Page 2 of From the Ashes

“Me either,” Phoenix replied.

My head snapped up. “Really?” Suddenly, we had a lot more in common than I’d expected.

He shook his head. “I had a couple back in Detroit, but I’m never going to see them again because my stepdad forced us to move out here.”

There was a melancholy anger in his voice that made my heart ache for him, even though I’d always lived here.

“He got a new job up in Portland. I just don’t understand why we had to move to this backwater place.” Phoenix scuffed his feet across the grass before looking up at me. “No offense.”

I wasn’t offended. Rural Oregon wasn’t exactly the most thrilling place to live. It was just trees and hills as far as the eye could see. There weren’t big stores, movie theaters, or arcades to go play in. It was just a few houses huddled together in the valley surrounded by the vast wilderness. I liked it, but I couldn’t deny that I sometimes wished for more.

“I’ve never been to a big city,” I replied. “What’s it like?”

That made him smile.

“It’s like a maze,” he replied, his eyes shining in the firelight as he looked up at the stars. “There’s so much light you can’t see the stars at night and the buildings are so tall they almost make you dizzy tolook at. It’s loud, there’s a ton of cars, and there’s always something fun to do no matter where you are.” He glanced back at me, a mischievous grin pulling at his lips. “And there’s more trouble to get into than you could do in a lifetime.”

“Wow…” My eyes were wide with astonishment justhearingabout it. “That sounds really cool, Phoenix.”

“Nix,” he corrected. There was a touch of discomfort in his voice. “I don’t like my name.”

“I don’t like mine either,” I admitted. “It’s an old person's name.”

“What do you want me to call you?”

“Charlie is better.”

He nodded. “Charlie it is then.” He stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

I took it, feeling a spark between us that I couldn’t explain as our palms touched.

“Nice to meet you too, Nix.” I paused for a moment. “Do you want to roast a marshmallow with me?”

“Hell yeah!”

A wide grin split my face as we gathered around the fire with pokers in hand. I had a whole set of them just in case I ever made a friend. Not to mention there were more than enough chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers to go around. Mom kept me well stocked in that regard.

“So… how long have you lived here?” Nix asked, spearing a marshmallow onto the end of his poker.

“All my life.”

“You must know all the cool places to explore around here then.” A mischievous smile spread over his face. “Are there any cool things around here like abandoned houses or factories or something?”

I shook my head. “Not really. But I haven’t explored the mountains much. There might be a cabin or something that someone hasn’t used in forever.” I pushed a pair of marshmallows onto the end of my own poker. “I don’t really go out by myself much. Mom doesn’t like me to be outside alone.”

“Doesn’t your dad take you camping or anything? I figured everyone up here would be woodsy.”

I shook my head again, but this time it was accompanied by a melancholy frown. “I… I don’t have a dad. Not anymore.”

Nix froze, his green eyes fixed on me in horror.

It was a reaction I was used to. Kids didn’t know what to say when they found out your father was dead. Everyone at school had both parents, even if they were divorced. But nobody had lost one. That, along with being the introverted fat kid who liked fire too much, made me the biggest weirdo at school. It was no wonder nobody ever wanted to be around me. And I expected Nix would probably leave too now that he knew.

“I’m sorry, dude,” Nix said at last. But then his brows knit together, and he gave me the most intense stare I’d ever seen. “Fine. If you don’t have a dad, then you’ll just have to go exploring and camping and fishing and hiking with me.”

I gazed at him, completely at a loss for what to say. My chest fluttered strangely at his resolution and, for the first time ever, I felt like I actually had a chance at being friends with someone.

He smiled, nudging me with his shoulder. As he started to swing his marshmallow over the fire, I reached out and grabbed the poker, pushing it back.

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