Stop Looking at your Shoes and Start looking at the World Around You
Chapter 2: Phoenix Dawn
It wasn't until the sun rose that I first learned about what happened. Half the neighborhood knew about it by now, I guess I'm just a heavy sleeper. If I did hear the sirens last night, I probably dismissed them and returned to the sanctity of my dreams. You always hear the sirens off in the distance from time to time, but you never assume it has anything to do with you or anyone you know. I came downstairs to find my mom standing in the doorway to the living room watching the morning news. Clutching her fist to her mouth as if it were 9/11 all over again. I looked at her, and without a word, cautiously turned my gaze to the TV screen expecting to see the White House in ruins or something. What I did see was far less horrific but not easy to swallow none the less. I didn't believe it at first, my mind wouldn't let me believe it. But that was Carver's house, half burnt away, surrounded by on lookers and bordered by police tape. I didn't even give the news caster a chance to explain the details. I turned to my mom and asked with a broken voice, "Mom, what happened?"
She reached an arm over to me and led me to the couch where we both sat down. Her eyes never straying from the TV screen, her expression never changing. I looked at her and understood that she was just as afraid as I was. I felt her hugging me, as a mother would, I didn't mind, at the moment it was the only thing keeping me from shaking.
My mother and I sat there and watched the news cast. It was the most stomach turning experience. I felt that I wasn't able to breath again until I heard those ever so reassuring words: "No one was seriously injured." I think we both gave a collective sigh of relief. God damn their dramatic tension, why couldn't they just tell us that right off the bat. I might not have been late for school otherwise. Yeah, that's right, despite waking up to the thought that one of my best friends might be dead, my mother made me go to school. She told me that moping around the house wouldn't make me feel better and that seeing my friends would help take my mind off it.
My mom was right, she was always right, its one of those things she does. Once I was out the door and back in the grove of my daily routine, the shock from the morning wore off and I was able to rationalize my thoughts, I began to think of the more positive aspects to set my mind at ease. The Decartes' lived off a double income, both of which were considerably well paid. And besides the insurance, I knew that Carver's dad kept all irreplaceable documents inside a fire-proof safe, like all good business men should. It was a tragedy none the less but I knew they would bounce back no problem. As long as everybody was alive and safe, life would go on. All I needed now was the reassurance of my dear, closest friends.
I didn't see Carver when I walked into class that day, I guess he had a liable excuse. But Lor was absent as well. I was only 10 minutes late but the class was already in session and everyone was in their seats, staring at me staring at them from the doorway. I darted my head around until I met Tish's gaze. She was there of course, even if you chopped off her legs, she would drag herself to class. She just gave me a look as if to tell me to sit down because you look like a deer caught in the headlights. Okay, it was more like just a "sit down" look, I don't claim to be able to read people's faces well enough to get that much information from a single expression. Which is sad, because that night, I really could have used such an ability.
I met up with the girls at lunch time. Yes, Lor was there too. Turns out that her mother, coupled with the small army that is her 14 brothers, donated their time that morning helping the Decartes get settled into their hotel suite. Lor was brought along too. She said that her mother told her that Carver needed the comfort of a good friend. She jumped at the occasion, partially because it meant missing school and getting her own three day weekend… I don't think Lor truly grasps the severity of this situation. I had to ask. "So, if your mom let you take the day off to hang with Carver, why did you come to school for the afternoon?"
It was bluntly casual. I should have asked a million questions about how Carver was doing. I really should have. Maybe then I would have been more prepared. Lor's demeanor suddenly came down to a dull roar. Fidgeting in her seat, she pulled out a small slip of paper from her jean pocket and handed it to me. "Um, we didn't talk about much. He wanted me to give this to you." She didn't answer my question.
The paper had a hardness to it but it wasn't thick, it had a slight purplish tint too, it looked as if it came from the end table of a hotel room. It was folded over with my name printed on the outside. I flipped it open. The hotel's logo and name was lightly engraved across the top- The Phoenix Dawn Family Resort. I spent more time studying the hotel's name than I initially thought. I remembered that place, back when my parents got the divorce, I think I was about nine, my mom and I moved to Bahia Bay, but there was a mix up in the scheduling and the movers were late a couple of days. We ended up spending the weekend at the hotel. I was going to go out and explore the town but it rained heavily the first day we were there. It gave me too much time to think about what was happening in our lives at the time and I got depressed. The next morning my mom woke me up at the crack of dawn and brought me over to the window. She pointed out to the horizon and just told me to look. I remember it so clearly now. I witnessed the sun come up that morning. But it was more than just a sunrise. The hotel was at the perfect angle that if you looked out the east side of the building at that time of day, you saw the sun emerge from between the feet of two mountains off on the horizon. I watched it's warm glow crescent over the bumpy landscape of the earthly bodies, as if the phoenix was stretching its wings over the world. I guess that's how the hotel got its name. We stood there, watching in awe until the sun finally arched over the mountains and flooded the entire town in a sea of light. I felt as peace, knowing that as long as the sun rose in the morning, everything would be alright.
