Mrs. Johnson walks up to the front of the room, and begins to write today’s agenda on the whiteboard. I groan as she walks back to her desk and I see the words “Pop quiz on World War III” in big blue letters. Unfortunately, I have not studied or paid attention to anything we’ve learned about the war. I am definitely not ready for this intimidating task. I look around trying to scan the reactions of my classmates, wondering if they are also unprepared or nervous for the quiz.

Pretty much everyone seems unbothered, which doesn’t surprise me. I am one of the few who struggle whatsoever in my school. I live in a pretty wealthy part of the city, so most kids have been given the highest form of education. On top of that they have the best technology available. For example, there’s those phones that take your notes for you, and then sort them into flash cards that you can use anytime. Stuff like that makes it pretty easy to get a lot done. I have all of these privileges too, but I am just an idiot, so they don’t do much. I don’t really care though, because it’s useless to get worked up over it.

While I survey the room, I notice Corrine Rosalind staring at the board, furrowing their brow. They are the one person I have been obsessing over for 3 years. They have shoulder length dark brown hair, a small nose that is cute as a button, and magnificent eyes that are a light shade of brown. They are probably around 5’4”, and I am about half a foot taller. Before I can realize I’ve been staring at them, they make eye contact with me. I feel my face turning red, and butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I direct my focus on the front of the room, trying to play it off as if nothing had happened.

I have liked Corrine since seventh grade, but once tenth started a few months ago, I became sure that I am in love. They are quiet, and reserved. However, I have a feeling that once you get to know them they are much more outgoing. They are very talented when it comes to art. I have seen quick sketches on their worksheets, they are these cool faces in a style I’ve never seen before. I really like them. They are selfless, always doing things for the people around them. Whether it’s homework answers, carrying someone’s bag, lending money, they always take the time to help others.

We have talked before, but it never went great. I would say things like, “So, you come here often?” when we were standing in the hall together. All I got in response was a quiet laugh, clearly fake, followed by a painful silence. I assume anyone could understand why I am terrified to ever talk to them again. I don’t want to risk messing up any more than I already have, and losing the small chance we have to be together. I like to think I am funny, but when things like that happen, I realize I am just another insanely awkward teenager.

Mrs. Johnson begins to hand out the quizzes. When I receive mine I see that none of the questions make any sense. I stare down at the paper, not knowing what to do. Once everyone has gotten their quiz the room turns dead silent. It is occasionally interrupted by a cough, or someone tapping their pencil against their desk. I glance back at Corrine and see that they are looking up at the ceiling, probably sorting information in their head. I look back at my test, heaving an exaggerated sigh. I attempt to answer the first question, “Why did Putin invade Ukraine, and do you think it was justified? Why or why not?” Welp, I am already lost, I don’t know a single thing about World War III. I probably should’ve paid more attention. I begin to bite my pencil and tap my fingers against my desk in a repeating rhythm. I just stare at the question, and I start to zone out.

“Zachary, you need to get to work,” Mrs. Johnson barks, her eyes fixed on me. Her stern tone sends chills down my spine. I don’t want to get on her bad side any more than I already am. I begin to work on the first question, despite my dumbfoundedness. I just start to write nonsense hoping it will turn into some sort of answer. 

All of a sudden I hear a deafening explosion tear through the silence, paired with a violent shaking of the school. I push my charred-colored hair out of my face, it contrasts with my pale skin. I avert my attention behind me, the direction the noise came from. There are murmurs among the students, they are asking questions about the boom we heard just moments ago. I notice other students have begun hyperventilating, rocking back and forth in their chairs. 

I am knocked off of my feet by another explosion, this one rendering me unable to move my arms or legs. I struggle to sit up, my body aches. My vision is impaired, but I can make out blurry shapes that are my peers. They are frantically trying to escape the wreckage that was moments before our classroom. My ears are ringing, but that slowly fades into the panicked screams that surround me. I feel heat from every direction as fire spreads from the source of the explosion.

