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My phoenix powers extend out to the surrounding cliffside and take hold of the rock. The skeletons around us fall apart as everything begins to shudder violently.

"On my signal," I say. "GO!"

Kalistratos and I dash toward the door, and with a surge of my power the wall and cliff face rip apart and explode outward into a million shards of stone that tear a hole through the swarm. We leap through and shift into phoenix form, swirling to catch the wind whipping through the gorge, and soar up towards the open sky. The swarm whirls in confusion as hundreds of the insects fall from their wounds and smash against the sharp rocks below or plunge into the churning waves. It moves like a massive black waterspout, turning and writhing in the air, then recollects itself and shoots after us with incredible speed.

Tyler points the way, and we fly knowing that if we slow down even just a little, we'll all be bug food.

5

JACKSON

I'm dreaming again. My body might be out cold but of course my mind isn't. The feed comes on, and a blurry image fills the screen.

"So you're leaving, then?"

Rachyl's voice.

"Monday. Signed a three-year contract. I just wanted to say goodbye in person."

God. This night.

Slowly, it all comes into focus.

We're in the empty parking lot by the supermarket, the one we always go to to smoke cigarettes and drink stolen booze. She's standing in front of me, arms folded over her chest, staring at me with that hard look she uses when she's trying not to cry. Same look she's used since all the way back in junior high.

"Great," says Rachyl. "Well, goodbye then."

"Dude," I protest. "Why are you being like this? You've always said I should follow that greater calling, and I'm doing it."

"By joining the fuckingarmy?That's what your dad wants you to do."

"That's what I want to do," I say firmly, feeling heated. "I want to help people."

"Whatever, you just want to shoot guns."

I smirk. "A little."

Rachyl sighs and for a moment her eyes go soft in a way I'm not used to seeing. It's the same look she had on the night when she admitted her feelings for me. The night I had to crush my best friend's heart.

"You had to choose the farthest possible thing from me, huh?" she says. "You know, I actually believed we'd always stick by each other."

"That's not why at all, Rachyl," I snap. "We're not in high school anymore. Everyone else is moving on with their lives, and I sure as hell can't stick around here. Look, just because I'm gonna be gone for a while doesn't mean we aren't still friends."

"Yeah, okay."

"It's true, though."

She's silent for a while, and then she turns away and jumps up onto the concrete base of a nearby light pole. She flips her headphones over her ears from around her neck and reaches into her hoodie where her CD player is.

"Rachyl," I protest.

"Shut up."

I hear the tinny sound of the headphones get louder. She bows her head.

I'm trying to play cool and unaffected, like I'm doing this because of some higher calling and not because I'm a fucking pathetic coward.

The music fades. She pulls the headphones off, then hangs from the light pole with one arm like she's in some old musical. She has her back to me; I can't see her face.