Firebird

Chapter 9- When Things Go Wrong

   Ryo began wrapping her ankle in long, white bandages. “That’s a little vague.”

   “You’re never this tired, you never mess up, and you never get hurt.”

   She laughed emptily. “Bella, I’ve been here a long time. I’ve gotten hurt more than once. As for the tiredness, it’s what happens when you perform constantly. You know that.”

   She didn’t convince me at all. I dropped the subject though. I was beginning to hate all the secrets that were kept from me. It’s not like I need to know everything but I feel like I’m ignorant and unnecessarily sheltered.

   “Do accidents like Pheller’s happen a lot?” I asked, changing the subject.

   “Very rarely. But things worse than that have happened.” She propped her ankle on the cot and lay an ice pack on top then lay down.

   “Do you think he’ll be okay?”

   “Yes. Like I said, there’s been worse that members have survived.”

   That brought a new question to my mind. “…Can we die here?”

   Her expression darkened and she stared at the top of her tent. “Yes, Bella, we can.”

   We’re immortal but can die by accidents. I had more questions on why we couldn’t protect ourselves with magic or be healed by it. Or why we were cursed like this in the first place.

   “You better get back. Hyun will come to see me soon and I’m sure Astley’s searching for you. He seems like your father the way he treats you.”

   I smiled. “Yes. He does. Hope your ankle feels better soon.”

   She waved as I left her tent.

   Hyun was on his way in and I rammed into him on accident. I tried to apologize but he interrupted. He grabbed my arms and held them tightly. I tried to escape him but he held stronger. “You did this to her, didn’t you?”

   “No! How could I?”

   His nostrils flared with anger. “I don’t know. I’m sure you did something though. I bet you want to take her place-“

   “Leave her alone.” Astley said behind me. When Hyun didn’t loosen his grip Astley came up and shoved him away.

   Hyun’s already thin eyes narrowed. “I know she did it.”

   “Oh yes. She sat there silently and used her mind powers to make Ryo slip up. That seems perfectly possible.” He said sarcastically, protectively placing a hand on my shoulder.

   He didn’t have a reply for that but stood there dumbly.

   “Run along! And leave Bella alone. She didn’t do anything wrong. Nor did Ryo. So don’t go in there and yell at her.”

   “Who are you to tell me what to do, Rickett?”

   Astley snapped his fingers and Hyun flinched. He laughed. “Next time, that snap will be followed by something unpleasant.”

   “Is that supposed to intimidate me? Because it doesn’t.”

   He snapped again, receiving the same reaction. “It does or else you wouldn’t flinch. Leave them both alone.” He let his arm fall on my shoulders and we walked away, leaving Hyun to ponder over whether or not he believed Astley would do anything to him or not.