For the Love of Phoenix

The air was crisp and cool, autumn just begun. The trees plunged in to the shedding of their skin; the perfect arrangement of yellow, orange, red and green. Fall was favored by the teens in the pocket-sized town of Shallow Heights. In a town with a population of 700, outsiders were considered curious.
During the months of Harvest, Shallow Heights seemed to color its self a new mural, a mural that seemed to last longer than usual. It was almost as though every shack on every corner was a hunting ground for terror. Jack-o-lanterns sat in every window, almost on every porch. No house was seen without some form of ghost, goblin, or goon.
Marcina was new to the town. Her father was looking for a change of pace, new scenery to enlighten his career. Upon entering, Marcina noticed the large, broad, Iron Gate; "WELCOME TO SHALLOW HEIGHTS." The passage looked as though it had been there for centuries and had never been opened or closed. Vines covered the path, almost making the lettering impossible to read. She felt as though the small town would swallow her into its belly.
While her father was driving, Marcina stared blankly out the window, watching people pass as they gawked at her. "Dad, why do we have to move here? Everyone seems so cut off." "It's a small town Marcina, and I've told you a dozen times why. Just please give it a chance" her father said rather annoyed. Marcina rolled her eyes and sat in silence the rest of the drive.
Marcina was sixteen. She had porcelain like skin and lanky, raven hair. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were vermillion. She wasn't your typical teen. While most were into the new fashion craze and boy bands, Marcina often liked to be alone. She read most of the time and enjoyed disappearing into her own thoughts and feelings. She wanted to be a writer, like her father.
After what seemed like an eternity, Marcina and her father had finally entered the drive way to their new home. The entrance was made of small stone, weeds and leaves covered most of it. The home was small, cabin like. She felt as though it had been forsaken by the rest of the world. "What to do you think Marcy?" She stared a while at the very top window. The shutters had been a bit worn. "It's alright." She hadn't mentioned that she actually felt connected to the home.
Marcina felt at one with the modest shack. It was deflated and crumbling, but she felt it gave it character. "A bit rustic, but I figured it'd help us both out a bit. You know?" Marcina smirked. "Its fine dad, plus look on the bright side, we're five hundred miles from civilization and that bitch, Morgan." Morgan was Marcina's mother. Morgan had met someone new causing the family to split. Her father had filed for divorce, which was also played a role in why they had moved.
"Marcy, I know you're upset, but she is still your mother and you still shouldn't say things like that about her." "I just don't see how you aren't as mad as I am. She left us, without an explanation! She basically threw us away like a pile of trash!" Her father's eyes became glassy as he looked at his delicate child. He sat down his luggage and grabbed her, and gave her the biggest hug. "I know things look rough now, but I promise you, hon, it will get better." He kissed her head and wiped his burnt out eyes, he took a deep breath, "Okay! Let's get things moving!" exclaimed her father.
He grabbed his suitcase and began up the creaky steps to the large wrap around porch. He unlocked the door and disappeared into the frame of the home. Marcina decided she would explore her new world. She wandered into the back yard.
In the clearing, there stood an immense, mature oak tree. It stood soaring into the tangerine sky, its branches lofty and tenacious. She knew this was her new comfort. She climbed the timber and sat on a branch that seemed to cradle her like a small infant.
While she stretched across the arm of her tree, she saw a figure in the distance of her yard. She squinted to make out the creature; the shadow looked of something unworldly. After a long, hard staring session, Marcina realized it wasn't a thing or a creature, it was a person. She decided it would probably be a great idea to introduce herself; after all, she was the new neighbor.
Marcina climbed down the tree and walked over to the end of her yard. The blond haired boy noticed and strolled over. Once they had met, he flashed a smile, "hi, I'm Phoenix." His teeth were perfect, his lips plump. He stood tall and built under his frazzled t-shirt. Marcina grinned back at him "hi." He reached out his hand, they were soft and tender.
"You're new here", he glanced another cheeky grin "I saw you moving into the Old Grimm Manor. That place has been abandoned for a while now." Marcina sounded back "yeah, my dad thought it'd be a great idea to move to a tiny town. Start over kind of thing, ya know?"
"What's your name?" Phoenix asked, showing off his ivories any chance he had. Marcina didn't mind though, she found him to be very alluring, almost tranced by his sandy blond hair, sapphire eyes, and his sun kissed, olive brown skin. "Marcina or Marcy for short."
"I live just over here, in 312. Right behind you" he stated. "If you want to ever hang out or something, you can always just stop by." Marinca smiled, "okay, definitely." "I have to go for now, Marcina, but I'll be around." Phoenix smirked, turned from the fence and walked away. Marina watched as he vanished behind the trees and tall grass.
