Twenty-eight: dangerous act of arson

Alec

I sit alone in my office, thoughts spinning through my head about the girl we can't find.

Did she run away?

If she did, then why?

Would she be coming back?

Did she get kidnapped?

Does she need help?

All these thoughts spin around in my head, forcing a headache to take over my fatigued body. 

I know she is strong. She can handle herself. But for how long? I know she could somewhat handle herself when she lived with her father. 

Well, not handle it. Definitely not handle it. I mean, she almost died over a million times. Almost like she's in a very overdramatic book. But at least she survived.

I know she can take care of herself. She is stronger than she looks. I mean, she punched me a few days ago for accidentally touching her boob. Now I have a bruise. And I didn't even get a good feel. Great, just great.

However, the thing about her is that she's stronger emotionally and stronger in smartness and strategy.

She's strong when it comes to punching me, but what about against others? Wouldn't she be weaker with others? She probably wouldn't even dare to stand up to anyone she doesn't know for fear that they would beat her to death. Or some crazy shit like that... it sounds like something that would only happen in a book.

She can run, hide, and wiggle herself out of tight situations, but one thing she can't do is protect herself. That's what worries me.

What if her dad finds her? He's still out there somewhere.

Or what if the police do?

Or even the rival gangs.

I don't know which of the three is worse.

"Boss?" Damien squeezes in through the door that he barely opened, just enough to get his body through sideways. I looked up at him, unamused with his actions.

"What is it?" I sigh.

"We can go around patrolling to find her?" He suggests.

It is a good idea. We will have a better chance of finding her.

"Ok. Damien, you can go with Ethan. Zander goes with Connor. And Rea and Bee go together. All go in different areas," I reply to him, rubbing my temples.

With that, he nods and leaves the room, closing the door gently behind him.

I have to find her. She's already been through so much. I want to protect her. But I can't protect her if she isn't even here.

Fuck.

***************************************************************

Temperance

A heavyweight hangs over me as I stand in front of the house I've lived in for the last few years. The grass is overgrown and the house itself looks unkept. I step towards the cracked window, wiping the dust off the glass with my fingers.

I look inside through the newly wiped area, thankful that I don't see my father.

I walk to the dirty, cracked window and looked inside. There is no one home. No one at the house I grew up in.

I look on the ground for something to break the window with. I lay my eyes on a rock. I pick it up and wrap my scraped fingers around it.

Next thing I know. The window is shattering, and glass is flying inside of the house. There are still glass shards poking out.

I hit most of the glass shards off as I climb awkwardly through the window.

I roll onto the ground and look around. There is still a blood stain from where I was shot.

I shiver. This is the house I was beaten in. This is the house with all the bad memories.

"Temperance?" Bee and Rea stand behind me. I turn around, thinning my lips out. Their faces have a hint of relief plastered. They were probably scared Alec would kill them if they don't find me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask them suspiciously, contemplating on if I should dart away or follow them in shame.

"Looking for you."

It is obvious. I've been gone for days. I walk towards the kitchen and open a drawer revealing a match. I hand the match to Rea without saying a single word.

Their faces shift to confusion, wondering why the hell I just handed them a match. One match.

I step into the garage and grab the gasoline.

I carry it back in and heave it up, pouring the liquid on the furniture.

"What are you doing?" Rea almost yells, lurching to grab me. Just in time, Bee stops her, keeping her from taking the gasoline away from me.

"Burning it down," Bee answers for me.

"No, don't!" She continues to try to grab the gasoline from me. My shoes are already soaked in the gas, leaving a strong stinging sensation on my open wounds.

"I have to do this!" I yank it away from her.

I finish pouring the gasoline and take the match. I shoo the girls outside to wait for me.

"This is not my house. It was just a place I slept in. I didn't live here. I just survived. I barely survived. Now you're going to burn down with all the memories."

I carefully light the match then I flick it across the room. As soon as the floor lit with the blazing fire, I sprint out of there, closing the door behind me.

It only takes a few minutes for the house to erupt in dangerous flames. Everything inside turns to ashes. I take off my heels once more and place them on the sidewalk beside me. Neighbors stand on their porches, whimpering about the commotion.

They are probably afraid that the fire will spread to their property. 

"W-what is going on out here?" One of my neighbors grabs me by my shoulders. I scan his face, I've lived next to him for years yet we don't know each others names.

He looks scruffy and his head is balding. Last time I saw him standing outside was three years ago when his wife was driving off with his kids. He had more hair at that time and he had a clean shave.

Rea yanks him off me and Bee pulls me back. It almost feels like I have bodyguards right now. 

Maybe they do care about me? Althought I know they are doing this more for Alec. Ive talked to Rea more than I've talked to Bee so she could somewhat like me?

I shake my head. I need to get those stupid thoughts out of my head. I'm not like them. I'm not apart of their world. I'm weak when they are strong. They don't need me. The only reason they came for me is for Alec.

As we start hearing sirens come closer my heart speeds up. Although I know it's the fire department I can't shake the thought that the police could be with them.

I would be forced away from Alec and into some stranger's house.

That CAN'T happen.

I look at Rea, fear bleeding out of my facial features. She and Bee exchange a look before looking at me, "Let's go."

With that, we start towards the car, leaving the burning house behind us.
A Thousand Lies
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