The Redeemer

by Patrick Roberts

  I awoke to the smell of cleaning products and an underlying sound of fighting. It threw me back into many nights since I’d grown up. I sat up quickly, looking around the ornate room, almost blinded by the golds and silvers that were being kissed by the red sky outside. It was nearly dark again. While I’d lived for so long in the darkness, I couldn’t help but feel that the darkness would swallow me. I quickly slid off the bed, a little less gracefully than my usual self and wobbly stood. I could feel warmth on my head and I reached up to feel the bandage. The shield. I could hear voices outside the door, arguing about something. I didn’t much care about what. I was trying not to barf all over the floor. As my head began to calm, I heard a rush of footsteps and a voice, Ebella, the receptionist saying something is happening in the lobby. I hear the footsteps run away, leaving me alone. I walked over to the nurse’s station and sit, trying to bring up the feed from the lobby. I tune in in time to see the team standing, facing a lone man, who was surrounded by guards. The other workers watched on as the madness continued, as did I. There was no audio, I just watched. I wondered what the man was doing. He was a regular guy, could have been anyone walking down the street. It took a few minutes before I noticed he was holding something, a canister. Before my eyes, he lifted the canister over his head and with one small, graceful sweep, he sparked a flame, setting himself on fire! The fire spread so fast that I would have sworn it was some sort of magic. The man did not scream and he not flail, he merely fell to the ground, crisping in front of us. I let out an audible gasp, turning from the screen. I stood from the chair and backed away from the screen.

  “Overkill?”

  I turned to see Maksim standing at the doors. I stared at him, his eyes calmer than anyone’s in the whole building. The disgust must have registered because he smirked and tilted his head to me.

  “But tell Steven that…you know him.” Maksim said quickly, “It was easy to get in here…might want to check that security.”

  “You bastard.” I spat. I walked toward him but he put his hand up, causing me to stop, “You’re stupid for coming here because there’s no way I’m leaving.”

  “Correction.” He smirked, “I’m going and so are you, kitty cat. You see that fire, that poor man? In just a matter of seconds, he’s going to explode.”

  I stared at him, plagued by the thoughts and repercussions of these next few seconds.

  “There are men just around the corner, waiting for an explosion to march right in and begin killing all your friends very slowly.” Maksim said. He was no longer smiling and there was something in the way he was staring at me, sort of imploring me to do as he was told. I took a look back at the screen, then made my decision.

  “If I just disappear, they’ll look for me.” I frowned. I sighed, “Find me in an hour.”

  Maksim nodded, “You do know that if you don’t come…he’ll come in my place.” He said.

  Maksim smirked and disappeared through the door, leaving me to catch my breath.