Chapter 36

He was in a red orange dim lighted room.

He looked around, his surroundings weren't the same as he had left them before he had fallen asleep.

The air around him felt tense as if it weren't enough in the room to be breathed in. The air also smelt like there was something rotting in there where he was.

He looked around again. The dim light enabled him to see around though not that much but it was better than nothing.

His eyes widened with surprise as they laid on something at the other end of the room from where he was.

He saw it.

He saw the cause of the bad smell in the room. He stood up slowly, his thighs and feet still ached so he used the floor and wall to support himself to stand up.

He walked to the other end of the room, tears streaming down his eyes as he looked at it.

He couldn't believe what he was looking at. Falling down onto his knees and a choking sound escaped his mouth as he sobbed out.

It was his Phoenix.

His dead Phoenix.

Laying there, right in front of him... rotting away.

Suddenly, it moved.

The dead Phoenix stirred awake and turned it's head, it's eyes looking at him.

He stopped crying and looked back at it.

Something about it was off.

He looked more closely at it.

It's eyes!.

It's eyes weren't the same shade of red they were used to being.

Instead, they were a shade of black.

Black.

What was wrong?.

SeaWing's eyes were blue.

NightWing's eyes were green.

Why was his dead Phoenix's eyes black?.

This was not a good sign.

The air in the room became more dense. He couldn't breathe.

He tried to breathe but there was nothing to take in and he felt his heart beat speed up in an abnormal way.

He felt his lungs burn up due to the lack of air.

The Phoenix in front of him looked at him. No expression held whatsoever.

He stretched his hand out in the plea for help but the Phoenix didn't move an inch.

"Rufus?. Rufus!". He heard someone call his name.

He couldn't answer. No words cane out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried to speak up. Only a squeak or a gasp for no air came out.

"Rufus!". He heard again and the source of the voice was drawing closer to where he was.

He knew that according to the way the voice calling out his name was getting louder by the second.

"Rufus answer me. Where are you?". The voice came again as his hand fell to his side.

This was it.

This was his end.

Never in his life had he thought that he'd die like this.

He was about to fall back when he saw Lucky emerge in the room.

Lucky looked sad, exhausted and sweat was trickling down his forehead onto his shirt. This was the first time he had seen him without his orange hoodie. He had to admit that he looked more handsome without the orange thingy he always wore.

A tear streamed down his eye and fell on the floor.

He was about to fall on the floor when he was caught and lifted up in the air.

"Imbecile. You want to breathe then kill him." The Phoenix spoke.

What was going on?. Why did his Phoenix want him to kill Lucky?. Was it after vengeance?. But wasn't it always in love with Lucky and never had it wished harm upon the other boy?. Why now?.

Why kill Lucky?.

Rufus looked at Lucky.

Lucky shook his head, "Don't do it. Don't!. I'll get you out of here".

The Phoenix laughed, "You think so?". It huffed. "Kill him or I'll kill you instead".

Rufus couldn't. He couldn't do it.

He looked at his Phoenix. It wasn't his. It wasn't his Phoenix. How could he have been so foolish that he didn't realize sooner that this was not his Phoenix?.

This Phoenix's wings and feathers were a shade of maroon and not red like his.

"You thought I was your weak and dead Phoenix?. No I'm not. I'm Ferlio the greatest Phoenix of all time". It praised itself and gave out a sarcastic laughter in the end but it was quickly gone as soon as it had come.

"Now kill him!". It ordered.

But how could he do so if he couldn't move his body?. It was as if he had been paralyzed and the lack of air had done it for him.

He was weak.

He couldn't even see clearly.

His vision was blurred and death was here to take him where it took his Phoenix.

The last thing he saw before he shut his eyes completely was the blurry image of Lucky lunging forwards towards Ferlio.

"Lucky!". He screamed as he sat up on his bed quickly but string arms were holding him into place.

"It was just a dream Rufus. Calm down". Dzarma said as he tried to calm down his friend.

Rufus had woken him up with his gasps and the air around him had smelt of agony. He immediately became aware that Rufus was having a nightmare and for some reason, waking Rufus up hadn't been easy.

"No let me go to him". Rufus said almost in a yell. His shirt had stuck to his skin due to sweat and his body felt limb for sleeping in one position for too long.

"Rufus calm down. Breathe. Just breathe. Breathe Rufus". Dzarma instructed trying to hold Rufus into place.

"Breathe?". Rufus questioned as he took in a deep breathe.

Oh!.

He wasn't in that room. It was just a dream. And a bad one at the matter of fact.

No wonder it was called nightmare.

He held onto Dzarma tightly in an embrace. Silently thanking the heavens that it was just a dream and dreams weren't true, right?.

"Do you want to talk about it?". Dzarma asked.

Rufus shook his head as he pulled off of the embrace.

"It's okay. I don't mind. But you need to change first cause you don't wanna sleep in that, do you?". Dzarma asked as he stood up from the bed and walked towards a drawer which he opened and took out a shirt and pair of sweats.

"You can change into this. I'll prepare you some tea". Dzarma said as he gave Rufus the clothes who silently took them with a slight nod and went to the bathroom to change.

'He's such a good friend'. Rufus thought to himself. 'But, should I tell Lucky about my nightmare?. Will that nightmare come to pass?. I don't think so.. I don't want to die in such a way.. I should just stop thinking about it. It was just a nightmare and nothing else'.

•••••

"Where are you going young man at this hour of the night?". Hamlin asked causing Lucky to stop walking and turned to look at him.

Hamlin raised a brow of question at him. His arms crossed against his chest.

"Out!". Lucky answered.

"I know. But where?. It's past midnight".

"Oh. I didn't realize that the time had really flown by". Lucky replied with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

Hamlin nodded knowing pretty well where Lucky was headed. He was going to play along.

"I know, right?. So, where are you headed to at this time of the night?". Hamlin asked.

What was this man doing?. Trying to play the father role on him or what?. No one had ever asked about his movements no matter what the hour of the clock was.

Besides, it's not like Hamlin found him snacking out or something. He wasn't going clubbing or anything but he had to go.

"To the library". Lucky replied.

Hamlin gave out a snort, "Library?. At this hour?".

This had to be a joke.

"Yes. The twenty four hour library downtown. I need some ancient books there. I couldn't get them online so I have to go there". Lucky explained.

"Oh. You want me to go with you?". Hamlin offered.

"No. I'll be fine". Lucky replied.

"I insist. After what happened to Rufus. We don't want to risk anything else, now do we?". Hamlin insisted as he walked closer to Lucky.

"Where are you boys going?". Aisha asked. Emerging from her room with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She didn't even wait for an answer, "You know what?. I don't wanna even know but I'll tag along".

Lucky let out a breathe out of annoyance and rolled his eyes.

This was going to be one long night for him. Why were these two suddenly acting this way now?.

He didn't need a parent figure now. He was a teenager yes but it was four years remaining for him to become a young adult. For him to have his identification card and start living his own life.

He didn't need such attention. Not now. Now was too late.

He didn't need such concern from them because it was out of pity and not from their hearts just because his Father had yelled about it at them days ago.

He didn't need any of that.

All he wanted was his own company.