by Rae B. Lake
Dungeon, what is this woman talking about. I pull my hair from in front of my face and glare at them for a second.
Beast? Dungeon? I roll my eyes when I figure out what she is talking about. This grown-ass woman is comparing me to the beast in that silly kids movie. I wonder what she would think if she saw my library. I’d probably never get her to leave.
“Ah, sorry to bother you.” The man steps forward and begins talking. I can tell by his posture he must have been in the army or combat trained in some way. He stands tall like there’s a rod where his spine should be.
“No, we’re not,” The woman says from the side of him.
“We’re new to the area, and my girlfriend has been admiring this place from town. We thought we’d see if anyone lived here, maybe wanted to sell or…”
If my head could have spun on my shoulders, it would have. These people not only broke into my home, but they were also expecting me to discuss selling, the nerve of them. I clenched my hands at my side as I answered him. I knew I needed to keep my cool. He didn’t know this was the last thing I had to my name. I’d have nothing without this house.
“Sell?” I ask, keeping my voice steady. “Sell what? My family home?”
“Oh, my God! Fuck the house. I have a better idea.” The woman turned to crane her neck to look around the corner, the man at her side, preventing her from running off.
“You’re not welcome here,” I say, hoping she will take the hint and leave. I watch as the man tries to pull her again, but the harder he pulls, the more she pulls in the opposite direction. The whole time her eyes don’t leave my face.
I see her whispering something to the man but don’t hear what she said, I only catch the last bit, “My God, he’s beautiful.”
I roll my eyes to keep myself from smiling, and I have to remind myself these people broke into my house and are right now taking their sweet time leaving. It wasn’t acceptable.
I let out a deep sigh. I’m tired of waiting, “I’m not a beast. I just like my privacy. This home isn’t for sale, and things here are the furthest from enchanted as you can get. Please see yourselves out.” I turn and leave them in the main foyer, there’s very little for them to steal, and honestly, I don’t care as long as they leave.
I walk into the next room and relax a little as I hear the door open and shut. After a few seconds, I let out a slight chuckle, the nerve of that woman. I felt bad for her companion. She seemed like the type of person that didn’t stop until she got what she wanted. I shook my head, thinking about the encounter and laughed harder. Only in Falls Village would something like that happen.
Chapter Five
I wake up the next day to find that even though I’d just gone shopping a few days earlier, I had forgotten one of my most essential items. Coffee.
I don’t know if it’s because I rarely come to town or because the renovations are being completed faster than ever before, but there are so many new faces and new businesses popping up. One thing that remains the same, though, is the amount of animosity everyone seems to greet me with. You would think I physically did something to hurt one of them.
I walked toward the supermarket, but I know there was bound to be a line at this time of day and at least half a dozen town folk staring at me while I picked up the few things I needed. I just didn’t have the patience to deal with any of that right now.
I took a quick detour and walked into Mabel’s. It was one of the only places in town where the person serving did their job without being too awkward or downright nosey. They usually just took my money, and that was it. The rest of the patrons, though, were a different story completely.
I opened the door and nearly bumped into a man with jet black hair. I’m sure I'd seen him around town, but I’d never bothered to learn his name. When he doesn’t move, it prompts me to find out if he ever will, “Are you planning to move out of the way, or are you a permanent fixture here?”
He shakes his head and moves slightly, just enough for me to push past him. He speaks just as I make my way through, “Do you have to be an ass all the time?”
At first, I’m shocked by the audacity of this man, but then I remember I am no longer a member of the A-list society; instead, I am just the weird hermit who lives in the house on the hill. I can’t believe he thinks he can speak to me any fucking way he wants to. It won’t do.
I turn back toward him, my large frame invading his personal space, “I’m not here to entertain nor impress you. If you are in my way, move. If you don’t want to, we can have another one of these conversations.” I waited for him to say something, but instead, he just shook his head at me. I turned slowly and made my way to the counter. Maybe I was a little shorter than I needed to be, but I refused to be disrespected no matter the circumstances, and if that meant I’d have no friends, so be it.
I walked over to the counter and ordered my coffee. I had it in a to-go cup within a minute and was walking out, leaving the man I had the confrontation with, glaring at me as I made me way out.
I opened the door, and a small woman with long black hair literally ran straight into me. My scalding hot coffee, bursting out of the large cup and onto my hand. “Fuck! Watch where the hell you’re going!” I yell at the woman as I drop the remnants of the cup and shake the burning liquid off my skin.
“Oh my God! I am so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going!” The woman tried to grab my arm, but I pulled away from her.
“No shit!” I wiped my hand against my pants, but it felt like my skin was peeling away from the muscle. “Are you always this damn stupid?” I barked at her.
She stopped trying to grab me for a second, “Are you always this much of an ass?”
This was the second time in the last ten minutes someone called me an ass. I needed to return home before it became a permanent nickname.
“Whatever,” I grumbled as I shook my hand in the air again and tried to walk by her.
“Wait a minute! Let me see your hand.” The small woman grabbed my arm again. It took both of her small hands to wrap around my bicep.
