Soul Fire

  ~Chapter Two~

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  “I should’ve replaced the fire alarm.”

  “Mum-”

  “No. I should’ve replaced it.”

  We were on our back porch, polishing off the six pack. Our kitchen reeked of smoke and sodden mothballs, but the only casualties had been the fry pan and the steaks. As such, I’d been treated to take out and another beer.

  “How did you put it out? The fire department said it was out by the time they got here.”

  “I grabbed the mop bucket,” I shrugged. Technically it wasn’t a lie, and I didn’t want to worry her with my stalker right now. “Luckily it wasn’t a fat fire; you haven’t replaced the fire extinguisher either.”

  “And whose fault is that?”

  Ok, that one was mine. I’d used it on my hair straightener when it had started melting the top of the bathroom cabinet.

  The sun was setting, disappearing behind the hills. It was a beautiful summer evening.

  “There’s a traineeship opening up in reception down at the hospital,” Mum said suddenly, stealing one of my chips. “I was thinking of putting you up for it. Now that you’ve finished your exams for this year, you can do part time if you want.”

  I chewed pensively on a chip, now keeping the box out of her reach. I didn’t really have an idea of what I was going to do after school, but qualifications definitely couldn’t hurt.

  “The pay will be rubbish,” Mum was saying. “But it’s training that you’d have to be paying for otherwise.”

  “Sure,” I said, though my heart was heavy. “Why not?”