Devil's Pines: A Narrative Fiction
“No,” she said. “It’s Devil’s Hop-yard – as in the place where that devil grew his hops. And it’s south of Keene.”
“New Hampshire? That’s like three- four hours away.
“More, in this weather. So, the sooner that we get going, the better.”
“But…” But he looked in her soft hazel eyes, felt her tender breasts, and was lost. He sighed, saying “We should shower first.”
“Ya think,” she said. “But I must be alone a while. I need to concentrate. But when all of this is over…”
She kissed him long and deep. Then she skipped lightly to his bathroom.
Matt lay, half astonished, half giddy, and half wondering. He walked into the kitchen, surveying the damage. Stained and charred, the sink still smelled. The light above him was black and burned, the ceiling over his sink singed. It was real …show more content…
The fireball was an old theater trick; strike-anywhere match heads wrapped up in tape. I struck it with my thumbnail; burned myself a little.”
“Why?”
“Those phosphorus heads--”
“No. I mean, why did you do it?”
Nina sat silent a long while. Mat sat patient. Finally, she bowed her head and squeezed her hand between her knees.
“I – I wanted you to believe me,” she said. “I mean about the Red Death and all. Naomi’s car died, and we needed to get up to Keene, and I thought that if I could scare you, that you’d help. But really…really, I think…
“You think?”
“I think that I wanted to impress you,” she said, looking away. “Please don’t think that I’m trying to endear myself or anything, but – but I like you. You’re fun. And you’re funny. And I wanted you to see me as – oh I don’t know. I just wanted to impress you.”
“And the sex?”
“That was real,” she said looking up at him, tears welling in her eyes. “I mean it. I wanted to impress you – and – and it was really real and – please don’t hate me.”
“What about Naomi? Are you two
“New Hampshire? That’s like three- four hours away.
“More, in this weather. So, the sooner that we get going, the better.”
“But…” But he looked in her soft hazel eyes, felt her tender breasts, and was lost. He sighed, saying “We should shower first.”
“Ya think,” she said. “But I must be alone a while. I need to concentrate. But when all of this is over…”
She kissed him long and deep. Then she skipped lightly to his bathroom.
Matt lay, half astonished, half giddy, and half wondering. He walked into the kitchen, surveying the damage. Stained and charred, the sink still smelled. The light above him was black and burned, the ceiling over his sink singed. It was real …show more content…
The fireball was an old theater trick; strike-anywhere match heads wrapped up in tape. I struck it with my thumbnail; burned myself a little.”
“Why?”
“Those phosphorus heads--”
“No. I mean, why did you do it?”
Nina sat silent a long while. Mat sat patient. Finally, she bowed her head and squeezed her hand between her knees.
“I – I wanted you to believe me,” she said. “I mean about the Red Death and all. Naomi’s car died, and we needed to get up to Keene, and I thought that if I could scare you, that you’d help. But really…really, I think…
“You think?”
“I think that I wanted to impress you,” she said, looking away. “Please don’t think that I’m trying to endear myself or anything, but – but I like you. You’re fun. And you’re funny. And I wanted you to see me as – oh I don’t know. I just wanted to impress you.”
“And the sex?”
“That was real,” she said looking up at him, tears welling in her eyes. “I mean it. I wanted to impress you – and – and it was really real and – please don’t hate me.”
“What about Naomi? Are you two