Human Sized Hurricane | Michael Clifford

Chapter 2 - House fire

Driving in a big black car, the two men parked on a quiet street a few doors down from the house noted on a piece of paper Michael held in his shaking hands. He was still wearing his black SnapBack over his blond hair, but he was also wearing a fireproof suit and boots with gloves and a gas mask attached to his side. Bobby slumped in his seat behind the wheel of the car and sighed, resting his head back to breathe. "I don't want to go in there" Michael said, biting his tongue. 

Bobby turned his head with furrowed eyebrows at the teenager, then sighed disappointedly. "Why not, Mikey boy?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes. 

"I won't kill an innocent family" Michael replied, as he scrunched up the paper and threw it onto the floor. "I won't" He shook his head. "I won't and you can't make me" He pointed a finger to Bobby then looked out of the window at the quiet street. 

"Fine with me, little brother. But when the street is screaming bloody murder and the police are on my ass, I'm taking you down with me, Sonny Jim" Bobby replied, glaring to his teenage brother. He opened the car door and climbed out, and walked around to the back of the car to open the boot door. Bobby took out some equipment from the boot and set the down on the floor while he shut the door and went around to Michael's window. He knocked lightly thrice, making Michael roll down the window. "One more thing" He said as Michael looked at him. Bobby threw his gloved fist at the teenager's face and punched him straight in the eye, making the boy angry. "You're such a little pussy!" Bobby cursed, then walked away from the car and towards the house. 

Michael glared dagger's at the back of his brother's body while he walked away, then he mentally punched himself and climbed out of the car, switching his SnapBack for a helmet and placing the fashion item on the bonnet of the car. He followed Bobby across the road and watched nervously as his brother broke the glass in the kitchen window, waiting as the big man climbed in. He handed Bobby the equipment before climbing into the house himself. Inside it was a spacious and dark house with a large kitchen and dining room which lead to a cosy living room. Bobby checked out the front window and some smaller windows, then stopped and watched with a raised eyebrow as Michael touched a framed photograph on the coffee table. He noticed there was no sound in the air and looked up to find his brother staring. Michael removed his hand and sighed, the air inside steaming up his mask. Then he noticed Bobby as he unscrewed the cap to a can of petrol and watched open mouthed as he began spraying the furniture and walls with the liquid, a match box in his other hand. "Are you sure about this?" Michael asked in a voice a little over a whisper. 

Bobby stopped and put the can down on the floor, then looked at Michael. "Mikey boy, keep your mouth shut or imma burn you too!" Was all Bobby said before he continued spraying the petrol faster around the living room and kitchen. Then he took the match box from his pocket and struck one, igniting the thin wood. He dropped the match onto the coffee table full of framed photographs and watched as Michael lowered his head and climbed out of the broken window in the kitchen. Bobby followed and jogged back to the car. "Burn, baby! Burn" Bobby laughed from behind the wheel as he took off his gas mask and helmet. 

The curtains suddenly became engulfed in flames, as well as the sofa's and chairs and the carpets and wallpaper. The lamps exploded, each in a small burst of flames as the family upstairs became alert. Michael stopped in the middle of the street and turned to listen as the screams and cries of a boy echoed through the street and stopped after a while as flames engulfed him. Then the screams of his mother and father. Michael watched in awe as the house was engulfed by the burning orange embers of the fire, he was so overwhelmed as the sounds of coughing became evident in his ears and tears appeared in his glistening green eyes. Bobby got out of the car and grabbed Michael by the arm and dragged him back to the car, throwing him into the passenger seat and slamming the door. The teenager was still in shock as his brother climbed in and started the engine, tossing his SnapBack back to him as he went. Michael sat up and slowly took off his gas mask and helmet and let them fall onto his lap, then slipped the SnapBack onto his head and adjusted it to look good. Then he let his hands fall onto his helmet and he stared at it solemnly.