Chapter Three - The Discovery

“So what are you? A superhero now?” Maggie’s voice was fuzzy through the cell phone. Or maybe it was the whiskey James has consumed only hours ago. Somehow, the taste of Jamesons satisfied her nerves in ways that merlot never did. She wasn’t even sure where the whiskey came from, it was just there when she needed it.

“What’re you talking about?”

“Cecelia? The woman you stalked and then somehow miraculously burst through the door and saved last night?”

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I was just trying to help.”

“Right place, right time?”

“Yeah, somethin’ like that. How is she?”

“He didn’t break anything… this time. She’s still talking about going back but I think, after a good night’s sleep, I might convince her otherwise.”

“Good. I knew you’d take care of her.”

There’s a long silence, except for the blinding scream of a hangover in James’ head.

“You’re not gonna tell me how you ended up…”

“Maggie, it’s late… or it’s early, I’m not sure which. I’ll call you later, when I’m more myself.”

“Do you know who that is anymore?”

James closed her cell phone.

“No, not really.” She faded into the blackness again.

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James brooded on the porch, watching the city light up below her perch. She had no idea what had brought her to the rescue last night and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to know.

She knew in that moment that her life was never going to be the same.

She twirled the amulet in her fingers, it’s ancient surface not reflecting any light at all, kind of the way she felt since she had returned to life.

On the porch at her feet were the tokens of his affection, the one who had brought her so far down, so deep into the black that she almost gave in. What she wanted to do more than anything was take each item, tie him to a chair and stuff each piece down his throat and watch him choke on it. But she knew that would accomplish nothing. Besides, he’d probably be dead by the time she finished with the second teddy bear and where was the fun in that?

Instead, she carried the pile around back and set it on the edge of the fire pit that someone had so thoughtfully installed another lifetime ago. She had a lovely roaring fire already going, taking the chill off the hillside air. One by one, she took each memento, thinking about what it had meant to her when he gave it to her and the fact that, now, in the glow of the firelight, she could only think of what cheap crap he bought her. Nothing had any value any more.

She watched with detached apathy as each thing went up in smoke. Some merely sizzled and popped, others created their own little fireworks show. None of them touched her.

Now she could only envision putting him on the fire… and that felt just about right.

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