Page 43 of Burn For Me

And then, in a moment of true brilliance, it came to me. Annoyingly it took another couple of days to acquire what I needed to make this a reality, but the night was finally here. I sat twiddling my thumbs as I waited for the cover of night to implement phase one. I had to admit this really was an ingenious plan.

The sun’s final rays were setting, casting a dark orange and pink hue on everything it touched. Among the darkening sky, I could see Adalyn sitting on a bench reading a book. Leaning forward in my seat, I stared at the image in the clouds and smiled when she looked my way and blushed. She was so beautiful…and then it was dark.

Closing my eyes, I savored the image for a few moments, not wanting to let her go again, but I knew that what I did next, I did in honor of her. Getting out of the white van I’d stolen for the occasion, I grabbed my bag and sprinted like a dark spirit through the trees that lined the golf course.

Hunkering down at the edge of my cover, I watched for any signs of activity. Most people seemed to be out as their homes were completely dark. The people that remained were watching television, that harsh light glowing in the windows.

Satisfied that the coast was clear, I pulled the black mask down into place and jogged across the perfectly trimmed grass. I made sure to stick to the edge of the tall palm trees for as long as possible until I had to break away to get to the first home. Squatting by the dryer vent, I snapped off the protective covering and then unzipped my duffel bag.

Pulling out one of the premade glass containers, I held it up and smirked as I watched the inside move around like the jar was alive. Each one of my little packages was full of very pissed-off cockroaches. Cracking the lid, I lifted the dryer vent flap and turned the glass bottle to fit into the hole, and let the vent flap close around it. Running to the next house, I repeated the process, and of course, for the good doctor’s home, I made sure that there were two bottles for the occasion.

I waited and glanced at the watch on my wrist. Once twenty minutes had passed, which gave plenty of time for my little pests to crawl out of the vent tube into each home, I doubled back the way I came to remove the bottles. Double-checking my work at my first stop, I opened the flap and smirked when the vent was empty. Pulling the bottle out of the vent, I put it into the bag and ran around to collect the rest of the glass jars.

Once more, I jogged back to the white minivan and slapped on the magnet that proudly stated, ‘Ricky’s Roach Removal.’ Hopping in the back, I stripped out of the black clothes and pulled on the white uniform of my “new” profession. Kind of made me wonder if pest guys did this to get work. Now it was time to wait again. To do this job right, I couldn’t be impatient. I had to be smart and cunning, and I was finding new layers and depths to reach for with each passing day.

Crawling into the front seat, I sipped my cooling coffee, munched on every snack I’d brought with me, and listened to the radio. Each minute was agonizing and thrilling at the same time.

I waited until the same rays I saw set, rising into the air before I put phase two into play. Right at eight, I drove around and parked at the furthest house from the doctor’s. Pulling the white cap on and picking up the clipboard, I marched for the first home. Once by the front door, I kept my head down and my face turned away from the camera in the corner.

The name on the mail for this house said it belonged to the Michaels. A perky and very attractive blonde woman in a skintight exercise outfit answered the door on the second ring, her voice annoyed as she spoke. “I’m not interested in whatever you’re selling, sorry.” She went to close the door in my face.

“It’s about the roaches in the homes in this area. I’ve gotten several calls about the infestation that has moved in and wanted to know if you’d like your home inspected and sprayed as well?”

The door paused halfway closed before she slowly pulled it open again. Her eyes stared at the van in her driveway. I flicked my eyes to the clipboard and the very professional-looking checklist I’d printed off on Dora’s printer. I’d filled in a few of the home numbers on the street adjacent to this one and made sure that she could see the names and addresses.

“Did you say cockroaches?”

“Yes, ma’am, unfortunately, they are bad this time of year, and once they get into your home, they are hard to get rid of. Sometimes we have to spray two or three times to get rid of the eggs they lay. Once they start laying eggs, your home can quickly become overrun, and you will find them in everything from your food to your clothes. Have you seen any?”

My pen was ready to jot down all the useless information I had zero intention of actually addressing.

Mrs. Michaels opened her mouth when a high-pitched screech echoed down the hall, and a girl in her teens came running out of the kitchen as she continued to scream hysterically.“Roaches!” It was the only word I could make out as she ran past and up the stairs, like hiding in her room would actually help.

Mrs. Michaels’s eyes swung back to mine. “Oh my god, come in.”

An hour later, I was fully geared up, my face and body hidden from all those that stood outside their homes as I walked into every single one and supposedly rid them of their problem. In reality, I sprayed around some smelly chemicals and sprinkled my little white phosphorus creation into at least four vents per floor. I wanted to make sure that the celebration I was creating went off without a hitch.

Finishing up at the last house on the street, I stood in the middle of the kitchen and laughed.

Rich people.

Shaking my head, I went outside and spoke to one of the men who seemed to have been appointed ‘message relayer.’ I told him there was a good chance all the homes would need to be done again and to call if that was the case. I handed over the business card and hopped into the back of the van to strip before driving away, with none of them being the wiser.

In celebration, I’d purchased myself an ice cream. Stuffing the last of the refreshing orange cream delight into my mouth, I watched the minivan burn in the abandoned industrial building parking lot.

I’d gotten to see the doctor up close. He had dark circles under his eyes, but other than that, the man looked exactly the same as the last time I’d seen him.

I couldn’t help wondering if he had a sense that his time was coming to an end. Like an animal leaving the safety of its home or pack to die by itself. Did he feel me closing in? Did he feel the noose around his neck tightening into a stranglehold that he couldn’t escape?

There were so many strange and mysterious things that happened in the world it was hard to determine which ones our minds made up and which ones were a product of something beyond our understanding. Adalyn visiting me from the dead as she helped and encouraged me in my task was something that I couldn’t explain, and yet it was as real as the ground beneath my feet.

“It’s going to happen, Adalyn. I’m closing in on him. You will be avenged, I promise you. I just need you to give me a little more time.”

The fire of the van danced in my eyes, the roar and groan of the metal as intoxicating to my senses as any drug to an addict. As the flames found the gas tank, the van exploded. Most would have ducked or ran, but I smiled. The fire burned bright with the rainbow of reds, oranges, and yellows, but it was the blues and whites—the hottest parts of the flames that I found the most fascinating. My eyes were drawn to those sections as they swayed against the dark night sky.

My cock jerked as I trembled from the desire that flooded my system, but it was nothing compared to when screams were involved. I pictured someone struggling to get out from inside and smirked.

It was time to go. The longer I stayed, the higher my chances of getting caught.