PHOENIX

Chapter Forty Two: Fight or Flight

"You can fly."

I blinked a few times, my brain refusing to process.

"You alright?" Phil chuckles.

"No? What the- I can fly? How?" I ramble, my mouth agape.

Phil shakes his head with a small smile and gets up from his chair.

"I just said not to use your powers for a while, but I can't deny you your first flight." Phil opens the door, looking at me expectedly. "Well? Want to learn how to fly?"

This was decidedly the best worst-day of my life.

"Fuck yeah!" I cheer, running outside.

My happy demeanor was dampened quickly when the snowy air hit me, like a punch to the stomach.

"H-how the hell do you guys live h-here?" I shiver, walking behind Phil as he leads me up a small hill.

"You get used to it." Phil smiles.

Ending up on the edge of a snow cliff, I peeked over the side, suddenly not as excited as before.

"Um, you know what? You were right. Let's do this some other time." I look back at him, smiling weakly.

Phil chuckles and offers a hand out to me, his eyes full of warmth and comfort.

"Don't worry, mate. I won't let you fall."

It was in that moment that I forgave him. I didn't realize it then, but hearing those words, and how he said those words like he meant them, was what made me truly forgive him.

"Okay..." I nod, placing my hand in his.

He squeezes it gently, and I try to swallow the lump of emotion in my throat.

"First, I need you to go into your Phoenix form." Phil orders, taking a step back.

"Sure, let me just think depressing thoughts." I joke awkwardly.

Phil's eyebrows raise in concern and confusion.

What to think about? A few minutes ago, I would've thought about Phil. But now I'm finding it hard to be stressed when his presence is so comforting. What about Wilbur? No, that pain has passed into pure sadness now.

Dream.

My heart shouts before my brain can shush it.

I don't want to think about him. Not now.

I can already feel the burning in my head subconsciously, and I decide not to put up a fight.

Once I cave into the feeling, fire courses over my body faster than ever before, my explosion of feelings turning into physical flames along my arms and legs.

I hate him.

I can hear Phil gasp slightly and take a step back.

I hate him.

My fever is raging, and I push it back, deep into my mind.

I'll never forgive him.

Opening my eyes, I look down and see myself burning brighter than ever before.

"Jesus, I didn't think..." I trail off.

"...the snow" Phil marvels, and I follow his downward gaze.

There was a circle of grass around my feet, the snow that was there only moments ago was now steam in the air.

"Woah."