Burn (Barlyle) (COMPLETE)

54

"CAROLINE!"

Barnum thundered upstairs with Charity right at his heels. They burst into the bedroom - the guest bedroom Barnum had been using - and stopped short.

Caroline was huddled in the corner, crying, her knees up to her chest. The window was shattered and broken bits of glass littered the floor.

In the center of the mess was a rock. A very big, heavy rock - with a note attached.

Charity went to shush the crying child while Barnum took a hesitant step forward and picked up the weapon. It laid heavy in his hand. A nail pierced the note to the rock and Barnum's lips trembled as he murmured the words to himself.

"Play with the devil, you will be burned," he muttered.

Charity overheard. Still rocking Caroline, she asked, "What does that mean?"

"I - I don't—"

Barnum looked up. The wall in front of him blurred and he used his free hand to rub at his eyes.

"Phineas?"

The rock thudded to the floor as Barnum's legs crumbled. 

He struck his head on the way down and the world around him slowly faded to black.