Phoenix Child

by Alica Mckenna Johnson

  ~Ivy Compton-Burnett

   

  Sitting in a camp chair, I hid behind my journal. Anali bought it for me in order to help me figure out how I felt, hoping that would help release my gifts. I wrote diligently, doing everything and anything to try and open up the rock-hard ball I'd locked my powers in. Unfortunately, I had been unsuccessful, and here I sat deep in Yosemite National Park where we would camp for the next week. I wasn't looking forward to being trapped here. We were camping in tents, with no running water, and what they called a toilet was just a cold plastic seat over big stinky hole in the ground. I can't believe people actually do this for fun!

  Kayin and Gavin were thrilled. Gavin was excited to try out all of the camping equipment he'd bought. Taliesin, Kayin and I had sat squished together in back seat of the Suburban Gavin rented to carry all of the camping gear.

  Kayin, on the other hand, was happy to get out of the city. He loved the quiet, and currently sat with Storm and Elijah cleaning fish. Storm, named after a Steven Seagal movie character, was one of the three apprentices who trained with the Guardians. He wore his black hair short and the silky locks shone with a red tint in the sunlight. He had brown eyes, full lips and a pointy little nose. Storm felt mischievous and alight with joy.

  Elijah emanated calm and quiet; his gray-green eyes seemed to see everything. His face looked like someone chiseled it from stone, with sharp cheekbones, a hawk-like nose, and a square jaw. Elijah hadn't said much since we arrived. I couldn't decide if he was quiet, just shy around new people, or didn't want us here.

  "These fish are very nice," Kayin said, gutting a shiny silver fish about as long as his forearm. Gross.

  "Mary has a gift. She always catches the best fish. Mine are the scrawny ones." Paul laughed. Mary's apple cheeks turned pink as she shook her head at her husband's words, her braids sliding over her back as she moved.

  "Thank goodness I inherited my mom's ability to fish," Elijah teased, his voice deep and soft.

  Paul reached out and tugged on a long lock of his son's hair. Elijah looked so much like his father, the only difference was Paul's long hair curled where Elijah's hair was straight and so black it shone blue in the sun.

  I turned back to my journal before anyone caught me staring. Blah blah blah...I don't want to be here...blah blah...I can't feel my powers...blah blah blah, more deep emotional soul searching. It would be worth the pain of getting my powers back to no longer have to do this stupid journal. Maybe I could use it as a scrapbook? I could write about the creatures we find and add pictures?

  "Fudge," Rebecca said. Looking down I saw a bunch of seed beads scattered over the ground.

  I jumped to help her pick them up. Rebecca was about my age with a sweet round face, copper skin, and wore her long dark brown hair in a tight braid hanging down her back to her waist.

  "Thank you," she said. Her voice sounded soft, but not weak.

  "No problem. I've been watching you work on the bracelet you're making. It's beautiful. I can't imagine having that much patience."

  "Thanks, it's not as hard as it looks At least it isn't that hard anymore," Rebecca answered with a soft smile. "It's also very meditative."

  "I can see how that would work. I use exercise to meditate." I told her as I hunted the ground for the small glass beads. The bright colors were easy to find, unfortunately the browns, grays and blacks were probably lost forever.

  "You're very quiet, is everything all right?" Rebecca asked.

  That's an odd question. We'd only been here a few hours, so how could she know if I was being quiet or if this was how I normally am? "So are you."

  "Well, yes, but most white people aren't as quiet as we are. Anyway our grandparents teach us that words have power and should be used with care."

  What kind of power? Did she mean like how Philip can influence people when he speaks because of his Phoenix gift?

  "Rebecca, Sapphire, can you two help with dinner?" Carol asked.

  "Yes, Grandmother." Rebecca put all of her things away.

  "Coming," I said, setting my journal on my chair.

  "We are going to have tacos tonight for dinner," Carol explained as she set out bowls and ingredients. "We need to make fry bread, beans, fried fish, steak, and rice."

  "We brought enough fresh vegetables to make a nice salad," Anali said.

  "It sounds great. So how can we help?" I can cook simple things on a stove, but over a campfire, no way.

  "Well, there are thirteen of us so we'll need a lot of fry bread." Carol gave us each a large bowl, and walked us through the process step by step. Watching Rebecca, I knew the step-by-step instructions were for me.

  Soon I kneaded a bowl full of silky smooth dough under my hands, which I worked until Grandmother Carol was happy with it. Looking around, I saw everyone was busy doing some chore - the boys were cleaning fish, Gavin was re-packing the Suburban with the food we wouldn't use tonight. We were busy making bread, and the two other Guardians, Grandfather Bob and Grandfather George, were carving pieces of wood.

  I watched them out of the corner of my eye. Each stroke of the knife looked effortless and without thought, but I doubted that was true. Both men were dressed in beat-up cowboy boots, old blue jeans and western-cut shirts. Bob's short salt and pepper hair stuck out from under a worn cowboy hat. George's hair hung down his back in a thick braid. Most of George's hair was gray, but there were also white streaks tinted with a faded red, letting me know at one time his black hair had been highlighted by ruby red streaks like my own.

  I could feel they were all Children of Fire. Philip and Gavin told me they were powerful spiritual people, but they didn't look like it. Blushing with embarrassment, I thought of what I expected to find. I imagined the Guardians as beautiful glowing people wearing beaded buckskin and feathers in their hair. Instead, they were people with tummies, worn clothes, and chores to do. I found it all a little unsettling.

