The Phoenix Stone

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Noah

Relief washed over me in breath-taking waves, my entire being flooded with happiness. She knew I was basically the walking dead and she didn’t mind. However these feelings lasted for a matter of seconds before I stopped myself. Why was I feeling this way? It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced in my life – well afterlife. I looked deep into Billie’s eyes searching for the answer, was it release? Did I feel this way because I no longer had to pretend to be human around her? Or was it because she had seen my wings that we had this connection? No, I realised, it was because I loved her. As soon as this came to me I knew with every fibre in my core that I loved her and I would do everything in my power to keep her safe, it seemed so obvious now, the way I always felt around her, the butterfly’s in my stomach and the amazing feeling I got whenever I was around her.  At first I had mistaken this feeling for duty; after all I had promised the high council that I would look after her and retrieve the Phoenix stone however I realised know that these feelings had an even deeper meaning. I was in love!  I beamed with joy as I looked over to the cause of all these unknown feelings. Billie. I let my hand drift to the side of her face, exploring her high cheekbones and feeling them flush beneath my fingertips, her hand came up to cover mine, keeping it down as she smiled showing her full set of pearly white teeth. I steady myself knowing what must come next, the base of any strong relationships. I needed to voice the feelings I had for Billie. I had to tell her how I felt, that I loved her. I raked my hand through my hair nervously, taking in the enormity of the task ahead. I had never told anyone other than family that I loved them and so this was a huge thing to me. I was suddenly awash with doubts ranging from, ‘what if she just laughs and waves it away?’ To ‘what if I have it wrong and this really is just a strong sense of duty?” but no matter how many doubts flooded my mind I knew that I had to say it, to let her know how I really felt; that I was serious about us. And so I stooped, my lowering so it was close to her ear and as I had many times before I pulled her hair away from her ear so that I could whisper into it. However this time something was different. A sliver of thin cold metal was mixed in with Billies beautiful long locks. I traced it round to the centre of her collar bone until I reached a small pendant. Only then did I realise that this was a necklace and a very antique one at that. Its chain was made of a thin and well-worn gold and the pendant itself was an intriguing amber. The semi-precious stone was laced with gold veins that seemed to throb with energy however further back there were several flecks of darkness. Specks of such absolute black they seemed to suck you in to their clam quiet depths. Overall the necklace was stunning but as I moved my fingers to touch the amber Billie jumped up rigged. She stood poised to attack and I studied her unmoving unsure whether she would attack if I did. Her eyes were glazed over and her face held a vacant expression. I quickly withdrew my hand from the small amber pendant watching in sheer wonder as Billies hazel eyes resumed their normal charm and charisma. A bright red blush immediately flooded her cheeks as she mumble quietly “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I just don’t know what came over me-”

 “Don’t be.” I cut her off suddenly my entire being literally radiating happiness “I think we just struck gold!” I squealed.

“What do you mean?” she inquired, confused.

“Where did you get that necklace?” I asked her and she looked down at the offending piece of jewellery. “This old thing? I don’t know.” She replied confirming my suspicions “I must have been given it by my gran or something.”

“Can’t you see?” I smiled “This is the thing I have been looking for!” a deep chuckle rolled out from deep at the pit of my stomach building up into a loud rumble of laughter. “I’ve found the phoenix stone!” for I knew without a doubt that the necklace that rested, so innocently, around Billie’s neck was the item I had been sent here to retrieve. With this knowledge came a sudden wave of sorrow for I knew that the high council would send for me as soon as I had retrieved the stone, meaning that my time on earth would be up and I would once again have to just sit and watch the world I had once been a part of spin round and round and the people on it slowly evolve as time passes by worthlessly this meant that I would have to leave Billie! The realisation was like a blow to the face and left me feeling hollow and empty. I suddenly had this urge to ignore it, to tell the council that I hadn’t found the stone, that I was wrong. However I knew that this was selfish and it was my duty to return this item to its place in the afterlife. A voice in the far back of my mind scolded me for getting to close to Billie, for letting my feelings take over but I did not care. Loving Billie has and still is the best thing that’s happened to me in both my life and my afterlife.  Now all I had to do was get the necklace without having my head chopped off in the process!  

I cautiously explained to Billie that the necklace that resided around her neck was the item that I was looking for. I made sure to brush over the fact that once I had it I would have to leave, knowing that if I didn’t then I would never convince her to hand it over, for I had a feeling that the only way I could  get if of her would be for her to hand it over willingly. She reluctantly agreed to let me see it and I watched impatiently as her hands rose to the clasp at the nape of her neck. The small amber pendant seemed to glow in annoyance as the catch was released causing it to fall harmlessly to the ground. However its fall was not entirely harmless because in the following seconds Billie let out a strangled shriek causing me to turn my complete attention to her. I stood staring at her in complete and utter horror as millions of tiny lines appeared on Billies face, deepening with every second that passed by. Her hair, once a brilliant shade of chestnut brown, was rapidly becoming flushed with white. Her reaction showed me that she was as shocked as I was and it took me a while to respond when she rasped to me “The necklace!”  I looked down at the small, seemingly innocent object on the floor then back up to the rapidly aging form of Billie and suddenly realised what she meant. Oh, I hope this works! I stooped down, snatching the necklace from the ground and reached round the back of Billies neck, getting it tangled in her hair in the process. Fumbling with the clasp, I fastened the chain just as she slumped into my arms, unconscious. I looked down at the frail old lady that lay in my arms, she was barely recognisable as the young teenager that had taught me how to ‘parler le francais’ and…how to love.           

Much to my relief, only moments after I had placed the phoenix stone in its rightful place around Billie’s neck, life seemed to literally seep back into her and what had happened only minutes before happened again, only this time, in reverse! The wrinkles became shallower and her hair returned to its original shade of brown. I slid to my knees and cradled her head in my lap watching intently over her as her eyes fluttered open and several more creases formed on her face, only this time between her brows indicating that she was rather confused. Well who could blame her? If I’d just had my life sucked out of me I would be pretty confused too! Wait, this must mean that the stone is keeping Billie alive! Either that or once the phoenix stone is removed it no longer has need of its previous owner and therefore they die. The first one would explain why every time Billie dies she comes back in another life. Billie must be even older than me!

“Are you going to take the necklace or not?” Billie broke me out reverie. I frowned at her. She obviously does not remember what happened last time she gave it to me.

“No, you keep it!” I answered quickly before she had the chance to take it off again.

“Oh, okay then…” she looked especially confused by my sudden reaction before shaking it off and cuddling up to me, informing me of how nice my house is. I smiled at her familiar warmth against my side then turned back to worrying about what I am going to say to the council. Whatever happens I don’t want to be the cause of Billie’s premature death.  

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