Where The Wind Blows

11

{LAWRENCE}

Ahead of us is smoldering with fire and I can feel that Rhapsody does not want to go any further. I pull her to a halt and I get off Rhapsody and I stroke her muzzle. "Go. Find James." and so she runs off into the distance, followed by Jeanine's horse.

"Where now?" she questions.

I stare into the flames and my hands clench into a fist. "Ahead." and my temperature increases.

I know the Lunar Phoenix is wanting to break free and so I let out a bit of power. The fire ahead of me swarms towards my fingertips and inserts into my body and when I mean the fire ahead, I mean all of it around me. I turn to Jeanine and she looks amazed by what act I performed. She shakes her head and says, "Let's go." and so we do.

*

BOOM!

I don't know what happened or who placed it there but a bomb blew up within a few feet away from us, knocking us off our feet - rebounding us to the floor.

[ADAM]

Davy, Lee and I run through the city, trying to shield ourselves from the debris which pelts past us like bullets - flying over our heads, scattering across the pavement.

A few have landed so close that they have almost killed us - impaling us God knows where.

"Come on!" I shout over my shoulder to lead my comrades through this war-zone. And so they do.

I continue to sprint ahead and then I see two people fall over, incapable of getting up onto their two feet. They are two females. Two beloved ones.

"No... No!!!" I pelt towards them and I kneel beside the girls. I check their pulses and one is alive and one... one sadly passed.

One had a streak of white down her black hair, her dark skin is ripped by the explosion and the aftermath. Her clothing is torn to shreds and there's barely anything to cover her skin.

The one who died looks like her sister, a piece of brick impaled through her chest and throat. Blood pours out from all of their wounds.

And what am I gonna do about it?

I ain't Toboni Wilson!

I can't heal-

But Viola can.

"Davy, Lee!" I call, tears welling in my eyes. "Take them to the Healing Faction. Get Viola and Toboni to help them."

I look at the blooded corpse which lay before me. "And let her rest somewhere peaceful. When her parents return, I'll say what happened to them - or if I die, I ask you to do it... please..."

"Will do." Davy nods and Lee smiles for a reply. They hoist the girls into their arms and march off towards our base-like home.

Dear God, if you're out there Lawrence... Please say yer still alive.

{LAWRENCE}

"Dear God, if you're out there Lawrence... Please say yer still alive."

I hear Adam's voice echo in my head...

How comes I can hear him?

He's calling for me.

I can't open my eyes yet I can get up and walk like nothing happened. Then a vibrant orange light pierces my eyes and I realise that I am in a place full of darkness yet light emerging in front of me.

"Where am I?" I question and I get that feeling that I'm back at the start of my journey - kidnapped by my own sister. My voice echoes like Adam's voice in my head.

"In your mind, my girl."

I realise I am standing around a circle of candles with the same phoenix mark (which is on my back) imprinted onto the stone floor and ahead of me is a large figure... a big bird-like figure.

I step over the candles to walk closer towards the silhouette-

"Back in the circle." it tells me and so I do.

I stare at my surroundings and again: I see nothing but stone, orange light, darkness and the figure.

"Sit."

I sit.

The figure changes its form, moving its head up ajar - as if to show resilience and power.

"I'm sitting," I say with impatience. "What do I need to do: sit there and admire your excellence?"

"Not at all."

I stare down at my feet.

"Lawrence..."

"That voice you can hear..."

"Yes?" I look up.

"You two are supposed to be connected as one-"

"Who, Adam and I?" my eyebrows tug together. "You saying that we are destined to be as one?"

"According to the legend and the prophesy, yes."

I look up at the messenger-type of creature and I try to make it turn; make us look at each other, eye-to-eye. But it won't face me. As if there's something against us.

I reach my hand out towards it and I feel a pang of pain shoot through my arm but I stay strong and I continue to reach for it. I stay there and there I can taste blood in my mouth and eyes beginning to swell.

"Stop."

"Not... Unless... You... Look at me!" and that's when I roar in agony.

[ADAM]

I get up, alert.

I heard Lawrence.

I begin to run again in a hurry, calling Lawrence's name.

COME ON! WHERE ARE YOU?!!!! I check down every [dismantled] road but she ain't there. She's nowhere to be seen.

"Lawrence!!!" I scream out her name in the war-zone and yeah, it's stupid to run and look for a loved one in a war but to me: she's more than a "loved one".

I run further, screaming her name, looking around me, checking each crossroad, each alleyway, crevasse and she ain't there...

She's still alive.

I know it.

Stay there Lawrence 'cause here I come!

{LAWRENCE}

"You heard him again... Didn't you?"

I open my eyes and I am still surrounded by the bloody candles with the bloody phoenix print on the floor with the bloody figure.

"Yeah..." I look around me in case I may have bled but I didn't. Not one single bit from reaching out to it. "I need to go back... But how?"

"Just wake up."

"I can't wake up... Am I dead?" I get up, frowning.

"No. You are me: you pick life over death. You won't die until I break free... Then you will die."

I stare down. "And when's that?"

"After this war. When everything is over. I'll aid everyone... But you have done your bit."

"So... I'll leave Adam... Toboni... Jeanine... Everyone who I love?"

"At least you will be with your carer."

I remember that blast in New Elizabeth - the gunfire - when Nat took her last breath.

"Fine."

And in an instant, I am back to Earth.