do, Marcus? They will find us. We will never get away," I plead, staring into his stormy grey eyes that have only ever looked at me in kindness. They look terrified and sad now.

"I'm so sorry, Phee. This is the only way for you to be safe," he apologizes while running his thumbs over my temples. I don't understand what he means, and then it hits me. He is going to compel me like Father.

"Please, Marcus... No!" I croak, clutching his coat in my fists. I have seen my father use his powers on lots of unsuspecting people; Marcus swore he'd never do that to me. I start shaking my head, pleading with him, but my pleas are useless against his power. I was never strong enough to fight against Father either, never fast enough to get away. I couldn't save her. I can't even save myself.

His words come smooth and soft, caressing and kind. "Forget it all, Phee. Forget Mom and Dad, our home, the life you've led, even me. You must forget everything that has happened before this day, this moment. Forget it all. Wipe the slate clean." His strong voice penetrates to my bones. My head nods absently. He has a nice voice. My eyes fill with tears. Forget it all. Wipe the slate clean.