Story Excerpts

Phionex, excerpt 1

Someone was screaming.
It took Phionex a few moments to realize he was near the river. How he got there, he had no clue, but that thought only crossed his mind briefly.
The screaming was growing frantic.
His feet moved on their own, hauling him towards the sound. It wasn't his business, he shouldn't get involved, he needed to keep to himself to protect him and Richard.
The screaming stopped. If there was a splash, it wasn't audible over the rushing, icy water.
His body threw itself into a sprint. Something about this was wrong, he could feel it, but he couldn't explain it.
He ran for the riverbank, but something was keeping him from getting any closer. No matter how hard he pushed himself to get there, he wasn't moving an inch.
He saw the stone a moment too late. It was enough to take him down, landing roughly on his chest, grimacing.
When his eyes opened again, the river was gone. He was on his back on a cement floor.
"Phionex, you're facing some very serious charges. The kidnapping, torture, and murder of Richard Evans. Everyone we've talked to suspects or has given evidence pointing to you."
This couldn't be happening. Phionex just stared at the officer standing over him, wide eyed.
"Well? Why'd you do it? What did you fight about last night? Is that why they pulled him out of the river today?"
Richard was the one in the river. That was who had been screaming.
Richard had been killed. And he was getting blamed for it. They must be out of their minds to if they actually believed that, Richard was his whole world.
"I bet it was because he looked too much like your birth father? The man who not only abandoned you on the doorstep of an orphanage, but ten years later he abandoned your brother too. I bet you hate that, don't you? Hate him? Richard looked just like him. You snapped. Tied him up, knocked him out, tossed him in the river?"
His ears were ringing. "It- I didn't do it. I love him." His own words sounded far away.
"Who else would have, then? No one else had motive. Or proximity, you two share a room. It would have been easy for you."
By the end of the sentence, the man's words were drowned out by the ringing in Phionex's ears. He could see the officer's mouth moving, but all he heard was that horrid ringing.
Hands slammed into the table in front of Phionex, startling him, and then he was in his room, sitting at the kitchen table. Two empty bottles of cheap alcohol were pushed to the side, and a half finished one sat in front of him. He must have passed out.
"Phionex, you idiot." He scolded himself under his breath, shoving himself to his feet and stumbling to the sink, splashing his face with water to clear his head.
Richard was dead. He needed to get over it, but he couldn't figure out how.

Image: Appearance reference for Phionex while performing

A/N: Yes, I am aware that it's spelled Phoenix, but his name is spelled Phionex