The Spirit of the Rising Sun

By Ian Coubrough

Fourteen-year-old Phoenix Taylor is yanked from everything familiar when his stepfather is transferred to a military base in Okinawa, Japan. As Phoenix struggles with the move, he promises to take his great-grandpa's war trophy, a WWII Japanese battle flag, back to Okinawa. There he will return it to the dead soldier's family if he can find them. His Pa says it's the only way to free the ghost trapped within the flag.

Although Phoenix doesn't believe in ghosts and spirits, he's haunted by violent nightmares, strange dreams, and puzzling flashbacks to another time and place. While working with a psychic, he makes contact with the trapped spirit in the flag. Phoenix is shocked to discover his past life experience, the soldier's surviving sister, and his filial relationship to the spirit in the flag.

Soon after the family arrives in Okinawa, stepfather Rex orders Phoenix to donate the flag to the local governor's war museum. When he refuses, Rex gives him a two-week deadline to find the soldier's family. If he fails, he must give the flag to the governor. This ultimatum launches Phoenix on a frantic quest to find the soldier's family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Coubrough
• Release date: Mar 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393627920

Book preview

1

At thirty thousand feet, Phoenix Taylor thrashed in his seat as he struggled to breathe. Gasping and snorting like a trapped animal, bound by the seatbelt, he thrust his head back, arms flailing, fists clenched––his mind a million miles away from United Airlines flight 7938 en route to Tokyo.

His mother, sitting to his left, gently held his arms. She leaned close as a dozen strangers jockeyed and craned their necks to watch. Wake up. She whispered then shook Phoenix’s shoulder. Wake up.

His eyes opened wide then fluttered as he surveyed the surroundings. He inhaled a deep breath, eyes searching for answers. Where was he? What had just happened? He looked at his mother, then his stepfather, Rex. His breath and heartbeat disengaged from panic mode and gradually returned to a normal rhythm.

Drink this. His mom gave him a small bottle of water.

As his sipped, he looked up at the open-mouthed passengers staring at him. They quickly turned away shaking their heads.

What happened, Phoenix? Are you okay? his mother asked.

Yeah I––I guess I had another dream. A nightmare about . . .

Drowning?

He looked into her eyes, nodded, and took another sip. He looked at Rex, still asleep with his head resting on the window.

Rex didn’t see anything, his mother said. Nothing to worry about.

Phoenix closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Nothing to worry about? It’s happening again, he thought. He’d had three or four nightmares about drowning in the last few days. Not a good sign.

She tapped his hand. You need to relax. You’ve been upset about the move, and I’m sure that’s why the nightmares are back. I want so much for you to enjoy this new adventure. That’s really all we can do at this point. She pulled a book out of the seat pocket in front of her. Look, I’ve been reading this guidebook about Okinawa. It used to be part of China and known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. Japan claimed it in 1879. Isn’t that––

Amazing. He closed his eyes and popped in his ear buds, determined to stay awake for the rest of the flight. No more nightmares. His mind filled with thoughts of the past few days. How could his whole life change in just two weeks?

Pa, his great-grandfather had once said Everything’s connected and things happen for a reason. But this move didn’t make sense. Phoenix looked at Rex, whose lips and nose clung to the window as he slept. His mom was absorbed in her Welcome to Okinawa guidebook. Phoenix reclined his seat and thought about the events of the past few days.

It all started the day before school got out for the summer. He remembered how his mother had looked at him, puzzled by his question: Why aren’t we taking Pa to the fireworks? She sat on the couch as he flipped through channels on the remote control. Can you stop doing that for just a minute while we talk? she said.

I need to find the X Games. It’s coming on in ten minutes. Don’t want to miss the skateboarding. His blue eyes widened.

She took the remote control from him. We won’t be here in July for the fireworks, that’s why.

But Pa expects us to take him every year. He’s been talking about it already and it’s not even close to the Fourth of July. It’s the only thing he talks about. Phoenix took the remote out of her hand and clicked on the menu screen. Come on, he mumbled at the TV. Where the hell––

Watch your language. I guess I need to talk to Pa about that again.

Everybody talks like that on the school bus. He shook his head and sighed with a frustrated grunt. It’s not Pa’s fault.

You don’t have to copy what kids say on the bus.

Sorry, I slipped. Jeez.

She looked past him as if picturing something in her head. I’ve enjoyed going to the fireworks with Pa too. It’s been like our own family tradition, but we simply can’t do it if we’re no longer living here.

He put the remote on the coffee table. Mom, I don’t want to move. I love living in St. Augustine and I want to stay here. This is a bad time to move.

Phoenix. She stared with cold eyes. You need to be reasonable about this.

He cocked his head. Look, I’m not trying to make you mad, but I can’t move right now. I’m going to Menendez in August. That’s a big deal.

There are high schools overseas. She picked up a small pad of paper.

Overseas? You mean like out of the country?

