I knew I should have never trusted Jake. He... Whenever I was near him, I got this terrible feeling. Sometimes it dulled, but usually... Now I knew. He'd killed his family. And this... It was like he wanted Phoenix close to him. I didn't know why, but I didn't like it. A part of me said that he'd kill her, too. Another part just said "asDfGHjKL;"
I gulped down my anger. "Phoenix, let him go." I growled, stepping forward.
At the same time, Jake stepped behind Phoenix and her in front of him. "Why?" Phoenix asked, her voice low and dangerous.
"Because that," I pointed a finger to the form behind her. Jake's eyes were glowing green like they had at the beginning of the vision. "Is a murderer." I spat the words like old, chewed gum.
Shyanne nodded silently beside me.
Phoenix's eyes shone silver, horror filling them. A satisfied smile played over my lips, thinking that she was going to throw him to the killer trees. Instead, Phoenix's wrath was focused on me. "What the hell, Shane?!" She shouted, moving towards me. "Man," She started, forcing a laugh. "I knew you were all jealous over Shy and I, but this..." She paused. "This is sick! SICK!"
"Phoenix..." Shyanne said, placing a gentle hand on her arm.
Phoenix spun around on her, then, too. "Oh, please! You're only supporting him because you want him!" She snapped, anger filling in her eyes.
"Phoen-" Shyanne was cut off this time as Phoenix twisted her hand off her arm.
"Shut up!" She yelled, stepping back to look at both of us. From under her dark bangs, her silver eyes glowed even brighter. Ash clung to her hair and soot smeared her cheeks. The silver of her snake bites shimmered as she took a moment to bite on the left one. "You're jerks, you know that?" She finally said.
"Phoenix, we're not lying. He's lying to you!" I tried to reason with the flaming ball of death under a shade of blue and black.
I wished I hadn't said anything. Phoenix growled audibly and jumped at me. Her fist had just met my face when a cold wind threw her back.
"Leave him alone!" Screamed Shyanne, her eyes growing into a darker green.
Phoenix looked horrified at Shy, then at her fist. "No." She finally said.
"Phoenix, stop." Begged Jake from behind her.
"You shut up, too, Leafy!" She retorted, not taking her eyes off of us.
"I-" Jake was cut short again.
"NO!" Phoenix shouted.
Jake locked eyes with me. For a moment, I was sure he was going to tell Phoenix to attack me, since he was obviously controlling her, but instead he spoke quietly, "They're right."
I let my shoulders down with a long exhale. Shyanne walked to me and leaned on my shoulder. Phoenix looked away as soon as she did this, turning to Jake.
"Don't lie for them." She said, her voice softening for him.
"I'm... I'm not." Jake finally admitted it. Of course he'd waited for me to get punched in the mouth first. I felt like I couldn't speak after that hit...
"Wh-what?" Phoenix stuttered.
Shyanne took the risk to walk over and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Hey," she said smoothly. "Calm down, and we'll explain it all to you, okay?"
To my surprise, Phoenix nodded. She fell into the grass, silent, staring at Jake. "Tell me." She said quietly after a long silence. "But," She pointed to Jake. "You sit with me."
Jake agreed and sat criss cross beside Phoenix. She leaned down and put her head in his lap, looking into his eyes. I felt a pang of jealousy. Phoenix didn't deserve an insane murderer.
I walked over and sat on Phoenix's other side. Jake was now rubbing the soot off her skin, brushing away the ash. "So?" Phoenix asked, looking at me and stretching her legs over mine.
I managed a small smile. "The Nightmare, Phoenix." I said, pausing. She looked terrified, the color draining from her face. "She came, well, didn't come exactly, but we heard her. She was laughing, saying how we'd like to see Jake's past."
"We did." Shyanne piped in, sitting on Jake's side. She wrapped an arm around him, ruffling his hair. She pulled her hand away when she got a sharp glare from Phoenix. "We saw his mother, Jacca, his father, Leo, and his sister, Carri."
"Then he..." I looked down, pulling at the tears in Phoenix's black skinny jeans. "Leaf." I paused, realizing that sounded dumb. "To the back. Pointy, sharpy, knifey leaf to the back." I tried to make it seem more intelligent, but the more I spoke, the worse it sounded.
Jake sighed, looking down at Phoenix. "I wasn't well. Now, that's no excuse for... For stabbing my big sister in the back, a-and... And the beale t-to my parents-" Jake was interrupted by a sob.
Phoenix reached her hand up and brushed his tears away. "Hey..." She said, making him open his watery eyes to look at her. "How old are you, eh?"
Jake sniffled. "Eightteen."
