Burning in a Memory Read Free

just haven’t quite wrapped my head around it yet. But I know what I saw.”
    “Yea and Angie’s going to flip shit on you for knowing that,” he insisted. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you but I definitely don’t want you to tell anyone what you saw. We need to hash this out.”
    They reached the door and Adelaide posted herself in front of the frame before he could offer to open it. The Jeep seemed both close and far away, and she never forgot about Angie sitting there.
    “I’m scared shitless,” she said slowly. “But you also saved my life. Adam, you saved me.”
    This time he did reach out, brushing her shoulder as if the touch would anchor them both to Earth. The gesture did more than exhibit a friendly goodbye, but a stranger’s beckoning for trust.
    “I’ll come by tomorrow to make sure you’re okay, and we’ll talk about this whole thing without Angela breathing down our necks. All I ask is that you don’t do anything crazy, and don’t tell anyone about us.”
    About their names, their tag, their car—or any of the identifying information she had gathered. He would be back, she knew then, because he wouldn’t risk not coming back now. And maybe he even cared; that thought left her with a weak smile.
    “Tomorrow around noon. I’ll even spring for pizza.”
    He matched her grin.
    “Sold. Be safe now,” he said.
    She refused to go inside until Adam walked away, hopped in the Jeep, and disappeared down the street. A few moments passed before she jingled the knob. The door creaked as it opened, and the explosion of dust made her cough. She slipped inside and sealed it behind her. Between closed blinds and no lights, very little of the interior was illuminated. She strolled by the plastic covered couches and into the living room where the musty scent was the most minimal. The rugs had blackened and the coffee table dry rotted, but she plopped down in the only leather chair that remained uncovered. Shadows of frames once on the walls decorated the place, and the home resounded with absolute, bitter silence.
    She didn’t consider for a second the cleanup she’d have to do by tomorrow. Instead, her smile radiated.  She whispered to the empty room, “I’ve become quite the good actress.”
     

Two
                  She squinted at the road until the asphalt appeared to steam from the sunlight and flickering mirages danced before her eyes.  Looking away, she blindly sought out the flimsy shade cord and shut herself in the dimness of the downstairs bedroom.
    “What a way for another guy to make me wait for him,” she complained aloud, officially giving up on watching for his car. She hadn’t looked at the clock in a while but knew the digital display would only make her more anxious. Willing away her headache, she slid off the window sill and walked back into the hall. She sized up her artificial curls that were falling by the hour. Her makeup held well, at least, and the pink baby doll tee fit just as nicely as it always had. When she was satisfied her look was the perfect balance of wholesome and whoresome, she walked into the living room.
    When the knock finally came at her door, she resisted the urge to run to open it. She forced her feet to move slowly and waited precious moments before she stopped at the front door. Looking through the peephole, she found a man on the other side, but it took a minute for her to recognize that man as Adam. Since the last time she’d seen him, he cleaned up surprisingly well. Stubble gone, his face was clean-shaven and his jaw line more prominent. His brown hair had been cut and brushed neatly. He wore a dark collared shirt that had been pressed and accented the natural color of his skin.
                  “It’s me,” Adam called through the door, as if she couldn’t see him. The sound of his voice snapped her out of her daze though, and she unbolted the locks.
                  “Hey, I was waiting for you,” she said