Accidental Fire

A Story by Ace Jaxon

Prologue

It was a foggy day, a conflict had turned into a traumatic experience. The bond with my brother and I would soon fade away. I can remember it so clearly. Gunshots had left a bullet in someone’s head, that someone was my mom, all I was thinking was I have to discard the body somehow.

“I’m...I’m too innocent,” I said outloud. Afterall I was alone with a dead body, and even if someone was there I wouldn’t care. I wouldn’t mind going to jail, the only problem was orange doesn’t look good with red hair.

Look you would call it unreal, but I call it murder, cold-blooded murder. I know what I was doing, yet it didn’t look like it. Afterall, who would think that a 15 year-old girl like me would kill someone.

“Oh I know the answer to that, the Hellmaker.”

The Hellmaker you might ask, well he’s the one who made me kill my mom. I know that sounds crazy, like why would you do that? Isn’t there another way this could have gone? Well, yes there is. If I didn’t want so badly to know who my father was. I wouldn’t have killed my mom, but when you’re my age you do stupid things for answers. Let me take you back and show you where this all began…...

Chapter 1

Knock, Knock, Knock

“Hello, Miss Thornberry. Could we talk to you for a moment?” I opened the door, and saw two men dressed in police uniform.

“Our mom’s not home now if that’s who you came to see!” My brother said annoyed that the police came this early in the morning.

“No we don’t need to see her. You can tell her when you need to, about what we are to tell you.”

“Go on then, before I get more annoyed.” My brother’s voice frustrated from having to talk to them instead of them coming back later to talk with our mother.

“Okay, let me start. Well….”

“Well, what?”I blurted out. The officers became a little shocked at my sudden outburst. They began speaking again.

“Your dad, he’s well…. In dept, a murderer, a fugitive, and we don’t have a clue where he is, but we do know that he probably will come back. If he does you need to turn him away and call us immediately.” After the slight pause they continued talking at a rapid pace.

“That’s crazy, he’s our dad! We can let him in our house if we please! You have no right to control us of that. And how do we know, that you’re even telling the truth!” I countered with an even faster attack. Everything became silent as the officers’ jaws dropped to the ground. They quickly regained their composure.

“Good day sirs’, we are very sorry!” My brother rushed them out the door before they could say a word. His glare made me feel a sense of guilt leaking from my stomache.

“What was that about?”I asked confused.

“Oh, don’t start that all innocent act.”His voice went dead serious. His face was filled with a dark and grim stature. My eyes refused to meet his as they hit the floor. That was the moment I realized why my brother and I were never close, he secluded himself away from the world.

“I’m sorry!” I managed to whimper out.

“I know, but do you understand what this means?”He stumbled on his words. I honestly not knowing the answer shook my head no.

“No!”I honestly meant the word I chose to speak out.

“It means that if another crime happens around here we’re the one’s to blame.”

“Why?”My brother lets out a sigh in frustration.

“Because of what you said about our dad, and how you would let him in with open arms.” He mumbled out the last bit.

“Oh! I hadn’t realized that I had said those things. I’m…..”What was I, sorry? No, not really! As if my brother understood why I stopped mid-sentence he hugged me.

“No. I’m sorry Fern!” He whispered with tears rolling off his face, then dripping off his elfish chin.

“Tiku, don’t be it’s my fault.”I argued back. Little did he know that I was going to find an answer even if it took me a lifetime.

Chapter 2

“Let’s go get something to eat!”He pleaded, and I smiled.

“Okay.”We got in the car, and drove to Tina Rina, our local dinner. A couple of minutes later we received our food, and ate having small talk along the way. An hour passed, and we were outside when he asked me an impossible question.

“Do you really think that dad’s going to come back?”As he waited for a response he silently stared off into the distance, trying to put his mind on something else.

“I’m not really sure, to be honest with you.”I looked at the road with him. All he did was nod as if my answer was acceptable. Every moment of silence felt like an eternity.

“Fern take care of yourself.” Tiku’s words were sad as he broke the silence.

“What do you mean?”I asked noticing the sadder tone.

“I’m leaving…”He never needed to finish that sentence. I already knew he was going to say to go find dad, but why did he have to lock away his feelings about it? Once I returned to reality he was gone, so me being the idiot I was, headed toward the place you go when you need answers.

Chapter 3

Walking, who would have thought there would be no taxies vacant today. Finally, I made it to the Hellmaker’s apartment. I never did understand why people called him the Hellmaker afterall, he was only a businessman. He did have a name though, but I guess Hellmaker sounds more money-millionaire than Alan does. One sure does sound better, while the other’s just plain scary. I walked into the nearly vacant apartment.

“Hello, do you have an appointment?” A lady around her mid-twenties at the front desk asked politely. She was trying to act overly nice and polite, which only made her sound fake.

“No-”She cut me off.

“Then let’s get you one.”Her tone was slick and clean. She talked like she was a time-lapse.

“Okay…”She barely even let me get more than a word out at a time.

“The Hellmaker is free at 3:00pm. tomorrow evening. Is that a good time for you?” She looked up from her computer searching for my answer.

“Umm, yes that’ll be great. Thank you, and could you just be yourself. You aren’t fooling anyone with the act. After all you seem more like a realist to me.”

“Oh, good finally someone I can be myself around.” She let out a sigh of relief and relaxation.

“Goodbye.”I told her turning to leave.

“Wait I need your name!”

“Fern, Fern Thornberry!” I left to go home, when I had the urge to run. A taxi appeared, and the legendary Hellmaker got out.

Chapter 4

“Thank you Jones, could you please take this lass here home?”

“Sure thing.”I got into the car, and felt more confused about the Hellmaker than ever before. The taxi driver, Jones asked for my address and gladly took me home.

“So you know the Hellmaker lass?” Jones asked to try and make small talk.

“No, not personally.”

“Here we are!”Jones said to tell me we had arrived at our destination.

“How much?”

“This one’s on me! Have a nice night ma'am.”

“Umm, thanks Jones.”

“You’re welcome?”Jones sentence stopped as he sat there looking for my name.

“Fern, My name’s Fern.”I got out of the taxi, and said my goodbye. I went inside my house. My mom was sound asleep, Tiku was nowhere to be found, so I went to bed. To me the worst part about falling asleep is how much it looks like you’re dead. To me sleep isn’t peaceful it’s scary. I feel like I’m not there in my room when I dream. My dreams are never ending like the circle of life, a constant motion of life and death.

I woke up around seven in the morning in a cold sweat because my dream of pure darkness caused a panicked feeling. I went to the kitchen and ate toast. It was nine now, so I left home heading down the long walk to the Hellmaker’s place.

I was near the place of my brother’s disappearance. I knew to be cautious because of the alley-ways. A danger that comes with living near the city is getting kidnapped. If it was up to me I would live in the country. Where it was normal to be homeschooled, and you could view the stars from miles away.