Page 71 of Hoodoo House
Charlie reached up and brushed the hair out of Declan’s eyes. “Are you all right? Can you breathe okay? Are you burned anywhere?”
“I’m fine,” Declan said. “Just a few cuts and bruises and I had the wind knocked out of me. For a little guy, Henry sure weighs a lot.”
Charlie threw himself at Declan. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
Declan pulled him close.
The night sky was lit up by the fire. The flames now rose high above the roof throughout the house. There was a great crash as the remains of the tower fell.
Declan leaned towards Charlie and said quietly, “Whoever started this must be nearby. They’ll want to make sure their work’s been done right. I need to see if they’re still around.”
He turned to the others. “I want you all to stay near the car. Understand? If anything threatens you, get in and take off as fast as you can.”
They all nodded.
Declan kissed Charlie, then moved away from the car and began to circle the raging inferno.
We might not have made it.
Declan kept his distance from the burning hulk of the building. Then, everything happened at once. A huge man wandered out from around the corner of the burning structure. He was carrying a gas can. There was no doubt about it. It was Adolph Moses.
“Momrath!” a voice behind Declan called out.
He turned to see Henry standing in the light of the fire.
What the—
“Henry! Stay by the—!” Declan was interrupted by a police siren.
Moses looked to see what direction it was coming from. Then he turned towards the four occupants of the house that were now beside the car.
“I’m going to kill you fuckers,” he screamed.
A police car sped up the drive then screeched to a halt. Sergeant Bowen leapt out of her cruiser. Moses set down the gas can and reached for something in his pocket.
There was a shot, then Moses stumbled backwards, knocking the gas can over and spilling fuel on his pants. There was a loud crack as the side porch of the house sagged, then collapsed, sending large embers shooting into the air. A cherry-red piece of burning wood landed near Moses, and the flame licked at the gas can beside him. There was a small explosion as what was left in the gas can ignited, heating up the container and sending it shooting into the sky as the air within expanded at a rapid rate. The fire travelled along a path that went from where the gas can had been, directly to the prone man lying on the ground. In an instant, his pants were on fire.
Moses was in flames…at least his lower half was. He began to scream.
“Is that him?” Bowen yelled as she ran to Declan and the others.
“Yes,” Declan said.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Henry running.
“Henry! Get back here,” Charlie yelled. “Fuck!” Charlie went after him.
The boy was headed towards Moses. He was dragging something behind him. It was the blanket that he’d been wrapped in when escaping the house.
Declan went after them both. By the time Declan reached them, Henry had thrown the large woollen blanket over the burning body of his archenemy. The three did their best to beat out the flames.
“Ambulance,” Declan yelled out to Bowen.
“On its way,” she shouted back.
“Is he the only one here?”
“Not sure,” Declan yelled. “Maybe.”