“Lady, I just want to get home. I think you’ve done enough damage.”
“Look, Mister, just let me look at it...”
I looked at her like she was out of her mind.
“I’m a doctor.”
I let out a sigh and lifted my hand so she could see it. I didn’t want to let her see me cry, but my hand truly hurt. It still felt like it was stuck in a hot flame.
“Shit, yeah, this is a first-degree burn, this part here by your thumb is second-degree. Stay right here; don’t move.” She turned and ran into the diner. She was back out to me in less than a minute with a plastic bag of ice. She raised my hand and gently placed the bag on the injured area. I hissed out in pain but was grateful even for the momentary relief.
“Come with me.” She clutched my arm again and tried to pull me.
“Why am I coming with you, and where are you trying to take me?” I asked, not moving, rooted to the spot.
“I need to apply some antibacterial ointment to that burn and wrap it up. I can also give you a prescription for the pain, your body is still in shock right now, but that's going to hurt like the dickens in a few hours.”
I pulled back from her, looking her up and down like she was out of her mind, “Who said I needed anything for the pain, last time I checked I didn’t ask for anything from you.”
She walked up closer to me, her neck craned back so she could stare me down. “I don’t know what crawled up your ass and died, but usually when someone attempts to help you, you either accept or decline. Anything else is uncivilized. Is that what you are, an uncivilized ass?”
“Haven’t you heard? That’s fast becoming my new nickname.”
“Well, I don’t care for it, nor do I believe it to be true.” She took a deep breath and one step back. “Look, this is my bad, I shouldn’t have been running in a high traffic area, but I did, and you got hurt. I can help, and it’s my job to at least t
ry and make this right. I promise I won’t keep you one minute longer than what’s needed. I’ll also throw in a free cup of coffee, what do you say? Come to urgent care with me and let me wrap this up?”
I roll my eyes and raise my uninjured hand. I put two fingers up, “Two, I need at least two cups of coffee to get through this shit.”
She smiled brightly and took me by my arm again. I walked behind her, only a little pissed off I was just bested by a woman who was probably half my size.
Chapter Six
The urgent care was one of the newest renovations in Falls Village. It was so new, many of the chairs and cabinets still had plastic on them.
I followed the woman into one of the back rooms, where she patted the exam bed. I hopped on the bed, making sure to keep the ice on my hand. She’d been right, even on the way over here I was in a tremendous amount of pain. For a wound so small, I didn’t think it’d hurt this bad.
“Are you fresh out of medical school or something?”
She squinted her eyes at me for a second before she continued with what she was doing.
“Wait, you finished school, right? Are you just experimenting on me or something?”
“Ugh, do you have to be such a dick all the time? Do you even realize it? Tell me if I were a big man in here instead of a small woman, would you still be asking me if I finished school?”
“Yeah, I would. It has nothing to do with you being a woman. I don’t trust anyone.” I replied, wincing in pain as she raised the bag of ice off my hand.
“That’s a horrible way to live.”
“Well, it’s the only way I know,” I replied.
She stopped what she was doing, and looked at me with those deep brown eyes, put one hand on my face, “I’m sorry.” She smiled softly and dropped her hand to continue cleaning off my hand.
My mind was reeling from that simple, quick touch. What doctor does that shit? I guess she would get an A in bedside manner. I waited for what would surely come, the questions about my family or if I was already married.
“Brace yourself, ok.” She whispered soothingly.
She slowly poured a liquid over my hand, “Motherfuck!” I roared. My hand felt like it had been lit on fire.
“Language, young man. You’re in the presence of women.” A sweet voice floated in my direction from behind me. I turned to see an older woman, short and slightly plump coming in my direction. A bright smile on her face as she made her way to me.
“Sorry,” I grumbled.
“Oh, now he has manners.” The woman who was now slathering ointment on my hand remarked.
“What do we have here?” The older woman said as she came to stand next to the doctor.
“Second degree burns, hot coffee.”
“Oh ouch, how did you do that?” The older woman said as she passed the other a roll of gauze.
“I didn’t, she did.” I indicated with my chin toward the small woman in front of me.
“Baby!” The older woman turned to scold her.
“Oh, Mama, it was an accident. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Let me guess you were running and nearly killed this poor young man?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened. It was attempted manslaughter,” I spoke up.
“You wuss! It’s just a little burn!” She put her fingers on my arm and pinched my bicep.
“Hey! You’re supposed to do no harm, remember!” I rubbed the area with my free hand.
“Oh, I was just testing your reflexes.” She smiled and continued to wrap my hand.
I rolled my eyes and let out a small huff, “It really was an accident, ma’am.”
“Oh, hush with all that ma’am stuff, my name is Marj, and I will be put out with you if you call me anything else.”
I gave her a small smirk, “Yes, ma’am, er, I mean Marj.”
She gave me a slight nod and patted me on the knee, “If your burn gives you any problems, you come right back to us, and we’ll take care of it. No charge, ok.” She turned to her daughter, “Baby, you make sure you give him some antibiotic cream for home and extra wraps.”
