June 1980. England.
No incendiary device was found at the decrepit house. It was completely charred in the raging fire. Police escorted a visibly shaken, ten year old Clarisse, the lone survivor of the tragedy.
Clarisse’s mother, Carol’s remains were found in the master bedroom. Carol had been a hopeless drug addict while her father’s whereabouts were unknown. Carol had been pulled up twice by authorities for thrashing her daughter, Clarisse. Little blonde Clarisse glanced just once at the ruins she called home. Then her eyes darted to the little girl from the house opposite hers. Eleven year old Anna stood, raven hair flying, anxiously waving goodbye to her friend, Clarisse.
Child services had taken charge of Clarisse after her mother’s demise. She was adopted by a loving Irish couple and was taken to Ireland where she completed her schooling. She hadn’t wanted to attend college so she simply began working at a little convenience store where she met Karl, a singer.
They got married in June 1995. While living in Ireland she tried to put her horrible childhood behind her and she succeded. Her only regret was that she had lost track of her friend, Anna! Growing up, Anna had been her one, true friend.
Clarisse and Karl’s marriage had hit rock bottom within the first year itself. He turned out to be a womaniser and a wife beater! Having lost her foster mother to cancer and her foster father to heartbreak thereafter, she was left with no one, once more! So she held onto Karl and kept on forgiving him.This went on for almost ten years!
June 2005.Ireland.
An internet search had helped Clarisse locate Anna. Clarisse was due to meet Anna at a cafe the next day.
“Where have you been all these years? “, questioned Clarisse, whilst hugging Anna for what seemed like an eon. The two friends reunion was a joyous occasion.
”Oh Anna, do you remember that old man Harold? How we used to run across his lawn and drive him crazy?’ reminisced Clarisse.
‘Oh yes I do! And do you remember that tree house we built one summer?’, asked Anna.
They spoke animatedly and the day turned to dusk. A pall of gloom fell only when Karl was brought up. Anna touched a fresh bruise on Clarisse’s forehead. Clarisse winced in pain. Anna’s voice changed and something seemed to flash in her eye. She hugged Clarisse and whispered ‘I will make him pay!’
Two weeks later the National Papers ran an article -An unidentified male was found, burnt to cinders in a motel room. He had been chained to the bed. A raven haired woman was last seen with him. She was nowhere to be found. No incendiary device was found at the crime scene.
*Pyrokinesis is the purported psychic ability a person has to create and control fires with the mind.
Pic credit: Unsplash: Grace Madeline
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