I remember just ’awakening’, spilling tea into my lap from the shock, then jumping up from the instant heat burning me. I didn’t drop the cup as such, but I damn near pissed my pants. I set the cup down, looked around and tried to recollect my memories. I felt into my mind, trying to get Eddie or Loui to make sense of what happened, but neither were active, both hiding somewhere beyond the shadows.
I know it makes no sense to explain it, but that’s just what happened. I found the rifle back in the gun cabinet where I found it, the remaining boxes of ammunition beside it. Somehow, I managed to return the gun, make tea and lose 4 hours of my life without a single shred or memory from it. Whatever had happened, scared me.
2.
Ben returned the next morning, slapping an envelope into my hand with a grin that screamed arrogance. He looked as if he was skipping through the gate and towards the steps. I couldn’t help but grin a little. Arseholes like this always think of themselves as the miracle workers, the key to unlocking important deals for their clients. It didn’t surprise me to hear him overexaggerate the deal even further.
“He didn’t jump at the deal I have to say. Took quite a bit of convincing in fact.” He sounded full of himself, but I knew I’d get the last laugh over this arsehole. “But once I told him how keen you were to leave immediately, he gave in. Said he’d take the difference out of my own pay cheque.” He laughed, a little less enthusiastic than he’d hoped to sound and I shot him another grin.
I tore the lip of the envelope open and reached inside, feeling the wonderful edge of my future. I pulled it out just enough to see the glorious number written in the appropriate spot, then slid it back inside.
“Perfect. Now, if you’ll remove yourself from this yard, there’s one final thing I have to do.” He looked at me a little curiously, unsure of what I meant. In his excitement to give me a virtual lap dance to hand me the envelope, he didn’t notice the fuel can sitting by my chair.
I reached down, felt for the handle and picked it up, slowly unscrewing the cap. His expression became a little more questioning as he took a step back.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the drum.
“What, this?” I said, holding it up a little.
“Yeah, that. I hope you’re not thinking of doing anything stupid. That cheque can still be cancelled by Mr Steinberg, you know?” He took another step back, realized and returned to his previous spot. “I wouldn’t want to void this deal over something silly.”
“Actually, I’m doing nothing that would ever jeopardize this deal. I do however intend to end my family dynasty here and now.”
“End your family dynasty? What are you talking about? You just sold this entire property, including this here home, to Mr Steinberg.” I held up a finger and waved it from side to side.
“Nope. Ah-ah. No, I didn’t. I sold this land, the sheds, the workers, the cows and the two corpses down there. I did NOT however, sell this here home. It wasn’t part of the deal. And now I will do with my home as I damn-well please. So, get off my porch, piss off out of this yard, unless you would like to lose your eyebrows.” I grinned again as he took another step back.
That was when he reached into his briefcase and pulled out the agreement we’d signed 2 days prior. I saw him read it, his lips forming the words as his eyes scooted across the page. He looked back up at me, back at the page then shook his head.
“No, that’s just a misunderstanding. The deal was for everything.” His eyes grew wider as I began to splash fuel over the walls and floor. I opened the front door and threw some across the rugs, then continued along the porch. “But I was supposed to live here. Jim promised.”
I began to laugh as I threw a brick through one of the windows and poured fuel inside. Ben was now spluttering, trying to find words but the shock kept stealing them right back.
“No, you, please, this…this is – “
“This is my home, Bennie-boy. And I choose to burn this fucken dump down. No more family. No more relatives. No more fucken memories.” With that I hurled the can through the broken window, struck a match and held it briefly up before my eyes, staring at Ben’s contorted face through the flame.
I saw him concede as I flicked it onto the porch, the instant ‘whoof’ of the fuel erupting hitting the side of my face.
“Don’t ever come back,” he snarled at me, somehow finding a final bit of strength. “If you ever show your face around –“ I stopped, turned and looked him in the eye. I didn’t need to speak, my gaze enough to freeze him instantly. I don’t think he realized how close he came to losing his throat at that moment. I felt Loui come forward just a little, considered the offering for a brief second, then returned to the shadows.
I turned back towards the gate as one of the windows exploded. Ben Fordham jumped as a faint squeal escaped him. The fire was really taking hold by then and I took one final look as I walked through the gate. The house appeared like a face, its 2 windows looking like blazing eyes with thick black smoke billowing from both.
There was nothing left for me there but grief and so I turned down the hill and headed towards the main road. Regardless of how
