Phoenix Fire: From Witin the Flames

Hallucinations

Chapter 2

“Hallucinations...”

I open my eyes and smile tiredly. He’s here, standing there, by the thick steel bolted door. His red hair glowing, catching the moonlight; his green eyes burning, a wide smile growing on his face. I smile weakly at him

“Found you” he whispers; his voice cheeky and hungry, full of a sense longingness. Still on the ground, my head on my arm, I reach for him with my free hand, weakly lifting my head. He smiled then faded away, making my smile vanish. He wasn’t here, he hadn’t found me... I am going crazy...

I sat at a desk, by myself, at the back of the classroom, in the corner. No one sat near me. A desk free beside me and in front of me. I was back at school...

The bell rang out and students hurried out of class, trying to avoid getting homework but fail. I neatly pack my books, in order, into my bag.

“Hey, Freak,” a gruff voice growls, making my body tense. It was Billy and his goats gruff. Jake, who had brown hair and brown eyes, but was only a few feet taller than me and the twins; Mark and Mick, who were both lean and mean, both had strawberry blond hair and grey blue eyes. Billy was tall and big, muscle and fat with ugly messy orange hair and ugly orange freckles all over his face. Even though I was a redhead (quite literally, my hair was as red as blood) it didn’t stop him from teasing me.

Perhaps it’s because my hair was so red and his wasn’t as red? Or maybe because I was just a freak? I don’t know, I just knew he was a major jerk and that was all I knew and needed to know

“What ya doing?” he questions, almost laughing, blocking my way so I couldn’t get out from my desk.

“Packing up” I answer coolly, not looking at him, and pretend that I was still organizing my books in my bag

“Why?” he asks with a sneer in his tone, I swallow and take a deep breath then slowly let it out.

“Because class has finished” I answer, zipping up my bag, sling it onto my shoulder and pushing back my chair, but Billy didn’t make any effort to move. I keep my head down, avoiding his eyes, staring to the floor

“Excuse me” I murmur still avoiding eye contact, but he doesn’t move

“Where do you think you’re going?” he snarls cruelly stepping forward. I took a step back, my heart racing; the teacher, Mrs. Lincoln, had left without a care for my wellbeing or worried about what they would do to me. I was a problem no one could solve… or… wanted to.

“To lunch” I reply, shuffling uneasily, I knew I shouldn’t say anything, if I was going down I was going to do so with what little dignity I had left. Billy smirks as I glance a nervous look at him, to the door, behind me, the floor. I know he saw the fear in my eyes which only made him cockier

“Why leave? We’re here. We’ll be your friends” he sneers and his mates snicker, I clench my hands into fists to keep them from shaking and clench my teeth, trying to keep my bottom lip from trembling.

“Please,” I whisper “leave me alone” I blink back tears and swallow the knot in my throat, Billy steps forward again and I round my chair, trying to use it as a barrier between me and him; but he just throws it behind him, almost hitting Mick.

“Hey, watch it!” Mick grows but Billy just shrugs a shoulder and sneers at me

“Why should I?” he take another step forward. I step back again and backing up against the wall but Billy just keeps coming. He rips my bag from my back and tosses it onto the floor behind him, pressing me against the wall