Deadly Eternities

CH4: Oxygen's Flamable

     OXYGEN’S FLAMABLE || 04

    My entire body buzzed with what felt like pure energy as I sat the red stained glass down on the counter. I licked my lips greedily, unwillingly to leave even a single drop of the heavenly substance. It wasn’t as good as Jamie’s, but it was a lot quieter and far less perky-- so I was all good with the cooler temperature. I sat the glass in the dishwasher besides our dinner plates and turned it onto the quickest cycle. With Cole’s rigorous training regime, I was finally managing to mask long enough to eat human food again. And damn, even vegetables are good after nearly three weeks of no food.

    I vaulted myself over the back of the sofa and landed beside Cole with a large grin plastered on my face. He rolled his eyes and looked back at television where a monotonous news reader was drawling, “—nd in tonight’s headlines; the Giants have made another surprising win against the New England Patriots, 61-47; Ian Redding has been released on three month bail as decided by the High Court earlier today; teenage girl, Braelyn Vincent is still missing, police are now suspecting homicide although the body remains unfound; mortgage rates are on the rise--”

    I grabbed the remote and pressed pause, cutting off the man in midsentence. “They . . . they think I’m dead.” I spoke slowly and wrapped my arms around my body as the shock of what I’d just heard began to sink in, “I’m surprised they even noticed, quite frankly.”

    “You knew this was going to happen, Brae.” Cole reasoned. He pulled me into a hug, “I know it’s hard . . . but maybe it’s for the best? They would have realized anyway, you’re their daughter; you’ve been missing for over three weeks. This would have happened by now, just only difference is that you’re not dead . . . so you can see the realization.” He stopped to take a deep breath before continuing, “I attended my own memorial, Brae. I know how hard it is.”

    I looked him in the eye, “I was quite certain I’d miss mine when I jumped off that building.”

    “And I was pretty sure I’d miss mine when my plane was shot down.”

    I sighed, “Guess we’re just very unlucky.” I leant into his chest; he gently patted my hair down and picked up the remote from beside my feet. The television speedup for a few seconds until he pressed it again as a very familiar looking photograph filled the screen. It was taken at last year’s prom, and was probably the most beautiful I’d ever looked in my life. My usually stick straight pale brown hair, was in curls to my shoulder blades. The ivory dress that our old neighbor had leant me made my eyes look darker-- and a little mysterious even. It looked so foreign though at the same time, as if it had been taken in a previous life time. And technically it had been. The one thing that was the most recognizable—maybe not for everyone else, but it definitely was the easiest feature for me to find; my smile, I saw the same one in the mirror every morning. It was strained and very, very fake.

    “Is that meant to be a smile . . . or a grimace?” Cole snorted, as he stared at the paused photograph.

    He then pressed play and the monotonous news reader was droning once more. “Police were notified of the seventeen year old girl’s disappearance nearly two weeks ago, and still have no leads on her whereabouts. This evening police have released new evidence that is leading them to suspect a homicide. Kelly Former is live at the Vincent household; over to Kelly.”

    A young blonde woman with a microphone tucked behind her ear stood in front of my parent’s dining table. My mother and father were behind her with their arms around each other. Mom’s eyelash barren eyes were puffy and blood shot from crying. I wanted to step through the television and hug her, tell her that it’s okay . . . unfortunately though, I couldn’t. So I just sat and watched as they began the segment.