Once I get my bearings straight, I pick myself up and see that the wall that was previously before me is now almost entirely gone. Rubble and flames take its place, smoke and dust hinder my senses. My classmates are scrambling to get out of the ash filled room, people tripping and fighting to preserve their own lives. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Corrine’s leg stuck under a piece of the broken wall, fire is creeping towards them. They struggle to get free, but to no avail.

“Corrine!” I exclaim, lunging towards them to remove the heavy debris. I stamp out the fire next to them, kicking up ash. It covers my white converse in a layer of dark gray dust. I crouch down and grab the chunk of wall. They wince as I lift it from their leg.

“Oh my god,” they gasp, “thank you so much.” They wrap their arms tight around my waist, holding me close. The feeling of affection from Corrine throws me off, taking me out of the moment. It feels as though a spell is cast over me. I snap out of it, and grab their shoulders. I push them back and make direct eye contact.

“We have to get out of here,” I say, “how is your leg?”

Corrine’s leg is covered in small cuts and a large bruise. “I think I can walk, I am going to need your help though.” They say, clenching their teeth while they get on their feet. I take their hand to steady them, and we hurry ourselves out of the smoke filled room into the hallway. The screams are now faint, most of the students and teachers are on the other side of the building at this point.

I hear another bang, not quite as loud as before. The school still shakes, knocking Corrine off of their feet. They stumble onto the floor, and I grab their hand to help them up. We begin to jog down the hallway, I need to get them somewhere safe.

We find a janitor’s closet a considerable distance from the explosions, there is still a thin layer of smoke in the air, but no fire or other signs of danger are in sight. I bring them into the closet and sit them down on the floor. We are surrounded by old mops, buckets, and those “Caution, wet floor” signs. The space is slightly cramped, but it will do. I take my gray hoodie off and wrap it around their injured leg. I hope it will stop the bleeding, and maybe prevent an infection. I don’t know much about first aid.

“Thank you so much.” They say looking at me. They flash a smile that masks the pain they’re currently experiencing. I give a small nod, and stay crouched in front of them. We stay still for a moment, my amber eyes staring directly into their’s. We catch our breath, and try to process everything that just happened.

I want to so badly stay here with them, but I feel the responsibility to go help anyone else in trouble. On top of that, I want to find whoever is behind these explosions and hopefully stop them. I am nervous, but I have something that I think will be heavily in my favor.

Ever since I was about 7 years old, I have known about a power I have that allows me to create and manipulate fire. I have never really tried to learn how to use it, but I think it could really benefit me in this situation. My father used to be a superhero who went by the name of The Phoenix. He mastered the power to control fire, and used it to help others. I have always looked up to him, though I never got the chance to know him. 

My father lost his life before I was born. I researched as much as I could about the incident because I wanted to know more about him. He died fighting a group of terrorists who were threatening to take over the government. Turns out this group had crazy advanced weaponry that could’ve potentially destroyed the entire city. My dad gave his own life to take them down. This group was called Drone, and they had a symbol that was plastered on everything they touched, it was a white skull and had red x’s in its eyes. No one affiliated with them has been seen since, and the consensus is that they are gone for good. I assume that I inherited my powers from him, and I feel it is my duty to continue his legacy as The Phoenix. 

Corrine is perplexed, probably wondering why I am not sitting next to them. I start to head for the door, deciding there’s no time for an explanation. I don’t want anyone knowing about my powers, that’s just kind of a superhero thing, so it feels like the right move.

“Where are you going?” asks Corrine.

“I have to go help, just sit tight,” I open the door and look back at them, “I won’t be long.”

I hear them call my name, but I don’t pay any mind to it. I start to sprint down the hall, and the smoke gets thicker, clouding my vision. I keep running until fire is blocking my path. It stretches from one wall to the other, and there isn’t a way around. I see that someone is on the other side. In an attempt to keep their head on a swivel, they look side to side trying to overcome this obstacle. I don’t think they’ve noticed me, probably too focused on the fire. 

I stand there, staring at the flames. I concentrate on the heat radiating from the orange fire. I picture it moving with me, as if it’s an extension of myself. I lift my hands so my arm is perpendicular to my body. I feel the fire moving towards me, and I redirect it behind me. I try to make it seem like I didn’t do anything. The person turns and looks directly at me, their eyes wide and jaw dropped.

