Set the Sky on Fire (Fire Trilogy Book 1) (5 page)

The counsellor routine was always an easy way to gain him access to a few souls that he could manipulate, but not until later. He meant to disappear as quickly as he had arrived. But as he was leaving, a beautiful blonde girl caught his eye. Her stare was intent, and it was locked on him. Unlike the others around her, her eyes were not red. He gave her a sly wink and let one side of his face pull up into a mischievous smirk. When she returned the smile, it almost shocked him. He walked over to the girl, pulled out another of his business cards and handed it to her
, gently brushing his hand against hers
.

“In case you need some
support
during this difficult time.” His tone was quiet, so only she could hear. There was not a hint of condolence in it, only the suggestion of sex.

Michelle fluttered her eyelashes at the man, then took his card and slipped it into her pocket.

Ari hesitantly stepped inside her front door, afraid that someone might be lying in wait. Her parents were both at work. The house should be empty, quiet. A single finger held to her lips told Nevaeh to be silent. Ari stood at the threshold and listened. She could only detect the whirr of the fridge, and even that was barely audible above her own breathing. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound. The faint smell of toast reached her nose, no doubt from the breakfast she had nibbled at before leaving for the funeral. The house hadn’t been disturbed.

Ari, satisfied no one was going to jump out at her, ventured further into the house. As soon as Nevaeh was through the door, Ari took a last look around the front yard, closed the door behind them and bolted it shut, resting her back against it. Nevaeh’s
brow furrowed with concern as she watched Ari’s strange behaviour.

“Can I talk now?” Nevaeh whispered.

“Yes.”

“Good, ‘cause you’re starting to weird me out. Who was that guy—and why was he glaring at you
like that
? He gave me the creeps, and he wasn’t even looking at me.”

“I don't know who he was.”

“Well then, why the hell would he stop like that?”

“Nevaeh ...” Ari started into an explanation but stopped short when she realised that whatever came out of her mouth next was going to change her friend’s opinion about her sanity.

“What is it, Ari? You're not telling me something.
What is it
?” Nevaeh
’s voice was firm.

Ari let out a deep sigh. She motioned for her friend to take a seat on the couch and then flopped into an armchair with a line of sight to the front door. The chair gave off a faint cloud of dust, which danced in the insipid shaft of light that divided the space between the two of them.

After a short pause, Ari launched into it.

“I know what I’m about to say is going to sound a little nuts, and I'm still not convinced it isn't.”

“I already know you're nuts. That’s why we get on so well
.
” Nevaeh tried to lighten the mood, but Ari was wound too tight for it to work. “Hey, we’ve been mates for years. Give me enough credit to know I'll still be sitting here at the end of the story.”

“Okay.” Ari took a deep breath. “I sort of—well, I
feel
things that I don't think others do.
I
could
feel
that guy coming towards us.” Ari
’s voice faded.

“Feel him. How?”

“He was angry. When he was standing in front of me staring, it radiated from him like heat from an oven. I didn't need to see him to know he was there.”

Ari, up until to this point, had been talking to the glass-topped coffee table positioned squarely in the middle of the room. Her words sounded fantastical, even to her ears. If they reversed their roles, Ari wasn’t sure whether she would understand, and that was why she couldn’t look at Nevaeh, she couldn't bear to see a look of disbelief in her eyes. Ari continued to have the conversation with the table. Finally, she had run out of things to say. When no reply came, Ari lifted her gaze to Nevaeh’s. As expected, her friend’s eyes were wide, her eyebrows raised and her lips slightly parted, as if she was going to say something.

A
ri said the only thing that felt real at that moment, “I’m sorry.”
She apologised for who she was and for letting Nevaeh glimpse the part of her she had done her best to keep hidden.

Nevaeh just looked at her.

“I know how it must sound,” Ari went on, pained by the silence, “... and to dump it on you like this. Especially today.”

Ari’s eyes once again swelled with tears. She shook her head, hoping that somehow that would delay the grief for a little longer. The idea that she could lose Nevaeh today was unbearable.

Nevaeh’s eyes were glassy too, and her voice
tremored
as she spoke.

“Is that how you found me?”

“What? Found you where?” Ari didn’t understand.

“Is that how you found me the other day, at the park, after Ellie took a dig at me over that Matt thing? It wasn’t like I’d been to that park before or had even meant to turn up there myself, and you said no one had seen me going in there. This thing you have, is it how you found me?”

Nevaeh was piecing it together.

“I suppose so,” Ari conceded.

“I’m not sure whether I should be impressed or freaked out.”

“You should be freaked out, then I wouldn't be the only one,” Ari said.

“So that scary guy—you could
feel
him?” It was hard to comprehend. Ari wasn’t sure she did either, not properly, so it wasn’t a big surprise that Nevaeh was struggling with it too.

“I’ve never felt like that before. What I got from him was horrible, like his anger was in me but not quite the same as how
I
would feel it. It
’s hard to explain.” Ari rubbed her head while gathering her thoughts.
“I felt it like anger without the inner
churning, without the mindless hostility
.”

Nevaeh’s face looked sceptical.

“We've just been through something pretty massive. Are you sure it wasn't just, you know, feelings from having to say goodbye to Luke and Mike? Maybe you’re more sensitive to this stuff than the rest of us? No one would think any less of you for it.”

