Phoenyx Rising

Chapter Six

Phoenyx

After spending a few months in complete solitary, I am assigned to three months of therapy with Dr. Grey before they can be sure I am well enough to join the rest of the kids. The only people allowed contact with me during are Dr. Grey and Jacob, who asked me to call him, Mason. He visits me every day, today he brought me a cup of coffee, which I love him for. As usual he sits down beside me and does all the talking. I speak to Dr. Grey but even though he seems nice enough, I haven't spoken to him yet.

"So how does the whole, total memory loss work?" I shrug in response.

"So, you don't even know what your face looks like?" he asked, chuckling. I shake my head, confused, what does my face looks like?

"So, you could be a total freak, a real Quasimodo, all gnarly and gross, and you'd think you were a beauty queen. That's messed up," he laughs. He's completely insane! I am just staring at him in shock, when I realize he has a point. I touch my face, seeing if I actually am a hideous freak. His bellowing laugh snaps me out of my thoughts. He is falling over laughing at me.

"You're an ass." are the first words I speak to him, shaking my head, trying to hold back a smile. The struggle is useless; a laugh burst out of me. It is bitter sweet, as I realize this is the first laugh I've had since my world was burned to the ground by my own hands.

"She is beautiful and has a foul mouth! I knew we were going to be best friends," he says with a huge smile, nudging my shoulder with his. He is kind of an ass, but seeing as he is the closest thing I have to a friend, he called me beautiful, and made me laugh; I let his asshole tendencies slide. As friends go, I think I could do a lot worse than Jacob Mason.

***

Today is the day they are letting me out of solitary, after six months of therapy and sessions with Mason, I am given a clean bill of mental health. The girls' ward housing assigned to with the other Demigod kids abandoned here for various circumstances and crimes sits just off the main campus. He walks silently beside me as my new home comes into view. It's a three-story house that looks like it would be at home in a children's fairy tale rather than on a compound for dangerous children.

The head mistress is a stern looking woman with mousy brown hair pulled into a severe bun. She gives us my room number and sends us on our way up the stairs to the room I'm to share with two complete strangers.

Dr. Grey preaches that my life will start as soon as I am willing to live it. The thought of having to face being around people is terrifying. The fear that I could hurt someone is very real. Pulling my sleeves down to cover up the damning tattoos on my arms, I pretend to be a normal person. It's a joke, I'm not normal, not by a long shot, and neither are any of the other kids here. We are all Demigods.

I'm terrified of the unknown emptiness in front of me. How will I ever belong if I don't know who I am? There is a black hole of nothingness before the night at the barn. As far as I know, I was born that night; I belonged to no one, loved by no one, and was wanted by no one.

As a danger to the world, I'll be locked away here forever. Afraid to move on, afraid to start my life, I have no idea who I was or where I belong, only that I am a killer. My eyes dance over the room, my room.

He stands watch as always. He hands me a piece of paper that appears to be my class schedule.

"Dinner is at six sharp in the dining hall. Your roommates should be back from class soon. They'll show you the way to dinner and classes tomorrow morning." I nod absently at his words, still trying to settle into this new reality.