The Red Phoenix 12: Strength Comes in Numbers (49 page)

“It’s fantastical,” said Kerry, grinning, touching one of the leaves, making the sparkling yellow and green colors ripple throughout the blade of the leaf.

Chris tapped the round top of a plant the size of a dinner plate, smiling, watching the light inside of it pulsate, and illuminating its red and blue petals.

“Strange how the jungle changed all of a sudden,” Chris stated, standing.

“Don’t you see?” asked Kerry.

“See what?” Chris asked.

“During the day, the thorns protect the beauty of the environment,” Kerry answered. “At night, peace seems to return to rule the jungle.”

“That was deep,” stated Kirk Six.

“I think you have a point, Kerry,” said Chris. “Siddoway said that the apparition thing was not—”

“—Of this Earth,” Siddoway finished for him. “And I was right.”

“What do you make of all this, Alex?” asked Chris.

“What you’re seeing is the power of evolution on display,” Siddoway answered.

“You mean the Big-Bang Theory?” asked Chris.

“Precisely,” Siddoway replied. “The apparition contains the ability to create a world full of living microorganisms, while mutating any form of life currently existing, based on combustion. An absolutely fascinating power.”

***

Night had fallen over the jungle. Chris, Kerry and the clones sat around a campfire. Kerry sat close to Chris, snuggled under his arm. Kirks One, Three, Four and Five stood guard in the trees a short distance from the camp at the twelve, three, six and nine o’ clock positions. Siddoway sat alone, away from the rest of them, where they still had a visual on him. He mumbled something to himself in a quiet voice, staring off into the dark trees.

“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” asked Kerry, noticing Siddoway. “He seems to be in and out with schizophrenia-like symptoms.”

Chris watched Siddoway for a short time, noticing him talking to himself, slapping his hands the air like he was trying to hit flying insects then yelling something in anger.

“Hard to say,” Chris answered. “The apparition has taken a toll on him. He’s caused a lot of damage and his world has been turned upside down.”

“Why does he speak to himself like that?” asked Eleven.

“Because he’s losing it,” Chris replied.

“Losing what?” asked Eleven.

“His mind,” Twelve replied.

“I don’t know how, but when we make our escape, I’m going to do what I can to get Siddoway some help,” Chris stated.

“He tried to kill you, Father,” said Eleven.

“What do you suggest I do, leave him in the jungle?” asked Chris. “He’d never make it out there alone.”

“He’s unstable,” said Ten.

“I agree, he is unstable, but Siddoway deserves to get the help he needs,” Twelve said. “None of us would be here if it wasn’t for him. Besides, we nearly killed him when we got off the elevator.”

“Hey, anybody know any good ghost stories?” asked Chris, changing the subject.

“I remember the one you told us about the gorilla that escaped from the zoo train,” Eleven replied.

“You remember?” asked Chris, surprised.

“I know that one too,” Nine said.

“Me too,” Seven added.

“Me three,” Six stated.

“Me four,” Eight replied.

“Wait a minute, all of you are having Kirk’s memories now?” asked Chris.

“That’s all I have,” Five answered. “It’s like a flash then it’s gone.”

“That’s how it is for me too,” said Nine.

“Incredible,” Chris stated, adjusting a chunk of wood in the fire. “What I’d give for some S’mores right now, you guys.”

“What is that?” asked Eleven.

“It’s great, you take a graham cracker, break it in two and put melted Hershey’s chocolate and roasted marshmallow in between them,” Chris answered. “Delicious. Anyway, the ape story.”

“Gorilla,” Eleven responded.

“Whatever, go ahead and tell us,” said Chris.

“So, there is this train and it’s carrying all sorts of animals for the ’OReilley Zoo,” said Eleven in a voice like he was telling a ghost story, standing up.

“What kind of animals?” asked Kerry.

“A lion,” said Ten.

“Tiger,” Nine suggested.

“Elephants,” said Seven.

“Yeah, and there is this gorilla,
Driego the Terrible
,” Eleven continued, pacing around the campfire. “The thing you have to understand is that Driego had already killed people and other animals. He was the most feared beast in the field of animal spectating. One time, a small boy munching on Cracker Jack and a little girl eating candy got too close to his cage, and then ROAR! Driego jumped at them. The boy dropped his Cracker Jack, and peed his pants. The girl dropped her candies and they ran to their mommy, crying.”

“This is getting good,” Kerry said, trying not to laugh.

“As the train passes through the countryside where there are mountains and forest trees, a hiker takes off his backpack for a break, and stands, watching the train coming through, snacking on a box of Cracker Jack,” Eleven continued. “He knew who was on that train. The one and only most feared,
Driego
, the killer gorilla. You know how he knew? Because the hiker was the boy who dropped his box of Cracker Jack and ran to his mommy with pee-soaked jeans, crying from the loud roar of Driego!”

“What happens?” asked Kerry.

