Page 71 of Burn Me Down

“An unmarked cop car is parked out front, so they are definitely monitoring the building. This is safer. We’ll figure out what to do about your apartment. If you don’t want to sell, you can sub-lease.”

Beck reached the ladder, and I could see the horror in her eyes. “Trust me, this is the safest part. Just get on and grip the sides. I’ll ease you down.”

“For the record, I hate heights,” she said as she stepped on the ladder, her legs shaking.”

“I’ve got you. I will never let you fall,” I said, and Beck smiled.

“I know,” she said and leaned over to give me a quick kiss.

If this world had taught me anything, it was that the tide that leaves the shore must always return. I needed to take care of this shit with Adam if I ever wanted to have a future with Beck, or the fear of when and where would be hanging over us forever. I needed to get to him before the tide returned.

My arms were wrapped around Beck, holding her tight to me as she slept. We’d been at it since we walked in the door, and after two hours, she passed out, but my mind wouldn’t stop. Over and over again, I replayed the night of my escape and the decision to walk down the corridor to release Adam. I knew what I was doing, and it seemed harmless at the time. I would never see him again, and so what if he killed people? I was burning down an entire building with hundreds of people in it.

The memory of the feeling I got in my stomach when I unlocked his door was one that I would never forget. My gut told me to let him burn with the rest, to let him pay for his sins with the same fire as everyone else, but I hadn’t listened.

Did fate already know that I would kill his son? Did fate realize that by setting Adam free, I would set free the monster to haunt my dreams?

Anger was sitting like a ball in the center of my chest. It was so hot that my arm tightened on Beck. No matter how many times I tried to tell myself that it would be hard to find me, I could feel Adam closing in. I could sense him pressing in on me as surely as I felt Beck’s hair lying across my chest and her hand on my heart.

I hadn’t listened to my gut before, and I would never do that again. Adam was coming. Closing in on me, and if he came for Beck…if he hurt her…then the world had better be prepared for hell on earth because the darkness that had been quiet was stirring and ready.

Not even the devil could burn the world like I could.

Derek

Kicking open the metal door, I ran into the dark hallway, stopping only to listen for sounds of which way to go. I whipped my head toward the maniacal laughter and took off running—so many doors. I slowed to glance into each one, snarling at the familiar faces inside, but none of them were Adam and Beck.

“You’ll never save her,” Adam said, his voice echoing through the hallway.

“Show yourself,” I yelled but was only met with more laughter.

I raced for the open door on the left, skidding to a halt, when I found Marylynn sitting on a bed with her hand down her pants.

“Hey there handsome, want to join me?”

Pushing away from the doorway, I took off full speed again and ignored the yells from Marylynn to come back. The end of the hallway was fast approaching as I closed in on Adam’s voice. Rounding the corner, I came face to face with Jim, Dave, and Jason.

“Get out of my way,” I growled at the three orderlies.

The dark grey walls suddenly turned a stark white while the lights glowed so bright that I had to cover my eyes from the glare.

“You belong in a cage,” Dave said, cracking his fists as he took a step closer.

“No, he should die,” Jim said, his voice making my muscles tense as I readied for the fight.

“We should do to him what he did to us,” Jason added, pointing at me.

Jim pulled a roll of fishing wire from his pocket and stretched it out wide. “I am going to have so much fun tying you up and watching you burn,” he said, taking another step forward. “Do you know what it was like to feel my skin burn from my body? I’m going to make sure you never forget.”

“You deserved everything you got,” I said and punched Jim across the face before he could take another step.

“But did I?” Someone screamed, and the three guys stepped out of the way. “Did I deserve to die?” Mark stood in the middle of the hall, his arms open wide as flames licked up his body.

“You tried to shoot me,” I yelled at him.

“You’re a monster. That’s what you are.” I turned around, and Dr. Wallace held out a straight jacket. “Do the right thing, Mr. West. Put the jacket on. Everything will be better once you put the jacket back on. You were never meant to be free. You’re a rabid animal who needs to be put down. You know what I’m saying is true. Do it for everyone you care about because, at some point, you’re going to hurt them. It’s inevitable.”

“No, I’m never putting that on again, and I’m not going back in a cell.”