“It was more than that. No, it was completely different to that. When I think of Mike and Luke, it's like a hole opens up in my chest, and I have to fight so hard not to fall in. I know it’s because I loved him—them,” she corrected herself, “… that it feels like this. What radiated from that man didn't have an ounce of kindness in it. It felt vengeful. Bitter. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. I guess it’s safe to say you didn’t feel it?”

“If I’d felt what you’re describing, you would have known about it right then and there. That guy gave me the creeps. The regular creeps. Which is saying something since he was so fricken hot.”

Ari huffed out a laugh. Hot or not, the man was hostile. Nevaeh needed to know more and Ari’s nerves twisted as she continued.

“It gets worse. That's not the first time I’ve felt
it
. I think I might have
seen him before
.” Ari wrung her hands, her knuckles paling under the pressure.

“
Creepy guy. You’ve already met him
? You said you didn’t know him,” Nevaeh said.

“Not exactly
met
him. Remember the night I crashed at your place after the party?”

Nevaeh nodded.

“I tried to wake you. Remember? I thought I saw those figures in the backyard
.” Ari paused, scared to divulge her secret. “
I felt it then too,” she blurted out.

Nevaeh took a sharp breath. “At my house? He was at
my
house?”

“So you believe me?”

“You’ve always had a bit of ESP or some crap when it came to people in trouble. When we were first friends, it weirded me out a bit. You were always so good to me, so I guess I got over it. As you got older, I didn’t notice so much. Maybe you got better at hiding it, or I got better at ignoring it. I’m not sure. But when we were younger, I didn't share that side of you with Mum or Dad or, well, any of our friends. No offence, but I didn't want people thinking my friend was a little odd, and me by association.”

“Can
we
keep it that way?
I don’t want people to know
.” Ari was more than a little relieved.

“Of course. Not sure anyone would believe me anyway. I
’m not sure I believe me,
” Nevaeh finished, with a weak smile.

“Thanks.” Ari was a good deal grateful and a whole lot relieved.

“Now, back to the figure in
my
garden. You really think it was him?” Nevaeh asked.

“I never saw his face. But it felt exactly the same. He felt the same.”

“How the hell am I going to be able to sleep? Do you think it's even safe?”

“He would’ve come back by now if he was going to. Today, at the church, he didn't even look at you.”

“I guess,” Nevaeh conceded. “He was pretty intent on you.”

“If he does show up, promise you'll call me, even if you’re not one hundred percent sure it’s him, okay? Even if it’s
two ‘o’ clock
in the morning.”

“If I see that guy in my backyard, sorry, but I'm calling the cops. I'm not waiting around for you to come save me.”

Ari had to agree.

“Didn’t you say there were two figures in my yard?” Nevaeh added.

Ari thought back to the night she had stayed at Nevaeh’s house. She remembered the other vibes that had somehow calmed her and filled her with hope. If the man at the church radiated the dark feelings, then it would make sense that those positive, good feelings were coming from the other figure.

“There was a second silhouette, but I don't think that one was
nasty.
”

There was a loud knock
. Both girls jumped in their seats
.

“Who is it?” Ari called out in an apprehensive tone.

“It's Lisa.”

“And Kel.”

Ari got up to let her school friends in. Lisa came armed with a box of chocolates and a tub of Hokey Pokey ice cream. She walked into the house holding
them
out to Ari like an offering.

“You left so suddenly. We wanted to make sure you were okay,” she said, handing them over.

“Come in. I'll get some bowls.” Ari
pointed them towards the lounge where Nevaeh sat waiting.

Their company halted any further talk of strangers.

*****

In the days following the funeral, Ari kept to herself. She often found herself telling people she couldn't go out because she had to swat for the end of year exams. Her excuse to be alone, nothing more. It was hard enough dealing with her own grief. She couldn’t face being barraged by the grief of others as well. Two weeks on and that hadn’t changed. It was becoming uncomfortable turning down invitations, so much so that she had started ignoring text messages too. Unlike her other friends, Nevaeh ignored her requests for solitude and visited from time to time, just to check she was all right.

Nevaeh had turned up five minutes ago, uninvited, and sat, cup of tea in hand, at Ari’s dinner table.

“I still miss him, Nevaeh,” Ari said.

“I know hon. We all thought you and Luke would get together one day.”

Ari hadn’t told anyone about their kiss. It was her memory. She would never tell anyone; she would never let anyone taint it.

“You need to get back out in the real world,” Nevaeh said.

“I know.”

“Well, get moving. We’re going out.”

“What? No.”

“Ari,” Nevaeh warned, “get off your butt and get your wallet, we’re going out for lunch.”

Ari’s mum appeared around the corner clutching her purse. She delved in and pulled out a couple of $20 notes.

“My shout,” she said, handing them to Nevaeh.

“Were you in the hallway listening?” Ari asked her mum.

“I was coming to make a drink for your father and heard you were going out. Now, away you go.” She smiled.

With a roll of her eyes, Ari dragged herself from the seat.

*****

“Are we still going to Thailand?” Nevaeh asked as Ari finished chewing her last mouthful of chicken wrap. “I mean—do you still want to go?”

“Of course, I do.”

“It’s just, with all that’s happened and you not leaving your house unless forced, I thought maybe you didn’t.”

“I
really
do. Just let me get these exams out of the way.”

“Yeah, and then we can leave this shitty situation behind and be a couple of carefree kiwis on a beach.” Nevaeh spent the rest of their time together updating Ari on her holiday research.