“The hiker watches the train derail and crash, taking out trees as it slams against boulders and the downgrade,” Ten stated.

“Driego jumps out of his car, roaring, slamming his mighty fists into the dirt,” said Eleven. “Driego the Terrible stood, turning to the hiker who was shocked at the sight of the crashed train. Fire and explosions erupted behind Driego as he began to run after him. The hiker, mortified, stuffs his Cracker Jack in his backpack, straps up and runs for his life through the trees; Driego gains on him, cracking through branches, leaping from boulders, catching up to him. Just as Driego is about to grab the hiker, he jumps off a cliff and falls seventy feet below to a river of freezing, shallow waters that take him downstream to the edge of a waterfall. The hiker swims and swims for his life but it’s no use, he is going over. To add to his terror, he sees Driego running along the river bank, following him, snarling, ready to feast on his flesh.”

“So, let’s hear the good part,” Chris stated.

“The hiker goes over the forty foot waterfall, plunges into the water below, banging against boulder after boulder, is taken downstream, nearly dead, waterlogged and eventually drifts to the riverside, thanks to his backpack,” said Eleven. “Driego leaps down from a tree, puffing, snarling his vicious teeth at the hiker as he draws closer to him. The hiker looks up at the beast, knowing he is about to die.”

“What did Driego do?” asked Kerry.

“He pulled the box of Cracker Jack from his backpack and said, “
Lighten up, dude, all I wanted was some of your Cracker Jack
,” Eleven replied.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Siddoway’s eyes shifted to the campfire laughter. He mumbled some more things that didn’t make any sense.  He saw nothing else in his mind other than his memories of holding the phantasma, wielding its power, firing the purple, green and pink lightning rods from his hands.

“Laugh if you’re going to laugh, you people,” said Siddoway in a soft voice, mocking Chris and the others.

“Come with me,” Kerry whispered in Chris’ ear.

They got up and left the campfire, walking through a patch of lit up tulip-like flowers that made a soft throbbing of blue, white and yellowish colors then stepped over some more red and bluish mushroom-shaped plants.

“Up here,” she said in a soft voice, stepping onto a branch that was low to the ground and wide and thick enough to hold multiple people.

Kerry took Chris’ hand again as they walked over the curvy branch, gaining height by each step, stepping over patches of moss that hung off the sides. They went a short distance on the branch until they came to a clearing, fifteen-feet above the ground and had a great view of the neon trees that pulsated purplish-blue, yellowish-red and pink-orangish colors. The clones’ soft laughter at the campfire was heard in the background. They stood next to each other as Chris put his arm around her shoulders.

“Well, we’re alone finally,” he said in a soft voice.

“The jungle looks beautiful from here,” she said in a whispery voice.

“Almost as beautiful as you are,” Chris responded.

They turned, facing each other. Kerry gazed into his eyes, placing her hands on him, running them up his chest as his lips drew closer to hers, and he embraced her. They closed their eyes as their lips touched. Chris put his hands on her sides, working his way down until he felt the curves at the top of her well-shaped buttocks, gripping them with a soft caress as she lifted herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Chris felt a soothing sensation trickle down from his head, over his cheeks, as the touch from the tip of her tongue tingled the top of his mouth. His heart throbbed as their passionate kissing continued. Despite they were in the middle of a treacherous jungle and hundreds of people wanted to kill them, he wanted her. Their lips detached. Kerry stared into his eyes then rested her head on his chest.

“Do I comfort you?” she asked.

“Are you kidding?” Chris answered. “There was a void in my life but it’s gone now.”

“Do you mean that? I mean really?” she asked.

“I’ll never let you go,” Chris stated as they looked into each other’s eyes.

“I’m not her, Chris, and never will be,” Kerry said.

“She will always be in here,” said Chris, pointing to his chest. “But you’re a special person that I—”

“I don’t want to take anything from you or her that I shouldn’t,” Kerry stated. “Also I—”

Chris pulled her to him and they kissed again.

***

The morning came. Twelve lay on the ground near the dead campfire, listening to the tree branches make their crackling sound as the thorns came back out of the branches and the beautiful neon-like colors faded, causing the dull, blackish-gray tones to return to the trees and plants of the jungle.

The strange crackling noise caused Kirk One and the rest of them to awaken. They sat up, watching the surroundings make their final transformation.

“Peculiar isn’t it?” Twelve asked.

“You got that right,” One answered, looking through the tangling branches.

“Everybody needs to wake up,” said Chris, standing. “We got to get to the end of this jungle before they catch up to us.”

“We’re on it, Father,” One responded, holding his rifle. “Clones! Everybody up. Let’s move it.”

***

It was late in the morning. Noon was approaching and the heat of the day beat down upon them as Chris, Siddoway and the clones walked through the strange wilderness, feeling tired after walking a few miles. Fatigue, hunger and thirst were overtaking Chris and Siddoway.