“W-Where did the fire go?” They stammer.

“I have no idea, just get the hell out of here.” I say with an intense, stern tone in my voice. 

They stay frozen in place for a moment, their face has gone pale. After a few seconds, they realize they have been given the chance to survive, and dash past me to run for safety. I look down at my hands, small flames sprout from my fingertips. The heat is comforting, and I turn the flame into a ball in my hand. I close my fist, and it disappears.

Ever since I left Corrine in the closet, the explosions have ceased. Someone has to be behind them, so if they aren’t setting off bombs, what could they be doing? I use these thoughts to keep myself moving forward. The farther I get, flames are taking over more and more of the school.

I have gained more confidence in my abilities, so I decide to push them further. I concentrate on the fire on the wall to my right, and begin to pull it towards me. I collect it all in a huge flaming ball, and then push my hands out to my sides. The fire shoots out in all directions, dissipating in the air. There is no longer fire anywhere near me. I wonder if my father ever felt this powerful.

I continue down the charred hallway, occasionally finding people stuck under rubble or cornered by fire. Using my powers when I can, I help them and direct them in the direction of safety. . Through the smoke I see a dark figure not too far down the hallway. I approach, wondering if it’s someone who needs help.

As I get closer, I notice they are wearing thick, black, padded clothing and a dark helmet with slits for the eyes. They seem like some sort of soldier, but for who? This definitely doesn’t feel right, and I immediately get the feeling this could be someone involved with this disaster. I crouch down, and start to creep closer and closer. I see that they have a weapon slung at their side, it is dark gray, and appears to be some sort of gun. I inspect the weapon for a second more, and that is when it catches my eye.

The white skull, with red x’s in its eyes. I let out a gasp, it feels as though my stomach dropped to the floor. I feel dizzy. I stumble back, hitting my elbows on the charred tile floor. I can’t think, I must be seeing things. Before I can sort my thoughts, the Drone soldier turns around and stares at me. They just stand there for a moment, as if they expect me to run in fear.

“Get out of here kid, I don’t want to hurt you,” they say in a deep voice, “but I will if you don’t scram.” Still flabbergasted, I sit there gawking at them. My heart is pounding and my breaths become rapid. I place my hands on the ground and push myself to my feet. I know I can’t leave now, these people killed my father. I stare at the soldier, I feel a fire starting within me. I can feel my face heating up, my blood begins to boil. The soldier reaches for their weapon. They get a firm grip on it, and raise it so it is pointing directly at my face.

“I won’t say it again.” I can tell they are being serious, and my fight or flight kicks in. I charge the soldier, wrapping my arms around their stomach as we fall to the floor. The gun sounds as though it charges up, and then goes off, shooting some sort of purple laser behind me. I sit on top of them and try to wrestle the weapon from their hands. He lets go and I think I’ve won the fight. I suddenly feel their fist collide with my jaw. The punch knocks me onto the floor, and the soldier grabs the gun and stands up. It starts to charge again, this could be it for me.

I can’t tell if it’s my anger, or my fear, but small fire forms in my right hand. The gun stops charging, and the soldier takes a step back. I have no idea if this will do anything to them, but I need to try. I bring my arm back, and thrust it forwards. My hand turns into a flamethrower, with fire shooting straight at the soldier. The force sends them onto their back, hitting their head on a piece of rubble.I walk over, prepared to keep fighting, but they are clearly unconscious. I put my hand to my jaw, it is sore, but I still have all of my teeth. I hope they’re still alive, I can’t handle the thought of killing someone, even if I acted in self defense.

Given the chance to let my guard down, my thoughts begin to spiral. How did I even do that? I had no idea my powers could be this strong. Why the hell did they have the symbol on their weapon? Standing over the body, I crouch down and pull the gun from their hands. When I brush off the ash, I see the same shiny silver, and the white skull with red x’s for the eyes. Just looking at it sends chills down my spine. The overall design of the weapon is fairly simple, but it feels as though it could belong to some sort of alien race. I don’t want to send one of those lasers off so I walk to a nearby utility closet and hide it inside. Who knows what it is capable of.

