The Red Phoenix

by Alex Carter

  He’s wrong.

  I am only here for one thing.

  The human lets out a terrified scream as I launch my assault. His flesh is soft and disintegrates as I unleash my anger. He offers no resistance of any substance. The water turns dark red as I attack mercilessly. The battle is over almost as soon as it begins. The human has been torn to shreds.

  As the water returns to a state of calm, I notice my reflection. It has changed. I am no longer in human form. Two horns protrude from the top of my head. I have large claws, giant teeth, huge pointed wings and black leathery skin.

  I am a demon and look truly terrifying.

  I now know that I am stronger than these humans.

  They are ubiquitous but they are weak.

  We are few but we are strong.

  These aliens that call themselves humans do not belong here.

  This is our world.

  We were here first.

  We will find a way to rid our planet of these parasites.

  We will regain control of our planet.

  Chapter 8

  “It all started around about two months ago when I received this” Arty says as she hands a postcard to me.

  On the front of the postcard is a yellow and blue coat of arms with a large black bird perched on top of it. I recognise it immediately as the Columbian Coat of Arms. I flip the card over. The stamp and the postmark confirm that the card was sent from Columbia. My heart misses a beat and my stomach does a flip.

  The only thing written on the card is Arty’s name and address.

  “Do you think this was actually sent from Columbia?” I say in genuine shock.

  “Yes Angel” Arty replies “Columbia!”

  “Who sent it?” I ask.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you recognise the handwriting?”

  “No.”

  “Why would somebody send a card but not write anything on it?” I say rhetorically as I try to figure out what it could mean.

  “It has driven me mad trying to work out who it’s from and why they sent it” Arty says.

  “Do you think it’s from mum? Do you think she’s still alive?” I ask frantically.

  “I don’t know Angel. I hope so!” Arty replies positively.

  I try to contain my excitement at the thought of some news. There has not been a single day since my mum disappeared that I haven’t thought about what happened to her. She flew out to Columbia over a year ago and disappeared without a trace. Initially the police thought she may have been kidnapped by local criminals, but we never received any ransom demands or any news of that nature.

  “After it arrived, I sat by the front door every day, waiting for the postman. Hoping and praying that something else would come. As the weeks rolled on, I had started to give up when I received this” Arty says as she hands me an envelope.

  The envelope also has a Columbian stamp. The address is written in the same handwriting as the postcard. I open the envelope and remove the single piece of paper from inside. It is a sheet of thick white writing paper like the type my dad makes me use for writing ‘Thank You’ notes. I notice that the writing paper has a watermark across the middle depicting the Columbian Coat of Arms. The handwriting on the letter is very small and different to that on the envelope.

  I start reading.

  ‘Dear Arty,

  I am writing this letter desperately hoping that it is one you will never read. If you do find yourself reading this then unfortunately our expedition has not gone to plan and it likely that I will not be returning home to you. We all like to think that we will live forever but alas we will all die one day. Mountaineering was my greatest passion and I cannot think of more suitable way for me to shuffle off this mortal coil. Our time together has been the happiest period of my life and I will always love you. I truly hope you manage to live a long, happy and fulfilling life without me. Please do not spend undue time and energy grieving for me. Tell my darling Angel that I love her dearly and always have from the moment that she was born. She has lost one grandparent, but I know that you will more than compensate for my absence from her life.’

  I stop reading to wipe away the tears that are streaming down my face. I look up at Arty who is obviously familiar with the contents of the letter and is also misty eyed.

  “Is this grandad’s handwriting?”

  Arty nods.

  “Turn it over Angel” Arty says as she gestures towards the letter. “There’s more.”

  I flip the letter over and continue reading.

  ‘We are due to depart for the mountain shortly. I have so many things to say but so little time to say them. However, there is one issue that I am compelled to raise with you above all others. You won’t be surprised to hear that it is about the Blackout Comet. The Comet is due to return to the Earth’s orbit around five years from now. This will be a very important event and it is vital that Angel comes to Scotland to stay with you that summer. You will be provided with more information of what is required from you nearer that time.

  Be strong my dear.

  I will always, always love you.

  Lux

  xxx’

  I break down sobbing uncontrollably as soon as I finish reading. Arty comes over and gives me a big hug. We both let the grief pour out of us for a few minutes. I miss my mum and granddad every day and it feels good to be able to let my feelings out. Eventually Arty and I manage to stop crying and compose ourselves.

  “When was this written?” I ask as I stare at the letter I’m still holding.

  “The date on the letter is just before your mum and Lux set off for the mountain in Russia, five years ago. Climbers often write such letters before they embark on dangerous adventures, just in case they encounter problems. Lux must have given it to somebody to hold for him with an instruction to send it to me if he didn’t return from the climb.”

  “When did you say it arrived?”

  “A couple of weeks ago” Arty says. “That’s when I called and asked if you would be interested in coming to stay with me for longer than a week this summer.”

  “Did my mum write me a letter like this?” I ask hopefully.

  “I’m sure that she did Angel but I haven’t received anything…….yet” Arty replies as she gives my hand a squeeze.