  "Not what you expected, dear?" Grandmother Carol asked with a fond smile. Her wrinkled face lit up making her reddish copper skin shine.

  "I'm sorry," I muttered looking down at my dough.

  "It's quite all right. People frequently have a vision in their head about what we do and who we are,” she said, her voice calm and clear. "I'm sure you will also find people shocked at how you dress and act when they know they will be meeting the Jewel. And you will disappoint some of them at first.

  "Try and keep an open mind, my darling. I know it will be hard, but the clothes do not make the man, they only make a mask. The woman in the faded ugly pink flowered dress could be a leading physicist, and the man in the three-piece suit might not be able to read. You never know who someone is on the inside until you spend time talking with them and learn what occupies their thoughts and fills their heart."

  "Oh, I'm not disappointed, not at all. You have all been so kind. It's just..." I fumbled for the right words. "I have no idea what to expect. When we got here I did have an image in my head, and now it's gone and I'm not sure what's going to happen or what to do."

  "Well, first everyone is going to tear their dough into twenty even pieces and roll them into balls," Carol said, and then winked at me. "I believe the plan is for you to be. Be in nature, surrounded by its strength and beauty, around magical creatures, and around other Children of Fire without other things and people intruding. We will also drum, rattle, and sing around the fire tonight. For the next few days that will be all, we'll watch how you respond and then make plans from there. We are hoping you naturally release your powers in this setting, but if not we have some other tricks up our sleeves."

  "Don't give away the surprise!" Grandfather George teased, kissing his wife on the cheek. "Are you making fish tacos?" His brown eyes lit up in delight as his leathery brown hand pointed to the balls of white dough.

  "Yes, we'll have several filling options to choose from, and Anali is going to make a salad," Grandmother Carol said, her tone changing when she said 'salad' letting her husband know he woul
d be eating some.

  Grandfather George merely smiled. "Of course, dear, whatever you wish."

  Grandmother Carol's grunt, and Grandfather George's twinkling eyes made me suspiciously suspect that the salad issue wasn't finished.

  Dinner was delicious, and Grandfather George did eat some salad. Fry bread is now one of my new favorite foods, and Grandmother Carol promised to write down the recipe for me.

  "Why don't you kids go for a walk down to the lake?" Gavin suggested, in an obvious attempt to get rid of us. "There is still plenty of light, and my three haven't been down there yet."

  We "kids" rolled our eyes and headed to the lake after clearing away our dishes. I felt lucky I could even move after dinner, I had eaten so much.

  "That was subtle," Taliesin sneered.

  "I guess they want to talk privately," Elijah said with a shrug.

  "Damn!" Storm shook his iPod. "It's dead and I can't charge it again until we're driving."

  Rebecca rolled her eyes. "It's not that big a deal."

  Storm pouted.

  "We have a solar panel charger. I don't know if it works since we haven't used it yet, but I know where it is," I said.

  "That would be great, thanks." Storm smiled. "I love music."

  Rebecca snorted. "You love tuning everyone out,"

  "Well, as soon as you guys are interesting, I'll bother to listen." Storm shoved her playfully, then danced away so she couldn't hit him.

  "Oh," I gasped. Stepping through the trees we saw the lake, the surface a perfect mirror for the sky, which was on fire with the setting sun.

  Kayin grasped my hand. "It's gorgeous. I don't think I will ever get over the beauty of water."

  "You grew up in Africa?" Elijah asked, tucking his long hair over his shoulders.

  "Yes, in Zimbabwe, on an animal preserve."

  "Will you tell us about it?" Rebecca asked.

  Kayin smiled and began to tell us about his childhood in the African savannah, while we skipped rocks into the lake. The sunset colors rippled on its surface.

  As our laughter died down from Kayin's story about his pet goat getting loose in the village, I heard an odd barking, clicking sound. Looking around I couldn't see anything in the dim light. A breeze slid through my clothes making me shiver. I was no longer happy about being out here in the woods. I tried to look calm, but, hello, I'm a city girl in the cold, dark woods!

  "It's squirrels," Elijah said.

  "What?"

  "The high-pitched barking, it’s squirrels chattering at each other," he explained with a smile.

  "Oh, cool. I've never heard them do that before. We have squirrels in the city, but I don't think I've ever heard them at all," I said wrapping my arms around myself trying to stay warm. Now that the sun fell below the horizon it became cold.

  An owl hooted in the distance. The call sounded as eerie as the horror movies made it out to be.

  "Brother owl says it's time to go back," Rebecca said, standing up and brushing off her jeans.

  "We still have to pack up all the food into bear boxes and make sure the trash is thrown into the bear bins," Storm said with a sigh.

  Elijah hummed in agreement as he stood up.

  "Gavin was going to leave it in the back of the truck,” I said.

  Storm laughed. "Not a good idea. A hungry bear can break a car window."

  "They are awake and very hungry right now,” Elijah added. "In fact, you all want to make sure you wash before bed, you don't want to go to sleep smelling like food."

  A terrified high-pitched squeak made me jump - it might have come from me because Kayin put his arm around me. "Don't worry Little Sister, it'll be fine."

  I wasn’t convinced, however the rustling of a bush did convince me that brother owl was right and we needed to head back to camp.