The Warehouse

Maitena sat in silence as she watched the firemen attempt to put a stop to the angry flames that consumed her house. A house where she had spent her childhood and developed fond memories with her mother.

Everything inside was gone; her belongings and furniture completely consumed by the fire. The only thing she had left was the emergency bag her mother had insisted on her keeping, and a photo album she had managed to throw out the window before she escaped. She had tried to reach her mother’s room to check if she was home, but it had been no use. The flames where too thick blocking any hope of trying to exist through her bedroom door. She had even tried to gain access to the room by re-entering through the front door and using the stairs. But the fire had been just as strong there.

Over hearing the conversation between the firemen, prompted the thought that had been troubling Maitena since she had re-entered the fire. How did it start? They had claimed that the fired originated in the kitchen. One of the gas nobs had been left on, leaving the whole house in danger of being set alight. The revelation had puzzled Maitena, seeing as she wasn’t the type to make such a drastic mistake. Or at least that was what she had thought. Maybe she had. Her lack of sleep over the past few days had left her unsure of a lot of things.

Maitena sighed as she looked at the ground. In truth, it didn’t matter how the fire had started. The result was the same. Her mother was gone. Destroyed by the flames. There was no amount of doubt or projection that could take away from the guilt that would always be there, whenever she thought about her. The guilt that she had abandoned her mother and left her to be consumed by the fire. Brushing off the tears that ran freely down her face, her eyes locked onto a guy standing across the street next to some neighbours and curious bystanders. It was hard to make out his features due to the cap that cast a shadow over his face, but he didn’t appear to be interested in the events occurring in front of him, like the rest of the group surrounding him. Instead, his focus was solely on her.

Standing up from the floor of the ambulance she had been sitting on, Maitena attempted to get the attention of one of the police officers that were outside of her house. But in the split second she had drawn her attention away, the man had disappeared, and once again she was left to drown in her own thoughts.

Maitena stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her once flawless described black skin was currently drawn and haggard, and the red blotches around her eyes from where she had been crying was clearly evident. Over the hours she had sat waiting in the police interrogation room, the female detective in charge of her case had tried to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault, giving her pitying glancing and checking in on her every half an hour to make sure that she was okay. In truth, she was beginning to grow sick of it. She knew that the detective was just trying to ease her pain, but it didn’t take away from what had happened, or the truth of the matter. She was twenty. A grown adult. Yet she had left her mother to die. No amount of pitying glances or reassurances was going to change that.

She should have tried more, attempted to run through the flames. Anything would have been better than the cowardly actions she took. Maybe then her mother wouldn’t be dead. Maitena laughed bitterly as more tears came to her eyes. They wouldn’t even let her see her mother. They said the body was too burnt to even be identified, and it wouldn’t be good for her psychological well-being to see her like that. Maitena thought of telling them that there was no point in worrying about that. Her psychological well-being had flown out of the window with her emergency bag and photo album. But she had decided in the end, that that was better left unsaid. She wanted to get out of here, and the last thing she needed was a psychological test, or a counsellor coming to give her a therapy session. It wouldn’t take them long to realise that she was mentally messed up, before they tried to reassure her that everything was ok. That it wasn’t her fault. But everything wasn’t ok. It never would be.

Maitena was drawn away from her thoughts when the door opened and in walked Susan. She didn’t look like she had gotten much sleep either. Not to mention she was wearing the same clothes as when they first met. The big give away was the hem on her trouser legs. They had been dragged across the floor repeatedly, causing a whole to develop at the bottom. The grease at her roots were also more visible, suggesting that she hadn’t had a chance to go home yet. Maitena didn’t mind though. In fact, it was what she like most about Susan. She wasn’t perfect, but she cared. She cared about her job and generally wanted to help Maitena.

Behind her walked a white guy around 5 ft 10. His lean muscles were clearly evident through the v-neck white shirt he was wearing. Just enough to make him look like he could do some damage in a fight, but not enough for him to look like one of those guys who spent too much time in the gym. He smiled at Susan oozing charm, but it was his eyes that gave him away. Eyes that were empty except for the hint of pain that he attempted to hide.

“Your cousin finally managed to arrive. I will leave you two together for a bit. All the paperwork is done so your free to go whenever you’re ready.”

Taking a card out from her pocket, she handed it over to Maitena. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need someone to talk to.”

Maitena nodded and watched as the detective walked out of the room. Once she was gone Maitena turned back to the strange guy standing across the table from her. A laugh escaped her as she regarded him closely. “My cousin. Really?”

The guy in front of her gave a slight shrug. Amusement clearly evident in his eyes. It looked good on him. Made him look younger. “Cameras.” He mumbled. “Let’s go.”

Maitena started blankly at him. “You must be joking? I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Maitena watched as the guy sighed and took a seat at the table in front of her. He flashed her a smile like he had to Susan, but it again failed to reach his eyes. Maitena was beginning to think she had him soughed out. He was one of those guys that thought that a charming smile could get a woman to do anything for them. He would soon find out that he was wrong. Maitena would not be one of those women. There was no way on God’s green earth that she was walking out of that door with him. Not a chance.

“Let’s go.”

It was Maitena’s turn to sigh this time. “No. I’m not going anywhere. Especially not with you.”

Walking around the table, the guy crouched down an attempted to pull Maitena into a hug, much to her objection. “You will if you want answers sweetheart,” He whispered into her ear, causing Maitena to freeze. He began stroking her back as if attempting to console her.

“Answers to what?”

Drawing back, he placed a hand on Maitena's her face, before tenderly ran it down her cheek. “Your mum of course.”

The hand rubbing Maitena's cheek was beginning to confuse her. Drawing her away from her logical thoughts that were shouting at her not to leave with him. To stay where she was. To stay with Susan. At least for a bit longer. But she did want to leave. She couldn’t stay in that small box called a room for much longer. Maybe that was the point. His charming smile had failed so body contact was the next strategy. It was working. A slow smiled stretched across his face as if he could see the wheels turning in her head.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

“You don’t. But I know you want answers. I can see it clearly in your eyes.”

Slapping the guys had away, Maitena stood up, picking up here emergency bag. “Let’s go.”