  I’m sad that I haven’t received a similar letter from my mum.

  “What’s the Blackout Comet?” I ask as I return my attention to the contents of the letter.

  “Ah!” Arty says with a wistful look on her face. “The Blackout Comet! Your grandfather was obsessed with the Blackout Comet” she continues with a shake of her head.

  “Really? How come I’ve never heard of it?”

  “Very few people have” Arty replies.

  “Is it real?” I ask.

  “Depending upon your point of view the Blackout Comet is either the most important celestial body in the history of mankind or a complete and utter urban myth” Arty replies.

  “Go on” I say, intrigued.

  “The Blackout Comet is a celestial body that is supposed to pass through our galaxy every 200 years” Arty replies.

  “Why is it called the Blackout Comet?” I ask.

  “That’s the interesting part” Arty says as she heads over to the bookshelf and starts searching for something. “The reason it was named the Blackout Comet is that when the Comet passes between the Sun and the Earth it casts a shadow so large that it is believed to create a solar eclipse over the entire globe.”

  “A solar eclipse over the entire Earth? Wow, that means that there would be total darkness everywhere in the world at the same time?”

  “That’s correct Angel; hence the name” Arty says as she pulls a folder down from the shelf. She flicks through the pages and opens at a drawing in the centre. The image is a double page hand drawn image which shows the Blackout Comet, the Sun and the Earth. The Comet is positioned in between the Sun and the Earth. The Comet is closer to the Sun and is casting a conical shaped s
hadow over the Earth, which is entirely covered in shadow and depicted as a pure black sphere.

  “Wow! That would be so cool. How long does the eclipse last for?”

  “The Comet is slow moving so the eclipse is believed to last a full 24 hours” Arty replies.

  “A whole day? Twenty-Four hours of darkness? Awesome!” I declare. “The Blackout Comet sounds like the most exciting Comet ever. How come I’ve never heard of it before?”

  “Unfortunately, there is very little evidence to support the theory that the Comet actually exists. The last time that it is rumoured to have passed through our galaxy was 200 years ago, long before anybody had any reliable equipment to be able to record such events. None of the major astronomical bodies that existed at that time made any tangible record of it and despite the recent advances in technology no evidence has yet been found to support the theory. There are some newspaper reports of possible sightings but there is nothing tangible to confirm that it is real” Arty says.

  “Oh, so it might just be a myth then?” I ask feeling disappointed.

  “Nobody knows for sure Angel but one thing I can tell you is that your grandfather was totally and utterly convinced that the Comet exists and is on an orbit which brings it past Earth every 200 years.”

  “Why was grandad so convinced that it was real?”

  “Your grandfather was probably the world’s greatest expert on the Blackout Comet theory. Over the years he put together a collection of every newspaper clipping and obscure references in every book he could find. Most of his findings related to the last event, almost two hundred years ago. He managed to find lots of newspaper clippings that reported a day without daylight in the major cities around the globe. He also found historical records in various books and ancient pamphlets indicating that other global eclipses may have occurred on two other occasions, four hundred years ago and six hundred years ago.”

  “Wow! That is so cool!” I say with real excitement. “Do you think that it’s real?”

  “I’m not sure but your grandfather was so convinced about the Comet that he actually started a club on the matter which he called the Blackout Comet Society” Arty says.

  “Really? How many people joined?” I ask.

  “Seven” Arty says as we both burst out laughing. “Including himself!”

  “Seven?” I repeat as we continue laughing. “Couldn’t he find more than 6 other people who believed in the Comet?”

  “The world wasn’t like it is today Angel. Communication was a lot more difficult. We didn’t have the internet or email or mobile phones so it wasn’t quite as easy to spread the word, although even if he had all those things he probably wouldn’t have been able to find more than 6 other people mad enough to join” Arty says with a chuckle.

  “It says in the letter that the Blackout Comet is due to come back in five years’ time. Does that mean that it is coming back this year?” I ask.

  “Assuming that the thing actually exists and your grandfather’s calculations are correct, then yes I suppose it does.”

  “So, does that mean that there’s going to be a whole day of complete darkness all around the world soon?” I ask excitedly.

  “Well I haven’t heard anything about its pending approach on the TV or in the press so I wouldn’t get too excited just yet” Arty replies.

  “Why do you think grandad’s letter says that the return of the Blackout Comet is going to be an important event?”

  “I don’t know Angel. Lux was convinced that the return of the Blackout Comet represented a real threat to the Earth, but he never told me why” Arty says as she stands up.

  “What do you think he wants us to do?” I ask.

  Arty doesn’t reply but walks slowly over to a cupboard on the far side of the room.

  “I like mysteries, they’re exciting” I say.

  “You’ll like this then” Arty says as she hands me another envelope. “I received another letter from Columbia last week.”

  I feel a thrill of excitement pulse through my body as she hands me the envelope. It has the same Columbian postmark and the handwriting on the front is the same as both the postcard and the previous envelope. There is a single sheet of paper inside which I carefully remove and read:

  ‘The Blackout Comet is coming.

