Burning Eden (2 page)

Chapter 3

             
“Can you please take Wiley for a walk, Kairo?” I asked my son.

             
“Why can’t Maddie do it?”

             
“Because I asked you to do it, your video game can wait for fifteen minutes. Now please don’t make me ask you again,” I said seriously.

             
“Ok fine, but next time Maddie has to walk him, it’s only fair,” he replied lugging himself off the couch like the couch couldn’t live without his ass on it.

             
“Fair enough,” I answered as he walked past me to get Wiley’s leash. At the sight of Kairo getting his leash Wiley began to get excited and started pacing around whining happily. “See you made his doggie day.”

             
“Yeah, yeah, come on Wi let’s go for a walk,” he said as he made his way out the front door.

             
“Hey Maddie,” I called out hoping she didn’t have her headphones on.

             
“Yeah, mom?”

             
“You better be cleaning that room. If your dad comes back from his interview and it isn’t done you know he will have a fit.”

             
“I know mom, I’m cleaning it,” she whined.

             
“Just giving you a heads up kiddo,” I called back to her, in return I heard her slam her door. I really hoped she was cleaning it, I didn’t feel like hearing Cain’s mouth over it, even though he had a point, she wasn’t the cleanest fourteen year old girl.

             
Everyone in the house was gone or closed off in their room so I guess I could spare a few minutes and see what Jesse was up to. Jesse, the thought of him made my heart speed up and my nerve endings tingle. I don’t know how this had happened or why but part of me was happy it had. I had never been a cheating type of person, I would have never thought of straying from my husband before yet when I met Jesse there was something special there. Something neither of us could deny even if we tried. It was almost instant from the moment we had said hello in that chat room, as if we had known each other before. I was falling in love with him over the internet and it sometimes made me question my sanity but one thing I couldn’t question was how strongly I felt about him.

Me: You there?

Jesse: Hey there! For a few minutes I am, my wife has been complaining about the amount of time I’ve been online lately.

Me: Oh, I’m sorry. Cain has been saying the same thing while he has his head staring at his laptop.

Jesse: Yeah, she is on her iPad right now yet she is eyeing me down
.


Me: Do you think they know?

Jesse: I don’t know. I don’t think so, how could they? Does Cain know your password? I know Carrie doesn’t know mine.

Me: I don’t think he knows my password. I suppose I should change it just in case. How can you be so sure she doesn’t know yours?

Jesse: Because it’s your name, love.

Me: Aw, that is so sweet!

Jesse: Not as sweet as you.

              “Mom,” my son said out of breath as he and Wiley stumbled through the front door. He quickly slammed it behind him and locked it then he rushed to peek out of the blinds.

             
“What’s wrong Kairo?” I asked quite concerned. Kairo was usually pretty laid back, the type with not a care in the world, to see him out of breath and a bit pale scared me. He looked back at me with wide frightened eyes and then Wiley began to whine again, this time not sounding very happy. “What the hell is going on Kai?”

             
“A naked man was chasing us,” he said still trying to catch his breath.

             
“What?”

             
“I was walking Wiley around the block but when we turned the corner from out of nowhere this naked guy comes running after us. I had to run all the way back home, he almost caught me because Wiley wanted to attack him. When I looked back at him to ask him what his problem was I realized there was something really wrong with him, his eyes were all weird, so I picked up the pace, and I knew if he caught me he was going to kill me.”

             
“Oh my God, is he still out there? What was wrong with his eyes?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest. He peeked back out of the blinds.

             
“No, I don’t see him anymore,” he said then turned back to me again wide eyed. I had never seen my son so frightened so it scared me. “His eyes were all white, almost like he didn’t have any eyes just like white spaces where his eyes should have been.”

             
“We need to call the police.”

Chapter 4

Jesse: Eden? Did you leave?

Me: I’m sorry, love. I have to go; I need to call the police.

Jesse: What? The police? Are you ok? Is everything alright?

Me: I’m ok, but my son was just chased through the neighborhood by a naked man with weird white eyes.

Jesse: WTF? Go call the police and please let me know what happens because I will be worried. I love you, Eden.

Me: I will. I love you too.

              “Why is everyone yelling?” Maddie asked while she strolled down the hallway from her room pulling the ear buds from her ears looking annoyed like she did most of the time.

             
“A naked man chased me while I was out taking Wiley for a walk. If it would have happened to you, you’d be yelling too!”

             
“That’s enough you two. Is he still out there, Kai? Do you see him on the street anywhere?” I asked. Kairo quickly peeked out the blinds again, turning his head to see both sides of the street then turning back to me.

