Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Burn ❯ Chapter 1

 

 

“He was the only man I loved, and you took him from me!”

“Love is a concept of the imagination. It just means you're creative. There is no feeling involved in it,” the doctor said passionately. “And I would by no means expect you to understand. You are a girl of dreams, Angela Devereaux, not science. What I did could change the world. Remove yourself from my office.” She glared at him.

“Remove myself from here? I am a human being, not a pest you can swat away!”

“Do not force me to call the police, madam.”

“Pah! You'd no sooner call the police on me than eat your own foot! I've gotten to know you, whether you like it or not!”

“Do not underestimate me, woman, or it will surely be regretted! I have access to many personnel files, and I can get under your skin and wreak havoc on your life! Surely you don't wish to lose your job?” She started. He could research her thoroughly, it was true…Her job was all she had left. This man could ensure that he got reports on her every move, and it was all she could do to tail him once a week. The tears pressed against her lids, and Angela bowed her head. Dr. Payton Reece had defeated her at last. Or had he? The doctor smiled, a faint twitching of the lips, a jerk upwards, and let out a chuckle. That horrible laugh. It grated her skin like sandpaper or a cat's tongue. She needed a minute to think, to consider her options. Could he really stop her? He knew that Angela had an edge. Even without her job, she could report him to someone, anyone, who was willing to believe- But that was just it. Nobody did. No one was willing. The doctor had seen that the only people who could help were dead. She had to try something.

“I could still report you, Dr. Reece,” she said quietly. “I could give anyone the story.”

“They wouldn't believe you, Ms. Devereaux.” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but she still heard the fear in his voice, sensed the tensing of his body.

“No. But they wouldn't ignore me either. I could just run into the street and tell someone, and you would be questioned sooner or later. I could just walk out of here and say nothing. What would I do, doctor? You know all about me, after all.”

His eyes were bright with hatred as he surveyed her. He would never see it coming. How would he find out she was stalling for time? Reece was staying quiet, staring at her with a vengeance. It all came rushing into her head, all that John had said before she found his body the next day, what Georgie had told her only hours before this moment, and she enclosed herself in an empty mind space. It had all come down to this. This one infinitesimal moment. She had to avenge John. She had to help bring this man to justice. Glancing up quickly, she saw the doctor's eyes leave her. He was walking towards the open door to block her off. As Payton moved clear, her eyes met his desk. The desk Georgie had mentioned. There's enough ammo in the thing to destroy the building and everyone in it, princess! Ha! I'm surprised he still smokes!

The answer tumbled into her head like a sack of wet rocks. He had matches, the fool, sitting in plain view. Angela remembered what he had told her; back when she had trusted him. I never could get the hang of lighters. The door shut with a bang behind her.

“Angela,” Payton said with a happiness derived from this terrible moment, “I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go. I feel that your work quality has gone down, if you know what I mean by that.” Angela turned and took a step backwards. She wouldn't get out in time. But he wouldn't either. “You've uncovered too many secrets to get away, and I'm going to see to it that you keep your mouth shut forever!” He lunged at her, withdrawing from his coat a scalpel. She dodged and backed up further. The desk brushed against her legs as he pressed against her. Angela fumbled behind her and caught hold of the match book. She opened it carefully and slowly. The doctor ran his fingers through her hair.

“You could've walked away without a scratch, my dear. And it's too bad I must do this. I could use the company.” He raised the scalpel. She stroked the match and felt it light.

“STOP! Please!” She screamed, bringing forth tears. It would take a minute to burn through. She had to keep him here…At all costs. “I'll do whatever you want! I won't tell! I'll be a partner!” she said, bringing her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. He smiled cruelly and turned away from the desk, throwing the scalpel and grabbing her hair.

“It's amazing what a woman will do to spare herself, isn't it?” She shuddered as he returned her embrace. Just another few seconds. Don't let him notice! Angela begged silently. He pushed her back against the wall by the throat. “Don't fear, madam. I'll keep you with me. You'll prove useful.” As Payton Reece's hand stopped crushing her windpipe, the desk exploded, and everything vanished in a red blaze. She felt the intense burning of her skin and heard his screams mingling with her own. It seemed to last forever, just the smell of burning flesh and the never ending pain that it brought. She suffered through the torture until she heard the thud of the doctor's body. Soon after, the smoke entered her lungs. She couldn't see or breathe. The building finally collapsed, and Angela Devereaux was suddenly at the lake, talking to her John as though nothing had happened.

Nobody ever found out the truth about Dr. Payton Reece. The firemen concluded that Angela had become his psychopathic stalker after John's death, and when the doctor had refused her, she lit the place on fire. He was given a hero's funeral, and his grave was visited by many people. Angela Devereaux was buried by her family, and no one ever knew that she had prevented so many more murders from happening. There was no one willing to care for her gravestone.