by Bella Drake
“Well guess what Jeremy. You don’t ever have to see me again, so don’t worry your pretty little head, dear. Oh, and speaking of deer... your precious fucking deer heads and that stupid fucking coo-coo clock collection...? Yeah. Gone.”
“What?! What did you do?”
“Oh, they’re fucking gone. I’m burning all your shit.”
“Lucy! Do not touch my things. Don’t touch my clocks.”
“Oh sorry, you prick. Sorry, getting a bad reception.”
“Lucy! You are in violation of our agreement.”
“I’m sorry, you’re breaking up. What was that?”
“Lucy, don’t you dare touch my things. I’m calling my lawyer, you whore.”
“Yeah that’s right Jeremy, I’m the whore. I’m the whore that loved you and took care of you and fucked you and completely lost my own identity for you,” I replied sarcastically. “No, Jeremy. The whore is the one you are fucking now. The whore is the guy in the mirror Jeremy. You are the whore. Not me, not me. You will never see your things, my cabin or me ever again. Oh, and if you come near me or the cabin I'll shoot you with your own gun. Yeah, you know. The one you bought because you're fucking scared of the dark, you pussy.”
I started laughing as Jeremy started yelling his rebuttal to my rant, but I didn’t listen. I was done listening and I was done with this phone call. I hung up. I was breathing hard and shaking with anger. I realized at that moment that I wanted anything and everything in this cabin--my cabin--that was either his or reminded me of him, out. It all had to go and right fucking now. I was joking about burning his shit, but it was like a light bulb idea. It was the best idea I had ever had. I would burn all of it, and right fucking now.
Chapter 7
Matt
I started working on my favorite part of the cabin. Things were going as planned and I was beginning to relax. I felt that this place was my oasis, my safe haven, thanks to Cassie. I was really enjoying the solitude, the lake, and the bonfire.
Last night I had a few too many beers and fell asleep by the fire. It reminded me of the good part of being in the motorcycle club. The annual campout was a blast. I had the pleasure of going on several campouts before I became a prospect. The club would rent an entire campground and build a giant bonfire that would burn all night. Guys would get drunk and bet each other who could jump the fire on their Harleys. No one ever took the bet as no matter how drunk one was, it was obvious you would never make it. It was at one of these campouts that I decided I wanted to join the club. That night I saw a brotherhood, people that you could count on. It wasn’t until later I learned the MC was a business and we were all pawns, expendable to the whims of the higher-ups. The brotherhood I thought was there were a joke and a fucking lie. In reality, unless you were up on the totem pole you were shit.
I know I should have called Jay but I was putting it off. The news wasn’t going to be good, so why bother? It could wait, at least for another day.
I was working on the siding in the front of the cabin when I heard a strange noise. It sounded like a wild animal or some kind of screeching. It seemed to be coming from the other side of the cabin. I grabbed my hammer and ran to the back of the cabin. I stopped and listened, but the sound was gone. What the fuck was that? I thought. I listened and waited for a moment, but it was gone. “Weird.”
I started back when the sound scared the shit out of me again. I jerked around and realized the sound was coming from across the lake. I walked down out onto the dock and to my surprise, I saw a woman. A really mad, screaming woman holding a deer's head over her head that she threw onto what looked like a pile of other taxidermy and deer head. She then turned around and ran back inside the fancy cabin across the lake.
What the fuck? I thought.
I stood holding my hammer as I watched this crazed woman take several trips into the house carrying various items out and placing them on the growing pile while screaming. The only thing I could make out was: “Fucking asshole!”
Is that a coo-coo clock? I thought as she tossed it on the pile.
This was crazy. She was crazy. I started to laugh at the hysterical woman. That was until she saw me. She froze like a deer in headlights in mid-throw, of what looked like another coo-coo clock, when she realized I was watching her. I almost by instinct turned and ran but I felt pretty safe being on the other side of the lake. She stopped what she was doing, looked over at me and ran inside.
What the fuck is going on? This chick is out of her mind, I thought.
I stood watching for a while but she didn’t come back out. She must have thought no one was around and was obviously embarrassed by me seeing her freak out. It was funny, but she seemed really upset and I felt kind of sorry for her without knowing her situation. I went back to work and didn’t hear or see her again that day. I laughed to myself a few times about the image of the screaming lady holding a deer head over her head. You just don’t see that ever.
In the evening I settled into my new routine of building a bonfire and having a few beers out back by the lake. This night to my surprise there was some entertainment. I could see the crazy lady across the lake doing her best to organize the mammoth pile of taxidermy heads, coo-coo clocks and other various items. She’s not planning on burning that is she? No, there’s no way.
Unlike the nights before, the lights of the large cabin were lit and reflected across the lake. I could see her working away like a little ant building something. She never once looked over at me, at least that I noticed. She knew I was here, I was sure of it, as my blazing fire was proof of life. She must have known I was watching her. She disappeared for quite some time and just when I thought she was gone, she appeared carrying a bright red gas can. Oh no, she isn’t. Oh crap.
