Page 19 of Phoenix Chosen 2

“I’m being serious, Jeff. You wanted the truth, there it is.”

“It is indeed the truth,” Kalistratos says. “I am not from your world.”

Jeff blinks so many times his eyelids are in danger of flying off. “Wait, holyshit.You are that guy. Tyler, this guy was on the news. He’s a fucking escaped convict! He’s got you fooled. You need to come with me, alright? We need to get you out of here. We need to get you back to the hospital.”

Kalistratos crosses his arms over his chest but says nothing.

“Jeff! Goddammit, I know who he is. I was there when he broke out, alright? Now, whether you want to believe me or not, it’s your call,” I say. “But it’s the truth. ”

Jeff pulls out his phone. “You have to come with me, Tyler, or else I’m gonna call the cops.”

“Donotcall the cops, Jeff.”

“This guy is dangerous!”

“If you call the cops, you’re dead to me,” I say.

“I’m calling the cops.”

“No, you’re fucking not.”

He starts to dial. I try to snatch it away. Then, Kalistratos lunges forward and Jeff lets out a shriek that could shatter glass. I expect to see him get pummeled to the ground by Kalistratos, but that’s not what happens at all.

White and red feathers swirl through the air like the aftermath of a cartoon pillow fight.

“What the fuck?” Jeff breathes.

Kalistratos flutters to the floor and shakes out his ruffled feathers as he walks in a small circle, head bobbing like he’s keeping time with a beat. He jerks his head to look right in Jeff’s eyes. Jeff stumbles backward, trips over his own feet and slams against the front door.

“Do you believe him now?” Kalistratos crows as he advances on him, his little talons clicking across the hardwood floor.

Jeff shrieks and crumples into a ball on the floor, completely and utterly destroyed.

“I had no idea you have a fear of chickens,” I say, bringing Jeff a mug of coffee.

He’s seated on the couch, looking rather pale. Kalistratos is back in his human form, and he stands behind me watching Jeff with his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

“My neighbor growing up kept chickens in their backyard,” Jeff says, shakily adjusting the brim of his hat. “Little fuckers got through the fence one day and came at me. That’s why to this day I still have a hard time watching Jurassic Park.”

“To be clear,” Kalistratos adds gruffly, “that isn’t how I normally look.”

Jeff takes a drink of the coffee and presses his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose. “Give it to me again, would you? You were chosen by the god of some alternate dimension for… something? And you were, like, actually fucking pregnant? And now you’re back on earth because some evil force is trying to stop you?”

“That’s the gist of it,” I say. “I’m still working it out, too.”

“Jesus,” he mutters. “And you want to go back?”

I nod. “I need to. More than anything.”

“I mean, you’re both here, and you’re both safe, right? Why go back?”

“Because neither of us are supposed to be here. Kalistratos’s powers are broken. I’m needed in Circeana. I was given a great gift, and I won’t abandon it.”

“But how are you going to get back?”

“Like I said, we’re still working it out.”

Jeff lights up like he’s had a brilliant idea. “Well, I can help you out!”

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