The Dead and the Restless (Completed with undergoing editing)

Chapter Twenty-Three

"As you know, there was an incident today," Darlene said, trying to keep her morale up, or at least to fake it. The fire had happened less than an hour ago, and to keep things from getting out of hand, we decided to sit down and have a civil conversation. Well, all of us not including the baby. She was asleep in a bed that someone had set up. "The food in the kitchen was set on fire."

I looked around. We were scattered at two tables. I sat at one next to Jackal, and Liam, Abbey, and Sienna stayed at the opposite one. Abbey was curling a strand of hair with her finger, and kept looking at the doors. Despite her, though, everyone else was on edge, because we all knew that someone sitting in the room had set the fire. But only two people knew who really caused it, and that was myself and the arsonist.

Darlene cleared her throat, her gaze avoiding all of ours.

"Someone here is responsible," she started, brushing a stray strand of her black hair behind her ear. "But I-"

"She did it," Sienna stated, staring at me with accusing eyes. I tried not to roll my eyes.

"Good God, Sienna," I scoffed. "Why would I do that? You really think I'd jeopardize what we have here?"

"I don't know what you'd do," She said simply. "I don't even think you know either. You've been losing it since that girl died and you murdered her father."

I wanted to hurl myself across the table and attack her for mentioning Lucy, but I kept a calm demeanor, just giving her a stern, cold, hard stare.

"For you information, I've got my shit together," I said in a cool, controlled voice. "In fact, I've never been better."

"Someone who walked down a hallway covered in blood and locked herself in a closet for days would say that."

"Enough," Liam interrupted. But I was done listening to people, and I was done playing nice. She needed to be put in her place.

"You know, someone who believes that her dead husband is somewhere working with the military would blame someone else," I mocked, using the same voice she had. "It's understandable, wanting to blame me, because let's be honest Sienna, we're both bat-shit crazy. The only difference is that I faced my issues and I don't let them control me. So, how about you shut up, stop judging my demons and deal with yours instead, and listen to what Darlene has to say."

Sienna looked as though I had just slapped her, and everyone was almost just as shocked, except for Abbey, who kept giggling to herself. After a moment without a response from Sienna, Darlene decided to break the tension by speaking up.

"As I was saying," Darlene continued awkwardly, "Someone set the food on fire. Now, I don't know why any of us would want to-"

"Check her pockets," Sienna deadpanned. I held my breath. After Abbey gave me the zippo, I put it back in my pocket.

"I don't think that's necessary," Darlene said, a little irritated by Sienna's outbursts.

"Check them," Sienna said again, more adamant this time.

After a few moments, someone finally spoke up.

"Fine," Liam said, standing up and walking over to me. I shot him a look.

"No," I said, shaking my head and folding my arms. "This is stupid. I would never do anything to put us in danger."

"I know you wouldn't," he said low so only I could hear, reassuring me. "But just get up. I'm not doing this to see if you're guilty of anything, I'm doing this to make her shut up about you."

I knew that I had no choice in the matter, so reluctantly, I stood up and raised my arms. I knew he would find the zippo. What was going to happen after he did, I wasn't sure.