The Phoenix

8

Pete woke up confused and disoriented.

Still on the concrete flooring that he remembered from when he had first woken up.

As well as still in the same place, with the same crazy people who now have two new people with them and one of the new guys have a gun pointed at him.

Oh no.

This isn't good.

Fuck.

He just had to get abducted by lunatics.

Of course.

It's just his luck, isn't it?

For a good person, he sure has a lot of bad shit happen to him.

And he is a good person.

Doesn't deserve any of this at all.

Since he hasn't done anything wrong.

Well besides-

No, screw that, that was all Gabe's fault.

If anything, he's the one to blame.

Because first his boy-

"Pete?" A voice asked, taking his attention away from his thoughts and into real life.

A voice he quickly recognized as Ryan.

Following the direction of his voice, he catches the younger male's eye.

"Oh hey," Ryan said, smiling awkwardly at the direct eye contact, "how are you, Pete?" He asked and Pete looked astonished.

The crazy people who abducted him are now asking if he was alright.

Honestly what the fuck do they think?

He's dying!!!

"How do you think I am?" Pete exclaimed, with a glare, "I've been abducted and need a hospital but none of you lunatics are taking me!"

"You don't need a hospital" Ryan stated and Pete was shocked, "What do you mean I don't need a hospital? How do you know?!"

"A hospital wouldn't help you" Patrick added, helping Ryan and Pete shook his head.

"But I've been attacked and I'm bleeding and-" the outsider started but got cut off by Patrick who said, "Are you really?"

"Am I really what??" Pete questioned, genuinely shook, not at all knowing what Patrick was talking about until he said it, "Does it hurt?"

"What? Does what hurt?" Pete asked and Patrick responded with a, "You. Everything. Everything that hurt when you first woke up and you felt like you were dying."

That response, no matter how blunt, surprised Pete.

Because once he stopped to evaluate the question he realized the pain he was feeling and complaining about was no longer there.

Which should be impossible.

And the only way that it could possibly be possible is if he's dead.

Which he's not.

Right?

Feeling unsure he said, "Actually, come to think of it, no. It doesn't hurt. What the fuck? Why?"

And with that Patrick had his answer.

Quickly turning to the other three in the room and saying, "Guys, the change is complete"