The Rise Of The Phoenix

CHAPTER TWO: INTO THE UNKNOWN

“I’m sorry,” I laughed, “I thought I heard you say we won’t be going back to Cali. But

that’s absurd, right? Because we have lives we can’t just leave behind.”

My mom decided to speak up. “I’m sorry, girls. But your dad got an amazing job

opportunity, and we think he should take it.” She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Of course, we’ll be going along with him.”

I scoffed. “Of course.” I stood up from the table and paced back and forth a bit. “And when were you going to tell us? Or were you just going to ship us off to a new address?”

“Honey, you have to understand, please.” My dad begged, as he stood up to meet me. “It’s such a great opportunity…”Ivy cut in. “I’m sure it is. It has to be, because why else would you two just come in and ruin our lives like this?” she yelled. Her voice was beginning to c***k, like she was holding back tears.”This is Kae’s senior year, and my freshman year, guys!”

Before anyone could say anything to Ivy, she ran up the stairs and shut the door of her room. Ivy wasn’t the fiesty daughter, that was usually me. Seeing her outbursts once in a blue moon came as a shock to everyone. I understood my sister. She’d worked so hard to build the reputation she had in California. She had her whole life there. We both did. Our childhoods, our best friends, everything was there. I totally understood that my parents didn’t mean to harm us, but this was not a small change. The trip back home was awfully quiet. Very few words were said. Ivy had her headphones in

throughout the flight, and I was left alone with my anger. At home, Ivy still didn’t want to talk.

She locked herself in her room for days, while the rest of us packed our things, preparing to move. While I packed things from my room, I came across a scrapbook I made when I was younger. While flipping through it, I heard a knock on my door.

“It’s open.” I said shortly.

My dad walked in slowly, like he was scared I had a bomb or something. “Kae, can we talk?”

I patted the space next to me on the bed, and he sat. We looked through the scrapbook together and sat in silence till he spoke up.

“You know we wouldn’t do anything to hurt you girls on purpose, right?” He asked. “We thought this would be the best decision for us.”

I nodded. “I know. We were just caught off guard, and on short notice, too.” I flipped a page in the scrapbook. “I think our reactions were valid.”

“I’m sorry, Kaelyn.”

I looked at him and smiled. I could tell that the way Ivy and I reacted was eating him alive. He was already committed to moving, and knowing it was against our will must have been heartbreaking for him.

“It’s okay. I understand. And hopefully, Ivy will come around too.”

He gave me weak smile as he pulled me in for a hug. Half of his problems were solved.Later that day, I went to see Ivy. I knocked on her door and walked into her room. The curtains were closed, and she was buried under her duvets. I walked over and pulled open the curtains, the light hit the bright pastel colours of her room and brought it back to life.

“God, Kaelyn!” Ivy yelled as she turned away from the light “I didn’t even say you could come in!”

I laughed as I sat on her bed and pulled her duvets off her. “I think it’s time we had a talk.”

She sat up and looked at me. “I don’t want to. I’m upset right now”

“And rightfully so.” I responded. “But you’re killing them, Ivy. They were trying to do what’s best.”

Ivy turned to face me, tears forming in her eyes. “I know. But I just can’t. My whole life is here, Kaelyn.”

“I know. But how about instead of seeing it as a bad thing, we look at it like a blessing, instead?”

I asked, trying to cheer her up. “You wanted a perfect freshman year, right? When we move, you can start with a fresh canvas, however you like.”

Ivy blinked for a second, and then she smiled and pulled me in for a hug. “Thanks, Kae. You’re the absolute best sister ever.”

I broke out of the hug and put out my pinky finger “Not born sisters?”

She smiled and connected her pinky to mine. “But built to be.”

Ivy and I were adopted at separate times by the Rodgers, as children. We made this catchphrase many years back, to mark our bond as sisters forever, even if we weren’t real blood. I was just glad I was able to cheer Ivy up and help her come to terms with our relocation.

Finally, moving day came. We had spent nearly six long hours in the air, and when we finally landed, we had to drive two hours more to get to the house we would be staying in. I was exhausted, and I fell asleep in the car.

Back in this foggy forest again. I knew the plot of the story, it was beginning to get old. I reminded myself to look into lucid dreaming when I woke up. I was looking around the forest when the voice came again.“Kaelyn? Can you hear me?”

Oh, how I hated the sound of that voice. It was already so exhausting, looking for the mystery lady. To what end?

“Can’t you just find your way around this forest yourself?” I asked her. There was no response.

This was my dream, so this was my quest, I guess. I decided to go and look for her, for the hundredth time this month. I went through the usual routine, but this time, I didn’t come across the scary creature. Finally, I found the lady’s figure standing perfectly still in the fog. Without wasting any time, I began to ask questions.

“Who are you, and why do you keep coming to me?” I asked impatiently. “Can’t you find your way out of this place yourself?”

She didn’t respond. Her back was still turned to me. This lady was strange. The last time I found her, I was interrupted and couldn’t see her face. But now, nothing was stopping me. I reached out and turned her around. She had white hair and piercing green eyes. She was holding something in her hands and her eyes were looking straight at me. She smiled.

“Are you Kaelyn?” She asked, wide eyed. “Are you the one I’ve been looking for?”

I scoffed. “You haven’t been looking, You’ve just been yelling.”

She let out a loud, maniacal laugh. The fog around us dissipated, and I could see her clearly. She was wearing a long, overflowing black gown that completely covered her hands and feet. She looked nearly crazy, too. I wondered what I got myself into.

Maybe she shouldn’t have been found.

Her smile began to grow wider and wider. It passed anything that was supposed to be humanly possible. I stepped back and tried to run, but I was held in place. I was ankles deep in quicksand!

Before I could decode what was happening, she began to grow larger. I didn’t understand what was going on.

“Finally, I found you. And it seems you’ve fallen right into my trap!" The lady laughed again as she reached out to pick me up.. “Prepare to die, Kaelyn!”

I let out a scream as the ground beneath me began to shake. Next thing I knew, I was back in the car again, gasping for air. My mom turned to face me from the passenger seat.“Kaelyn, are you okay?”

I calmed myself down and brushed my hair away from my face. “Yeah. I just had a nightmare. In broad daylight.”

My mom smiled softly as she patted me on my thigh. That was as far as she could reach. “It’s probably moving jitters.”

“Don’t worry, girls!” My dad chimed in. “I promise, it’s going to be great! You have no idea what awaits you here.”

“Yeah!” My mom looked at Ivy and I “Just breathe and live in the moment, girls.”