I have seen several people in my time, including myself when I was fifteen, light a fire with gas and, more often than not, it either got out of control or they managed to light at least some part of themselves on fire. I once lit my pants on fire and had to pull them off and, yes, I was going commando that day. I was the laughing stock of the school. Gasoline was no joke and this lady was about to make a big mistake.
I waited to see what she would do and as my suspicions came true, she proceeded to pour the entirety of what looked like a one-gallon gas can over and around the pile.
Oh shit, no! Don’t! I stood up, but before I could even get the words out of my mouth she raised one of those torch lighters, leaned forward and with a click, she lit it. The gas ignited in a giant plume of fire, exploding into the air. I watched to see where she was and just like I thought, she was running in a circle screaming---trying to kick the fire out that had engulfed half of her leg.
“Oh great!” I said as I ripped my shirt off and kicked my boots off.
I ran as fast as I could toward the lake and onto the deck and like Superman, dove into the lake and started swimming. It was a small lake but at the halfway point my lungs were burning and I could hardly breathe. I could see her now trying to pat out the flames with her hand which only caused it to spread to her sleeve. I stopped and yelled: “Jump in the water!”
As I tried to yell again, I inhaled a bunch of water and began flailing and choking on lake water. I was already extremely gassed from the swim and my lungs full of water weren't helping matters. I tried to swim but I felt like my arms wouldn’t move. My legs were burning and I was gasping and choking uncontrollably. I forgot about the lady and realized I was actually in trouble here. The more I tried to swim the weaker I got. I couldn’t get air. Fuck, I think I’m drowning.
I started to feel light-headed and my body felt tingly all over and weak. All I could do was try to exhale the water from my lungs, but my breath would not come. It was like my airway was swollen shut or something. My vision started to dim and my legs were barely keeping me afloat. Fuck! I thought, not like this. Fuck!
Right when I thought I was literally going to drown, I felt a tug on my arm. Someone was pulling me. I was totally limp and I was barely breath
ing. I had just enough air to be conscious, but barely. After what seemed like forever, I felt my legs hit the bottom of the lake. I was at the shore. The next thing I remember was coughing and vomiting water. It was still difficult to breathe but after hacking for a few minutes, I regained my breathing. I was on my hands and knees, exhausted. I looked up and all I could see was the silhouette of the mad lady and the raging fire behind her.
“Tha… Thanks,” I said, barely able to talk.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I think. I think I’m okay. You saved me.”
“Well sort of,” she said.
“What?”
“Well, I am sure you could see I was having a bit of an issue with being on fire and I jumped in the lake. When I came up I saw you thrashing out there and I figured it was the least I could do, considering you were swimming over to help me.”
“What the hell were you thinking with that gas?” I asked in a hoarse voice.
“Yeah, that stuff is flammable.” She looked down at her burned pant leg.
I started chuckling and my chest hurt. I rolled over onto my back and laughed. “Yeah, gasoline is usually pretty flammable.”
“Well, who knew it would do that?”
“Don’t worry, you’re in good company.”
“Really? You lit yourself on fire too?”
“Yup.”
“Well, good. I don’t feel so stupid now.”
I was able to stand. I still couldn’t see her face and after seeing her from across the lake screaming like a banshee, I expected a crazy bitch.
“Come on, let's get you dried off.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her house.
The bonfire was raging and you could smell the burning hair from the various taxidermies she was burning.
“Just in case, I like my venison medium-rare,” I smiled.
“Very funny.”
My legs were still wobbly so she led me into the house and sat me on a chair. I leaned over and placed my forearms on my knees and breathed deeply, trying to get my oxygen levels up.
“I'll be right back,” she said.
She returned and put a towel in my hand and walked away. I dried off my head and body while I looked around the room.
This place is fucking nice, I thought.
She returned and walked towards me holding a pair of pants and a shirt. What the fuck! She was gorgeous.
“Here, put this on,” she said.
“Thanks.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“What?!” she asked, noticing my stare.
“Oh sorry, I just thought... never mind”
“You thought what?”
“Well, it's just that before when you were... well… freaking out, and from across the lake, you looked… well...”
“I looked what?”
“Well you looked crazy,” I said. “Now you're beautiful.”
“Thanks, but who's to say I’m still not crazy?”
“Oh I am sure you are, I just didn’t expect you to look like you do.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Well thanks, I think.”
“Sure,” I said. “Hey thanks for saving me.”
“Oh, you would have made it.”
“Uh no, I would have died. You saved my life.”
“Well, I guess I did my good deed for the day then.”
“Uh yeah, well... geez, thanks,” I said, confused by her nonchalant reaction to saving someone’s life. I looked at her leg. “Are you burned?”
“Yeah, but not bad.”
“Let me see,” I insisted.
“No, it's fine.”
“No, it's not. You might have a third-degree burn. C’mon, let me take a look.”
“Are you some kind of doctor?” she asked.
“No, just experienced in random shit like burns is all.”
She grinned. “Random shit. Wow, you should put that on your resume.”
