Page 51 of Burn For Me

I sucked in a sharp breath as the cool little piece of material made contact with the cut, and it suddenly felt like someone was stabbing my head.

“But, that’s my point. Why be nice to me? I know you said you feel like this is your second chance to help, but I hurt people, Dora. I hurt them, and I enjoy it. I know it’s wrong, and yet I still crave going after the next person on my list.”

Her hand slowed, her face becoming an emotionless mask.

“Did they deserve it?”

I took a deep breath and shrugged. “In a way, don’t we all?”

“I guess you’re right, but to answer your question, I don’t have a logical answer for you, Derek. When I look into your eyes, I see a damaged soul and the boy I wanted to help. I don’t see the man struggling with whatever is twisting you up inside.” She pulled out a little white strip, some kind of bandage, and then pinched together the skin on my forehead as she put it in place. “What I see is that boy with immense potential and the man he could still become.”

Dora made her way over to the freezer and pulled out a small bag of peas before handing it to me. “Put the peas on that egg you have on your head. It’s most likely the cause of your loss of time, but you should really see a doctor.”

The bag crinkled as I gripped it hard.

“No doctors. Never again with the doctors.”

Dora sighed as she took my plate and began making me another sandwich.

“I figured you’d say that. Today is Saturday, Derek. I last saw you on Monday, and if you had anything to do with that beach home having an unfortunate accident with the propane tank, then that happened Tuesday.

“Four days? What the hell did I do for four days?”

“I don’t know. I came by to check on you, but no one answered the door.” Dora patted my shoulder as she set a second full plate down in front of me. “I’m worried about you. I’m worried about what will happen to you when I’m gone.”

“Gone,” I asked as I took a bite of the new sandwich.

“Yes, gone. Could be today, could be a year from now, but I’m an old broad now, and we both know my mind is not right. I could kick it anytime, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

Reaching out, I gripped her weathered hand lying on the table. It looked so small, absolutely dwarfed by mine.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” I said, but what I didn’t say was that I was worried for everyone else. These moments with her were oddly grounding, and I didn’t feel like burning it all down when we sat and talked like this.

“Oh crap,” I mumbled, then stood to go over to my phone.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just had something to do, and now I’m hoping I didn’t miss my window.” I tapped on the app that controlled the cameras inside Dr. Wallace’s place. I couldn’t see anyone on either camera. Come on. He couldn’t have taken off. Turning on the volume, I could make out the sound of a television and someone talking, but I couldn’t determine who it was.

“I’m sorry to eat and run, but I need to go,” I said as I went to unplug the phone.

“Like hell you are.” I looked up to see Dora standing at the table with her fists on her hips. Her soft gray eyes glared at me as her mouth pinched together. “Whatever it is you have to do can wait a few hours.”

“But….”

“No buts. I don’t want to know who you’re after this time but look outside. The sun is high in the sky—you have time.”

“I can’t stay.”

“Yes you can, and yes you will. A couple hours, give your body a couple hours. For all you know, you haven’t slept in four days.”

I looked back down at the screen and the rooms that still didn’t hold any actual humans and sighed. Everything in me was screaming to finish this and complete the task, but Dora was right. I was feeling weak and I needed to have my mind sharp. I hit the lock button and laid the phone down to finish charging.

“Okay, you win. I’ll lay down for a couple hours, but that’s it.”

“Deal.”

How did I get to a place where I was taking orders from an eighty-year-old woman that I could probably snap in half with one hand? Shaking my head, I laid down on the couch and was surprised to feel the steady pull of sleep as my lids got heavy. Perhaps sleep was a good idea.