Soul of the Phoenix

Chapter 3

Ouch Sakiya bantered in her head, cutting herself on a piece of the glass. She kind of liked that feeling, taking away the hurt, the pain had replaced it. Sakiya was no stranger to pain, the many nights she had spent in the basement of the home. No choice but to soil herself as she wasn't even allowed to use the bathroom during her punishments, seemingly always disappointing her foster parents or their daughter, suffering in silence that no one outside this home had an inkling of. Sylis and Sadie were twins who were adopted 2 years after Sakiya had been placed with Holly and David, they were 4 at the time. She felt that she wouldn't be lonely anymore, but how wrong she was. Sadie despised Sakiya, she loved having a part in her suffering, and took every chance she had received to inflict it. Sylis, on the other hand, did not participate and secretly felt bad for Sakiya, but there was nothing he could do without being reprimanded.

"Hey." Came a voice from Sakiya's doorway, startling her and making her jump. "Sorry for the sudden intrusion. I just wanted to apologize for what my sister did. That wasn't right at all, and I'm glad my parents aren't going to punish you for it.." Sylis said, hurrily coming into her room before anyone could notice and shutting the door behind him before standing in front of it. "Mom and dad are on a phone call and Sadie left to go to Paris' house, so I took that as my only chance to get a word in with you. I know it doesn't mean much, and I know it sucks what you're going through. I wish I could help." Sylis continued. "Thank you, Sylis. But this isn't your problem. Nothing and no one can change what's happened. If you want to help though, I think I might have an idea, if you're interested." Sakiya smirked, rubbing the cut on her finger, avoiding Sylis' gaze. "I can try, what do you have in mind?" Sylis curiously glanced at her. "Well, I talked to Maranda, and of course she doesn't think it's a good idea. But, Sylis?" She asked. "Hm?" He replied. "Can-.. Can I trust you?" She questioned, looking up into his gaze, a hopeful expression on her pale freckled face. He motioned his finger across his chest, making a cross. "Scout's honor." He responded, the honesty in his eyes said all she needed. She could somehow distinguish when someone was telling her the truth, although she didn't understand it herself. She stood up, walking over to Sylis before grabbing his hands. "You have to promise me, really promise me, you won't say anything to anyone. No matter what." She pleaded. He gazed at her for a moment. "I give you my word." He told her. "I have to get out of here, Sylis. I have to get away. I have to find out what happened to my parents, and I can't endure the emotional turmoil here any longer. Can you help me, please?" She begged. He stood silent for a moment, before moving on to answering her question. "Under one condition," he stated. "Anything," Sakiya replied. "I want to know who the man is, the man mom and dad have been talking to in secrecy for years. I want to know who he is, and why they are involved with him." Sylis said. "I-.. I will. Help you back, that is, I want to know too. I have a feeling something is going on that none of us know about. And I want to get to the bottom of it." Sakiya stated. He smiled. "Great. I have to go, I can't be caught here or else we will both be in deep trouble." He said, giving Sakiya a quick smile again before disappearing out of her room, leaving her door open as she was not allowed to have it closed. Holly told her there is no privacy for her in their home, and she had no choice but to abide to avoid the consequences. I have to call Maranda Sakiya thought, before hurriedly pulling the phone out of the tiny compartment she created under her slim mattress on the floor. She hurriedly placed the piece of white carpeting back over the small square and quickly slid her mattress back over the secret cut out.. No one would be able to tell it was even there. She grabbed a book from the small bookhelf against her plain white wall to put on her lap. If anyone were to walk in, she could cover herself without being suspicious. Hitting the quick dial button for Maranda's number, she waited as it rang for the other line to pick up. "Sakiya! Is everything okay?" Maranda's worried voice came through. "I'm fine." She whispered. "But I need to tell you something. You know how I told you I wanted your help getting away?" She asked, Maranda verifying what she had said earlier. "We're going to have an extra hand, but Maranda, you have to keep this to yourself." She stated matter of factly. "Cross my heart. It's not the son, is it?" Maranda inquired, Sakiya not replying right away. "It is. Sylis wants to help me." Sakiya told her. "You have to be careful Kye, if anyone were to find out, I don't think there would be any saving for either of you." Maranda said. "I know, I know. Listen, I have to hurry. But Sylis said he would help me under the condition I help him find out who the man Holly and David have been dealing with for all these years. The same man I saw as a child. I've never seen him in person since, but we have to figure out who he is." Sakiya said. "ANd how do you plan on doing that?" Maranda questioned. "I'll figure it out once I'm out of here and safe. We'll talk more tomorrow, I gotta go." Sakiya said before quickly hanging up the phone, hearing footsteps coming down the hall to her room. She hid the phone under her pillow and grabbed the book, opening the pages before pretending she was in the middle of reading. Sadie, the dark-haired teen who had the glow of the moon within her skin and her penetrating green eyes walked in her doorway, along with a blonde-headed teenager who was just as attractive as the former. It was Sadie and Paris, of course, coming to bestow some more hurt onto her. Sakiya kept her eyes on her book, not paying attention to either of them except for the quick glance she gave them when seeing who was coming. "Knock knock." Sadie laughed, glaring at Sakiya in her usual hateful manner. "We were bored so we thought we would come visit the scum of the home." Paris laughed at her friend's words, causing Sakiya to look away from her book, turning her head so they wouldn't see the hurt across her face. "Aww, Did we hurt the little ugly b***h's feelings?" Paris chuckled, feigning surprise. Sylis suddenly walked up behind them, ending the turmoil that Sakiya felt was about to happen. "Sadie, mom wants you." He told her. "She's awaiting you in her office." he said. "We'll finish this later, darling." Sadie said to Sakiya, her smirk evident that she wanted to cause harm before she was interrupted by her brother. Sylis saved her from whatever it was the two girls were planning, and for that she was grateful. She mouthed a silent thank you, even though Sylis couldn't hear her... She knew it was only a matter of time before they returned.