Bound To The Seduction

Chapter 30: A Trigger

After half a month of not being home, Henry stretched lazily on his bed, stifling a yawn. His empty stomach got him out of bed, and his shoulders dropped when he couldn't find anything edible in the fridge. Perhaps he should add grocery shopping to Sarah's job description. He decided to drive to the nearest restaurant for breakfast and, since today was his rest day, he changed into grey sweatpants and sandals. He grabbed his car keys and headed to the basement parking lot while scrolling through his phone.

"That's him!" one of the reporters shouted, and the rest ran towards Henry. 

The sudden noise and clattering of shoes startled him. Odd. He paused to check out the unusual situation in the usually silent basement. A dozen cameramen stood in front of him with all their cameras and microphones focused on him. The camera flash nearly blinded him. Before he could say anything, they started bombarding him with questions.

"Mr. Salva, we've received an exclusive report that you ordered the demolition of the Savannah Street residential area."

"Yes, the public would like to know why you did that..."

"Can you confirm to the public that you were the one who approved the project?"

"Did you know that the demolition caused several residents to be injured? What do you have to say about it?"

"What else can he say?  Don't all businessmen only care about the money?"

"How could you be heartless?"

The chaotic scene in front of him merged with a painful memory of the past

A fire

A raging fire.

The yellow flames crackled in the wind, as if to display its power, devouring everything in its wake. Smoke billowed, and the wind distributed it everywhere, filling the air with a choking acrid smell. The neighbors coughed as they carried buckets and buckets of water, trying to put out the fire. The wind, however, was on a mission to thrash their efforts, making fire even spread faster.

He was six.

He woke up to a big fire in their home. It was only he and his mom at home that night. His mom had helped him get out safely, but she never made it out. Her white dress was covered with blood and soot. The blaring sirens from the ambulance and the fire truck had given him hope, but it slowly turned into a nightmare when his mother did not wake up.

Mamaaa! Mamaaa! He cried as he tried to shake his mother awake like he always did every morning.

Someone had whisked him away from the ambulance as they tried to resuscitate his mother and had taken him to a safe distance from the fire. It was dark, and he knew no one among the people present. They had left him alone as they tried to salvage the situation. The blaring sirens and the terrified screams of the onlookers filled the air, and his head spun from the traumatizing noises and chaos. In a blink of an eye, a group of news reporters swarmed around him.

Dread.

He felt it raw.

Ka-cha! Ka-cha!

All he could hear were the camera shutters going off. Camera flashes flickered around him like disco lights, and reporters bombarded him with questions without giving him a chance to process the situation. They did not have any shred of sympathy for a small boy. All they cared about was whether they could make a hit with the next headline.

"Mamaaaaa... Mamaaaaaa..."

That was all he could say.

Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he backed up until his back hit a brick fence, trapping him. He could taste the tears mixed with snort in his mouth, but he did not care. He desperately wanted to run into his mother's safe arms. The microphones multiplied in number, and the close proximity made them look like giant clubs next to his mouth. He shivered and forced himself to stop crying, afraid they might clobber him if he didn't answer their questions.