No, not again.
My heart pounding against my ribs.
I was back in the inferno, flames licking the walls, the roar of the fire deafening. Old scars once healed, burning as though fresh. I tried to scream, but no sound came. I was trapped, helpless, as the flames danced closer.
The smoke, coalescing in front of me. Black and alive. A form, eyes burning with hate. A voice as cold and sharp as ice. A whisper, “found you.”
I bolted upright, heart pounding, the scream dying in my throat. Flames danced in the corner of the room, casting an eerie orange glow on the peeling wallpaper. Smoke, thick and acrid, filled the air, and I could feel the heat licking at the skin. Panic seized me.
It wasn’t a dream! The fire, it’s here!
I scrambled out of bed, stumbling in the darkness, my lungs burning with each gasp. I had to get out, had to escape before the flames engulfed everything. The room seemed to spin, the floor tilting beneath my feet. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed back on to the bed, the world fading to black.
Then, a soft thud. A furry weight landed on my chest, jolting me fully awake. Spot. Her purr rumbled against my ribs, a comforting vibration in the darkness. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the window. No flames. No smoke. Just the faint scent of dust and the reassuring weight of my cat.
Another nightmare, this time within a nightmare. I let out a shaky breath, burying my face in Spot’s soft fur. “You’re right, girl,” I whispered, my voice hoarse.
“Just a bad dream.”
But even as I clung to the reality of her presence, a sliver of unease remained. That voice from my dream echoed in the back of my mind, “found you.” It was so familiar, like something half remembered from a previous dream.
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A harsh knock on my door and a shuffling of papers.
I sit up with Spot trying to convince me to lay back down.
“No, I need to get up to deal with the door.”
I paw around for my watch and realize I never took it off.
Who’s knocking on the door at 5am?
I go to grab some clothes and realize I never really got ready for bed. I groan. An inauspicious start to this new job, that’s for sure.
I finally make my way to the door, fumble the dead bolt, and crack open the door. There’s a manila envelope taped to my door. I hear thudding footsteps down the stairs. I grab it and can feel a weight and hear a jingle. I shrug, probably just some keys that Jerry missed. I could see faint indentations on the outside of the envelope, must have been typed. Before my brain can tell me it’s a note, I hear a car quickly start, sputter, rev to life and exit the parking lot, hitting something on the way out.
Wow, someone’s in a hurry.
I look down at the envelope, wipe the sleep from my eyes, and begin to read.
Dear Kit,
I quit, effective today. Per the contract you signed you are now the manager of the Grimwood Plaza Mall and Grimwood Plaza Stores Inc. All information you need will be found in your office. Office keys are in this. I’m out, finally.
Good luck,
Jerry MacMillan
I blink.
I reread the note.
I blink a few times.
I reread the note again.
What?!
My mind is a blank slate, I’m not sure what I’m feeling.
Maybe I should talk to Ezra?
It’s too early for all this nonsense.
I need coffee.