Page 27 - Demo

Move the body. Hide the weapon.
Escape.
How could this have happened? What have I
done to deserve this? Monica’s sobs pulled me from my thoughts, reminding me I wasn’t alone in this. I couldn’t worry just about my life. Now it was about both of us. I’d walked in on the murder; I’d seen
too much. I’m an accessory to murder just by being Monica’s friend. I could never turn her in, never testify against her, never stand by as another condemned her and the police dragged her away. This world was harsh already; I couldn’t imagine facing a single day without a friend to share in my misery.
Grabbing a blanket, I ran out to the car. Feeding one eece end into the gas tank, I went until there
was half a foot left before pulling it back out. It would make a decent fuse. Racing back up to the apartment, I found Monica on the oor. Her sobs had nally ceased, but the shock had left her mentally blocked, glazed eyes
staring blankly at the body of her ex-abuser—ex-lover. Slapping the wet blanket around the body, I winced
at the sounds of gasoline against dead esh. Dragging it along the oor to the door, I ran to the stove and turned the gas on, grabbing the lighter from the shelf above.
Monica wouldn’t rouse at rst, but a rm pull to her arm awoke her enough to rise. Allowing her to lean on me, I helped her down to the car, strapping her into the passenger seat and starting the car before going back into the apartment. For a moment, I stared somberly at the place that had caused both of us so much hurt the past few months. The mutilated body on the oor only set my nerves more. This land wasn’t home for us. It was time we re-crossed sea, back to our own place, our own people. We had burned our last chance at survival in this place, and now it was time to face the conse- quences. Home would have to be our haven now that our chosen heaven turned out to be hell.
Haven
Helen Korbel
24