Page 55 of Phoenix

He eyes it cautiously before taking hold and shaking. I guess the moment gets to me because I find myself pulling him against me so I can pat his back with affection.

“Oh, Jeez, you guys? I’m getting a lump in my throat!” Uncle Len teases from behind us. I simply turn around to flick him the bird. “Can I join in the family hug?”

“Fuck off,” I mutter before walking back inside to finish my drink.

_____

Phoenix

Stepping outside of the truck, I take in our surroundings, shaking my head over the eeriness of this place. To think my poor girl was kept here when she was still a child has me clenching every muscle inside of me. For the first time during this trip, I’m beyond glad that she’s not here. Jake, however, is, and I can’t help but walk over to give him a reassuring pat on the back. This is difficult for him, even if he is trying to hide how much.

The trees are turning brown, the end of summer is upon us already. The forest floor is carpeted with crispy brown leaves, making the derelict buildings in front of us appear as if they are shooting up out of the earth. Two side buildings are virtually dilapidated, the rooves caved in, and windows smashed to smithereens. The one in the middle, however, the one in which Robert kept Jake and Niamh prisoner, looks virtually liveable, apart from the creepy ivy that is steadily strangling it to a sad death. Even I shudder when my eyes take it all in.

“You ok?” I mutter to Jake, to which he simply nods. “Let’s do this then.”

Reaching into the glove compartment inside of my truck, I retrieve a handgun. Once upon a time, this would have felt natural, like an extension of my hand, however, now it feels cold, weighty, and uncomfortable. This life isn’t for me anymore. This life isn’t enough; I want more.

When Jake sees the gun gripped inside of my hand, his eyes grow wide, and his mouth drops open in shock. I offer him nothing, just continue walking up to the front door, ready to find out what happened once and for all.

“Anything you know that might give us an unwelcome surprise?” I ask Jake. He shakes his head, so I continue by reaching for the handle. It’s locked.

“No worries,” I tell them before giving the door one hard kick. The thing practically falls apart as it drops to the floor with a creak. “If he is alive, I doubt he’s been living here.”

Neither of them answers me so I walk inside first. They’re scared, rightly so, for this is not an ordinary life one leads. Looking for targets to take out is a life for a certain type of person, not my uncle or Jake. Dad would agree with me on that.

They follow behind with barely there footsteps as I hold my gun out in front of me. I’ve had it for years, but I make myself a promise to put it into retirement as soon as Robert is declared officially dead. Jake steps to my side and points toward a door, one that likely leads to the basement where Robert had kept them. Hopefully, where Robert still is, nothing more than bones and bad memories.

I push the door open, which creaks like one from a horror movie. The fact it’s still open fills me with confidence. Niamh and Jake wouldn’t have closed it when they fled, just shoved at it as they ran for their freedom. I step inside the cold, dark room, which smells of damp and neglect. The staircase appears rotten and unsafe, but I think nothing of it when I put my booted foot on the first step, anxious to see if the bastard is down here rotting.

The first thing that hits me is the double bed where Niamh and Jake must have slept. The sheets have turned black with spots of mold, the pillows are out of place, and the top comforter is lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. I look up at Jake to see that he’s covered his mouth with his trembling hand and is now staring at it all like it was only yesterday that he was forced to live in here. My uncle looks at me, then juts out his chin toward the room, silently telling me to go ahead while he attends to my brother.

The next step breaks beneath my boot, causing us all to gasp. I shout out a curse before lifting myself up and shaking off the shock of it. When I’ve regained my composure, I give up on the softly, softly approach, and pace down the staircase like any normal person would in their home. If anyone was going to come and attack us, they would have done so by now – we’ve made ourselves loud enough.

Pipes still run around the tops of the walls, but otherwise, there’s nothing but grey and a few thin windows running underneath them. Most are covered up by the fallen leaves from outside, but a slither of light does allow me to see a dark stain on the concrete floor, together with the weapon Jake must have used to hit Robert. However, what is decidedly missing is a body. Robert isn’t here, and seeing as there’s no police tape because Niamh couldn’t give any clues as to where she had been held captive, it can only mean one thing – Robert survived.

_____

Niamh

“Niamh?” I hear Izzy shouting at the same time as she runs out into the backyard. Stella is still barking and growling at where the shadow had been. “Niamh, is everything ok? What’s happened?”

I open and close my eyes several times, just to make sure the shadow isn’t there anymore. I’m still unconvinced, even when my eyes tell me otherwise. Stella has finally stopped barking and growling and is now trying to lick my fears away, but even she can’t stop the trembling in my hands. By the time Izzy and Lou reach me, I’m a quivering wreck with streams of tears falling over my cheeks.

“Jesus, what the hell happened?” Lou gasps when she sees the state of me.

“Th-there was a m-man,” I whimper, “th-there, in the bushes.”

“What? Where?” Izzy asks with concern in her voice. She stands up straight and begins to walk toward where I just pointed. “Stella, come here, girl.”

They slowly wander over, only now, Stella’s tail is wagging quite happily. She sniffs around the foliage while Izzy cautiously peers through the branches from a safe distance. By the looks of Stella’s now placid, happy face, as well as Izzy’s confused expression, either it was all in my head, or whoever was there has now gone. When the fear begins to ebb away, I suddenly have a desperate need to empty my stomach.

“Oh, Niamh!” Lou gasps when I lean over to throw up inside of Stella’s water bowl. “I’m calling Phoenix.”

“No!” I cry out while wiping the puke from my chin.

“Niamh, this is serious, you haven’t been right for the entire time he’s been away,” she argues.

“But—"

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