             
“I don’t see him anymore mom. I don’t see anyone.”

             
“Good, hopefully his crazy naked ass kept right on running right out of the neighborhood. Now will one of you hand me the phone so I can call the police please?” I asked as suddenly we all heard loud banging coming from the front door and we all three jumped.

             
“Maybe it’s the police?” Maddie suggested as she started walking to the door to open it. Kairo quickly grabbed her arm to stop her.

             
“Mom hasn’t even called them yet, genius,” he said and she looked back at me. I held out the phone in my hand to her.

             
“Oh man, what if it’s that crazy naked guy? What if he tries to break in here? What if he is like those other naked crazies and he wants to eat our faces off?” she said becoming more hysterical with each question. With that the banging began again and then we heard my mother call out.

             
“Can someone open the God damn door? Phil was just attacked by some lunatic!”

             
“Oh shit! Hurry Kairo open the door and let them in then lock it behind them as well as the other doors. Maddie go get some towels in case Phil is hurt real bad,” I said as I looked down at the phone and dialed 911.

*****

             
“What the hell is going on?” Cain asked as he made his way past all the police and fire trucks parked outside our house.

             
“Well, some crazy naked guy is running around the neighborhood attacking people. He almost got Kairo when he took Wiley out for a walk. Thank God he didn’t, but he did get Phil when he and mom were making their way up the driveway. I guess he was hiding out in the bushes or something; they took him to the hospital. He looked pretty bad, lots of bite marks, lots of blood, and he looked very pale. Mom went with Phil and now the cops are searching the neighborhood for that insane man.”

             
“Oh, sounds like an eventful day. Hey, guess what? I got the job!”

             
“Are you fucking serious right now?” I asked in awe of him.

             
“Yeah, babe I got the job! I start Monday!” He said excitedly.

             
“That’s absolutely wonderful Cain but take a look around you right now. No, really take a good hard look around, police are looking for a man that tried to attack our son and did attack my mother’s husband in our own driveway. Does none of this concern you? Maybe just a little?”

             
“I mean, yeah, of course I’m concerned but I can’t really do anything about it can I? Kai is ok and I’m sure Phil will be too. Not that he is a very nice person anyway but that’s another story. The cops are here now and I’m sure they will get the guy and everything will be just fine babe. Calm down, ok? You’re always so worried,” he said as he put his arm around me. I suppose it was a nice gesture yet it didn’t feel real to me, it kind of felt like he was simply doing what he thought a good husband should not that he really wanted to. Yet I wrapped my arms around his waist in return and let myself believe that maybe he did still care. Suddenly we heard gunshots erupt about a block over and I knew they had found the crazy naked guy and that he was probably dead. “See, told you everything would be fine,” Cain said as he let me go and walked into the house like it was just another day, leaving me standing in the front yard surrounded by the swirl of red and blue lights.

*****

Me: They shot him.

Jesse: What! They shot who? Love, are you ok?

Me: Yeah, I’m ok. I’m just really tired and stressed out. They shot the crazy naked guy that was running after Kairo earlier, he’s dead.

Jesse: Who? The police?

Me: Yeah.

Jesse: That’s good, right? He can’t hurt anyone now.

Me: Yeah, I guess it’s good. But the guy hid in our bushes and attacked my mom’s husband when they were walking up the driveway, he bit him all over, there were big pieces of his skin missing
and there was so much blood. I’m not even sure he is going to make it. He isn’t my favorite person in the world but no one deserves that.

Jesse: Oh my love, I’m so sorry, so very sorry. Is there anything I can do?

Me: Love me?

Jesse: I do, always.

Me: Then I feel better already.

Jesse: I’m here for you, I know I am physically far from you but I’m still here for you, I promise. I really wish I was closer; I would give anything to be able to hold you and comfort you.

Me: I would love that.

Jesse: Soon?

Me: Yes, soon. Please, very soon, once everything here dies down.

Jesse: Of course, whenever you can make plans, love. I’d wait forever to spend just one day in your presence.

Me: I love you.

Jesse: I love you too.

Me: Hey! Guess what else happened today…

Jesse: You mean there is more?

Me: Yep.

Jesse: What?

Me: Cain found another job.

Jesse: LOL!

Chapter 5

             
“Hello? Mom?” I said answering my cell phone. On the other end of the line there was nothing but silence. “Mom, are you there?” I waited for a few more seconds and figured if I didn’t hear anything I would hang up. Maybe she had butt dialed me or something, then I heard a sniffle followed by a sob and my heart sank.

             
“Phil’s dead. Can you come pick me up?” she managed to get out before she broke down, sobbing.

