The Poisoned Hearts

. S I X .

Lacey held my hand as I moved around the living room, preparing everything to set it all on fire. She gave me a sigh, "Are you sure you want to burn everything?"

"Look, they wouldn't let me tear my dad to pieces, I want to burn his body and everything he cared about." I said as I gave her hand a tight squeeze.

As we packed my things up Silas mentioned we were vampires. Lacey believed it immediately, unlike me, who still is sort of doubtful about it all even though my wrist was completely broken and healed itself within half of an hour. I guess my mind just doesn't want to believe it. I looked over at Lacey as I pulled a cigarette from the pack of cigarettes on the side table, "Would you be willing to change and come with us? Silas is a dick, but we will always be together."

Lacey gave me a sad smile and pulled me into a hug, "I don't want to be a vampire and they both said if I stayed human, I could be captured and tortured by other vampires if I went with you. I don't want anything like that to happen. They could use me to get you and torture you. I'm fine with having a long distance friendship."

We pulled out of the hug and I sighed. I still didn't want to leave her. I heard Silas clear his throat, being annoyed we were taking too long. Silas had placed my dad's body on the chair, a half empty beer in his lap with one hand on it and his other hand hanging off the edge of the armrest. I picked up the lighter from the side table and lit the cigarette before leaning down and setting the flame onto the dirty, green plaid button up shirt he was wearing and waited until it caught on fire. When it started to burn I moved the flame to the sleeve of his shirt then down onto his old pants. Silas put his lighter to the old curtains until they went up in flames. I set the lighter back on the side table as I set the burning cigarette in between my dad's fingers, then gently knocking it out of his hand with my pinky finger and onto the carpet. The place was quickly starting to go up in flames.

Laz grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the house as Silas pushed Lacey out of the house. As soon as we stepped outside into the night air, Laz turned to Lacey and put his hands on the sides of her face. Her expression went blank for a moment, like she was in a daze, before she pulled away from him and leaned down to pick up her bicycle. She stood upright and looked at me with a smile, "I'm going to miss you so much! Don't forget to call and write me!"

I nodded, "I will write you letters every day."

With that answer she climbed onto her bicycle and started pedaling in the direction of her house. She only lived a few streets over from me and we have always been within walking distance of each other. It was going to be strange to not always have her near me. I watched her form vanish into the distance as I heard the rumbling of the car engine coming to life. Laz took my hand in his and pulled me in the direction of the car. He opened the passenger door for me so I could climb into the back seat. When I was in the car, he set the seat upright and sat down, closing the passenger door. Silas started to speed away and I couldn't help myself from turning around to look at my old house as flames were starting to show in the windows.

A weight seemed to lift from my body as I watched my house go up in flames, my father's dead body in it. I felt calm. This was something I needed to happen. I didn't know how badly I needed it until now. I guess I have always needed my dad out of my life. I should have tried to find my mom when I was younger. My life would have been different, and probably better if I did find her. But I always thought she left us both, not just my dad.

"I know a tracker if you want to find your mom." Laz said from the front seat.

"I can see why Silas gets annoyed with you getting in his head." I replied as I turned back around to face the front of the car.

Laz gave a small chuckle, "It just sort of happens. A lot of the time I can't tell if someone is actually talking to me or just thinking."

"That's just what he says." Silas said as he focused on driving with one hand on the steering wheel. I rolled my eyes. I didn't want Silas to butt in with his side of things.