Dysphoria

Agape

We cried until we couldn't any longer, and then we slept. The truck door opened. A firefighter, the house was no longer in flames. But rather was a shell of the family home that used to stand there.. I lifted my head from the dash, Pete and the man didn't say much. They both just bowed their heads silently. My body felt weak and my head pounded. I longed to lay in my own bed but I couldn't bring myself to leave Pete like this.

"Do we..Talk it through now? Or do we wait?" I couldn't help but search for the answer through Pete."I failed boy"

"You failed what?"

"My one job is to keep the people of this town safe"

"Pete.."

"I've lost Brea. The entire Davis family, Mr. Miller, And now I've lost myself"

"Well.." I cleared my throat uncomfortably, I wasn't sure what exactly to say. I wasn't used to sensitive talks like this. So I spoke about the only thing I could think about, Brea.

"Poppy was going to help me find her, she wanted to help"

"She always wanted to help" he forced a smiled.

"Yes..she did"

The door opened again. I looked over to see Ruth. Her hands were covered in ash, as if she had tried to dig something or someone out from the rubble. "Ruth" I said. My voice was still breaking from the emotional outpour before. "Ben" she responded. Her eyes had tears, this was a familiar sight lately. For a moment we both stared at one another, and through a silent agreement we set aside our differences and the tiff we had.

I got out of the car and held the door open. "Get in, it's cold outside." She smiled at me softly and got in beside Pete, where I sat before. I watched them exchanged a sympathetic nod to one another. I shut the door and began walking home. There was no use in staying to stare at the tragedy any longer. And yet it seemed everywhere I turned was a new tragedy in EastLow. I was fine leaving Pete now knowing Ruth was with him. I was almost home free when I heard speaking.

"Well if it isn't Benny Newman" a voice spoke cheerfully. I turned to face the voice, I was surprised to see Mrs.Miller standing there. Her luggage beside her.

"You are a sight for sore eyes" she smiled. I stood frozen still, she had been gone for a long while. And with every second I stood silent, I thought of all the photos of Ruth, Mr. Miller laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, and then Poppy...How long had she been back? Could she have been responsible? My mind raced.

"Benny?" she waved her hand gently. Motioning me back into reality, or rather hell. I couldn't move, surely I wasn't...afraid. Was I..?

"Hello Mrs. Miller" I spoke, the fear creeping up my neck like a snake. She sniffed the air

"It smells like smoke. Good heavens it's powerful"

I clenched my jaw, I had to tread lightly. If she was really the ring leader of all these events, who knows where her mind was right this very moment. "Yes" I nodded. She took a few steps closer to me.

"I know I've been gone a while but everyone's acting rather grim"

"More than usual" I added.

"Yes definitely" she huffed. We stood in silence for a while, "I heard about Poppy" she lowered her head. "A real shame, a lot of bad things happen to good people"

"Yes." I put my hands in my pockets.

"I suppose that's probably the source of everyone's. uninviting attitudes"