  The arrival of the Comet represents a perilous period for planet Earth and its inhabitants. A small number of us are readying ourselves for action but we require your help. We cannot say too much at this stage in case we are discovered. In order to help us you and your granddaughter Angel must undertake a mission. You must conquer an unattainable peak. Once there, an invisible directive will guide your way.

  Let the light shine.

  A Friend.’

  I’m almost exploding with excitement as I finish reading the letter.

  “Who sent this?” I ask.

  “I don’t know dear” Arty replies.

  I read through the short note again.

  “Wow! This is starting to get really interesting!” I say as I try to contain my excitement.

  Arty smiles back at me and nods her agreement.

  “Hang on Arty” I say as a thought suddenly crosses my mind “Is this a prank that you’re playing on me? Is it some sort of joke you’ve planned as part of my post exam celebrations?”

  “No, it absolutely isn’t Angel” Arty says with a serious look on her face.

  I give her my best evil eye to make sure she isn’t teasing me.

  “I swear that I haven’t made any this up Angel. These letters are all totally genuine.”

  I think I believe her.

  “Who do you think sent this?” I ask as I waive the most recent letter at her.

  “I honestly have no idea.”

  I read the contents again.

  “It doesn’t make sense. How can we go on a mission to an unattainable peak and find an invisible directive? That all sounds contradictory and impossible.”

  “I know what you mean Angel” Arty replies. “It has driven me mad trying to work it out, but I reckon I’ve cracked the first part”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “I think whoever wrote that letter wants us to go climbing together.”

  “How did you work that out from this” I reply, waving the letter in front of me.

  “It’s like a cryptic crossword Angel. You need to think laterally to solve the riddle. The clue here is unattainable peak” Arty says.

  She pauses and then gestures at me; encouraging me to work it out.

  “Unattainable peak?” I reply, with a shake of my head. “No, that means absolutely nothing to me.”

  “Do you know what the very first climb that your grandfather and I completed together was called?”

  “No.”

  “It was Sgurr Dearg” Arty says in a thick Scottish accent.

  “Sgurr Dearg?” I reply in my best attempt at a Sottish accent. “What’s that got to do with an unattainable peak?”

  “Sgurr Dearg is the name of the mountain but the summit has a very special name…” Arty replies, encouraging me to work out the answer.

  “Am I supposed to know what you are talking about?” I reply, bemused.

  “The final climb on Sgurr Dearg is a tall outcrop of rock known as the Inaccessible Pinnacle” Arty says with a nod that suggests that I should have known this.

  “The Inaccessible Pinnacle?” I repeat. “The letter says we have to conquer the Unattainable Peak. Do you think that’s what they are referring to?” I ask with a nod of realisation.

  “I think so” Arty replies with a smug grin.

  She offers me a high five, which I take.

  “Great. Well then, let’s go and climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle and find out what this is all about” I say.

  “I think it might be a bit late for that today don’t you dear?” Arty replies as she gestures out of the window. The sky is pitch black.

  “Good point” I reply with a nod.

  “I think it�
��s time for bed dear” Arty says as she gets up and heads towards her bedroom.

  I follow suit and head towards my room. I stop at my bedroom door as I realise that I have no idea where the mountain we are talking about is located.

  “Arty, where is the Inaccessible Pinnacle?”

  “It’s on the Isle of Skye dear” Arty replies, with a smile.

  Chapter 9

  Our bodies evolved in the period after the humans arrived. We built up a resistance to light and heat and we also found the power of metamorphosis. The ability to change our appearance enabled us to blend into the human world without being detected.

  At first, we used this power to satisfy our feelings of hatred towards the humans. We embarked upon missions to kill as many of their species as possible. We walked amongst them in human form and hunted down humans who were alone. Once we had a human cornered, we would transform into our demonic state and murder them. We spent the entire dark period of each day killing as many humans as possible.

  Our attacks became the basis for late night horror stories and urban legend. Wild stories circulated amongst the humans about the dangers that the dark held. The stories told of shady human figures transforming into dark murderous beasts. We killed many, many of them in this way.

  Despite our actions the number of humans continued to increase rapidly. They thrived in the light and heat that they introduced to our planet. We needed to find the source of the light and eradicate it. To do this we had to infiltrate their world.

  My species communicate telepathically. We hear each other’s thoughts and understand what we need to know. The telepathic noise generated by humans is intense. It is a constant psychobabble of mindless chatter. To start communicating we needed to tune into their wavelength.

  We focussed our energy on understanding their noise. They had many forms of communication, but all were very basic. Our superior intelligence made it easy for us to decipher the humans’ interactions. We quickly learnt to understand all forms of their communication.

  Our objective was to find the source of the light. We listened but so much of what they said was irrelevant. We could not find any information relating to the light. To achieve our goal, we needed to communicate directly with their leaders. We needed to interact with them. We analysed all the human languages and learnt to mimic their speech patterns. We practiced our pronunciation, rhythm and accents. We practiced our verbal delivery until it was flawless. We perfected our ability to understand, speak and write all human languages. We became fluent in all forms of communication.