I hear the soft music play through my alarm, it slowly gets louder and louder until I get up out of bed. The alarm then turns off, I get up and look outside my apartment window into the New York skyline, the buildings reflect the orange glow of the sunrise of a new day. I put on my running clothes to go for my usual Friday morning run. I look down on my watch, January 10th.
"How could I forget?" I verbally say, today was Chloe's death so many years ago.
I quickly change out of those clothes into a little more formal clothes. I grab my longboard, the same one used those many years ago. I bolt outside and down the elevator, I run out of the lobby and drop my longboard. I push through the crowds of people walking on the sidewalks toward the subways. I swiftly navigate through the masses of people until I see the subway entrance. I run down the stairs, and immediately go to the locker rooms. I rent a big enough space for my longboard for the day, I jam it inside the locker and shut it tight. I rest my finger on the scanner to put my fingerprint on the locker. I go to the computer and find a ride to Washington D.C.
To my surprise, there is a departing train in 5 minutes down in Terminal 5. I order a ticket, and bolt down the aisles of people, I turn left and see Terminal 5. The line is relatively short, people begin to enter the subway. The camera scans my ticket and lets me enter the subway. I find a seat, and sit down. I see a few others get in at the last second. The subway's doors close.
"Good morning, and thank you for traveling with us today." The lady on the intercom says, "The estimated time of arrival to Washington D.C. is 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time."
The subway slowly rolls of the tracks, and we eventually leave the busy terminal.
"Mind if I sit here?" Someone asks, I turn up and nod, she sits down.
"I hate to bug, but you look familiar. Are you James, James Delgado?" She asks
"Yes, yes I am." I say, nearly ashamed of my own name.
"Where did you go all these years? Everyone wants to know where you went?" She asks
"I left the spotlight, it got to overwhelming for me. I didn't even run for a re-election for president, it was too stressful for me. I moved out to the countryside of New York, stayed there for a few years. I got bored and moved out the downtown New York, spectacular New York." I explain
"It's a shame." She says, "You were a good guy. But I guess everyone has their breaking points, and that was yours. Why are you traveling back to D.C.?"
"To visit a friend." I flatly say, blatantly lying to the women.
"Interesting, well have fun." She says
I nod, and put my head down again, and stare at the gray floors beneath us.
We eventually make it to the Washington terminal, everyone pours out of the subway. I slowly get out, and see the capital, just as it was many years ago. The white capitol building stands above everything else. I see the Washington Monument, where Aleman was executed years ago. I walk along the sidewalk, waiting for a taxi. I wave down a taxi, he pulls over and lets me in.
"Where to boss?" He asks
"National Cemetery." I say, he nods and we drive off to the cemetery. The taxi stays silent for a few minutes.
"What are you going to the Cemetery for? If you don't mind." He asks
"Too see an old friend." I say
"Interestin', not just everyone is buried there. Must be an important friend." He assumes
"She was." I say, I don't bring up anything about Chloe.
YOU ARE READING
Phoenix (Part 2 of the 2 Part Malevolent Series)
ActionThe rebellion has grown to national attention, the government knows the threat at hand, and will do anything in its power to destroy it. Rebellion comes at costs, including friendships and losses. James and the rest of the rebellion continue to pus...
