Watching Over The Watcher

Chapter 2-2

Selene jumped at the sudden contact, and then relaxed, allowing his fingers to lace through hers. Holding hands is such a normal thing to do, but I never thought anyone would allow it. Not once they know what I can do. Who would have imagined, when I offered to help Maggie move, that my day would end like this? Finally, for the first time, I'm someone's girlfriend. No, not just someone's—Brandon's. How could such a perfect moment come to someone like me?

Brandon's thoughts poured into her, filled with hope. Maybe this will work out. Maybe I won’t be alone all the time anymore. Maybe I can finally…

A fire engine shrieked behind them and Brandon thoughtfully pulled over, leaving room for the massive truck to slide past them. A few moments later another followed.

“Goodness,” Selene commented, “there must be quite a fire burning somewhere.”

Brandon nodded. He released her hand to grip the wheel.

As they approached Selene's neighborhood, the screaming of sirens and shouting of male voices penetrated the cab of the truck. Selene's heart began to beat faster. Fire engines blocked the street in front of her house. A hellish glow lit the tiny structure. Brandon pulled over a few houses down, and Selene scrambled out of the cab with shaking hands and trembling knees. Brandon followed.

She stopped dead and stared in dumb amazement at the scene of desolation before her. Through the bay window to the left of the door, she could see orange and yellow flames greedily devouring her flowered sofa. Her breath caught as the curtains flared and then fell. Smoke belched from the edges of her garage door.

Oh no! The cats! Suddenly able to move, she advanced in rapid, uneven steps.

A uniformed police officer with a mop of curly brown hair blocked her path. “Stay back, ma'am,” he told her brusquely, his eyes on the scene.

“Tony…” her voice wavered, almost inaudible in the din.

The cop looked at her sharply. “Selene? What are you doing here?”

She tried to speak, but her tight, tear-clogged throat prevented sound from escaping. She whimpered and tried again. This time, the words, “…my house…” carried through the commotion.

“Shit.” The officer's gruff expression twisted into one of nauseous sympathy.

She tried to rush past him, but he moved in front of her. “You can't,” he told her gruffly, gripping her upper arm, careful to keep his hand on her sleeve. “It's a total loss.”

“No!” she cried. “Sammy and Margot are in there!”

She tried to pass him again, but Brandon grabbed her from behind. She fought him, desperate to get into the house, but he held her tight.

“Did she say there are people inside?” Tony asked Brandon. She heard the words, but dimly, as though the smoke of the fire affected her ears, not just her eyes.

“No,” she heard Brandon tell the officer grimly as she turned in his arms and began to sob, “her cats.”

With her face hidden against Brandon's chest, she could barely make out the crackle of a radio. “There are no people inside,” Tony shouted. “I repeat; the owner is not inside. Get your asses out of there.”

Selene clung to Brandon as she wept. My home, all my earthly possessions, clothing, car—even my pets—will soon be reduced to ashes, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.

“Ma'am,” a hoarse voice broke through Selene's misery. She looked up, unconcerned with the tears streaming down her face. A filthy, soot-covered man in a flame-retardant coat stood in front of her. “I'm real sorry about your home,” the firefighter said. Then he opened his coat and handed her an ashy bundle of gray fur. “Your big kitty didn't make it,” he added in a gentle, gravelly voice, “but I think this little fella is going to be all right.”

“Sammy!” Selene exclaimed, burying her face in his filthy gray fur. The kitten stared at her, the manic spark he usually had in his blue-gray eyes had gone blank, as though in shock. Letting out a tremendous sneeze, he dug his tiny, needle-like claws furiously into her shirt.

Brandon's arm remained around Selene, and he pressed gently against her shoulders, leading her away from the remains of her home. He lowered the tailgate of his truck and lifted her inside. She sat, dazed, cradling her cat against her shoulder with one arm as helpless tears streamed down her cheeks. Brandon sat beside her, his arm around her shoulders, stroking her cheek soothingly.

“Selene.” She looked up to see that Tony had walked over to her.

Brandon tightened his grip protectively. His hand remained firmly pressed against her cheek, sending a wordless but comforting sensation directly into her.

Tony stared at them, jaw sagging slightly. Then he shuddered and cleared his throat. “I need to ask you some questions.”

“Can't you see she's in shock?” Brandon scolded the officer. His voice, to her overwrought ears, sounded as though it came from inside a tunnel. “She's in no condition to talk right now.”

“She should come down to the station,” the policeman said firmly. “We can take care of her there.”

“There's no need,” Brandon replied. “She can stay with me until we straighten everything out.” He slipped his hand into hers and sent images of warm hugs and safety to her overwrought mind.

“Who are you?” Tony asked belligerently, gawking at their joined hands.

“Brandon Price,” he introduced himself inattentively. His attention remained on her, not the policemen.

Selene fought her way up out of the fog as best she could. I have to try and explain to Tony. I can't let him be aggressive with Brandon. Her lips felt numb, but she reached out her hand. Tony flinched and dodged away. Then he frowned, steeled himself visibly, and went still. She laid her fingers on his shirtsleeve and forced herself to speak. “Brand is a friend,” she told him softly.

“All right then,” he grumbled, but she could hear that his tone had softened. “We'll need you to come down to the station as soon as possible and answer some questions. This fire was no accident.” He turned to Brandon. “There's nothing the two of you can do but get in the way. Can you get her out of here?”

Brandon nodded. He helped Selene down from the bed of the truck and loaded her into the cab, fastening her seatbelt when her trembling fingers refused to perform the task. Silently, he drove her back to his house.