Page 57 of Wild Fires

“Exactly. And thanks for what you did for Guffy. I know I give you a bunch of shit for running half-cocked into a fire, but in this case it was worth it. You did good, kid.”

“Uh, thanks, Chief.”

“You are going to see this arson case through. Am I clear?”

“Understood,” I said with a huff.

How was I supposed to work with Ryan now? I supposed I could at least pretend to be okay with it and let him be the one to bail on it. Or better yet, maybe I could just solve the case on my own and then I wouldn't need him. The chief wanted the arsonist. I doubted he cared if Ryan and I worked together on it, just that the culprit was caught. So I was going to have to be the one to find him.

Feeling satisfied with that plan of action, I started to brainstorm some ideas. I hadn't really looked around the house fire yet, so that was certainly where I needed to start.

Taking my radio and gear with me, I loaded up in my Jeep and drove over there.

I hadn't known Old Lady Pierce, but I did go to school with her grandson. I hadn't seen or thought of him in years. I wasn't even certain I’d recognize him now.

An old memory flashed into my mind. Vance picking on Carson. I conjured up multiple images of this occurring. Could this just be another instance? Did Vance know that this was her house?

Even as I said it, I shook my head. I was just looking for connections to Vance now, and that wasn't a good thing, especially if I was wrong and it wasn't actually him. My gut told me it was though. There were just too many signs pointing back to him.

Ryan had been so certain it couldn't be, though. I knew they were friends, so perhaps his judgement was just clouded by it.

I pulled up to the house, or what was the house. There were few remnants remaining. The place had burned to the ground. Just in front of what was once the main entrance was a black ring of ash that I knew had nothing to do with the fire. It was where I had last died.

I didn't like to dwell on the fact that I did indeed die and was reborn every single time. It was hard not to think about all the questions I had regarding my gift. I'd never met another phoenix, and while I'd read everything I could find on the myth of the phoenix, it wasn't typically applicable to my experiences.

I just wished I knew more about it. Like how long does it last? Is there an expiration date? A big fear of mine is burning one too many times and that when the darkness comes that it will be for the rest of eternity. I had no idea if that was even a possibility.

Walking through the rubble, I was searching for the usual signs. Where was the matchstick? And was there going to be a single feather lying around? Ryan had always been so good at finding those. Would I even notice it?

Inside the remains of the house there were burnt photos and other memories. Fires out in nature were one thing, but it always tugged on my heartstrings when it was someone's home.

Sure, I realized that Old Lady Pierce had been dead for years and clearly no one had lived here in a very long time. But it was still someone's family history locked inside those walls. Memories and experiences, time with loved ones—the good, the bad, and the ugly— those walls had contained it all.

Leaving the house area, I walked around the grounds. The guys had done a great job preserving it. Only the house had burned. Even the dilapidated shed in the backyard had survived.

And there, just a few yards away, was a single wooden match.

I bent down to pick it up. It was close enough to the remnants of the house that had we not contained the fire it likely would have burnt up too.

Not even five feet from the match was a single black feather.

I bent down to pick it up as a car pulled up. I didn't even need to look to see who it was. It was as if I could feel his presence.

Ryan.

Ryan

Chapter 17

I should have known she'd be here. If I wasn't certain she'd already seen me coming, I probably would have driven off without stopping.

Who was I kidding? Ever since I walked out of her door my raven had been furious and constantly squawking in my head. He didn't seem to care that watching her burn had likely taken years off of our life. He just cared that she was alive.

Why couldn't it be that simple for me?

I needed rules and order in my life. Gracie didn't even know what those words meant. She made me careless. I'd blown off my own job and life just to hang out with her. That wasn't me.

I'd never been so cavalier with things. I'd never blown off a meeting, especially with the Congress council. I barely even knew who I was anymore. Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

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