Flames to Ashes Pt. 2

Chapter 2- One Year Later Continued

Sometimes, I still wake up thinking they were still alive. Expecting them to be waiting for me at the kitchen table for breakfast, where we’d talk and laugh with each other, just like we used to.

Mum and Dad used to be so proud of me, but now, I’m afraid they would be disappointed. Sad that I’d given up and disappointed that I’d chose to cower and hide, rather than stand up and fight for what is right.

Cole would understand, but he’d probably say, “I get it, but it’s still not right, D.” Which only makes me feel worse about myself. Cole would have fought until the end. He wouldn’t let anyone go around killing innocents and ruining the lives of so many other people.

I did try to stop them, but I wasn’t enough. And when I got close to stopping it all, they killed my family. They took away everything that I’d ever cared about.

To think that we’d all once had a bond that nothing or no one could break. Now look at us; fighting each other knowing that it’s life and death; knowing that only one can walk away alive.

There had been four of us. We’d been chosen to be a part of a special team. I was sixteen when we first met. Barely starting to understand who I was or what I wanted to accomplish with my life. Julian “Hawk” Williams was the oldest. Julian was twenty-two years old and seemed larger than life to me. Tali “Talon” Spencer was just a couple years older than me, we’d been best friends. She was eighteen when she was brought in. And Niall “Sparks” Ronan had been a fresh twenty years old. I’d once thought I was in love with him, but I couldn’t love someone who could do that to me.

We’d been trained in all of the areas you would associate with regular spies and then some. We all developed special and unique abilities (which lead to each of our nicknames). Together we had been the Phoenix Group.

We’d been together for five years before everything went wrong. We used to be great. We went around saving the world from countless threats and disasters. We’d formed a bond that I didn’t think could ever be broken. We’d been through so much together. We’d fought side-by-side, survived bombs, gunfights, fires, hurricanes, and death.

Then, somehow, five years after that first mission, my world fell apart. We had once been heroes, fighting in the dark. Now, those same people I thought were my friends, who used to be “heroes”, now stood over the world, watching as it burned.

Chapter 3 – New Friends

Londyn and I traveled into the city today. It’s been almost a year since the last time I was here, but it seems like a lifetime ago. It’s not the same. What used to be a beautiful city is now an eyesore.

Buildings crumbling and burnt, cars left abandoned on the road, homes overridden with trees, vines, and moss. People still live here, but they are scarce and hard to find. Everyone tries to keep to themselves. If you find yourself in the company of the wrong person, both you and your family are in great danger; the kind of danger that makes you dead.

I’m that kind of company. Every since they defected, Hawk, Talon, and Sparks have put me on the very top of their hit-list. If you are even suspected of saying hi to me or waving at me from across the street; you are interrogated until you wish you were dead. And if you can’t give them what they want, they silence you forever. That’s why, when I go into a place inhabited by others, I keep to myself and make sure I am well hidden.

Londyn doesn’t mind all of the creeping around, she actually finds it a “little thrilling” (those are her words, not mine).

When we got to the edge of the city limits, I searched the vehicles on the highway for any abandoned clothing. After searching a dozen or so cars, I found a minivan with suitcases full of clothes.

I grabbed some of the larger shirts and ran back to Londyn. She was sitting down in the grass, weaving crowns from the golden grass, humming to herself.

“Hey, I found some stuff to cover our faces from the drones, here.” I handed her a faded purple shirt. She grabbed it, lifting it in front of her. Her nose scrunched up and her eyes crinkled at the corners.

“Funky smelling. You couldn’t stop at a store and grab a fresh one could you?” she complained. I just laughed, knowing she wasn’t completely serious; although, fresh new clothes would be nice.

“Come on, we gotta get moving soon, the drone will be back any minute now,” I replied. I poked my head through the shirt, leaving my face half-covered, and wrapped the rest of the fabric around my neck and shoulders. Londyn handed me a crown and I wrapped it around my head, securing the shirt in place.

With only our eyes peering out from the makeshift headscarves, we made our way into what used to be downtown Bozeman, MT. It wasn’t the biggest city by any means (nothing compared to NYC) but it was one of the fairly larger towns in Montana, and it served our purposes.

There weren’t that many people left here, just a few old locals that refused to move and a few people that decided that this was as far as they were going and this place was as safe as any other. Most stayed directly in the abandoned city, but a select few lived on the outskirts, farming and ranching the land.

I’ve only seen one other person while in town. It was a few months back. Londyn and I had run out of food, so we’d decided to go scavenging for some canned goods. We had been rummaging through the shelves at the grocery store when the bells went off.

Londyn had hidden under a large, empty cardboard box while I checked out the noise. I’d snuck my way up to the main entrance, looking for a person or animal that may have set off my alarm (I’d tied a string across the entrance and tied them to some bells, whenever someone stepped on the string, the bells rang). When I’d gotten to the counters, that’s when I’d seen the old man kneeling on the floor, checking out the wire. When I’d cocked my gun, he’d lifted his head, slowly looking at me.

