Arsonist's Lullabye

Chapter Seven: A New Day

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A New Day

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The house burned with rage as the flames grew brighter and brighter. The sun seemed to beam down on the house like it was butter melting away. I never imagined lighting a fire in broad daylight as I stood there wondering what Amber was thinking before she died. I knew Amber started those fires before Grandma urged her to move away to the city with "Bradley" her dumb boyfriend. I knew she was damaged from all the lies and secrets that my Grandmother covered up for her. I don't really feel like I need to justify my reasons for killing them, I just knew they were evil and had to be stopped. I had to get justice for my father's death, Even if he had accidentally killed Amber's mother. That was an accident, This being covered up was intentional. The house finally was completely engulfed with flames now, Burning everything and everyone inside. I walked slowly past the garden and headed towards my beloved Townhouse.

I could hear the faint noise of a firetruck as I began to jog to my front door. I swung the front door open and immediately remembered my freezer in the garage. This wasn't the plan I had previously made for Amber, She messed everything up! I quickly slammed the garage door open and headed to the old white freezer and opened the lid, I popped my head inside with a grim grin, I said: "Hello Miles". Miles was getting too close to me these past few months and I needed to do something. I reported him missing and the police believed the lousy lie and never bothered me again. I told them my father struggled with my mother's death every day and that was all they needed as they left my house drinking their hot coffee. I felt bad for killing Miles, But nothing was going to stop me from "The plan". I knew I had to move his body, I had to do it quickly before the police came back around asking questions. I won't go into details about moving Miles body as it was pretty gruesome. I managed to put his wrapped body into the back of my old Red Oldsmobile. I could hear the commotion down the street and prayed no one was watching me move a dead body into the trunk of my car. The big Oak Tree in the front yard sheltered the driveway and made it easy for me to be conspicuous. I quickly remembered the first time I saw this house and how happy Miles was about finding it. I felt sad, I felt abandoned now. I was the only one left. "I lost everyone today", I thought as I slammed the trunk door down.

The trunk made a loud grinding sound as it locked into place. I got into the car and felt as if Miles was watching me from the trunk. I pulled out of the driveway and headed down the obnoxious road. I could see people crying in the street, Holding each other very close with a look of concern on their faces. The fire truck was parked as close to the house as it could be. I watched out the window as I drove slowly past the flaming hot mess that I previously created. I felt empowered as I drove out of the neighborhood and onto the highway road. I stopped at a nearby store and bought some supplies, A shovel mainly. I buried his body where we enjoyed swimming, fishing, and camping. "Goodbye Miles," I said to myself as I climbed back into my car and headed home. The drive seemed longer heading back. "Was I ready to face this world alone?" I thought as I turned on the radio and listened, The song wasn't very important as I could barely concentrate on anything as I made my way back home. The evening sky turned reddish-brown as I turned into my neighborhood. Everything was empty as if nothing had happened earlier that day. I looked at the burnt house as my car passed the crime scene and roared down the empty street. I settled in and decided to get a shower and some rest. After showering I threw my clothing into the washer and started it, Everything was disgustingly dirty and bloody. I could see mud shoved under my fingernails still as I headed to my bedroom and hit the bed. I fell asleep quickly as I knew I would. I woke up to the door pounding, I knew who it was. I gathered my evidence of letters and shoved them into the front pocket of my jacket. You know the letters that expose all the incriminating evidence that I needed to show the police as to why my cousin Amber started all those fires around town. The real reasons she pushed our grandmother down the stairs and killed herself. I headed downstairs towards the front door and it's annoying pounding sound.

I flung the door open and my neighbor Josh lifts his head up and grins. "What do you want Josh?" I say to him in a cold stern voice. "Oh nothing much," He says as he pushes his way into the townhome. I let out a sigh and turned and shut the door as we both stood there in the entryway looking at each other in silence. "I know what you did", Josh declares to the open room. "What did I do?" I responded in an annoying tone of voice. "You killed Miles", Josh said as he stepped closer towards me. My face seemed to flush and I could feel it getting warmer, I stepped closer towards him. "You don't know shit" I blurted out to my annoying young neighbor. "I broke into your house the other day to steal money," Josh said as he smiled. "I also was very stoned and needed some munchies so I thought I would look in your freez-"... I quickly cut him off and grabbed his forearm twisting it back strongly with force. "What do you want... Josh?" I said gripping my hands tighter around his forearm. I knew he was blackmailing me and I sensed he wanted something in return. "Ok, Ok," He said as I released my hold on him. "I just thought you could do me a little favor," Josh said as he stepped away from me and my deathly grip. "What favor," I said calmly keeping my eyes on him as he moved away from me. "Maybe you could buy me some beer and give me five hundred bucks for weed?" Was he serious right now, He just found my father's body in the garage, Inside a frozen white freezer. I looked at him and said "Yeah sure," "How do I know you will keep your mouth shut?". Josh smiled and said, "Because I also need you to kill my father too!" We argued for a moment and I came to terms with having to deal with this fresh dangerous situation. We made an agreement to meet up tomorrow night to discuss our newly disastrous unstable plan. I shoveled him out my front door and slammed it quickly and let out a huge moan. I was in over my head on "this one" I thought as I looked at my cat Harold coming down the stairs. My cat let out a meow as the ringer to my house phone blared out from the kitchen. The noise seemed to echo off the empty walls as I hurried to retrieve the annoying phone. I lifted the phone off the plastic base and said, "Hello?" It was someone from the police station talking to me about the fire and my Grandmother. I stood there nodding my head as I listened to the lady on the other end. She wanted me to come down to the police station tomorrow, She said bye quickly and I hung up the phone. "This seems ok", I thought to myself as I walked into the living room. I gently picked up my cat Harold and headed up the stairs. What was I going to do with Josh and all of his bullshit I thought as I laid down on my bed. I found the remote and turned the television on and listened as the news reporter talked about the mysterious fire that killed my beloved family members. The news reporter went over leads and evidence and I was sure there was nothing that tied the fire back to me. As soon as I thought I was in the clear the news reporter blurts out that the only lead they have is a neighbor from across the street saw a young boy by the bushes a little bit before the fire broke out. I sat up quickly and threw the remote angrily across the room towards the television and yelled out "Fucking Josh!"