The Phoenix (Undying Series #1)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Breaking Point

     By 11:00 pm, everyone in the Drizzle household is fast asleep on the comforts of their own bed. Everyone except Felice. Earlier that day, she witnessed a man in black suit leave a folded newspaper before their gate. When she was sure he won't return, she took it in a haste. Between the pages of the newspaper, was a postcard.

     You can't hide forever. Nor can she. -B

     Brandon's increase of security because of the damned scientists was somewhat relieving, but Felice still cried herself in the bathroom. She wanted so desperately to simply cuddle with him and tell him everything. Then he would assure his darling wife that everything will be just fine. Of the long years of their marriage, he had always been the answer man. But this time, she knows, it will be different. He will send her away, their precious baby daughter, who is there to watch over her troubles each day but is too naive to figure it's her and what she did to Rainy.

     Felice consulted her dear friend, father Roman, after asking him to visit. He was doubtful at first, until Felice demanded Charlotte to show him, then sent her back to her room.

     "You were right to come to me, my child. It is a test! A test of how much you're willing to sacrifice for the greater good."

     Charlotte already knew that she wasn't a real Drizzle. She is hardly not in the house yet is barely noticed because of her physique. When people converse, she often was there to hear and sometimes, the topic is her. She was adopted. The word is not unfamiliar. She currently watches a show about a girl whose parents had died, so she understands that Felice Drizzle is not where she came from. But the good couple claims she is their daughter, and her instincts tell her they are her parents, they never did anything to make her feel otherwise except Brandon's constant negligence and preference to work, so she said no more.

     And when Felice woke her up in the middle of the night, she is guaranteed that it is happening for real. The woman who has nurtured her is finally sending her back to the system. They don't want her anymore. She guesses it's because of her powers. But she kept mum, determined to let the mother that raised her see she raised well.

     To her surprise, they arrived not at an orphanage, but on a cliff behind a thick forest. She hugged Felice's leg, scared and cold, and Felice carried her in her arms one last time.

     "I love you, Charlotte," she whimpers, clinging to her affectionately.

     "I love you too, mommy," she replied innocently. Felice brought her down and hugged her again, tears flowing freely as one of her hands grasps at the knife tucked in her pants behind her. She releases her daughter and rose, the moonlight reflecting against the surface of the silverware, "M-mommy?"

     "I'm sorry. There's no other way," she stutters, not believing it herself and wiped the corners of her eyes and nose, toughing up.

     "No, mommy. I'll be a good girl, I promise!" Now, even Charlotte has let her wall down being the child that she is, "I won't burn anything! Even if I'm not your daughter, please let me be your daughter!" Felice's heart shattered upon hearing her daughter wail out those words. She had no idea, no clue at all, that Charlotte found out and now the weight on her shoulders pulled down even harder.

     "You are my daughter, you stupid! But you're a monster! An abomination! That's why I must do this!" She swung the knife at Charlotte and slashed her shoulders when the child in reflex jumped back and yelped when her butt hit the solid ground below her. It bled heavily but it wasn't enough.

     Felice hardly took a breath before she jumped back in action but this time, a man in brown robe stood before them and caught her wrist just in time. Another two arrived and held her down. She yelled and fought against them but was too weak.

     The man before Charlotte turned to face her and stooped to her level. He swept the hood of his robe back so she could see his face, long locks of hair fell to the side of his face "You'll be okay," he said in earnest, referring to her acquired wound, "Sorry, but I can't leave a trace of us here," he has the warmest hazel eyes the child has ever seen, and when he smiled, it was so kind, a pair of dimples bury deep in his cheeks. He looked Indian. And he looked handsome to her. He was going to leave but she grips on the hem of his arm hole. He pats her head, "It's not time yet. Be good, kid," the flush on her face was either from the cold or from various emotions swirling inside her little head. And the trio left.

     Even Felice was gone. Charlotte had so many questions with no one to ask. Not a minute later, Brandon and plenty of police cars arrived. When he hugged her, she didn't doubt that she is their daughter anymore.

     "Where is she? Where's your mom? Felice!" he called in frustration, searching for clues anywhere, "Felice! What happened here?" he asked her again.

     "S-she's gone. The guardian angels took her."

     "What?!" But she doesn't have the answers, not the ones that Brandon and the cops want. They questioned her all night. But she can't tell them why she was there in the first place, she can't tell them the kind of monster she is.

     Even Father Roman, one of the last few people who talked to Felice, has gone missing. With the same knife her mom tried to kill her, Charlotte wrote on Rainy's tombstone:

     Felice Drizzle

     The night further drifted with time when the father and daughter moved to the city. Brandon gave the kid a map, asking her to point where they should move. She has ever taken a liking to the cold climate of Canada. Instead, they lived in Australia. The house was almost the same as their house on the hill but somehow bigger. Brandon enrolled his daughter and this time, she has friends who talk.