"Japan is out of the country."

He stood and folded his arms. What do you mean, Japan? His breathing quickened as he thought about moving. I’ve already signed up for the skateboarding competition on July 30th, and I paid thirty-five bucks to enter.

I’m sure they’ll refund your money considering our circumstances. I thought you’d be excited to go to Japan. Why do you have to make this sound so negative?

Phoenix paced between his mother and the TV. I just gave you two good reasons why. When you said Rex was looking for a new job, you didn’t say anything about moving. I would’ve remembered.

"I said if Rex gets the job, we might need to move. Maybe you weren’t listening. When Rex applied for the job he didn’t know where the vacancy was located, so we didn’t know it would be overseas. But he’s already signed his acceptance letter, and the Navy won’t let him out of it.

His mother’s ’s face softened. Look, I have a good feeling about this move. I get a strong sense it’s something important for us to do as a family. It will definitely be a life-changing experience. She walked to the kitchen and continued writing on her pad. Phoenix trailed behind her. Mom, I don’t get it.

She stopped writing. It’s not that complicated. Rex got his military orders today, so we have to start planning for the move. There’s only one more box to check off the list before we get the official approval, but it’s a minor detail. One quick appointment and that’s it.

He sat at the kitchen table tapping his fingers on his forehead. What kind of appointment?

You have to meet with the psychologist at the Navy base in Jacksonville. 

"What?! Why do I have to do it? I didn’t apply for the job."

Remember your counseling sessions with Dr. Tate when––

They don’t know about that.

Phoenix’s therapy sessions lasted only a few weeks and that was when he was four-years-old. He didn’t remember the doctor or what they’d talked about, or even why he had to see the psychologist. He only remembered it had something to do with his nightmares. He and his mother never talked much about the therapy sessions. 

She bit on the end of her pen. When I completed the paperwork for the Department of Defense, they asked if anyone in the family had received services from a mental health provider. I had to indicate that you saw Dr. Tate.

That was nine years ago. Phoenix paced the floor. Oh my God. I hardly ever get nightmares anymore. I’m not meeting with some psycho doctor. Why did you tell them about that?  

She looked away for a moment and exhaled. That’s how the military does things. You can’t lie on a government form. You have no reason to worry about it. They only want to make sure services are available in Japan in case you need them. Since you don’t, there’s no problem.

I’m different now than when I was four.

Yes, you are. All you have to do is meet with the doctor for a few minutes. After the meeting he’ll sign the approval for our move. There’s nothing to worry about. But we have so many other details to take care of before we leave. I already have two dozen things written on my list. Every few minutes I think of more things to include.

She glanced at the long skinny pad and continued writing and mumbling: find a realtor to rent our house, buy new luggage, sell the cars, get passports, and––  

I could stay here. He stared at his mother.

Her pen stopped in the middle of a word. No. Rex and I need you to be ready to leave when we get the final approval. The look on her face said she wasn’t backing down. He knew it well. I know it might be hard at first, but we’ll help you adjust.

He didn’t want to hear one more word about moving. He left the room for a minute, then returned.

They have excellent American schools on the military base in Okinawa. I’ve been reading up on it. You’ll like it there.

No, I won’t. And thanks for screwing up my life even more than when you married Rex. He headed for the stairs and hit the banister.

It was only a year ago his mother met Navy Lieutenant Commander Rex Palmer. Within a few months they were married and his mother became Mrs. Palmer. Suddenly, they were the Palmers and he wasn’t. He thought of it as a defection to the enemy. Palmer was such a dorky name. Why would she even want it?

Three or four months after the wedding, everything got more complicated. Albert Norris, Phoenix’s great-grandfather––better known to everyone as Pa––disagreed with Rex on politics, religion, and everything in between. They even battled over what to have for dinner. Phoenix’s mother worked hard to smooth things over, but it always ended with bad feelings on both sides.

Finally, Pa decided to move out of the house and get a private room at the Rainbow House for the Aged. He said it would be the best thing for the Palmers and for his sanity.

You can’t make Pa move out of our house, Phoenix said. He’s lived with us since I was seven. Make Rex move.

Of course he knew that wasn’t about to happen. It didn’t matter how much he protested, Pa moved into the Rainbow House a month later. Phoenix had a hard time with it and still harbored negative feelings towards Rex. He sat on the bottom step, his palms holding his face. You think I should move to a foreign country where they don’t even speak English?

Yes.

Why do you have to do everything Rex tells you to do? If he got orders to go to the moon, would you go? Probably would.

Stop being so dramatic. This is a wonderful opportunity for you, and for our family. Moving’s hard for Rex too. He’s leaving his twin girls behind. Can you imagine how upset Kerrie and Meagan will be when they hear he’s moving overseas?

I don’t care about that. He doesn’t have to take the stupid job.

She frowned. You’re wrong. He has to take advantage of any career opportunities that come up, no matter where they take us. Sometimes we have to do difficult things we may not want to do.

