Burned

Chapter 2

  For those  next couple of days, I noticed a strange tension in Flame whenever Don was nearby. Usually, he would look scared and try to act mature and responsible. Now, his eyes grew stone hard and he would shift around me, always making sure that he was between me and my slightly crazed boss.

I read stories of sons being protective of their mothers, and Flames constant rigidness towards Don made my heart want to stop. I loved this boy, more than I could have ever imagined, and know I could see that he would risk his reputation towards his creator to make me safe.

                I can still remember the night everything changed. Since I wanted to spend time with Flame and I hated the idea of him staying in the lab all night like, sometimes I would stay with him. One of the things Flame doesn’t like about his abilities is that he can’t sleep. Well, he has tried and maybe dozed off a little, but his body was designed to not to need sleep. I would walk into work around 4 and he would be in my office, sitting at my desk twitteling his thumbs like a dog waiting for its master to come home.

One of the reason I didn’t like leaving him here all alone is that he called me one night during a thunder storm, sobbing. All my life I had never actually heard a teenage boy cry before, and trust me, it rips your heart out.  I drove to the lab in my PJs and sat with him all night. I had eventually fallen asleep, but when I woke up, Flame has his head resting on my shoulder and his long body was curled up next to mine. When he had saw that I was awake, he bit his lip nervously.

“Sorry I made you come down here.” I laughed and stroked his face. ‘It’s okay Baby.” After that, whenever I heard that the weather forecast called for thunder, I stayed the night with Flame.

                I was working and talking to Flame who was busy doing pushups and trying to read a book that was lying on the ground. It was a funny picture, so that’s what Flame’s head snapped up as I clicked a picture on my phone.

                He glared. “Not cool, Mom.” We both froze, Flame in mid push up. Our eyes met and Flame starred to stutter, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that...” I shushed him by getting down on the floor and wrapping my arms around him. I laughed and then when he asked, “So, you kind of are my mom?” I laughed and pulled away to take his face into my hands, kissing his forehead. His large hands reached up to gently grip my wrist, giving them a loving squeeze. “Yes, I am Baby.”

                I don’t think you had to guess who ruined our mother- son moment but good old Donavan. We both had jumped when he cleared his throat, and I felt Flame tense up, his automatic desire to protect me. I went rigid too, only because I felt the same way towards Flame. Only then, did I notice the tazzer, locked in Don’s white knuckles.  My mouth went dry.

                Don tapped the stun gun playfully against his other hand.

“You know, I thought creating you Flame, would make the world a better place. But now I see, you’re only here to get the full human being experience. Well, I got news for you. You will never be normal.” Flame swallowed but stood his ground. Don chuckled as he fiddled with the gun.

“It’s funny though. You too were so wrapped up in playing house that you never took the time to understand why you are really here.” His eyes flickered up to meet Flame’s blue green ones. “And you still don’t know.” Don stepped forward, slightly raising the gun. “And now, I’m going to show you.” And he pulled the trigger.

                I felt as the thick needles embedded themselves into my flesh, but I don’t remember the sparks entering my body. I only remember flashes. The floor rushing up to meet my face, Flame looming over my body, his hands gripping my shoulders.  Then, I regained my sight, and I blinked up at Don, my eyes wet and my body twitching painfully. He had stopped the charges, but his finger was still poised over the trigger, and his eyes were on Flame.