Rise of the Phoenix (The Phoenix Trilogy Book 1) (9 page)

Adam took her hand leading her further back into the cave. They walked and climbed for over an hour. Sweat was beading on her head and she could smell the perspiration under her arms.

Adam stopped and pointed, but he didn’t need to. Shining on the rock floor was a tiny stream of golden light. Phoenix stood there staring with wonder. The pinhole of sunlight shone down like a laser beam and she started to walk toward it, hand outstretched. Before she could get two steps in Adam took her by the shoulders and stood in front of her. “Careful, this isn’t as grand as you think it is.” His tone was dead serious. “I just wanted to show it to you. I found it while exploring.”

“I just want to feel it.” Phoenix felt a tear pool in her eyes. She was laying eyes on a miracle.

“I know you do, and so do I, but anything that involves sunlight also involves the military. We need to stay quiet.”

Silently they crept up to the beam of light and Phoenix for the first time in years felt the sun on her skin. Though the beam was no wider than a quarter she could feel it warming her skin. It reminded her of long winters when the sun would shine through a window on a cold day but it felt as warm as summer when you laid in it. Her room at her parent’s house had a bench-seat built into the window. She would sit there all day reading, watching snowflakes fall, and reveling in the warm sun when the clouds would break. Moving her hand in and out of the beam felt like heaven had just descended into the cave. Dust particles swirled around with every twirl of her hand and danced up toward the opening.

Too soon Adam pulled her back. The ray of light was blocked out for a second then came back.

“What are you not telling me?” she whispered. “Do you know what parts of the country they kept pristine?”

“Some.”

“Then why aren’t we going there?” As soon as the words were out she knew why and looked down. “If they wanted to kill us then, they will do it now without blinking, right?”

“Exactly.”

Phoenix nodded. “Do you really think that’s part of an un-bombed area up there?”

“I’m not sure yet, but until we find out we need to lay low. The fact that there are people walking above us probably means a military base.”

Reluctantly she walked away from the beautiful beam, but kept looking over her shoulder, wanting, and longing to stay there.

When they got back to the pool they both washed the sweat from their bodies.

“How many miles away do you think that is?” she asked.

“Quite a few, but I have no idea if that’s just the outer edge of a military base or what is up there.”

“If it’s not that far from us maybe Ben has seen it.”

“Hey, we’re not sure we’re even welcome back, let alone ask the man questions about where the sun shines.”

Phoenix frowned. “You’re right. Let go see and get this over with.”

Taking only their guns and knives they hiked back to the village. As usual guards awaited them. They walked forward with their hands in the air.

“Could we speak to Ben?” Adam asked.

One guard walked away without saying a word. The other stared them down. His eyes drifted to Phoenix and she watched them go up and down her figure with a mixture of lust and disgust.

The other guard returned and spoke. “You’ll be leaving your weapons.”

Phoenix figured this would be the case. Slowly they disarmed themselves and sat the weapons on the ground.

“You first,” the guard pointed to from Adam to Phoenix and grinned.

Phoenix looked over her shoulder and saw that he had his shotgun pointed at their backs as they walked. She took note of the boy who had previously had a broken leg. It was set with boards, and he walked with an old set of wood crutches. Others they had noticed in the village that had appeared to be sick, tired, and hungry, now had a glow to their skin. No longer were their eyes sunken in or dark. Everyone still looked quite dirty though.

At the end of the street they walked across the threshold of Ben’s home. As before he sat at the large table.

“You came back, why?” He rested his arms on the table and looked up at them waiting for an answer.

“We wanted to see for ourselves the healing you spoke of. And I wanted to apologize for my reaction,” Phoenix said.

“Take a gander outside. My kin have been healed by your blood. I will thank you for that, but ya’ll are not welcome here.”

“We hoped to make an alliance,” Adam said.

Ben blew a laugh out. “Why would I wanna go and do that? She wanted to kill us,” he said pointing to Phoenix.

“Sir, if I could just explain,” she pleaded.

“None necessary. That’s what y’all are. I get that.”