Shyanne and I exchanged confused looks, but shrugged it off as Phoenix continued.
"And how old were you then?" She asked, looking him in the eyes like a concerned parent.
"I-I was twelve..." Jake mumbled, looking down again.
Phoenix placed her thumb under his chin to make him look at her. "Listen. That was six years ago. The past. Nothing but memories and the scars we allow to burn through. Your past," Phoenix paused to wink at Shyanne as she said, "Or your present, does not define you. You," Said Phoenix as she poked Jake's cheek. "Are Jacob Maple, the best tree spirit around. My favorite, actually." She grinned, but quickly shook it off, her normal emotionless stare returning. "Now stop blubbering all over me, you bowl."
"B-Bowl?" Jake asked as Phoenix sat up, pulling her legs off me and under herself.
"You're adorable. A-dora-bowl." She let herself smile slightly.
"Wait, are you two a thing now?" Shyanne asked the question that had been rising in my throat.
I was relieved to see Jake make a sour face and Phoenix grimace. "Gods, no." She said.
"I think we've decided she's my big sister." Jake said, shoving Phoenix playfully. She shoved him back, sending him into Shyanne, laughing. "See?"
"Aren't you older than her?" I asked, confused.
"Yeah, I'm seventeen." Jake looked hopeful at her words. "But I'm taller." There was a content pause. "Hey, wait a minute." Phoenix said, her voice somber again. "How did you get to the Rebellion?"
Jake sighed. "Well, sis, Pipes found me wandering in the woods, muttering about demons." I could tell it was easier for Jake to face his past with a new sister by his side. "Piper found out about what had happened, and her magic healed me..." He smiled distantly, blushing lightly.
"No way." Shyanne said.
Phoenix gave her an amused look. "Does little Jakey have a crush?" She cooed.
I ruffled Jake's hair, totally not using that as an excuse to put an arm around Phoenix. "Go for it, man." I said. Phoenix smacked my arm off her and held my wrist in her hand. Her glare said I shouldn't try that again. "Sorry."
"Should we be going?" Phoenix finally asked. The weight returned to my chest. Kayla.
"We should." Shyanne agreed, standing up.
"No!" The echoing voice boomed again. "Not yet. That almost tore you apart. Let's try Shyanne, hmm?"
"No!" Shy yelped, but nothing could be done. We were sucked into her world. It was a hallway, long a white, all its white doors shut. A young girl, maybe nine, was crying. She had long, blond hair and tan skin. I could see terror in her green eyes.
"Shy?" I whispered. "Is that you?"
Shyanne nodded. "Eight years ago."
Someone walked by us. His dark hair was a mess of oils, but not hiding his sickly green eyes. His suit was half undone, tie hanging loosely around his burly neck.
"SHYANNE!" His voice boomed around the hall.
A curvy woman with the same blond hair as Shyanne rushed out of one of the rooms, behind Shyanne. She had brown eyes. "Mickey, please!" She stepped forward. "This is too much!"
"She's done it this time, Diana!" Snapped Mickey, staring down the young girl.
"She only went over her minutes, Mickey! You can't do this!" The girl pleaded.
"She cost me precious time and money!" Screamed her father, pulling back his fist.
"Daddy!" Young Shyanne called. "Daddy, please!"
I looked at Phoenix, who had her face buried in her hands. Shyanne was half hidden behind me. I looked away as I heard a snap, and a sharp shriek from young Shyanne. The scene melted away.
"How do you feel now, Dreamers?" Spat The Nightmare's disembodied voice.
Phoenix stood up so quickly, Jake flashed from leaf to flesh. "SHUT UP!" Phoenix shrieked. "Just shut up! Leave them alone!" Her tone held something that made me glad she was on my side.
"Oh..." The Nightmare seemed surprised. "Still so ready to defend a liar and a murderer." Jake looked at his lap, and Shyanne was suddenly interested in the ground.
Phoenix let out a growl that reminded me of a fire roaring to life. "No. I'm ready to defend a bowl and a stupid blond."
The Nightmare's laugh was like the sound of paper smoldering and burning, combined with a terrible scream. It almost sounded like her laughter was caught in her throat, making her wheeze. "Let's hear about Shane then, hmm?"
"No!" I tried to protest, but the field was gone all too soon. We appeared on the stairs of my home. Brown carpeted floors stank of sweat and fast food, but we didn't have the money to have them cleaned. The old, rotten wood of the railing wasn't safe, but Dad had done his best with a few nails and a hammer. Mom, her brown hair in a messy bun, stared with tears glistening in her brown eyes at the bills spread across the table. Dad, his brown hair falling into blue eyes, looked blankly at her. Down a few steps from us was myself. I hadn't changed much since then; I was the same freckled, messy haired, sandy blond, bi color eyed boy as ever.
