Playing with Fire by April Henry

Playing with Fire by April Henry

Author:April Henry
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)


CHAPTER 21

TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT

SIX YEARS EARLIER

“NO, NO, NO!” THE dark beast leapt toward Natalia, jaws spread wide. She cowered, wrapping her arms around her head. Knowing it wouldn’t make any difference.

“Natalia! Wake up! Natalia!”

The beast shook her back and forth. Its teeth sank into her upper arms.

“Natalia! Honey!” Not an animal’s growl but her mom’s voice. “Wake up! You’re just having another nightmare. You’re all right.”

Natalia opened her eyes. The pressure on her arms wasn’t from teeth but her mom’s frantic fingers. It was night. She and her parents were standing in the parking lot of their new apartment building. Against the icy blacktop, her feet were bare. She was dressed only in thin pajamas, but that wasn’t why she was shivering, vibrating so hard it felt like she might fly apart. In her dream, a great dark beast had been chasing her.

During the day, the fire was never far from her thoughts. She often imagined the smell of smoke or thought she caught the flicker of flames with the corner of an eye. But at night, she drowned, or dangled from cliffs, or was crushed in car accidents, or fought off monsters both human and animal. Natalia didn’t know if it was a blessing that she never dreamed of the fire.

Now her mom held her upper arms, while her dad stood watching, his big hands empty, dangling helplessly. Both their faces were drawn with guilt and grief. In the building behind them, lights were coming on and curtains pushed back as their new neighbors gawped or silently cursed at them. This wasn’t the first time Natalia had woken up outside screaming. With no memory of how she had gotten there. Of how she must have undone the two locks and the chain on their new front door.

When she’d finally come home from the hospital, it wasn’t home at all. It was this anonymous apartment building, while their house was being rebuilt. Only a few things hadn’t been ruined by the smoke, flames, or the water from the firefighters’ hoses: a teapot, a few utensils, a couple of cast-iron frying pans. That was it. But it was petty to miss her favorite clothes and books. Not when her brother was dead.

“That’s it,” her dad said. “This can’t go on. She has to see someone.”

“N-no.” It was an effort for Natalia to speak. Her head still felt muddled. When her mom finally let go of her arms, she half expected to feel hot blood dripping off her elbows. “I don’t want to talk to anyone. I just want to be left alone.”

“You’re not getting any better, Natalia.” Her dad sighed heavily. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.”



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