“Yeah, I would get the job for sure. I could put it under skills: totally experienced in random shit. That would go over well.”
We both laughed.
“Here let me take a look at that leg,” I said again. She reluctantly walked over to me and turned her leg to the side so I could see the damage. I pulled her scorched pants away revealing a pretty bad burn. It wasn’t third degree but it definitely looked like it might blister. “You better ice that as quick as you can to keep the swelling down.”
“Really? It doesn’t hurt that bad.”
“Yeah it doesn’t now, but in an hour or so when your buzz wears off you're gonna wish you’d put ice on it.”
“I got just the thing.” She went over to the refrigerator and pulled a bottle of chilled wine and put it against her leg. She rolled it over the burned area. “It does help.”
“See.”
“Thanks.”
“Sure.” I laughed as she went from rolling the half-empty bottle of wine to taking a swig and then putting it back on her leg. “Now that’s what I call genius.”
“Want some?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Help yourself,” she said, pointing at the fridge.
I walked over to the fridge and opened it. It was filled with wine and beer. “Wow! You having a party?”
“Of sorts.”
I grabbed a beer and opened it. “Liquid in, liquid out,” I said, chugging some beer.
She smiled. “You can change in the bathroom, it's over there.” She pointed to a door.
“Thanks.”
I headed into the bathroom and pulled my wet jeans off. I put on the crisp pair of khakis and polo shirt. I looked in the mirror and laughed.
“What do you think Cassie?” I said, still chuckling at my new look.
I returned to the kitchen and the lady was chugging the bottle she had held to her leg.
“Whoa, slow your roll. You in some kind of hurry?”
She looked up at me. “I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she slurred.
“Yeah, you're right. My bad, my bad.”
I grabbed my beer and sat down across from her at the dining room table. “So, what’s your story?”
“What? What story?”
“Well, the deer heads, coo-coo clocks, the fire.”
“Oh yeah, just burning some junk.”
“Wow, okay. So I am guessing it's your husband’s junk then.”
She gave me a look and not a good one. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”
“No, not really, but when I see someone almost kill themselves burning a bunch of deer heads and antique clocks I get a little curious."
“Well, there’s no husband and no mystery, just burning some junk.”
“Fair enough. How about a name? I would like to know who saved my life.”
“I didn’t save your life but if you must know, it's Lucy.”
“Uh… Lucy! I’m Home!” I said, giving my best impersonation of Ricky Ricardo from the show, I love Lucy.
She looked at me like I was a moron. “Wow yeah, I’ve never heard that one before.”
I was getting the vibe that this chick didn’t want anyone around. I didn’t know what she was going through but it was a solo mission for sure. Too bad she was fucking hot. I downed my beer and slid it across the table. “Well, I better get out of your hair.”
“Oh right, okay. Are you feeling alright?” she asked.
“Yup, I’m good and really, thanks. You did save me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“If you want, I can bring these back tomorrow,” I said, referring to the clothes.
“No, keep ‘em.”
“I would, but they’re honestly not my taste,” I admitted.
“Well, you can put them in your little bonfire over there,” she said.
“Oh, so you’re saying my bonfire is little, hmm. I see.”
She smiled, but for some reason, she looked sad. “Well, it’s not as big as mine.”
“This is true,” I admitted as I headed
towards the door.
“ You want a ride?”
I stopped for a second. “No. I think I’ll walk and contemplate my life after that brush with death.”
“Hmm. Okay.”
“Well anyway, my name is Matt, just in case you wanted to know.”
She didn’t reply. She just sat there holding the empty bottle of wine, twisting it between her fingers. Man, this chick is gone, I thought. I then said, “Okay, um, I’ll let myself out then.”
As soon as I got to the door I heard: “Wait!” I spun around and she quickly walked towards me. “Do you know anything about guns?”
“Uh yeah, a little. Why?”
She motioned for me to follow her. She led me through two double doors into a huge family room. I could see nails poking out of the wall where she got the deer heads from. There was one gigantic moose head right in the center of the wall that she obviously could not lift. She walked over and picked up a large black shotgun leaning against the wall, just under the big moose head. I took a couple steps back as she held it out to me and then handed me a box of shells.
“Can you load this for me?” she asked.
“Woah, what are you doing with that?”
“For bears,” Lucy said with a slur.
“Bears! Don’t think you need to worry about bears.”
“Can you just load it for me?”
“If you can’t load it, you sure as hell can’t shoot it.”
“Never mind, I’ll figure it out myself.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll be fine just as soon as you leave,” she said.
“Got it. Okay, thanks again for saving my life.”
I hurried to the door and slammed it on my way out. I had a feeling I should stay but that woman, that beautiful woman, is fucking crazy. She was obviously going through something pretty rough and from what I’d seen, I gathered her husband probably left her and she was getting revenge by burning his shit. I just hope she wasn’t planning on using that gun on herself. I felt good about my decision not to load it for her. She’d never be able to figure out how to put the shells in that gun. As I walked down the road around the lake I thought about Cassie.