“Yes, I will admit are a lot of vamps that are only after blood and killing. They form gangs and work like a pack of wolves. Adam and I are not like that. I didn’t want to kill you for your blood. My reaction was to mine being taken and the eagerness I saw and felt in you as you got it. I’ve never had anyone ask for my blood. It made me want it myself. I wasn’t prepared for that,” she explained.

“How long has it been since either of ya killed?”

“Years, sir,” Phoenix answered. “We have found a better way to get the blood we need.”

“How’s that?” Ben asked disbelieving.

“Donations,” Adam offered.

“Are you telling me that folks offer themselves up to you?” Ben crinkled his nose as if disgusted.

“You’re one to talk. You wanted us to offer ourselves to you for blood,” Phoenix countered.

Ben took a second and pursed his lips nodding. “I guess ya have a point.”

“Look, you need our blood to keep your village healthy. We need yours to keep providing it,” Adam added.

“And in return?” Ben asked.

“We will trade blood for blood and medical supplies for canned food,” Phoenix said.

Ben stood picking up the rifle that was lying on the table beside him. “One person get’s hurt I’ll kill ya.”

“Understood,” Adam said.

“Let’s go,” Ben motioned for them to follow him.

He pointed to a few people as they walked. “Jimmy over there had a cracked leg. Had to set it of course, and it wasn’t pleasant. The boards will come off tomorrow maybe. He had some of the blood. Other’s had disease which is gone.” They walked up to another shanty where two women were sitting on run down wooden rocking chairs.

This here is my wife, Vera.”

She had beautiful brown eyes, and few wrinkles. Her hair was short like the others in town, but Phoenix could see the woman’s beauty never the less. She carried herself with grace and she emitted a loving kindness that reminded Phoenix of her mother.

Phoenix extended her hand to shake, but Vera just grinned and nodded.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Phoenix said anyway.

“Vera, I have struck a deal with these vamps. Give them some canned goods and smoked meat.”

She nodded, but looked wary.

“Ya’ll can have a seat,” Ben said pointing to the edge of the porch. Both of them sat and took in their surroundings.

“How long have you been here?” Adam asked.

“Came out here when the bombs started flyin. Took what we could, when we could and built up some shelter.”

“Do you know about the places where the sun shines?” Phoenix asked as a plate of food was offered to her.

Adam took his plate from Vera and they both waited for an answer. Vera disappeared back into the shanty.

Ben chuckled. “Theren’t any sun left.”

“Actually there is, I know of a few places,” Adam offered.

“You get dropped on the your head or something?” Ben said spitting on the ground.

“No. I’m telling you the way it is.”

“Adam knows a lot about the politicians and how the military is functioning today,” Phoenix said taking a bite of beef jerky.

“That right?” Ben said skeptical.

“What’s this?” a man said approaching them. It wasn’t a pleasant tone.

“I’ve welcomed them into the village and struck a deal,” Ben said standing his ground.

“Are you out of your fucking mind? You just condemned us all to death.”

“You watch your tone, Doug.” Ben said with fierce eyes.

Doug shoved past Ben making sure to knock him in the shoulder as he passed.

Ben shook it off. “Doug’s a bit of a hot head.”

“Seems to hate vamps,” Adam said.

“Most do, but he’s got special reason to. His sister turned and tried to kill ‘em.”

Phoenix tensed and Adam took note. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Totally,” she said with a smile. Her smile disguised her memory of Sophie. No she didn’t attack her sister, but she was the one to take her life.

Ben was back on the sunlight story. “You say ya saw it?”

“I can show you,” Adam said.

The old man’s eyes lit up. “Vera! Get them their stash of canned goods,” he shouted.

It took her all of ten minutes and she had a box full of canned fruit, vegies, and jerky.

“Thank you for this,” Adam said to Ben.

“Don’t make me regret it now. How far away do I have to go to see the sun?”

Adam smiled. “It’s not far. Couple hours walk from here.”

“You don’t say?”

“You can come now if you like and bring back the medical supplies,” Phoenix offered.