“No need for the gun, miss.” He’d said; his voice deep and raspy, like he’d smoked many a cigar in his lifetime. “I don’t mean ya no harm. I’m just looking for some tools to fix my tractor.” He’d raised his hands, slowly standing up.

I’d holstered my weapon, calculating that he wasn’t a risk. I motioned toward the aisle of tools, “Go ahead, we were just leaving.” He’d smiled at me, giving a small chuckle. It was a laugh that started in the belly and rolled its way up and out, a pure sound of joy and amusement.

When he was out of sight, I called Londyn out and we’d left. Since then, I’d never seen or so much as heard another human other than Londyn.

Now, as we made our way downtown, keeping to allies and side streets, it felt like we were the last humans on earth. However much I wished that to be true, it couldn’t hide the fact that we weren’t.

I was being hunted, and Londyn, who I’d found wondering the woods, lost and alone, was now being hunted as well. I’d tried to get her to leave but she’d refused (she’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever known), so I gladly accepted the company. Now, she’s my best friend.

My best friend is now running across the street like a maniac. So of course, like an idiot, I ran after her.

I quickly checked the skies for any drones, thankfully I didn’t see any. I sprinted across the street, dodging fallen debris, cars, and potholes, trying to catch up to her. She ran down an alleyway and I saw a black dot dart around the corner at the other end.

“Londyn!” I yelled, trying to be quiet but also needing her to hear me. She didn’t even slow her pace, she rounded the corner at full speed and I followed a few seconds later, almost crashing into her.

She was standing in the middle of the sidewalk. In front of her were three strangers and a dog. The one in the middle was holding a gun pointed at Londyn’s chest. I instantly went to draw mine in return, but the dog growled at me. I relaxed my hand, letting it drop to my side, and the dog stopped growling and started wagging its tail.

“Who are you?” demanded the man in the middle of the group. His accent nearly made me smile. His voice, deep and rough, went well with his British accent. He was tall, almost a foot taller than me, and he was well built. I gulped as I took him in, making sure I remembered to breathe. His jet black hair ruffled in the slight breeze, and his milk chocolate brown eyes, surrounded by long, dark lashes, narrowed at me as I looked him over. His shirt was molded to his firm body, tucked into military-style pants. He was very nice looking, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was holding a gun on my best friend, I would have enjoyed that fact a little more.

I looked him in the eye, holding his gaze, “Darci, Darci Rosenlund, and this is my friend Londyn.” I replied, nodding my head toward Londyn. I focused on the other two flanking him.

The one on the right looked about my age, but she was taller (not cool), probably about six feet. Her hair was a brilliant auburn red, tied back in a tight ponytail. She was stunning, even dressed in cargo pants and an oversized t-shirt.

The one on the right, also a female was about my height and age (I’m taller than her, just for the record). Her hair was a dark brown, cut short, and messy. She wore dark sunglasses and had an assault rifle resting on her shoulder, not a friendly look (she was also nonchalantly chewing bubble gum).

“Now, your turn, who are you nice-looking folks?” I asked, making my way to stand beside Londyn. She still hadn’t moved (she was goggling the guy. She swears she wasn’t, though) she stood perfectly still, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

The man stared at me for a minute, the gun not wavering a single inch as he studied me, gauging me. Just as I was about to ask again, he spoke.

“I am Gilbert, these are my friends Iris,” he pointed at the girl on his right, “and Jane,” pointing at the one on his left. “What are you doing here?” he asked, not taking his eyes off of me.

“Well, we came in for some supplies cause we like this thing called living, and we’d kinda like to keep on doing that. Now, if you don’t mind, would you please take that gun off of my friend, please?” I asked politely (Londyn says that it was not politely asked, I disagree).

For a second, I thought I’d made him angry, but then he smiled. He lowered his gun, placing it in a holster in his lower back. The girls, Iris and Jane, relaxed as well. Iris reached down to pet the dog, a golden and black German shepherd, and Jane went to lean against the wall.

I put a hand on Londyn’s shoulder, shaking her out of her little trance. “Hey, you all right?” I asked. She turned to me, beaming.

“He’s so freaking hot! Did you see him? I haven’t seen a man in years and I get hit with this Greek God?!” she giggled excitedly. She fluttered her eyelashes and fanned her face with her hand.

I laughed, “You do know he can hear you, right?” She stopped fanning herself and turned bright red as she slowly turned to face Gilbert, who was standing barely five feet from us.

He seemed rather amused by Londyn’s reaction and was smirking as he watched us. “We are also here for supplies. If you wish, you may accompany us on our search.”

I gazed at him, trying to figure him out. He could definitely be a threat to us if he wished to, but my gut told me he wasn’t a bad guy. I always trusted my gut as it’d always served me well before, so I figured I shouldn’t start doubting it now.

“As long as your friends don’t mind, I think we will,” I said, completely ignoring what I’d said before. I know we usually avoid people, but for some reason, I had the feeling that we should go with them.

He grinned at me like I was amusing, “they won’t.”