"Karen..." My father breathed.
I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't. I remembered this night. I could recite each word my parents had said as if I were reading it, just as I had as I'd cried that night.
"What are we going to do, Leo?" Mom asked hopelessly.
"I..." Dad's words were choked back so he wouldn't cry. "I don't know." He spoke softly.
"We can't afford a baby..." Mom said. My past self almost fell off the stairs at this. I was only seven at the time, but I was mature for my age. I'd realized how unimaginable it was for my mother to have another kid. They were barely making it by with just me.
"I'll take on another shift." Dad promised, grabbing Mom's hand to squeeze.
"Leo..." Mom said, her tears spilling onto the papers below her. "I will, too. Shane is ready to stay home alone. We can make this."
"I hope..." Dad said, looking down.
My past self choked back a sob, making just the slightest sound. Mom turned towards me. "Shaney?" She asked. The scene vanished into the field again.
"So poor..." The Nightmare cooed.
"Stop this!" Phoenix cried, looking around for the source of the voice. Something else was in her tone, though... Something I didn't like. "Please!" Phoenix finally shouted weakly.
"Oh..." The Nightmare sounded pleased, realizing she'd just struck a note with Phoenix. I was horrified that no one stepped up to defend her. I was so stunned from seeing my past again, I could barely speak. I expected her "little brother" or Shy to help her. But no one did. "Is someone afraid?"
Phoenix took a deep breath. "Never. Not of you."
The Nightmare released that horrid laughter again. "Why of course not!" There was a short pause. "Because your nightmare is reality, isn't it?"
"Shut up!" Phoenix shouted. "They don't need to know!"
"Oh, no, little Fire Bird." Phoenix winced at this nickname. "They're going to know."
Just like that, I saw a thousand things. I saw a girl with long, curly brown hair and green eyes. She was partying in the center of a large group of teens in a huge living room. We were standing on the stairs, behind a girl with the same brown hair, but hers was straight. The door swung opened and the teen in the middle rushed to turn off the blaring music that I didn't recognize.
The woman, black hair braided on either side to pull her hair away from piercing silver eyes, looked terrified. "MACKENZIE!" She shouted, looking at the mess.
The man behind her had brown hair and green eyes, stayed in shocked silence. "Katrid..." He spoke quietly, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Jason, she was to be watching Phoenix!" Katrid shouted. "That's it! EVERYONE OUT!"
I heard a bunch of disappointed teenagers grumbling and groaning. "NOW!" Shouted Jason, his voice angry but his eyes just disappointed. The group slowly left, until finally only Phoenix, Mackenzie, Katrid, and Jason remained.
"You're cleaning this up..." Jason finally spoke.
"You're grounded until you leave for college!" Katrid snapped. I could see where Phoenix got her temper.
"We'll talk about this in the morning." Jason said in his soft tone.
As the couple neared the stairs, the young girl turned and fled up the stairs. I saw a glimpse of silver eyes behind her straight bangs. Phoenix looked so different when she was happy compared to now. I looked at my Phoenix, with fear and anger and regret and so much pain in her eyes that they clouded the diamonds underneath. The little Phoenix, racing past me, had clarity in her eyes. She saw good in people.
The scene switched. I saw a younger Phoenix walking home from school when a man approached her. He had dark blue eyes and blond hair, glaring down at the girl. My Phoenix had turned around, shaking her head. Time stopped for a moment, and I saw young Phoenix thrown out of an alleyway, broken and bruised. She ran, crying, away.
We were back on her staircase. I saw Katrid and Jason were fighting viciously, and Katrid slapped Jason. Young Phoenix raced back to her room, crying. I saw her in a school hallway, crowded with people. Someone shoved her to the ground and called her terrible, horrible things before proceeding to kick and punch her. No teachers saw. Of the students that did, they either ignored it or joined in.
Finally, the house of horrors receded, leaving Phoenix terrified.
"That was..." Jake said, speechless.
Shyanne hugged Phoenix tightly and buried her face into her shoulder. I heard Shy mutter, "I didn't know... I'm so sorry."
I stood, speechless.
"How do you feel of each other now? A murderer, a liar, a mistake, and a try hard." The Nightmare said, a smile in her tone.
"What time is it?" Phoenix asked, looking to the sky.
"What kind of question is that?!" The Nightmare shouted, suddenly expressing her evident fear of us. She broke character.
I allowed myself a smile. "I'd say about seven."
Phoenix's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Time to get Kayla." With a swish of her long hair, she turned and walked off.
It was all I could do to follow in awe of her.