Fire

Chapter 2

The next day, the sun is shining through the window, finally awakening me around 11. I roll over and glance outside. Another hot one. After quickly grabbing a shower, I throw some mousse in my hair to let the red curls free. Some mascara and Chapstick finish the look. Locking up the house, I jump on my bike to head to town.

My legs are pumping along to the rhythm of the music as I turn toward the library. Yes, I’m a bit of a book worm, but it helps me relax and escape. I reach the building in no time. It is in an older brick building. One of the few still standing downtown. Most have been torn down and new buildings have taken their places. The white stone and arches are always a welcome sight.

I’m greeted by the smell of old books as I walk in. Turning toward the fiction section, I look around seeing familiar faces. I nod as I briskly walk to those who aren’t nose deep in their choice of book. Scanning the shelves, I wait for something to catch my eye. It’s been a while since I have taken the time to check something out to read, and there’s a lot of new books that have been added. I skim a few covers, reading the back, when a thick blue book catches my eye.

I glance at the isle marker, seeing that I’ve crossed over into historical fiction. Not normally my cup of tea, but this is the only thing that has grabbed my attention. The cover gives nothing away, but the weight of the book has me intrigued. Flipping through the pages, there are some illustrations, dark and gloomy depictions of beasts and creatures. A map is listed just after the index, and it appears to be of this town. I immediately made up my mind and check it out. I guess this was my first mistake of many.

Placing my things in the basket of the bike, I head back home. Once inside, I make my way to the couch, anxious to start this journey.

31st July 1804

I am very sick and have been for some time but have recovered my health again. These travels have been torturous with this severe pain in my abdomen. But alas, it appears I have regained my strength and may continue this journey with my companions. We laid camp last night, and I was hearing the sounds again. Beasts roaming the lands. Our guide said to worry naught, or just what was translated to us. I was spelled again after dinner. I feared it would be my last night. Daylight broke over the hills and awakened me from my slumber. I’m alive and I’m well. My imagination may have gotten the better of me. I will write at more at the next stop. He says we need to keep moving.

6th August 1804

I cannot make it farther. My insides feel as they are ripping me apart. I don’t have much time left, but he says we cannot stay in one spot too long. The natives do not like our presence. I know he does not fear the sounds in the night as I. The beasts devouring me would be welcome compared the battle inside me. Lewis states I have digestion issues from our scarce diet, but I know there’s more to this. My body seems to be rejecting anything of substance that it is provided. He’s given me many of his concoctions and nothing is working. It takes great effort for me to record this journey while this internal war rages.

18th August 1804

We are traveling along the river. The journey has had many stops over the last few days, due to my illness. I don’t have the energy to continue, but they cannot just leave me in native territory. The correspondence with them is already fragile. Today is Lewis’s birthday. I am trying not to damper this any more than I am. I do not have the energy to carry my own burdens anymore. They’ve done all they could for me. I fear it shall not be long now.

Charles Floyd died August 20th, 1804 from what is now believed to be a burst appendix. The team buried him along the Missouri River. They resumed their travels after the burial. It is believed that while he may have died, he was also given a new life.

Through the years, there have been reported sightings of Sergeant Floyd near Floyd’s Bluff. Many state that there is a glimmer of evil in his gaze. There have been many disappearances in the area, no traces found.

Placing the book down on the stand, I stretch and think of what I’ve just read. This is obviously fiction, but there’s an urge to visit the monument. I’ve been by it many times, driving the interstate gives you a clear view of the tall structure. I make a mental note to stop the next time I’m on that side of town.

Glancing at the clock, it’s nearing four. I rush to get ready and head out for my next shift. My Uber pulls up and I’m shuttled off for my next shift.

I feel eyes on me. I can’t shake the feeling. I have goosebumps, and not in the good way. I don’t understand why I’m so anxious. There’s no way they could have found me, I made sure of that. After dropping yet another beer bottle on the ground, I walk out to take a breather.

“Em, what has got you acting like a noob?” Ciara asks coming up from behind me.

“I’m fine, I just needed a smoke” I say while taking a long drag. She gives me a look of pity. Broken people always find each other. I don’t know her flavor and she doesn’t know mine, but like always finds like.

She places a hand on my shoulder, dropping her voice, “I’m always here if you need to talk. About anything.”

