Midnight Fire - Rise of the Dark Angel - Book One (10 page)

             
“We have doctors, scientist, vets, programmers, builders, soldiers and e
very other possible person we’
ll need to make this community successful
, due to our planning.
I’ll let your parents take you to your rooms
,
now.
I’
ll se
e you here tomorrow, where we’
ll meet every
evening
,” dad concluded and slowly the room started to empty. I waited behind with John and Brian.

             
Once everyone else cleared out I
approached
my dad and waited for him to
finish
talking with Greg. They spoke a while longer
,
then
he turned as if remembering we were waiting for him. We were scared and he was supposed to comfort us but we were quickly learning he was the leader of this new place and he had many others to comfort as well. We would have to share our
mother and
father
,
even if we didn’t like it.

             
“I’m sorry
, kids.
I’m sure you’re exhausted.
Your mom is already down
in
your rooms with some others. They needed to make sure there was light.
Follow
us,” he said and put his hand on my shoulder, which instantly
reassured me
.

             
He led us down another hall
,
where I saw door after door. There were a few open and I could see
families
inside, some crying, some lying down but none of them laughing or smiling. It was too
soon
for that.

             
“Here’s your door
,
John. Y
our name’s on it, which I
know is a preschool thing to do
so don’t gripe at me,” he said with a smile. “We labeled them because everything looks the same and this makes it easier for
us
to maintain privacy.”

             
“That’s fine
,
D
ad,” John said
,
sounding more grown up than
he should
.
H
e ruffled my hair in reassurance
when I looked at him. He was staying s
trong for
my benefit. I wanted to cry when he disappeared
inside
his door
.

             
“Your room is right next to his
,
Phoenix,”
dad
told me
while opening
the door.
I was surprised
to see some of my
missing
posters on the wall
along with
my albums and books
on a shelf
. I looked at my father and
could no longer
stop the tears. “I knew this would be scary for you
so I tried to give you a small piece of home
. I’ve been
sneaking
things from your room for a
long time
. I’m just glad you never noticed and asked me about it.”

             
“Thanks
,
D
addy,” I told him, reverting to what I always called him when I was scared. I spotted my favorite stuffed animal on the bed and felt like everything
might
be okay for the first time
that night
.

             
“Sadie is three doors down from
you,
and your mom and I are right across the hall. I
f you get scared you can come
to our room any time,” he finished
,
and then
stepped out to let me settle in.

             
I sat on my bed
,
crying, while
staring at the tiny space. I would allow
the tears
for one last night
,
then
I had to accept what was happening and deal with it. There was no use in feeling sorry for myself.

             
I
laid
there
in the dark
, too scared to sleep.
It reminded me of this trip my family had once taken to the Timpanogos Caves in Utah. We were deep in the earth when they turned off the lights and the blackness settled around us. My mother was holding my
hand,
thankfully, because it was the only thing that assured me I wasn’t sinking into a deep black hole. My hand was stretched out before my face and I couldn’t see it. I heard whimpers in the darkness which increased the eerie feeling.

             
I remember the tour guide telling us in that kind of blackness your eyes
will
never adjust because there is no light source anywhere to adjust to. Thankfully
,
my room wasn’t quite that pitch black
, as the elders had
solar lights strewn through the hallways
at night
. One of the chores would be for people to take them outside during the day. Dad said we couldn’t
waste
fuel to keep the lanterns lit twenty-four hours a day. He’d poked small holes in the doors so
some of the tiny light could pee
k through. It was enough
so I could
just barely make out the shape of my hand, but not enough to give me comfort.
Shudders ran through me as I fought not to panic.
 

             
The door started making a creaking sound
,
then much to my relief
Sadie stepped inside.
I could see her outline, thanks to the hall lights, but not her face, which was shadowed. I could tell by her stiff shoulders she was as terrified as I was.

             
“I thought I’
d come and sleep with you,” she barely whispered. I scooted over and she quickly climbed in
beside
me.

             
“I’m so glad you came. I don’t think I could get to sleep without you. How will we even know when to get up?” Phoenix asked as Sadie snuggled down next to her.

