Blue Phoenix

Part One: Chapter Two

   I stand alone in front of the large glass doorway of the airport. The cold November rain is soothing against my skin. My vest is completely soaked through, but I couldn’t care less. Evyron was nothing like this. I lived in underground training camps, where it was dry and hot. We were all constantly parched because there was never enough water to fill us up. I’m surprised they even had water. They must’ve had some sort of secret underground pipe system or something. I don’t know – I’ve never been interested in plumbing or engineering. But I’ve seen many die of thirst down there – they would have tough training and little water and would one day collapse in the middle of an errand or something, like my brother.

   I would watch as their chest would rise and fall, slower and slower each time, until you heard them gasp in pain for their last breath of air, and their frantic eyes would slowly close, never to open again.

   Many others would hallucinate and walk around like drunks, but would eventually end up in the infirmary if they were lucky – but that still wasn’t pretty sight. Most of the water we collected was given to the leaders, who beat us like slaves whenever they had the chance.

   I crouch down on the ground and light a cigarette. I’m pretty surprised that I survived 12 years there. I stare at the pigeons pecking the ground out of boredom. I’m free now. I don’t have to listen to any sergeants telling me what to do. No-one will beat me if I go out for a fag. I inhale the smoke deeply. Come to think of it, it wasn’t too bad there, once you got used to it. The sergeants were assholes, and the all the kids my age were wimps, but the soldiers were pretty cool, I guess. They invited me over to drink sometimes, when they weren’t on duty. There wasn’t a lot of beer, obviously, but it was enough for us. We all had pretty traumatic pasts and some nights we just needed a drink and a good laugh. I inhale some more smoke as I think.

   From now on everything is going to be different. I’ll have to hang out with Tribithian teenagers, and adults for that matter, that don’t fight and that don’t know much about weapons and engineering, and don’t drink or smoke. I’ll have to go to a normal high school, with… girls. I have never met any girls in the 15 years that I’ve been alive, or in the 12 years in Evyron.

   The engine of a car interrupts my train of thought. Sure enough, it’s the blue van from the care home I’m being transported to. I stand up and fling my bag over my shoulder dropping the cigarette butt onto the ground. I step into the van and slam the door shut and I am greeted excitedly by a round middle-aged woman who I’m guessing is a care-worker.