I scan the room, while everyone fires annoying questions at me. It is quite a large room, with tan walls and a red carpet, decorated with colourful paper chains and balloons, and filled with toys, gaming devices and pictures. Upbeat music is blasting out of the speakers behind me, making my eardrums explode. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a girl with deep red hair sitting on the stairs, smiling kindly at a young boy, who I’m guessing is her sibling. I notice a snake-like scar coiled round her wrist… just like the scar on my neck. Curious, I slowly make my way over to her.
“Hey! Umm…” I try to call out to her, but she stands up and starts to walk up the stairs. Without thinking, I grab her shoulder and pull her down, and her head violently hits me in the face. “I was talking to you, mate”
“Dude, that’s not how you treat girls” Somebody calls out to me, and all the eyes in the room turn to me.
“Sorry, first time meeting one” I chuckle. I feel anger and humiliation burning up inside me and I tighten my grip on the girl’s neck in order to remain calm. Some kid a few years younger than me, walks up to me, with a menacing glare plastered on his freckled face.
“Let go of--” his voice trails off and fear stains his eyes as he staggers backwards. I just stand there, confused.
“Let go of… who?” I ask curiously, hoping to find out her name. I feel her shaking and I release my grip, realising that I held on to her neck a bit too tight. “Hey, what’s your name?” My attention is turned away from the freckled kid and back to the girl. She just stares blankly and shakes her head at me. She doesn’t have one? Why won’t she speak? The small boy she was watching over steps out from behind her.
“Ehriss” he says to me. What?
“I’m sorry?” I ask, confused.
“Her name is Ehriss. She can’t speak” Does he mean her?
“I’m sorry, kiddo. You’re mistaken” I chuckle humourlessly. “That isn’t Ehriss. Ehriss is taller and she--”
“Her name is Ehriss” he repeats.
“I’ve met Ehriss before, kid. How do you think I got my scar?” I begin to lose my patience with him and I turn my head slightly so he can see the dark purple serpent coiled around my neck. I hear a few gasps from the mob of statues staring at me.
“H-he’s the First Generation” Jackie stammers.
“That would be correct”
YOU ARE READING
Blue Phoenix
Action"Don't let the Viper whisper in your ear... Don't let it lead you by the hand. The blue scar wrapped round your neck is a warning, boy. And your engraved bracelet, Eris, is like strings on a puppet" Have you read the Bible, child? Do you remember th...