             
“What do you mean he’s dead? I mean I saw that he had bite marks and all but how could he have possibly died from that? Mom that just seems impossible,” I said in shock. Sure there had been a lot of blood and wounds but rescue had got him to the hospital so fast I was certain he was going to be fine.

             
“The police shot him in the head,” she said in between small sobs. I wasn’t sure I had heard her right though, none of this was making sense.

             
“What did you just say?” I asked quietly. At first I didn’t think she had heard me but then after a short silence she busted out yelling.

             
“They shot him Edie! They shot him right in the head! He was resting after they got the wounds cleaned up but there were still a few police officers standing guard at the door. At first I thought it was for our safety, I was wrong. Suddenly Phil started having a seizure and then he flat-lined, all these doctors and nurses were trying to run in to perform CPR but the cops wouldn’t let them. I was standing there screaming for someone to help him but they wouldn’t. Then everything fell silent and I sat down in the chair beside his hospital bed in complete shock knowing I had watched my husband die in a hospital and no one would help. I was looking over at the officer that had blocked the door and he had turned around raising his gun in my direction. I thought he was going to kill me but I followed his eyes over to Phil, who was now sitting up, alive, well sort of anyway. He looked alive except his eyes…they looked dead,” she stopped suddenly. She paused quietly as if reliving the moment made it feel more realistic or perhaps she felt it made it seem more like a bad dream.

             
“Were they white, mom? Were his eyes white?”

             
“Yes, and Phil turned to me but I knew he didn’t really recognize me. It wasn’t Phil anymore, and then he lunged at me and the cop shot him right in the middle of his head!”

             
“Oh my God, what the hell is going on?”

             
“I don’t know but something is wrong Edie, very, very, wrong. I want to get out of here. Will you please come get me?” she asked sounding a bit panicky.

             
“I’m on my way, mom.”

*****

             
“I’m going to pick mom up from the hospital. I want you guys to stay in the house while I am gone, ok?” I asked my kids who were sitting in the living room. Kairo was playing a video game and Maddie was on her laptop. They didn’t seem worried at all about what had happened earlier. Once the blood had been cleaned up and the last cop had pulled off away they went back to Call of Duty and Facebook without a blink of an eye. I should be worried about their emotional detachment from the situation but I had other things to worry about right this second. I needed to get mom home from the hospital. “I mean it you two, stay in the house. Don’t even let Wiley out back.”

             
“We heard you mom but what’s the big deal? The cops shot the crazy guy, he’s dead, he can’t hurt anyone now,” Maddie said not even bothering to take her eyes off the screen.

             
“Yeah, what Maddie said,” Kairo added in his two cents.

             
“Just do what I tell you guys for once, please. I have a bad feeling about all this.”

             
“All what?” Kairo asked as he paused his game. I hadn’t even told them about Phil yet. I didn’t want to scare them yet I knew eventually I was going to have to be honest with them but it would have to wait until I got back from the hospital.

             
“I’ll explain when I get back from the hospital. Just trust me, all right?”

             
“Yeah, ok,” he answered turning back to his game. Maddie simply nodded her head letting me know she was listening. I was pretty sure when I came back they would be in the exact same positions. I walked to my bedroom and saw Cain was also on his laptop. Ah technology, what a wonderful way of keeping a family close, but I didn’t really have room to talk now did I? I spent every moment I could online talking with Jesse.

             
“I’ve got to go pick up mom from the hospital. Phil’s dead.”

             
“What did you say?” Cain said taking off his headphones so he could actually hear me.

             
“I said I need to go pick up mom from the hospital and Phil is dead,” I spoke with a slight attitude for having to repeat myself.

             
“Phil’s dead?”

             
“Yes, I’ll tell you more when I get back. Mom is in a bit of a hurry to get away from the hospital and I don’t blame her. Some really weird shit is going on Cain.”

             
“Well, I can’t really say I care about Phil being dead but I do feel sorry for your mom,” he said looking slightly concerned. “You want me to go with you?” Then you can fill me in about the weird shit on the way.”

             
“I’d rather you stay here and keep an eye on the kids, make sure they stay in the house, Wiley too,” I said and then he truly looked concerned.

             
“Is it because of the weird shit that you want everyone to stay inside?”

             
“Yes.”

             
“I think I should go with you, Edie,” he said closing the laptop and starting to get up.

             
“No, please stay with the kids. I will be fine. I’m just going to get mom and come right back.”

             
“I don’t feel right about letting you go alone but if it’s what you want then all right.”

             
“It’s what I want, thank you,” I walked over to him and gave him a quick peck. “I’ll be right back,” I said and hoped I wasn’t lying.