Children Of Winter

The birth of a Phoenix 1.1

Fumbling through the contents of the glove compartment, the steering wheel slipped from her right hand and the tyres screeched a little on the wet road.

"Let me take care of that, what exactly do you want? "

"there must be a map in there Ryan, just find it please"

"my phone battery is about to die, I don't think even if I find the map I would be able to switch on the torch. Your phone is already dead. And Damn this dome light, as soon as we made this wrong turn, this went off as well. I suggest that we just find someone around here and trying staying the night and recharging our phones. "

"Alright, seems fine. I hate driving at night as it is."

saying so Betty turned the car towards the few lights that could be seen.

They expected some small mountain cottages or govt. work sheds. These mountain passages had been closed down for some years now. This duo took a wrong turn and landed this side of the mountain. While trying to find their way back, they had seen some lights and were now driving towards it.

Driving really slow, in the light of the headlight they saw a figure walking ahead. They drove up to the person. It was a girl with long hair covering half of her face. But with the most beautiful eyes you will see- the kind of shade the sky turns after evening showers. most electrifying shade of violet. with her dark brown hair, it just got accentuated. the only thing weird was that she was wearing a tee-shirt.

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a tee shirt but a mere tee when others are wearing 3-4 layer of clothing due to cold, now that's weird. It's the middle of the mountains after all.

"Excuse me Miss? " Betty called out

The girl turned. And saw him there. on the passenger's seat. His hair a shade darker than dry hay and eyes, emerald green. Something inside her swirled. A warm sensation crawled up her knees right up to her chest.

"Miss? "

"Ye-Yes? "

"Is there some place for us to spend the night? "

"us? "

" I meant my younger brother and I" Betty frowned a little. Maybe this girl was cuckoo in the head.

" You can stay in the village guest house, I guess. "

"there is a village here? can you please lead us to it? " Betty remembered not seeing anything on the map when she had earlier scanned the area during the day. But maybe it was a new settlement.

The girl sat in the car and then drove towards the village.

She couldn't describe but it felt as if she was going in a state of trance. she had never felt this way in her 18 years of existence. she suddenly felt warmer and realised that she had run out without her jacket. She had too much on her mind after that night and she couldn't stop thinking. she swept her dark reddish brown hair behind her ear and looked up towards the boy. what was so different about him? why did she feel this way? was it the feeling they were taught in sex Ed. ? lust? Thinking that the area between her legs suddenly felt warm.

"what is your name? " Betty asked. This broke the girl's chain of thoughts. This older lady looked kind but neither her physique nor the ageing face looked anyway similar to the boy. Maybe he is adopted. She answered the lady a bit loudly, she wanted him to know her name

"Alisa"

"Nice name! " the boy replied and Betty smiled looking at him.

"I am Betty and This is Ryan" Ryan smiled at Alisa when Betty introduced him.

"Oh we are almost there, take a left here and that dark lane leads straight away to the village" Alisa exclaimed.

And car moved ahead till they reached a lamp post.

"I must get my identity verified so that I can register you as guests"

"identity what? " Betty mouthed towards Ryan but Alisa caught her expression and explained-

"it's the verification pole, don't you have one? "

saying so Alisa got out of the car and upto the pole.

"what on Earth was that? " Betty turned towards Ryan.

"It's normal, please don't react unless you want to be investigated. Just keep up with the act."

saying so he rolled down his window and said to Alisa "tell us if you need any help! "