Ben nodded. Adam picked up the box of food and led the way out. When they reached the two guards they were sitting on dilapidated, metal folding chairs, one on each side of the entrance.

“Boys, I’ll be back by nightfall.”

They both stood, alarm flashing across their faces.

“I’ll make sure he gets back,” Adam offered, but it did no good.

One of them began to speak but Ben waved him off and kept walking.

Phoenix picked up their weapons. She stashed Adam’s on her person as well since he was lugging a box full of glass jars, though she was sure it didn’t feel the least bit heavy to him.

Ben slung his rifle onto is shoulder, but kept his hand firm on the strap for ready access.

Everyone was quiet as they walked through the fields and marshes. There was a slight breeze, which caused the dried out wheat to sway back and forth with a crackling sound.

“I don’t get how there can be sun in a certain spot. I’m not an educated man, but I know we would have seen blue sky by now. Everything might be contaminated and all, but the smoke would have cleared off by now,” Ben finally said.

“I can’t tell you how I know this information, so don’t ask me,” Adam started. “There are planes that were developed to drop chemicals. They keep the sky a constant, cloudy grey.”

“You’d think folks would hear a plane.”

“Well that’s the thing; they’re silent.”

“Boy you really are livin’ in a fantasy,” Ben said with a chuckle.

“No, it’s true,” Phoenix said though she had no proof.

“Our government always had new weapons, planes, and fleet vehicles being developed. Area 51 is a real place, but it had nothing to do with aliens,” Adam said.

“What will these chemicals do to us?” Ben asked alarmed.

“That, I don’t know.” Adam pointed ahead. “It’s not much farther, at least the easy part of the hike.”

Phoenix looked over at Ben who looked confused. “We’re going into a cave system. It’s where Adam and I have been living.”

Ben nodded.

When they entered the cave Adam invited Ben to sit down and take a rest. He was breathing quite heavily and he was up there in age. He was happy to sit in the cool cave and rest a while. “You’ve got quite the hide out here,” he said looking around when Adam lit a few lanterns.

“It’s not like we’re very popular,” Phoenix said. “I have no intention of joining with the gangs of vamps.”

Adam handed Ben a bottle of water that he filled from one of the natural springs in the cave. “It doesn’t taste very good with all the minerals and all, but it’s safe for consumption.”

“Thank ya.” The old man tilted it back and took deep gulps.

“Whenever you’re ready we should get moving. The sun will be down in a few hours.”

As they made the climb Phoenix took the lead and Adam made sure to help Ben.

“This is all making a bit more sense to me now. I mean you should be able to tell when it’s day and night and the sky shouldn’t be grey all the time,” Ben said as he heaved himself up onto a large rock.

They passed the makeshift bathroom and got to the spot where the beam of light shone on the stone floor. Ben gasped.

“We must be dead quiet. There are people up there,” Phoenix whispered right into Ben’s ear.

The old man stood directly below the quarter width beam and turned his face up into it, smiling broadly. The gold light glistened on his sweaty face revealing his deep wrinkles and wise face. Phoenix surmised he was a man who had experienced a lot in life.

Phoenix’s forehead crinkled.

“What?” Adam mouthed.

She sniffed at the air and her eyes blazed and illuminated brighter. Closing her eyes to concentrate on what she was picking up, voices from ground level muffled in and out of tone. The smell of blood wafted into her nostrils, but it was more than one scent. Breathing in deeper she could smell Ben as plain as if a large gash ran across his neck. His scent was strong, but the others mixed in with it were so faint she could have missed them. Her senses had never been this keen before.

Looking at Adam the sense of confusion and awe she was feeling was also on his face. Nodding to the side she indicated to him that they should go. He tugged on Ben’s shirt, but stopped for a second. Adam’s eyes blazed and Phoenix tensed. When he took a couple deep breaths to calm himself his eyes dimmed. He took Ben by the shoulder and led him away.

“I have to say that has left me with few words.” Ben was still smiling from ear to ear. “The sun still shines,” he said with a voice childlike and innocent.