Later that evening Marcina laid in her bed, trying to dissolve from the world and disperse into her writing, but she couldn't seem to get the dapper kid off her mind. She rolled over in her bed and studied "312" out the window. The sky was charcoal; the tress seemed to dance in the wind, across the upper atmosphere and sterling old moon. She searched for a small ray of light appearing from 312.
-Knock-knock, the door leaked open, it was her father. He arose to the wooden frame. Marcina noticed by his silhouette, he was exhausted. He seemed so frail and weak.
He stepped in and sat on the end of her bed and smiled sleepily, "how was your first day so far? Are you adjusting in okay?" She turned over to look at this great man who seemed so small on the end of her bed. "Mhm." She muttered. "I think I'll like it here." "Great," he whispered as he patted her leg and arose from the bed, "I knew you'd fit in just fine. You really should get some sleep, its late." He stated from the light of the door. "I love you Marcy." He traveled down the hall, as Marcina listened to his footsteps fade.
Marcina turned to face the window once more, and there, at the very top of 312, she saw a small candle lit light from the top window. She concentrated on the flickering. Her eyes grew heavy. She fought the sand man's spell in hopes she'd see the shadow of Phoenix.
The morning sprung. Marcina was awoken by beams resting on the lids of her eyes and the song of crows in the distance. Marcina felt particularly well rested when she had awoken that morning. She stretched and thoughts of Phoenix rushed into her head like flowing water.
Marcina pranced down the spiral staircase leading to the living space and office of her dads. There was her father silently asleep in his chair with his computer curser blinking, and one sentence jotted down. She grabbed a blanket from the sofa covered him, and bolted out the front door. She wondered if she'd see him today.
As Marcina walked out the front door, the sun high in the sky like a diamond above the clouds, the smell of apple crisp and coffee in the air, she saw a lady with frayed maroon hair. It sat resting on her shoulders, her eyes danced of chestnuts. The lady greeted Marcina, but seemed very weary of her. "Hello" she stuttered, "you're new here aren't you, such a small pretty young girl."
Marcina flashed a small smile. "Hi, I'm Marcy." The maroon lady's face eased. She became more relaxed once she felt Marcina's kindred spirit. The maroon haired lady was thin and lanky. She seemed to glide as she walked, and almost, just almost, looked translucent in the glimmer of the sun rays.
She floated over towards Marcina and sat down beside her. "I'm Haven; it's nice to meet you Marcy." Her lips trembled as she spoke. She spoke slow and soft. She wore a long red gown that flowed as she walked with gold coins attached on her waist. Marcina was very curious of Haven, but she felt safe around the older lady.
"It's nice to meet you too Mrs." Marcina stopped. "No please, you can call Haven" She said kindly. Marcina smiled. "It's been nice meeting you Haven." Marcina helped her up and stampeder off to the back yard. She climbed onto the old oak and peered over into the meadow of 312.
Phoenix stood out in the distance; he seemed to be pretty concentrated. Marcina waited. She felt she was looking over so immensely, her eyes were burning his flesh, and she tried to stop herself but couldn't look away. She found herself to be infatuated with this stranger.
As she watched him for some time, she remembered he had said to stop by. Marcina climbed down, straightened out her clothes, and headed over to 312. Down the stone drive way she went, making a left at the end of the concrete walk, leaves crackling underneath her feet. Then Marcina saw two teens with snow white hair and wax-like skin. "Twins?" she thought to herself.
The pair seemed like tricksters. They were smashing pumpkin and "tp"ing houses. They howled and snickered at their own shenanigans. Smoke seemed to arise from the bottoms of their legs. Marcina couldn't make out anything below their knee. The two stopped; inhaled the air and looked directly at her. Her heart sank. They slithered over to her before she could blink. "Marcy" they whispered in unison. Marcina was frozen. Her vessel felt numb. "What's wrong, snake got your tongue?" they chanted at her.
Marcina managed to swallow. "No." she stuttered. The two laughed. "I'm Abaddon" one screeched. His voice echoed like chaos and destruction. His words hung on to her thoughts, and it screamed hunger, never feeling satisfied.
"My name is Nybbas," said the other. He seemed to enter her mind because she was now thinking of something twisted, and that was unlike Marcina. He was tall with protruding bones on the corners of his forehead, his coat hung down past his hips, royal blue, with gems on his cuffs. He wore beads around his neck.
Marcina was petrified. She was cemented down, and couldn't help but look into the dark, empty eyes of the twins. She tried looking around for anyone to help, but no one in the neighborhood batted an eye in her direction. Marcina felt lost.
She closed her eyes tight, and suddenly when she opened them, the twins had vanished. She felt her chest lighten, and she took a breath in. The air was light and warm, she spun around and there stood Phoenix. A glow hugged him from behind. She wrapped her limbs around him.
"Marcina, are you alright?" he mouthed to her. She looked around in disbelief as of what happen. She was confused and frightened. "You're trembling" Phoenix looked at her with sorrow in his eyes. He hung his arm over her and walked her to his home.