“I know, Momma.”
Marj walked out of the room, leaving the small doctor and me to ourselves. “Tell me your name isn’t actually Baby. If so, it isn’t very original.” I watched her face fall in annoyance. “Oh jeez, that really is your name?” I wanted to laugh, but she was still holding my hand, I was sure she would squeeze the hell out of it if I did.
“No, it’s not, jerk.”
I waited for a second, “So what is it then?”
“My name is Frances…” She put her head further down, so her next words were barely audible. “Frances Hoffman.”
Sparks of recognition flashed in my brain, where have I heard that name before? “Frances Hoffman, wait, you mean like that girl in the Patrick Swayze movie?”
“Ugh! Her name was Frances Houseman! Not the same!”
Now I couldn’t hold back the laughter if I wanted to. I threw my head back and belly laughed at the ridiculousness of it.
“Don’t worry, Baby. I won’t put you in a corner.” I tried to say in mock seriousness that only led to another round of laughter.
She glared at me for a few seconds before she flew into a fit of laughter herself. “I hate you so much!”
“Oh, wow, and your mother truly calls you Baby all the time? That is so…” I clear my throat as I can see the death glare is back. It appears she’s finished being the butt of the joke, “It’s so cute.”
“Yeah, that’s what everyone says. I mean, it was almost a given it was going to be my nickname. My parents’ names are Jake and Marjorie Hoffman. Just like the parents in the movie. If they named me anything else, it would have been appreciated, but it would have also been a missed opportunity. It doesn’t help that it’s my mother’s favorite movie.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
She nods and pats my hand gently, laying it down on my leg, “What’s your name anyway?”
“Carson Ingram,” I say and watch her expression for signs of recognition. There’s none, how strange. Have I been off the map so long people have forgotten about me?
“Nice to meet you, Carson. I promise, the next time we meet, I won’t burn any of your parts off.” She put her hand out for me to shake. What a strange woman she is.
I returned home with my hand heavily bandaged and without coffee, but there was no way I was risking going back into town today for it. Especially after the morning I’d just had. As I walk up to the stairs that lead to my front door, I notice there’s something in my mailbox. I’m immediately on guard, in the past two years I haven’t received one piece of mail. There’s been the occasional prank, shit in a box, vermin, the messed up things kids do to the scary man in town. Opening the mailbox, I retrieved the thick envelope and opened it up.
Initially, I had no idea what I was looking at, but upon further reading, I realized it was a copy of a dossier. A mission file.
The objective? Find Carson Ingram.
My breath came faster as I continued to read the contents of the file. I wasn’t as forgotten as I’d hoped; I was just hidden exceptionally well. So much so, my father had employed people to hunt for me. The payment upon completion of the search was a million dollars. Either he wanted to make sure I was ok, which was far from likely, or he wanted to make sure I was struggling without him and his backing. Unfortunately, once he focuses on something, he doesn’t stop until the outcome is in his favor. If he wanted me to feel how my life would be without him and his wallet, he would make sure I did.
I studied the envelope, no postage stamp and no return address, which meant someone had to drop this off in my mailbox physically. Shit, someone knew I was here. I turned around quickly, my eyes racing around the property. It was expansive, and there was no way I’d be able to tell if anyone was watching me.
“Fucking hell.” I slammed my mailbox shut and stormed up the stairs into my home. At least it would be until my father
discovered I’d ignored his wishes and was on his property. It was only a matter of time now.
Chapter Seven
My eyes pop open at the crack of dawn, intense pain flaring in my hand. “Fucking hell.” I groan as I swing my legs out of bed. My hand throbs with every beat of my heart, and I can see the outline of blood on the gauze I was supposed to change last night.
I enter the bathroom and try to remove the gauze, but it’s already sticking to my skin, and every time I try to peel it off, it tugs on the already sensitive tissue. Part of me wants to rip it off like I would a band-aid, but I was sure the skin on my hand would come off with it.
I did the only thing that I could do. I went to the kitchen and pulled out the bottle of bourbon and drank it. All. After a few minutes of trying to grit through the pain and take the dressing off, I gave up and went back to sleep. I’d deal with it later.
“Hello? Is anyone home?”
My eyes popped open again, this time I knew something was wrong, besides the fact there was a stranger in my house.
My clothes were sticking to me, and my entire arm felt hot and heavy. Even thinking about moving my hand had me gritting my teeth in pain.
“Hello?”
I groaned in annoyance, what is with the people in this town just walking into people’s houses!
“What?” I scream and rush down the stairs.
“Oh, there you are.” she smiled wide at me.
“Yes, I live here. You do not. Get out.” I growl at her.
I see her blink a few times and take a step back. She obviously wasn’t expecting me to react this way, but who the hell breaks into someone’s house and thinks, ‘I’m sure he’ll be happy to see me’.
“Ease up.”
“Fuck that. I will not ease up; you’re trespassing. I should call the damn police, but it’s not like anyone would get here to do anything.” I bark loudly at her causing her to jump as I take an angry step in her direction.
