The Undying Fire

1

Chapter One

     The Spring of 2028 was the last there ever was.

         He listened to the ringing on the other side of the line. “C’mon, pick up, pick up.”

         “Hello? Bryan?” James’ voice broke through. There was a lot of background noise. Bryan thought he heard honking.

         “Jesus, I’ve tried calling all day. What the hell happened? Have you got to the airport yet?”

         “Sorry, my god damned phone bill won’t stop hiking in price. I can’t talk before five.”

         “So did you get there? To the airport?” Bryan rushed across the street when the crosswalk turned green. A storm was coming. A billow of dark clouds was rolling in from the west, and the air had the scent of thunder.

         “No.” More honking. It sounded like James’ car. “They cancelled my flight to BC. I’m on my way back. I’m just trying to get some gas.” James’ voice trailed off as he moved away from the phone. “Move already!”

         “James, what the hell is going on? You’re coming back where? Dad’s already in BC.” Bryan bumped into a large woman who dropped the contents of her purse at her feet. She shouted something and Bryan apologized without stopping.

         “This is ridiculous.” James muttered to himself.

         “James? Did you hear what I said?”

         “Yeah, yeah, I heard. Let me think for a second.”

         Let me think for a second. James’ signature line. He was always the one to go to with a problem. He was the one with the bright ideas, the best laid plans. He would remain calm, no matter the situation, but now James sounded more stressed than Bryan had ever heard him before.

         James sighed into the phone. More honking. James cursed quietly. “Bryan, talk to Liz for a second.” Before he could object, Bryan heard the phone exchange hands and a young girl’s frightened voice broke through.

         “Bryan?” Lizzy sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Bryan’s heart dropped in his chest. His little sister was always brave, more like her brother James than Bryan.

         “I’m here, what’s wrong? What’s James doing?” Bryan accidentally kicked over a homeless woman’s hat, sending dozens of rusted pennies and dimes rolling across the sidewalk. The other pedestrians simply walked over it, looking in disgust at the toothless woman now shouting after Bryan. He had never seen so many homeless. He had heard on the news that the city was overflowing with them, but it seemed like they outnumbered those with jobs and enough money for a home. There were nine of them all sitting outside a restaurant, asking people for change and shouting at those who walked by with indifference.

         “I don’t know, he told me to wait here. He’s outside the car now and he’s walking to the gas station. I don’t know what’s going on.” Bryan could almost hear her lips trembling.

         “It’s alright, James knows what to do.” Even that Bryan was now unsure of, but he was used to telling people that. When someone needed comforting, Bryan was the one to whisper that James would come to the rescue. “I’ll stay on the phone with you, okay?” That was his own act of bravery.

         “Okay.”

         “Good. So tell me about what’s happening around the car.”