The walk felt long, and they remained quiet. Marcina looked up at her savior, his face relaxed, full of kindness and light. He looked angelic. She found herself feeling at ease with him, more so anyone else.
Phoenix had broken the silence, "Marcina, you need to be a bit more aware of your surroundings." "What?!" she screamed as she pulled herself out from the comfort of his arms. "How was that my fault?" "I'm just trying to protect you; I have to keep you safe." Marcina's eyes narrowed and locked on to the deep pools of sapphire.
Phoenix eyes burned with hot ash and ultramarine. They seemed endless and attentive; his face supple and full of compassion. She came in close, and rested her hand on his features. He skin was velvet.
Sparks flew through Marcina's fingertips; at least that's how it seemed. She felt up lifted yet limited at the same time. Was she in love with this sweet tempered stranger? Marcina wasn't sure, after all, had she ever been "in love"?
Phoenix rested his hand upon her finger tips; he too could feel a charge of radioactivity. He wrapped and locked his extremity around hers. The pools of sapphire and forest jade mixed to lively galaxy of cyan.
Later that evening, Marcina seemed very distant from the outside world, all she could think about was how she felt in that moment she rested her palm on Phoenix face. "You haven't touched your plate, are you not feeling well?" her father asked. Marcina stared blankly into the dish of steaming noodles and lush vegetables; she drew pictures with her silverware in the tomato paste.
"Marcina?" her father said again, in a stern loud voice. She quickly looked up; as if she had been awaken from a deep dream. "Sorry dad. I guess I'm just a bit tired. I'm gonna go up to bed." She grabbed her plate, pushed in her chair, kissed her father's cheek, and headed up the twisting stairs.
She walked into her ray-less room, no sign of luster. Tonight seemed to be darker than usual. The sky remained starless and the air felt thin. There was no sign of life in her faceless bedroom. She slipped into the darkness, shutting the door behind her, total blackness swallowed her.
She laid her head on her pillow and watched shadows dance across her curtains that hung softly against her window, swaying back and forth from the icy draft. Marcina began drifting in and out of the slumber lands spell, until she could no longer resist it. Her eyes growing heavier and cloudy as her eye lashes kiss the tops of her cheeks. Peacefully she had fallen asleep.
The room was spinning and twisting, it was dark and foggy. Marcina found herself having difficulty breathing. Her chest once again felt heavy, a ton of bricks lay on her cavity. She felt hollow and cold. Goosebumps rose from her arms and neck.
Marcina couldn't wake up. Her pupils fought for light, caressing her eyelids rapidly. She struggled with the black smoke, alone in silence. Suddenly everything stopped. The wind was no longer singing, she no longer heard the sound of trains roaring in her ears. Breathing hard, she reached out to the smog, there arose two twisted figures. "The twins" Marcina panicked.
The wicked duo tangoed across her bedroom, in the moonlight, over to her bed, snickering and howling. They began tossing Marcina around in her bed, as her blankets covered her soft face and rosy cheeks. She couldn't call out for help. For the first time, she felt dead.
She felt her body propel violently, she was powerless against the pair. Their shrieks echoed in her mind, bouncing off the sides of her skull, piercing her brain like bullets. Marcina felt all logic leave, her soul being robbed from her. She became hysterical in her own psyche, wrestling with terror.
Panting harder and harder, the dingy pollution becoming heavier and heavier, Marcina felt exhausted the more she struggled with the soot that smelt of sulfur. Should she surrender to the twilight that filled the corners of her mind and chamber? Was there really any fight left in her small frame?
She finally was able to ignite her lips, the words "STOP" sparked from them like a golden fire. She was able to sit up and open her eyes. The atmosphere was at an instant change. The air was cloudless, feeling like a glass of icy water as she took a breath in. Marcina looked around her room and saw Phoenix sitting at her window, the drapes flapping behind him, orb of light shining over his face and sandy hair.
"Phoenix, what are you doing here"? Marcia called out. He stepped from the window, and sat on the floor next to her bed. "I had a bad feeling" he said quietly, "I needed to make sure you were safe." Marcina was confused as to why he had known she was having a nightmare. "I use to suffer from terrors as a child. I haven't had one in years." Marcina was embarrassed. She figured she'd chalk it up the stress of the move to a new town.
Phoenix grabbed her hands as he pulled himself up to her bunk. Marcina sat with her knees to her chest, her slate hair tangled over her ears, hanging across her face, blankets wrapped around her twiggy frame. He reached to remove the fringe from her features looking into her large, grassy eyes. He smiled at her, lending as much comfort as possible.
         He kissed her finger tips and the back of her hands, before laying them to rest on his neck and shoulders. She kept her head down as her legs trembled and her toes fidget. Phoenix gently nudged her chin, forcing her to look in his direction. He laid his lips upon her cheeks and smiled at her. "It'll be okay, Marcina" he spoke.