Page 13 of Dark Flame

“We’re both thirty-five,” said Spook. “So, how did you end up in the pink dust club?”

“It’s kind of a long story, I guess, but I’ll give you the short version. My mother was a cleaning woman at Sierra Depot. I don’t know who my father is,” she said with a shrug. “I suspect Delores had a lot of husbands or at least men, but I only met one.

“We were there for about two years, but I don’t remember much other than I was happy there. I remember playing in the pink dust, just like all of you. I remember there being a little boy and another little girl when I was there. I also remember a soldier who used to come and play with us on the porch. He was really nice, and not in a creepy way, more like a big brother kind of way.”

Spook and Flip nodded their heads, sharing a sideways glance.

“Anyway, mother dear had two problems. Men and drinking. She loved working there because there were men aplenty for her delight. The problem was she also loved the booze and got herself fired. She packed us up in the middle of the night and moved us.”

“What happened after that?” asked Flip. Nat squirmed in her seat for a moment and then stood closer to the fire, warming her body.

“I knew at an early age that I could set fires. Somewhere around four was the first one. My mother beat me for it every time. She had other kids, but the state took them, I think. I think. I don’t really know. I cursed them every time for not taking me.” Silence ensued around the fire.

“Anyway, my mother was dating this man, George. He was the only man who was ever kind to me and tried to protect me from her beatings. Problem was George was half my mom’s size. One night I started a fire in her bedroom and burned her blanket. She was ready to beat me to death.

“George stepped in and stopped it, but she kept coming. She took a swing at him, and he ended up falling and hitting his head on the coffee table. I’m not sure, but I think he died instantly. I-I don’t know. She came after me and threw me against the wall. I didn’t mean to, but I set her dress on fire. As she tried to put it out, she fell and hit her head on the floor. The fire just kept spreading, and I knew the fire department would come and find me and take me away.”

“Christ! What did you do, honey?” asked Flip, holding her hand.

“I didn’t want to go into some foster home or worse. If my mother woke, I didn’t want to be placed back with her. So, I packed up my backpack and took off running. I ran for weeks before I found an abandoned cabin to hide in. I ended up making that cabin my home, fixing it up myself, repairing it, everything.”

“How old were you?” asked Spook with an inquisitive gaze.

“I was eight… nine the day I found the cabin.” She said the words with obstinate pride and stared at the two men. She wasn’t ashamed of the things she did to survive. She fended for herself and survived!

“Fucking hell! You survived on your own from the age eight?”

“I did. I had a little help. An elderly couple, Chet and Sally, lived a few miles away. They never asked me one thing but helped me with clothes and food. Hell, Sally even home-schooled me, so I could get my diploma. They died a few years back, so it’s just me. Me and wherever my siblings are if they’re still alive.” She said the last words quietly, almost unsure if they even existed.

“Were they at Sierra?” asked Flip, giving a quick look at Spook.

“No. No, by then, it was just me. They were all taken as babies, I think. I only remember one. I have no idea where they are now.”

“I’m so sorry, honey,” said Flip, rubbing her arms beneath his large, strong hands.

She could feel the warmth and sympathy oozing from his body to hers, and she relished in the glow of that love for a moment.

“Don’t be. All of that made me who I am today. It made me stronger, more independent.”

“I hate to ask this,” said Spook hesitantly, “but is there any chance that this Sally and Chet were working for Colonel Moore? Maybe hired by him to watch over you?”

Nat started to protest and stopped. She had to admit the thought crossed her mind a time or two. They seemed so genuine, so sweet, and they left her the cabin. That was a generous and kind gesture. Right?

“I want desperately to say no, but honestly, I have no proof either way.” She bit her lower lip and sat down again on the big log, Flip sitting with her. “I can’t prove anything anymore. When they died, I sold the cabin, and I’ve not stopped moving since then. I wanted to know everything I could about Moore and his operation, and as you guys well know, I wanted to destroy him.”

“Can’t say I blame you there,” said Spook. “We know he’s gone, but the bigger concern now is the woman.”

“Karena Viskoff,” whispered Nat.

“Yea, her.”

They continued to eat in silence, lost in their personal thoughts of the woman haunting their nightmares. Viskoff was the real mastermind behind the incidences at the Depot and probably the one hunting all of them. If they could find her and kill her, maybe they could finally have some peace.

Nat was amazed at the amount of food the two men consumed. She had a simple plate with one egg and two slices of bacon, but between the other two, they ate the remainder of the food, eleven eggs and easily thirty slices of bacon.

“You know that’s an extraordinary amount of food, right?” she said, grinning at the two shoveling food into their mouths.

“It is, but we’ve made a few discoveries as well. The men affected by the pink dust seem to consume huge amounts of calories all the time. It doesn’t seem to affect the women as much, except Aislinn after one of her headaches. She eats like Flip over there.” Spook jerked his thumb toward his big friend and grinned.

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