Gavin was scheduled for a conversation with a new employee on the ship for nine in the morning, so we ate breakfast and had coffee together before he left, and I would be bored for the next hour or two while that kid was taught the correct way to do things and while he signed paperwork.
I didn't want to leave and do something without Gavin, because although he knew what everything was, it would be more fun with him. So instead, I waited on our bed, preparing a romantic wine night for later.
Suddenly, there was a thump at the window. I walked over to check, and there was the pheonix. We stared at each other for a moment, just observing each other, when it hit its beak against the window, as if saying let me in.
I opened the window to let it it, when it gracefully flew over and landed in my shoulder. We stayed like that for a moment, before it flew off into the distance.
I closed the window after it left, but I felt off. Not a horrible feeling, just a different one. I felt powerful and I felt warm. I crawled into bed, suddenly tired, but I had no dreams, and I had no thoughts. Just warmth and comfort.
When I woke up, the room was spotless, like somebody super cleaned it with bleach, and Gavin was sitting next to me with a bowl of lukewarm water and a face towel.
"Oh, hey." I said, attempting to sit up. "How was the meeting?"
Gavin gently pushed me back down and put the damp towel on my forehead. "You're burning up. You need some rest."
"What? I feel fine. Infact, I feel more than fine. I feel like I could fly right now." I responded, slightly confused as to how I was sick.
"You are more than sick. I was terribly worried. Your tempeture is 108.3 and it keeps rising. I'm surprised you even woke up with this high of a tempature.You need rest and lots of water. Here, drink this." He said, helping me drink from a cup of water. "You stay right here, I'm going to get our medical specialist on board. I'll be right back, just try to sleep."
"Wait, no. I might now why I'm a bit weird. The pheonix. It came back. It landed on my shoulder and then flew away again. Afterward I felt very tired and warm. Maybe the pheonix did something."
Gavin looked worried for a moment, then cleared his mind and sat back down next to me. "What did you think it did?" He asked curiously.
Just as he finished speaking, I felt my body grow warmer and I stood up. I looked at him and he looked shocked and panicked at once.
"You're hair! It's turning red! Your eyes are the color of Amber. You are literally glowing like an angel!" He said, speeding over his words. "How are you feeling? You're not dizzy?"
"Well I wouldn't say I'm not dizzy. I'm acually incredibly dizzy. It's kind of hard to stay standing. But I feel alright besides..." I couldn't finished, because I passed out.
Gavin caught be just in time, but as he lifted me into his arms, another problem arose. The cruiseship was being surrounded by pheonix. Only Gavin and I could see them, but they didn't seem very friendly. There were Hu dress of pheonix flying all around the ship as if waiting for something.
I woke up as the pheonix started attacking our window. Nothing else was being attacked except us. Gavin wouldn't let me down, and instead was attempting to block the pheonix from getting to me. He brought be to the bathroom and locked the door. He placed me gently in the bathtub, and when I tried to protest, he gave me this panicked look that made me stop talking.
I caught my reflection I'm the mirror, and I looked like a fire goddess. My skin had a white glow to it, and my hair was a bright red. My eyes were a deep amber color and I looked unrecognizable to anyone who previously knew me with my blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Gavin. I'm sorry. I don't know what's happening but I know somethings really wrong with me." I said, trying to suppress the rising panic, and failing.
"No." Gavin said, letting a sob escape. "I'm a wimp. You know that. But this is totally reasonable. This is my fault. I let you get hurt. I couldn't stop it because I'm weak. Now you are changing and burning up and that stupid bird is calling backup to come kill us or something and I have no way to keep you safe. Don't apologize. I'm sorry."
I grabbed his wrist very gently and pulled him into the bathtub with me. He held me and cried for what felt like hours, until the pheonixes reached the door and started attacking it. Gavin stood up to defend me but I stopped him.
"I can feel it somewhere inside of me, they aren't going to hurt you." I said calmly.
"I don't care. I won't let them hurt you." He replied shakily.
"I don't think they'll hurt me either."
"Think? You don't think?"
"Yeah. I don't think they'll hurt me. Just let them do what they need, and you will be safe."
"Thinking isn't good enough. You need to know for certain that they will leave you alone."
"They don't need to leave me alone. As long as they leave you alone, I'm okay if this is my end."
"I'm not okay with this being the end! We met each other only three weeks ago, but I can't imagine my life without you." He said, tears falling down his face. "Please don't go. I won't let you go."
Just then, the door gave out and we were swarmed. The Pheonix flew around me in large circles that then became smaller and smaller, until there was nothing there at all. When the birds disappeared, so did I, and Gavin was left unscathed in the bathtub alone.