The Legends of Thavv; Book 1: Bodhi the Phoenix

02

     "You smell like sex." Destiny said, standing in the doorway to my room. "Like you would know what sex smells like." I gave her a sideways glance as I shrugged my jacket off my shoulders. Seeing the hickeys on my bare chest she whistled "Looks like someone lost their V card. Don't worry I wont tell Mom."

     "Destiny?"

     "Hmm?"

     "Shut up."

     "Jeez. Okay, grumpy." She rolled her eyes and jumped on my bed, taking out her phone. I kicked the leather jacket aside and got a new shirt. Glancing up, she asked "Haven't you had that old jacket since birth?"

     "That's what they tell me." I sighed, sitting at my desk. Apparently as a baby, I was left on the sidewalk wrapped in that jacket. I was found and adopted by my parents: Kiyonna and Trevonte White, a driven campaign publicist and a humble lawyer; Kiyonna whom at the time was nine months pregnant with my sister Destiny. But still, they found room in their hearts for me. And that I'll always be grateful for.

     What was strange though, is that they couldn't find my birth parents anywhere. Not on any of the surrounding street cams, not even in the police database, not even a hospital record. It was if I just appeared out of thin air. And even stranger, was the jacket.

     I was a leather-like material, but it was tougher, and it had a weird symbol on the back. It was an axe and some type of bird. Though everytime I looked at it, it felt familiar and it made me nostalgic, like an old fond memory that I just couldn't grasp.

     "Hey, you ever wondered where your parents are?" She asked. "I'm pretty sure my parents are downstairs, Tiny." I replied absent-mindedly, thinking of the man I saw in the parking lot.

     "You know you're adopted right? I mean your biological parents." She answered. As if I needed to be reminded of that fact. I was still tan, but my skin was much lighter than my family's, plus my hair wasnt curly like my mom's or sister's and I wasnt as short as dad, though he wasnt shorter by much. And my mom always said my eyes looked so much more older and dangerous than I was, whatever that meant.

     Though at the time, I never knew just how right mom was. But I would soon find out.

      "I don't know, Destiny. And I don't care." I loved my sister, but I didn't like talking about the people who apparently felt like I wasnt worth keeping. Not that I would change what I have now for the world, but still. "They're probably some crack heads who made me by mistake. End of story." At this, Destiny fell silent.

☆

     Her laughter echoed. I loved the sound of her laugh. I loved everything about her. And I missed her so much. I yearned to be wherever she was.

     I've had this dream before. Ever since I was little. The woman laughing was more of a feeling though, a phantom of a person. Until now. Through the fuzzy grey haze, I saw her. And she was a goddess.

     Golden hair fell lightly on her shoulders, skin radiating warmth. And it was tinted lightly, a soft honey colour. Her eyes were my favourite part, though. They were the most beautiful, deepest brown I'd ever seen. I was completely in love with the woman before me, this I couldn't deny.

     "Come here, you." I heard myself say, though my voice sounded different; deeper, older and wiser, even. I grabbed the woman and she laughed some more. "Bodhi!" She managed through more laughter.

     Then the world around us seemed to slow. In this grey haze, she was the only thing that was clear. Sitting, she put her forehead against mine, her hand cupping my cheek. Her touch alone could make me melt. "You have to come back home to me, okay? Promise me you'll come back."

     "For you, I'd always come back." I promised her. And I always did. Except one day I didnt...

     Then the dream started shifting, and the same woman, this time her hair was back and she looked a little older, was standing in front of me.

     "Bodhi!" She called to me. "I dont have much time." She said, and already, her image started to fade. This made me want to reach out for her. I didnt want her to leave. Not yet. I wasn't ready...

     "It's time to come home, Bodhi. We need you. I need you." She said with the saddest voice I'd ever heard. I couldn't move, but I knew she needed me. And no matter what, I had to get back to her. "How?" I asked. At my response, she looked so relieved, as if she didnt expect me to be able to hear her.

     "Avion and Sena will come. They'll bring you home to me." She started to tear up. As she tried to speak again, her image started to fade in and out, making her words choppy. "We... daught... she's beaut..."

     I shook my head, telling her I couldn't hear her. At this, she reached out for me, speaking quicker. But her image was almost gone, it hurt to see her go. "You must awake the Ph-"

     I sat up quickly, covered in tears, though I barely remembered why. Turning over I shut my alarm off. Wiping my face, I made my way to the bathroom.

     Looking up, I gasped and jumped back. The face I saw in my reflection wasnt mine. The man I saw was older, with slightly bigger muscles, shorter hair, and a goatee. He looked sort of like I did, being as he had the same skin tone and his eyes had the same intense look. He could be me when I got older.

     Eyes wide, I looked down and shook my head, blinking. When I looked up again, it was my face that I saw.

     "What is happening to me?" I breathed.