Clearly this whole situation is a lot more complicated if Drone has anything to do with it. I am much more determined to get to the bottom of this. It feels personal now, I need to avenge my father. I start to sprint down the hallway, my mind set on finding more of these soldiers. My breaths are heavy from running, and smoke invades my lungs. I cough and my eyes begin to water. When I wipe away my tears that is when I see the fiery crater.

There is a huge chunk taken out of my school, the walls and ground are ablaze. I notice about 5 more soldiers, all dressed in the same black armor, and each equipped with a weird weapon similar to the one I saw earlier. I crouch down behind a huge piece of rubble laying on the ground, and peer around the debris to get a better look. Each person is marked with the Drone’s infamous symbol. I see that two people have some device, a small box with an antenna. They are arguing, their hands waving in the air, one of them is trying to take the device from the other. The other three soldiers are standing guard, guns in hand, just keeping watch over the area.

The two Drone soldiers with the device continue to argue, and I can make out some of what they are saying. “... signal is coming from right here!”

“... be broken.” I can’t even tell what they are talking about, “...it to me I can fix it.” I don’t know what the heck they are talking about, but it doesn’t feel good.

I start to get the same fiery feeling in my stomach from earlier. I need to take action, I need to continue my father’s legacy. I look down at my hands and small flames form in my palms. I close my hands into tight fists and stand up, turning to face the soldier closest to me. I create a fireball in my hand, it has some weight to it, as if it is a solid. My arm cocks back, and I launch the flaming sphere at their back. It knocks them forward into the crater. They yell out as they fall, and all of the other guards hear it. Each one turns to face me. 

The two with the device start to furiously press buttons, I have no idea what it could mean. I then turn my attention to the soldiers with the guns, and they are pointing their weapons directly at me. I can hear them charging up, a purple glow emits from the barrels. I jump back behind my previous cover as two blasts whiz by me. I hear heavy steps approach, and my stomach drops, and my heart is pounding.

I know if I don’t do something now, this could be the end for me. Summoning all the courage I can muster, I get out from behind the rubble and raise my hands up above my head, hoping for anything to happen. I feel a surge of energy flow throughout my body. A wall of fire erupts from the ground, blocking their line of sight. I stand for a moment, dumbfounded at the sight that lays before me. Heat emanates from the fiery barrier.

I take the given opportunity to run over to another huge piece of debris that is located closer to the soldiers with the device. They have already started running, realizing their chances of survival have drastically decreased. I know that the small piece of technology has to be behind all of these explosions. I have to take it from them.

They are running to a jet black truck parked not too far from the building. The soldier closest to me clutches the device in their hands. They enter the truck and the engine starts. Before they can back out of the school, I form two fireballs, one in each hand. I whip them at the front of the vehicle. They soar through the air, leaving a wispy, fiery trail. They are a direct hit to the engine. The vehicle bursts into flames, and the soldiers crawl out and crumble to the floor, writhing in pain.

I jump out from behind my cover to go take the device, but before I can reach it I feel a strong force hit me in the back. It knocks me forward, my palms hit the ground. My already tattered maroon t-shirt is now set ablaze. I roll around to quickly put out the fire, my back aches from the impact. I scramble to my feet and see that the two guards are charging their weapons to fire again. That must’ve been what hit me. The guns glow purple, and I dive to my right. The lazers barely miss, and I am left on the ground once more.

The weapons begin to charge again. If I don’t get up quick, who knows what could happen. I pick myself up and stand facing the guards. I have an idea, it’s so crazy, but I have no other choice. I tense every muscle in my body and get that warm feeling inside me. Suddenly fire spews from my feet, propelling me into the air. I soar past the soldiers. I get a rush of adrenaline, of power. The fire goes out suddenly, and I land on my feet behind them.