             
“My mom said there are intercoms in all our rooms and they will beep at us in the morning. She said it will stay so dark in here we won’t know what time of day or night it is and we’ll have a really hard time adjusting our bodies to
it
. They know it will take a while to get used to it,” Sadie whispered. We were both talking quiet
ly
, afraid they’d come in and make Sadie go back
to her own
room
if they caught us
.

             
“This all seems like some bad dream, like we’re going to wake up in the morning at my house after a slumber party of too many scary movies,” I told her.

             
“I hope so,” Sadie answered fervently. We snuggled
deeper
under my comforter, the sc
ent from home drifting
around
us.
With us being together we managed to fall asleep, praying when we woke the whole night
would’ve
been
nothing but a
terrible dream
.

**********

             
Phoenix woke up with
the
notebook
still in her hand. She didn’t know if it was a good thing to be reliving the past
but
she felt like she was achieving something
as she continued to write her thoughts down
. She s
upposed it was good to remember because
it kept her humble
and the stories made sure their people would
n’t
die.

             
S
he climbed from her bed
and made her way toward the kitchen. She
was on collection duty that day
and excited to be outdoors. It was summertime
- she
knew
only
because of the
warmth and longer days
. She was sure
the elders kept track of time
and
maintained
extensive journals
but it wasn’t like there was a need for watches or calendars
.
No one had to make it to the office on time, or be at school by eight. They lived the hours of the seasons, having longer days in the summer, than in winter. Phoenix chuckled as she compared herself to a bear, and wishing she could hibernate all winter instead of dealing with the gloomy weather that kept her indoors.

             
“Hey
,
Phoenix,” Sadie came bounding up to her. Unlike Phoenix, Sadie had unlimited energy
,
morning, noon, or night. It kind of irritated Phoenix in the mornings
but
luckily Sadie never seemed able to tell, or if she could, she never said anything about it.

             
“Morning
,
Sadie,” Phoenix grumbled back, still t
o
o
sleepy to add anything further to the conversation
.

             
“What are your chores
today?” Sadie asked
.

             
“I’
m collecting herbs and
fruit
from outside,” Phoenix mumble
d. They entered the dining hall
and the smells started to wake Phoenix up
.
It must be a pancake day because the doughy smell was surrounding them and it made her stomach rumble, which caused Sadie to laugh.

             
“I w
ish I could go with you
but
I’
m on kitchen duty again
.
At least I’
ll get to eat extra food,” Sadie said with a smile. She always managed to find the positive in any situation. Phoenix was grateful to have her as a best friend.

             
“We could see if someone wants to trade with you,” Phoenix suggested
but
she knew it wouldn’t happen. Everyone wanted to be outdoors in the
summer
and they could only let groups out in small numbers. If too
many people were running around
,
it was much harder to
hide
in the event enemies came into their territory.

             
“We both know there’
s no way that will happen. It’s okay, I get to go collecting tomorrow,” Sadie told her. They waited in line and then
got
their b
reakfast and sat down. For once
,
they were one of the earlier arrivals.

             
They began eating, limiting their conversation. Soon Brian sat
with them
and Phoenix’s
pulse jumped a beat. He must’
ve felt
bad
about their conversation because since it happened
he was hanging around even more than
usual
. She knew he was just trying to make sure they stayed friends
but
it was almost harder on her to have him next to her all the time.

             
“Hey girls, great breakfast
,
huh?” he asked
,
while stuffing his mouth full. Sadie giggled.

             
“You look like a chipmunk
,
storing your food
away
for the winter,” Sadie said once her giggles died down.

             
“Well
,
look who’
s
talking,” Brian teased her back
,
then
wiped
some syrup that was running down her mout
h. Sadie blushed at the gesture
and Phoenix looked between the two of them. S
he knew their flirting wasn’
t being done
intentionally
but
they were flirting.

             
She had to compose her features
and
hope
for breakfast to hurry and end. Why would Brian like her best friend and not her? She knew Sadie would never
,
in a million years
,
date a guy
Phoenix
was hung up on
,
but
was it fair to ask her friend not to date
him if
she liked
him
, especially
considering
there were so few guys around.