Chapter 1

The Crash

"From the ashes rises a creature like now other. A creature that lives for as long as hope lives in its life long companion. A creature whose body burns an eternal flame. A creature that is called a phoenix is born whenever the one who needs it most arrives. This creature…"

"Grandpa, I think I am a bit old for stories. After all I'm 14. Besides, I've heard this story a dozen times."

"Okay Mr. Jake. If you're so smart, what is it that the chosen one must have in order for a phoenix to be born?"

"A phoenix stone."

"And what does it look like?"

"It's a bright red and orange pebble-like stone with a shadow of a phoenix in the middle. There is that good enough? I have a test tomorrow and I need to get some sleep."

"Alright Jake. Goodnight."

Jakes' Grandpa goes up to bed, and Jake pulls out a picture of his mom and dad. He often does this after hearing the phoenix story since it was the story that his parents loved to tell him most. Jake closes his eyes and slowly lets the memory sweep over him.

It is a cold, damp night. Jake is twelve years old, and decides to ask to go see a move. His parents readily say yes since they have been unpacking all day into their new home in Houston, Texas. As they are driving to the movies, a truck comes around the corner and into their lane. His parents are talking about Jake's new school; not paying attention to the road, and Jakes is too scared to say anything. He barely manages a squeak as the truck comes crashing into the front of the car. Instinctively he dives under the back seat and closes his eyes. When he opens his eyes he feels a sharp pain in his right leg. When he looks he sees a steady trickle of blood running down his leg, with a pearly white piece of bone sticking through the middle of it. He finally manages to pull himself back into the seat only to find both of his parents' heads on the By the looks of the scene Jake's father had tried to cover up Mary-Ann, Jake's mother, and evidently failed. There was blood everywhere. Jake sees his father's cell phone, picks it up and dials 911. After that all he remembers is the doctor coming out with his Grandpa telling him they tried all they could but they couldn't save them. At first this didn't register in his brain. Then it hit him. It hit him just as hard as that truck hit the car. His parents were dead. He would never be able to see them again.

When Jake opens his eyes a small warm tear runs down his cheek. He quickly wipes it away, puts away the picture and closes his eyes again and tries, once again, to force the memory of his parents out. As sleep finally comes for Jake he sees a bright firebird in the sunset calling his name. When he reaches out for it he…