Adventures of the Cosmic Woman

Chapter Thirty

The front gate sizzled under her hand as Infield pushed it open. From behind her - an enormous smashing sound. Maybe the roof caved in... or something. Infield didn't look back to see. She kept her eyes on the street outside. The clouds of smoke were pale and ghostly in the early morning twilight.

People were again gathered in the street – pajamas, tee shirts and shorts - watching the hopeless mother whose child was dead. Infield scowled at them. Kept coming. They retreated backwards all at once. A man on the nature strip on the far side of the service road backed onto the main road - jumped as a car just missed him. Infield prowled forward. Reached the letterbox and they scattered. Ran off toward the footpath. Across the main road where others gathered on the far service road and watch. Thinking they were a safe distance...?

They all hate me... all hated Mahlia because of me... all hated Mahlia because of who she was... all know who did this to her... maybe saw it... maybe heard it... did nothing... do nothing now...

Infield reached the service road as the firetrucks sped up the service roads. Code 1. Three of them. They pulled up in a row outside Mahlia's house and the firefighters spilled out of the cabins. Bowled out their hoses. Connected them together and to the truck outlets. Got jets of water out onto the sides of the houses that flanked Mahlia's. Some got their breathing apparatuses on - no hurry. Nobody needed rescue in there. That was obvious. They saw Infield but didn't approach. They knew who she was. They knew this apparition with blackened and liquified remains of clothes streaked across her unharmed body had been in that fire and walked out of it. They knew to keep their distance.

People kept watching.

Infield stopped at the nature stip. She turned and took in the watchers across the road, the waters passing in their cars, the watchers that clustered around the footpath and kept the space of a house between themselves and the fire or Infield. Firefighters even ushered them back further.

She's too dangerous to be held. Death penalty!

I'd literally like to see her raped to death. Raped. Until. Dead.

They should smash her Lefty brains out!

'Doctor Infield,' the voice of Madison called through the thickening smoke. He approached. There was his car, two houses down. 'Is Eric with you?'

... thought he could charm you...

Madison approached slowly. Stopped still on the service road. Licked his lips.

'Where is Eric?' he asked.

'Why'd you send him in there alone?' Infield asked. Her voice was still hoarse. 'You knew what was in there.'

'Where is he?' he demanded.

'I'll show you.'

Infield raised her hand and brought up her shield. Flung it toward him. The yellow energy field spread as it shot forward. Madison was flung backwards and smacked into his car where his legs snapped and cracked and distorted as shards of bone shot out inside his trouser legs. He cried out in pain. Infield walked toward him. She flung another energy pulse at him and bent the frame of his car as his legs dropped off and his body was pressed against it hard enough for blood to gush up out of his mouth. Infield felt every crack of his ribs. A third one knocked the car up onto its nose and it dropped down again. Madison was under it.

The firefighters dropped their hoses. The watchers ran. Disappeared into their houses. Firetrucks peeled away from the curb. Dragged the hoses behind them.