Yeah, right, whatever. Phoenix wondered what kind of dad leaves his kids behind to take a job way on the other side of the planet.   

It will be an adjustment, but we’ll get through it. His mother turned and walked to the kitchen.

I wish you’d never met the jerk. Phoenix whispered so she couldn’t hear. When he got to his room, he stared in the mirror. I gotta get out of this move somehow. He banged his fist on the dresser, then sent a text message to his friends Josh and Hutch: My life is totally ruined by T-Rex. The biggest jerk in the world. We have to move to freaking Japan!!!!!

Phoenix heard his mother tell everyone Rex looked like a movie star. He didn’t agree. He’s practically bald, he said one time. 

Rex kept his hair short in military style and followed daily routines. At six feet-four inches tall, he was an imposing figure. He walked with a slight limp, due to an injury suffered in Afghanistan. When he returned to the States for treatment, he met Phoenix’s mother, a nurse at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, where he recuperated.

He noticed a change in his mother after she met Rex. He thought it was creepy how she fell under his spell so quickly. It reminded him of a vampire movie where the victim, his mother, was destined to follow the living dead, Rex, everywhere he went to do his bidding.

Phoenix waited in his room a few minutes to calm down before going back to the kitchen for round two with his mom.

When he returned, she removed her reading glasses and put her list on the table.  Her eyes were warm and bright. When you were a little boy, you couldn’t stop talking about Japan. You taught yourself how to eat with chopsticks, told stories about your make-believe Japanese family, and begged me to take you to Japan to see them. You even learned some Japanese words. Don’t you remember any of that?

No. I must’ve been weird back then, but what does it matter anyway? I don’t want to go to Japan or anywhere else in the world. I want to stay in St. Augustine so I can finish high school like a normal person. I’m gonna tell Pa about this disaster.

His mother looked at him with tired eyes. I’ve already told Pa, and he seems okay with the idea.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. I have an idea. How about if I stay here and take care of Pa? He could move back in our house.

She reminded Phoenix Pa was too old to leave the nursing home. She said he needed around the clock care. 

Phoenix took a deep breath and waited a few seconds to give his mom some time to think more about his suggestion. He concentrated hard and willed her to change her mind. But she continued writing on her endless list and mumbling random phrases: Wash the drapes, call the Salvation Army to pick up donations, cancel cable TV.

He dashed upstairs to his room and fell on his bed. The more he thought about everything, the more he realized the real culprit in this situation was his father. If he hadn’t deserted the family all those years ago his mother wouldn’t have married Rex––and they wouldn’t be moving anywhere.

He decided he had to talk to Pa. Maybe he’d know of some way he could get out of this stupid move.

2

A couple of days passed before Phoenix and his mother went to the Rainbow House to visit Pa. As they walked up to the front door of the assisted care facility, Phoenix shook his head when he saw the poster proclaiming the nursing home to be The best hometown facility for elder care in the oldest city in America. Phoenix knew better.

This place is a dump, he had told his mother when they first inspected it. She admitted that after thirty-five years in operation the facility looked somewhat shabby and neglected.

She explained how Rainbow House was better than some homes and that it would have to do, because of Pa’s limited income. Pa was pleased with his small private room with an adjoining bathroom. He didn’t care about the faded walls and chipped tiled floors that retained memories from emergencies and accidents of long ago.

When he first moved there, Phoenix and his mother helped him hang pictures and unpack his belongings. They gave the room a personal touch and that helped to make it more comfortable. But to Phoenix, nothing could make it feel like home.

Pa doesn’t belong here, he had said. He’ll go crazy living in this place. To make up for the shortcomings of the Rainbow House Phoenix promised to visit Pa once or twice a week to boost his spirits.   

When they walked into the room, Pa’s eyes gleamed. He coughed a few times but overall, he looked good and sat smiling in his old favorite chair. Phoenix’s mother kissed Pa on the cheek, and Phoenix gave him a fist bump. He taught the old guy how to do it, and they both got a kick out of it.

Don’t you get tired of watching Bonanza on TV? Phoenix’s mother fluffed up the pillows and spread the comforter neatly over his bed.

Pa looked at her with disbelief. No, it’s a classic show. I’m old. I’ve forgotten half of the episodes I’ve already watched, so every show is new to me. He clicked off the TV. 

Ms. Palmer cocked her head and patted her hair in place. I have to run out for a few errands. She placed a paper bag filled with snacks on the dresser. Maybe you and Phoenix can talk about the move. He might need some encouraging. I’ll be back shortly. She leaned close to Pa and whispered, Please watch your language.

Pa smiled and nodded.

Feeling good, Pa? Phoenix said.

You bet I am. Pa stretched out in his chair. So, what do you think about the big move?

Phoenix shook his head and sat in the other chair near Pa. "T-Rex is a jerk for