Unusual Tales From Another World

Ashes, Ashes

"Could you not?" Karen scowled as she pushed Cameron out of the way with her foot. "You're in the way of my sun." Leaning back in her recliner, she continued sun-bathing now that Cameron was out of her way. Smiling to herself, she said nothing more. 

Cameron, sure Karen's eyes were closed, glared at her before leaving to go inside. He secretly hoped she'd get a sunburn... or maybe fall into the pool.

You shouldn't be thinking such things, a voice whispered in his head. What if Karen found out? He knew the voice was right. Karen wasn't very kind, and he knew what'd she do if she knew what he was thinking. 

Letting out a sigh, Cameron sat down in a chair, gazing through the window at Karen's figure. He never knew why she always tanned- she was as dark as she could get her normally pale skin. Cameron just shook his head, awaiting the next inevitable commands that would escape Karen's lips.

"Cameron, I'm out of sunscreen. Go bring me some," Karen called. Gritting his teeth, Cameron got to his feet. She hadn't moved an inch and Cameron knew full well she hadn't even checked her bottle of sunscreen that lay next to her feet. Searching the entire house, Cameron finally came back to Karen empty handed.

"There's no more sunscreen in the house," Cameron explained, "but I'm sure you have some in this bottle here."

"Are you an idiot?" Karen snapped, peaking at eye open at Cameron. "That sunscreen is so last year. Only an idiot would use it. I need a new brand."

"Well, we don't have any others," Cameron continued, reaching down and picking up the bottle. "This looks fine. Why don't you use it?" As if on cue, the bottle slipped from his hands, bouncing off the edge of Karen's chair and hitting her in the stomach. Her mouth fell open in shock as she lurched up, scowling at Cameron. 

"Did you just throw that at me?" she snapped.

"What? N-no! It slipped," Cameron spluttered, taking a hesitant step back.

"Liar!" Karen screeched, scrambling to her feet. She reached out for Cameron but he quickly stepped to the side in fright. To his horror, Karen dove headfirst into the pool, ruining her newly permed hair. 

Oh no, the voice in this head warned. You're in trouble now.

"That's it!" Karen screamed the moment she surfaced. "First you throw something at me, then you push me into the pool! That's two strikes! Do you want me to replace you?" 

"No!" Cameron protested, quickly moving to the edge of the pool and holding his hand out to help Karen out. "It was an accident! Please, let me help you out." 

Flinging some wet hair out of her face, Karen grumpily grabbed Cameron's hand. To his unfortunate luck, her hand was too slippery, causing her to fall back into the water once Cameron began to pull her out.

This time, Karen didn't screech. She didn't scream, or yell, or even pout. She simply looked at the pool water around her before slowly glaring at Cameron.

"Strike three," she seethed. "You're fired."

Before Cameron could beg, searing pain shot through his chest as he fell to the ground. With an anguished yell, his body burst into flame until all that was left was a pile of ash.