Before We Say Goodbye

Chapter Four: All Because of Tingo

Chapter Four - Damon

Wait. What the hell am I doing?! I’m telling a complete stranger my story? Why the hell would I do that?

“Um…it was about a year ago –” I begin, unable to control my mouth.

No!

“Hey, what’s you name, anyway?” I ask.

“Sophie,” the girl replies.

I scan her. Dark blonde hair, green eyes, fairly short. But pretty. Paul would totally make me go for her.

“I’m Damon,” I say.

An awkward silence follows. I stick out my hand.

No can do, apparently. She stares at it like she’s never seen a hand before. “What?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter,” she says quickly.

Irritation flares up inside of me. “I hate it when people do that,” I mutter.

“Do what?”

“Y’know. Just cut themselves off.”

The girl – Sophie – narrows her eyes suddenly. “Quit stalling,” she orders.

I glare back at her. “It’s my life. If I don’t want to tell you about it, suck it up.”

“We made a deal. I told you why I was here, you have to tell me what happened to you.”

Is it me, or does she avoid my eyes as she says this? Nah, I must’ve imagined it.

“Fine,” I sigh. Something about her trusting eyes makes me want to open up. I don’t know why. I never want to open up. Maybe it’s because she’s speaking to me…properly. Not like I’m a useless, fragile freak of nature, but like I’m a person. But still, I need to watch myself around this girl. I don’t like to share too much with other people. They tend to use it against you. “But let’s go somewhere else. I hate the hospital.”

Sophie looks relieved. “Yeah, me too. I was going to suggest it myself.”

I nod. “Shift, then.”

She scowls. “No need for rudeness.”

I’m hungry. I think I’ll get a muffin before we go. “Hang on a sec,” I say to Sophie.

She smiles. “Sure.”

I grab a muffin and pay the money. “Thanks,” I say, hurrying back to Sophie. “Let’s go, midget.”

*

I’m not telling her.

Yes I am.

No way in hell am I telling her.

I should just let it all out.

I will tell her…when hell freezes over.

I’ll feel better.

Ten times in a row.

Just do it already!

And then it’s pouring out of my mouth like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m losing myself in the memory, and I can’t stop, and it’s going on and on and on and on and on and

Burning.

That’s all I can think as I smell the smoke in the air. Burning. Something’s burning. I stare at the screen in front of me, not understanding the point of this show. It’s not even funny.

“Can you smell that?” Dad asks, sniffing.

Paul mutes the telly and takes a deep sniff. “Smell what?” he asks.

“Burning,” Dad says, worry clear in his eyes.

Mum looks at him, hugging Maddie to her. “What?”

“It’s probably nothing,” he says soothingly. Mum has a phobia of flames. Her granddad died in a fire, so she’s paranoid about fire now.

Bit stupid, really. It’s not like we have open fires anymore.

Suddenly a screeching fills the air. Maddie screams in shock, falling off Mum’s lap.

Paul and Dad spring to their feet, while Mum sits, frozen.

“Don’t worry,” Dad says loudly, trying to speak over the fire alarm. “It’s just a jump, trust me. But why not take Maddie into the garden?”

Silence.

And then suddenly, my body jumps into gear.

I grab Maddie by the wrist and drag her to the sliding doors at the back of the living room. I fumble with the key, trying to open it.

Oh God.

I’ve never been so scared before.

Shit, shit, shit, I can’t hear over the pounding of my heart.

Dad’s yelling something from the living room door.

Shit, it won’t open.

Come on, come on, come –

Paul shoves me out of the way, and with one flick of his wrist the door is open.

Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!

Mum is still frozen. Dad is pushing me and Paul and Maddie out of the living room.

Once we’re out in the cool night air, he goes back in for Mum. That’s when I see the flames in through the kitchen window.

I feel so numb, just watching as the flames eat my house, my home, the place I grew up, the place I spend all my time in.

Holy shit.

And then I remember Tingo.

“Tingo!” I yell, running back into the house.

Mum screams, hurting my ears.

“Damon! Get back here!”

Dad follows me in, but nothing will stop me. I can’t leave Tingo behind.

I hurry up the stairs, hissing as the heat of the fire burns my face.

“Ow,” I hiss.

I take the stairs two at a time, closely followed by orange flames.

Oh, snap.

I feel the heat near me, but then I remember something I read once.

It’s not the flames that kill you, it’s the smoke.

I drop to my knees, and crawl across the upstairs landing to my bedroom.

Tingo squawks loudly. I stand up, slam the door shut behind me and run to his cage. He flaps his wings and squawks again.

“Shhh, shhh,” I coo soothingly.

Drop and roll, my survive instincts scream.

I can feel the heat yet again, but this time I’ve got nowhere to run…

Nowhere to run…

Nowhere at all…

Because you can run, but you can never hide…