Welcome to Flashes of Sanity! Your weekly dose of flash fiction on 500 words or less. This week’s entry is A Genuine Fiend!
Enjoy!
Where am I? Isa thought to himself, what have happened?
Isa recalled the bottle after a long day.
”You know what they say right?” A voice said in the darkness. ”In the dark, only the dead find meaning.”
”They say that?” Isa focused on the voice. Male. 40.
”No, they don’t.” The man laughed. ”Idiot. I always loved that about you.”
So I know of him, Isa quickly scanned his memory. Could he be an old case revenger? Unlikely. Was it their current case? Maybe.
”I am sorry.” Isa said. ”But I don’t seem to recall who you are.”
It was worth a shot.
”You don’t! Well, I have known you for a long time. Some would even call me your best friend.”
Now Isa laughed. ”Sorry. But the last one who called me best friend slept with my girlfriend.”
”Matt was never your friend!” The man’s voice turned harsh.
Good, Isa thought.
”Matt never wanted your best…”
”But you do? I am sorry but I have missed the point where tying me up in the dark is my best.”
”You will understand. ” The man’s steps echoed against the floor. ”We have some time to talk before you die.”
A deadline, Isa sighed, how wonderful.
”The first time I noticed you.” A lighter suddenly lit next to Isa’s face. ”Your hair caught fire.”
Isa flinched. The light went out.
”I was ten!” He said. “Have you been tracking me since I was ten.”
”I begun much earlier Isa, but that was when I found you fascinating. Already back then you showed an interest for… pain.”
Isa froze in his chair and stared into the darkness. “What do you mean?”
“Come on Isa! Don’t act around me. I genuinely want what’s best for you.“
Wait, Isa told himself, wait for the monster to give you more.
“Trying the McKalvey method?”
Isa’s heart pounded fiercely inside his chest. Off course the monster knew. It made sense.
“Yes. Not very effective it seams.” Isa said. “I lit myself on fire, was that what you wanted to hear? I liked it.”
“Now we are getting somewhere. You have enjoyed fires for a long time now.”
“I think you have gotten something wrong here.” Isa wrestled with the rope. “I only lit myself on fire one summer.”
“True.” The whole room began burning. “But you have played with fire ever since.”
Isa fell back against the cement floor and the chair broke. He was free.
“You found out you enjoyed the pain. How many times have you been to the ER now again?”
Isa listened carefully. “To be fair I never planed on going there.”
“Yes, and the next time you won’t walk out.”
Isa attacked. A bull’s eye.
“I am pretty sure you won’t walk out either.”
“I only want what is best for you.” The man wheezed.
Isa pushed harder.
“You are dying.” The man said with his last breath.
Isa’s heart stopped with his hand still wrapped around a bottle.
Alone.
DBJ 