The Phoenix (Undying Series #1)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Miracle Child

Brandon Drizzle, the new owner of a big oil company situated in Asia, has just married the veterinarian, Dr. Felice Anderson. One or the other is lucky, some people would say, but in this case, they both are. They were a match made in heaven, until it had been the third year of their marriage and Brandon still doesn't have a junior and Felice doesn't have a baby girl to dress up.

They had consulted various doctors, the top of their professions, and all of them couldn't find a problem with the couple. Perhaps if you allow some time to pass or Maybe it's the fatigue or over thinking. But none satisfied them or even gave them the nearest solution.

One snowy day, at the doorstep of the Drizzle mansion in Vancouver, placed at the top of the hill like the kings that they are with pine trees surrounding the road that lead to it, the answer to their wish was left in a box. The most beautiful baby Felice has ever seen and she named her Charlotte.

Charlotte grew up loved and spoiled, the miracle child of the Drizzles. Though Brandon struggles with his schedule, he tries. He really tries. And eveb if he rejoices seeing his wife happier than ever, he can't help but find only detachment, even while looking at the child's face. On her fourth birthday, they gave her a 2-year old white German shepherd she calls Rainy to fill up the space that the lack of friends has left. But Charlotte doesn't need friends, not if her parents are there for her and she knows they will be.

Sure, she watched from the big flat thing how great friendship is and that it is an immeasurable treasure and it has that concept of love but she has Brandon and Felice to love and now, Rainy too.

But now, Brandon is always busy with the company and Felice has this new circle of hers that talks about kitchen stuff she will never understand and so Charlotte is left alone with Rainy and the maids in their big mansion. She would run with him in the vast garden that they have, feed him, sleep with him even. The problem is, no matter how hard she tried to teach him, he just couldn't talk. Some cartoons she has watched, animals talked. She understands that it is just a show but she debated with herself whether it is possible with enough effort.

Maybe Charlotte's effort wasn't enough, or maybe she is simply fooling herself, but Rainy won't talk. She is so angry, so desperate and so lonely; the mixed feelings did not even make sense to her. All she knows is she has to do something about it because it's affecting her in a very disorienting manner. As she tried to feed Rainy, and he won't respond, it didn't even occur to her that maybe the dog isn't hungry at all.

The dog was engulfed in fire right before her eyes and she couldn't even do anything about it. She cried for help, her face flushed red, usually droopy eyes wide in alarm, and Felice rushed to her side. Charlotte doesn't know what caused it. She doesn't even know how to stop it. But Felice's knows. It was her daughter. Her adorable, miracle baby daughter.

Felice is grievously religious and Brandon was often forced to endure upholding the traditions of a good Catholic family. After making her daughter swear not to use that devilish power again, she made her bathe in holy water to cleanse her of evil and prayed for Charlotte's soul the number of the rosary's beads to all the saints she could name. And only now did she notice that the pyrokinetic's eyes had started to deepen its color into a violet. She made her wear contact lenses that Charlotte adapted until she grew older and her eyes had fully-developed as a purple.

It is a test, she convinced herself, a test of endurance and strength, how much of a mother she could be to the daughter that was given to her by the Almighty and she aims to pass this test. But no one has to know, not even the father of this child.

The dog was buried in the backyard for Charlotte to visit. It died of a natural cause, a disease that was treated too late, as far as anyone is concerned.

"I guess the dog wasn't a Drizzle enough," he joked as if it is a laughing matter in ignorance. Because apparently, Drizzles are survivors, tough cookies, "Listen, hon, don't you think Charlotte is ready for school? At least a daycare or something?" Felice almost burned herself in the face from abruptly opening the stove.

"I don't know. Isn't she too young?"

"Too young? The kid's ready. I, myself, entered prep school when I was 4. And she's lonely. It will do her good, I'm telling you." Brandon barely notices the way his wife fidgets and the croaks in her voice. She keeps her back facing him, keeping herself absorbed in cooking.

"Brandon," she dropped the casserole and faced him, "I'm the mother, and I say we give it another year. Trust me."

"Alright," he surrendered, raising his arms. She sighed and returned to her business, "Hey. Have I told you that Dr. Garret called this morning? You remember him? He's the doctor who checked Charlotte's health after we found her. Apparently, there are people who want to take a look at her regarding the Alexandria's Genesis or whatever that was. What can I say, the kid's special, destined for great things. I was doubtful regarding the adoption but now, I know. It was meant to be."

Felice's troubles did not end there. Renowned scientists from all over the world would come to their doorstep everyday hoping to convince the Drizzles for a series of tests on the miracle child. But this will cost her too much. If anyone found out about Charlotte's true nature, they would stop at nothing to know the secrets inside her. Even going to church proved to be a task too difficult. Sometimes she doubts her own willpower to survive the test and wants to confess everything to someone, a priest even. When she's ready though, she'll remember her fears for her daughter's fate if she gives up and will try to carry this on her shoulder one more time.

One day, as she is to go home with Charlotte from a mass, a man in a black suit and shades approached them.

"Our boss wants to talk to you about the kid. If you could come quietly," he whispered from behind her, catching her off-guard. She immediately ushered Charlotte to get in the car and faced the stranger she deemed to be one of those science people.

"Heh. You really will stop at nothing, won't you?"

"We know about the dog. We've been watching her. Now you have a choice, we could talk about this like civilized people, or things could get messy."

"That's much of a choice I have there." She knew she couldn't hide things forever but she didn't know it would be this soon, she hasn't prepared herself.

As she listens to her own heartbeat drum against her chest, she struggled to find a way out of their predicament that wouldn't endanger their lives as it already was. She shoved the man away and rushed inside the car, then ordered the driver to leave fast. He seemed to have understood the situation. The man got to his feet quickly but two men in brown cloak held him back.

Their figures vanished as they got farther away. This reminder got her thinking that she ought to do something, and quick.