Whoa… got lost in fond memories there. I don't know why, I guess that I was just wondering if Carver had witnessed the same sunrise that morning. I almost didn't notice that there was more to this paper than just a pretty logo. On the main body was Carver's hand writing. It simply said "8:00, RM 95, Don't bring Tish."
"What is this" I thought to myself. That last part echoed in my mind. Why would he write that? What reason would he have to reject Tish's company? Was it a personal attack against her? Or did he just want to talk to me mano-a-mano? I looked at Lor. She was with him earlier today, she was probably there when he wrote this note too. I thought that somewhere, in her expression, there was a rational answer. For a girl, she is very good at hiding her emotions. I thought I caught a feeling of fear in her eyes, I still can't read people's faces very well, But I knew that she wouldn't go back to the hotel today even if I asked her to.
"So what does it say?" Tish asked in her calm, intelligent demeanor as she sipped away at her herbal tea. She thought she could hide it well, but I knew her, she only drank that aroma of herbal tea when she was depressed or worried.
It took me a moment to organize my thoughts. "It just says that he wants me to meet him tonight at eight." I lied. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her right?
"Oh, then I hope you don't mind if I tag along too." She said with a hint of excitement. She hasn't seen Carver yet today either and I sure she was eager to jump to her friend's side and lull him back to the world of the living with artsy quotes about life and whatnot.
"Um, actually, I think he just wants to talk to me. Kind of man-to-man you know." Let's face it, I couldn't keep a lie running if my life depended on it, my mother raised me too well.
"Oh, I see." She said, sinking back into the therapy of her tea. I think she was hurt, despite the fact that I had softened the blow for her.
"But you know what you can do." I blurted out without really thinking.
She poked her head back up. "Hmm?"
"Tomorrow is Saturday right, so why don't you and Lor organize something for him. You know, really make sure he gets the time of his life. Lord knows he probably needs it."
"Yeah!" Lor agreed, (I thought for a second there that she heard me say "Lor knows" instead of "Lord knows") " I've seen that guy this morning and he is bloody dismal man! I'm positive that a day devoted to Carver is just what he needs." That's the Lor we all know and love, a real go getter. She could get anyone hyped up for anything. Even Tish was risen by the idea. We all agreed at that point. I would go see Carver tonight and the girls would get the preparations going for operation "Give Carver the time of his life".
The bell rang signifying the end of lunch. On our way back to class, I could hear the girls clamoring as they walked with me down the halls. I was trying not to listen, I wanted tomorrow's plans to be a surprise to me as well. I only caught a quick exchange: "It should have a central theme." Whispered Tish, "Yeah," doubled Lor, "Something about shoes."
They laughed at the idea, it made me smile too. I was positive that Carver was going to be the happiest kid in the world with what we were going to do tomorrow.
If only I knew… I could have stopped them.
Second Chapter is finished. I have to say, this chapter didn't turn out as well as I originally envisioned it. I had intended to give Tino his moment in the spot light for only a couple of paragraphs and get back to Carver, this is his story after all. But the more I wrote, the more needed to be said. Once I gave Tino a piece of the pie, I had to share the rest with Tish and Lor. Essentially, this chapter became a look into what Carver's friendship meant to the rest of the group and how far they'd go to make him happy. And I couldn't leave any of the other characters feeling depressed for the beginning of the next chapter, you'll see why. Writing this chapter took a whole lot of back spacing, Sometimes I'd delete entire pages trying to get something out of this that was on par with the first chapter. Three quarters of the way through I just wanted to finish it because I have so much envisioned for the third chapter. I won't spoil anything, but I know there's at least one scene that will bring you to the edge of you seats. If you didn't like this chapter, then just think of it as getting certain formalities out of the way before we get to the real dramatic stuff. But don't overlook Tino's phoenix flashback, the mythology of the phoenix is woven into the whole of the story. Also for those who suggested that I add humor to this story, sorry but I honestly can't see that happening. It would be like cracking a joke at a funeral. Well, I've been told that I shouldn't belittle myself as a writer so I'll shut up now and let you be the judge.
On an interesting side note. Phoenix Dawn was name of an ongoing fantasy story that I made but never wrote down in high school. Although my old sketch books are brimming with illustrations, I've given up on it since then- it was over-influenced by various animes and had plot holes large enough to drive a mad truck through. The main character was a magic user named Didjargo.
