Phoenix

The room was hot and musky. I could feel my sweat running down my face like tears upon my cheeks. My chest had bricks upon my breath. Moving my hands I could feel the silk beneath my palms. My memory was faded. Running through my mind I tried to find something familiar. I kept my eyes closed shut. Finding the page, my name. My name is… Taylor. Taylor Ashley Conteen. But who was I? Why am I here? I felt my head ache as I asked myself these questions. I felt the presence of someone next to me. I felt the bed slightly shake, like a jerk against the bed post. 1

“O god, Please help me!” The woman’s breath was heavy and scared. Somehow I knew that I had to do with something of here being here. I moved slowly to check myself of any restraints. None. I heard her take a deep breath and hold it. I could smell her fear, taste it on my tongue, but how? I could feel no remorse for her. I can’t explain it, I just felt it. Vibrations upon the floor. Door open, footsteps, breathing. 2

“Lady Phoenix still slumbers.”3

“She will slaughter us if we don’t inform her of the scout.” Boom! I could feel the force of the door run upon my face as the voice yelled. 4

“What were your orders?!”5

“Ma’am, not to disturb Lady as she slumbers.” The fear thick in the deep statement. 6

“Well if it was understood what are you doing here?”7

“The scout was found murdered at his ordered location Lady--”8

“What did I just say?!”9

“Ma’am but -” 10

“Go to the pit!”11

“But!”12

“NO! Do as I say or your punishment will be worse!” Instinct took over. I grabbed the pistol underneath the pillow. Don’t ask me how I knew it was there I just knew. Grabbing it, pointing it at the woman. Feeling the hatred tickle up my spine as she looked at me calmly. “Aw, the Phoenix has awakened!” She stood there dressed in sparkly red high heels as if she wish to go home to Kansas dressed as a skank. A dress dark as blood and eyes like a jaguar. Hair like the color of the earth the Indians walked on. 13

Her smile made me sick. I could task the salt upon the cheeks of the girl next to me. The men bowed down on one knee and waited. Man this was unbelievable! ‘Who am I?’ A sharp pain surged through my head, but I wouldn’t let my pain show. Somehow I was able to shut it out. “Now Phoenix shouldn’t you put that dangerous weapon done and not point it at your dear cousin?” She said it with such a sly tone of disrespect and confidence that I wouldn’t do anything. Who was this woman?14

The room was still hot. My sweat running down my chest into my shirt. Sickness ran through my insides. I sat there. Focusing to keep my pose. Something inside me screamed to let no weakness out. I still did not understand what was going on. “Seems that your birthday was quite the show last night. I can not search your mind but you show great confusion upon your breath. Lily told me of this occurrence upon the greats of the supieror rank. Such disgust showed plainly on her face. “Come Phoenix, you shall see Lily.” Instinct told me to trust request and follow.15

The hall was dark, hot, with water dripping from the ceiling. Shw walked with the grace of satisfaction. “My name is Lady Kat, for the sake of reminding. I assume your memory had failed?” My mouth was shut, sealed from showing my weakness of vunerability. “Have you lost your ability to speak?” She stopped, looked at me, then snickered. I looked back upon her, heighting my pose. Showing no submission to this woman who called me her cousin. 16

Adrenaline pumped though my skin. I felt something inside of me just building up. Before I could register my reactions, she was against the wall looking down. Almost as if stuck to it. Jerking her body, coming at me with such power. Getting closer and closer. 17

“You shall not touch me!” I looked deep into her eyes inches from my own. Her faced flushed red with hatred. Knowing what I said holds true. “Take me to Lily.” She still placed herself frozen for a few short moments. Abruptly broke away and pursued the same route as before only moving at hast. Something was just pulsing through me. Desperately I wanted to finish what I started. Wanting to finish her at her own game. The feeling that I felt seemed to be foreign to me. I didn’t want to feel so heated but somehow I was. Something that felt like it was crawling inside me. Something so powerful, craving, stirring, growling. I heard it, and the woman turned around. Her eyes were dark as night. Then I heard a growl escape her own lips as she started to curl her lips so show glistening white teeth. Something was so dangerous about them, but I didn’t know what. My body was starting to move before the thought of even crossed my mind, crouching down. Everything just seemed to slow down, but I couldn’t really comprehend it. Like lightning she bolted through the slow motion toward my body hands sprung out. Something happened. As if I Blinked, she was laying on the ground, wind knocked out of her. A booming force sprung around my body making my legs fall from under me. Knocking me clean on my ass. A spring of annoyance crossed my mind. What is going on, I thought secretly to myself. It jolted. A feeling that I didn’t have before, looking at the woman I saw it on her face. It felt impossible what I saw on her face. Fear. 18

Faster than I thought possible, she was standing. Grabbing me and throwing my body through a door, slammed it shut. The room was dark, just like everywhere else. After regaining my balance, I saw the outlines inside the room, colors seemed dull but standing on there own. My attention was brought to a door, drawing me to it, calling. My legs moving themselves without command. Hazy feeling came all over my mind. For a second I thought sleep came over me.