She looks deep in my eyes. I feel ashamed and look away. “Thanks Ciara. I’ll keep it in mind. I’ll be back in in a few.”

“Take your time. It’s not too busy right now, and Eric seems worried too. We got you” she says sauntering off. Great. I hate showing any weakness, and now Eric is picking up my slack.

I finish my cigarette and turn to walk back in when I bump into someone. “I’m so sorry!” I shout flustered.

“It’s my fault. I couldn’t help but notice you. This isn’t any time for a woman to be out by herself.” His green eyes locking on mine.

My anxiety spiked higher, if that was even possible. I moved to go around him as he grabbed my wrist. I moved to punch him, but he anticipated the movement, grabbing my other hand.

“You are really going to regret this” my voice coming across more confident than I feel in this moment.

He starts to chuckle, throwing me off. My reflection staring back at me from his eyes. It’s like my body shut down. My struggle stopped as he drew nearer. Taking in a deep breath he responds, “No my dear, I believe I will not regret this. In fact, I believe this will be the first of many. If there will be any regret, it would be that you will not remember our first encounter.”

I felt my eyelids close and my body become relaxed. I felt his breath on my neck and him help to support my now limp body against the wall. My anxiety melted away to something else. I’m not sure exactly what I was feeling, but I knew something wasn’t right. His lips moved along the side of neck, trailing from my earlobe toward the crook. I felt him bite then suck on my neck, and within a few seconds, I only felt pleasure. A moan escaped my mouth. I heard it but I couldn’t believe what was going on.

My body took on a mind of its own. I have no control of anything, but my hand found its way into his hair, holding him onto me as I started to grind onto his bulge. He didn’t reciprocate the movements, but he didn’t stop me either. As I started to whimper, trying to beg for more, I started to drift off. He pulled back from my neck, and slowly took me in his arms.

“Help someone! I found her in the parking lot, and she seems to be out of it” I hear him say. Everything sounds muffled at this point. I try to open my eyes to see what is happening, but I failed miserably.

“Hurry I’ll take her to my office” Eric responds, and I feel myself being transferred to what I assume are his arms.

“What happened?” Ciara is yelling once in the office. I’m trying to so hard to be heard, but all that escapes my mouth is a mumble.

“I don’t know what happened, I just found her leaning against the building and brought her in. She’s wearing a bar shirt, so I assumed she is one of yours” he says. He holds just enough concern in his voice to make his act believable.

“Ciara go watch the footage from the alleyway. Thank you… I’m sorry, I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Flynn” he states simply.

“There’s no footage Eric. It looks like the cameras haven’t recorded anything since just after our shift started.”

“f*****g aye. I’ve said numerous times to make weekly checks. We can’t run this bar without those cameras!” I hear something hit the wall.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Flynn asks quietly.

“No, I think you should go, we’ve got it from here.” Eric states and a door closes a few seconds later.

I feel Ciara moving my limbs around on the cot to make me more comfortable. She moves my head and gasps.

“She’s supposed to be protected being employed here. We need to figure out who did this.”

“God damnit!” More sounds hitting the wall. “He’s going to kill me. He’s going to f*****g kill me Ciara.”

“We need to figure out who did this first. We just keep this between us, and we will talk to her when she comes to. You have to trust me.” She pleads “calm down please.” I feel a cold compress being held to my neck.

“You’re right. Whoever dared do this has another thing coming. Has she mentioned dating anyone or doing anything different lately?” He questioned Ciara.

“No, but I don’t know if she would speak about that with me either. We hang out sometimes before work, or text back and forth, but she’s not an open person. She’s not very forthcoming with any information.”

“Her background came back as a fake name. She’s human, so I don’t think she knows anything about us or them. I never confronted her on anything, cause it’s obvious she’s running from something. We need to find out more about her, without scaring her off. Dean has requested her face be run through facial recognition to see what we can find out. I talked him out of it, but you know how he is.”

I hate that they are talking about me, right in front of me, and there is nothing I can do. I need to escape my next chance I get. It was a bad idea staying this long, but something was keeping me here. It’s too late now to try figure out what it was. I’m having issues keeping consciousness with the frequent breaks in their conversation.

“Tracy and Todd are here to take over the back bar, they’re filled in on the situation.” Ciara states. “I’ve sent Reagan out to see if he can find any trace on who it may have been, and Logan is on his way to check on her.”

Darkness finally welcomes me.