Before they can process exactly what I just did, I use all the flames I can muster and form them into a huge ball. I bring it to my side, it is heavy. I heave it forward, shooting the fiery mass directly at the two soldiers. The blast burns through their armor and they scream in pain. It’s a disturbing sight, but I had no other choice. They drop their weapons and fall to the floor. I take the guns and throw them into the crater before running back to the device.

I see that one of the soldiers that escaped from the burning truck had grabbed the device and started fleeing. Their burns keep their pace at a limp, they haven’t gotten very far. I sprint over and grab the back of their collar. I yank it back and they fall to the ground. I kick them in the gut,  causing them to drop the small piece of technology that was just in their hands.

I squat down to grab the device, but before I can, I feel a strong force in my left side. I am knocked a few feet over onto the ash covered pavement. Dazed for a moment, I sit up and look over to see the soldier I previously hit into the crater is aiming their weapon right at me. The gun begins to glow, and I can hear it revving up. I drop the device and roll out of the way as another blast lands right beside me. 

I get to my feet, and charge the soldier. I feel fire shooting out of my hands, pushing me forward faster. Using the momentum, I strike them in the helmet with my fist. My knuckles bleed, but they stumble back and drop their weapon. In a panic, I turn to go get the device back, though I soon realize that that wasn’t the right move. Before I can react, the soldier tackles me from behind. I roll over and they are on top of me, they place their hands on my throat and squeeze. 

I panic for a moment, grabbing their arms in an attempt to pull them off. I want to cough but I can’t, and my vision is turning blurry. I place my hands on their wrists, and start to heat them up. Soon enough, I burn through their armor, and hear a sizzle. This is followed by a cry from the soldier. They lift their arms, just holding them out, not knowing what to do. I push them off, and they fall beside me. I pick myself up and stand next to them while they lay on the ground. I am hunched over with my hands on my knees, giving myself a moment to catch my breath. 

I stand up straight and look around. The walls are still on fire, and the ground is an ashy battle field. The black truck was crushed from the force of the fire, and is still burning. There are four soldiers still in sight. The one I just fought, the two that I burned, and the one that had the device. The last one must’ve escaped during all of the chaos, but that isn’t my main concern.

The device lays on the ground, covered in dust. I pick it up and examine it for a moment. It’s small, seems pretty simple. It shows multiple blue circles and a glowing red dot at the center. It is pulsing, but I have no clue what it means. It must be the signal they were talking about earlier, for what, I do not know. I put the device in my pocket. I think it could be useful if I want to track and take Drone down. 

I walk past the two soldiers I had burnt, they are groaning and are sprawled out on the ground. I start to head back to Corrine, but before I do I turn around and just stand there for a moment. I stare at the burning building, reflecting on everything that just happened.

“Ar-Are you The Phoenix?” I hear a soldier behind me say. I turn around and stare at them.

“Yes.” I say, I get a feeling of pride deep inside me.

“H-How?” They groan, “Y-You’re supposed to be dead.”

“Doesn’t matter, let everyone know I am back, and make sure they are ready.” I say with a smirk before walking away. This is a feeling I have never known, the feeling of victory. The feeling of being an absolute bad-ass. 

I run down the hallway, I need to get to Corrine. I reach the closet and open it to find them sitting right where I left them. Their eyes are red, they must have been crying. I walk over and sit next to them. They gasp at the sight of the multiple bloody wounds scattered around my body.

“Where were you,” they ask, their voice breaking, “,what happened?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t sit here knowing people were in danger.”

“Well I hope they are safe, but don’t leave me again.” They say, looking directly at me, “Please.” Tears form in their eyes, and they begin to sob. I embrace them with a hug, letting them cry into my shoulder. They wrap their arms around me and squeeze tight. We sit next to each other for a while, their head resting on my shoulder. I take a moment to enjoy the comfort and appreciate their touch.

I can’t avoid thinking about everything that just happened. I take out the device and stare at the glowing red dot, still directly at the center of the screen. All I know is that Drone is back, and it is my duty to avenge my father and take them down. I need to figure out who is behind their resurgence, and how I can stop one from ever happening again. It won’t be easy, it will take courage, but I know what I must do.