CHAPTER ONE

'Ben, Ben! I can't make it! Just go! Get out!'� As these final words left Craig's lips a large burning beam fell upon him, quickly consuming the instantly lifeless body with flames. The whole place would be coming down soon but all Benjamin could do was watch with eyes too horrified to tear as his best friend was devoured before him. Another loud snap from above reminded him of what was taking place just in time to move and be missed by a second plummeting beam.
Still in the kitchen, or what was left of it, Ben tried to map in his mind the safest, or least hazardous, way out of the house. There was no doubt that the fire would eventually have its way with him, at least momentarily, before he would be able to escape this trap that fate had so carefully constructed on his behalf. The windows held no glass as a result of the massive amounts of heat they were still enduring. This kept him from making use of them. The only doorway leading into the living room was also ablaze and so, covering his face with his arms as best he could, he crouched down and slowly made his way to the promisingly painful opening. He considered himself lucky that the door wasn't closed. He'd seen a video in class only recently about fires and knew what happened when you opened a closed door in such a circumstance.
Finally, with nothing between himself and the living room but an open door, and flames so hot and bright they seemed to almost be an orange liquid, he pushed off with both feet, diving into the last part of the house and out of the black and orange collapsing cube that just moments ago had been a very elegant kitchen.
He could hear them now, the firemen and medics, but there was nothing that he could do. Ben's arms and legs collapsed beneath him when he attempted to recover from the dive. Either too much smoke or the sovereign heat, perhaps a combination of the two, had proved to be too much. He finally allowed the heat to surround him as one of the firemen lifted him from the floor and took him away.

* * *

The alarm brought his eyes to life and he looked at the time. Hitting the snooze button it occurred to him there was really no point in setting the clock an hour early if he was only going to use that damned snooze button until it was time to choose either his job or a few extra minutes of sleep. This thought faded into nonsensical ramblings as he once again drifted away'�
'Ok, ok, I'm up.'� He said to the perfectly inanimate object blinking and buzzing at him. He initiated his morning with a cup of coffee as had become the first part of his morning routine. So had reading the paper been inducted into his daily morning habits. With a shower following the coffee and paper, he threw on a suit presentable for the meeting he would later be attending and left for work.
When he entered the office the first thing to be taken in was of course the table seating what must have been at least fifteen important-looking men in expensive suits. To the right of the table was a large white board on a stand, this was where Ben would make his presentation. With a deep breath he proceeded to the presentation board and began his pitch.
'Gentlemen, we live in an age of convenience.'� He grabbed the black magic marker and drew a line diagonally from the top left corner of the white board to the bottom right. You're doing fine. He thought to himself. Just be calm and go through the motions. You've gone over this at home and in your head a thousand times. If you make a mistake, oh well. No biggie, right? But, of course, this was a biggie. It was a very big deal. These men weren't just men in nice suits but part of the head of Gin Star, the second largest home security retailer in the nation and this made him nervous.
'This line represents a decline in sales. Can anyone tell me what could cause such a decline?'� He waited a moment before continuing. 'Worry, gentlemen. Worry and the knowledge that there is another home security retailer making more promises and asking for less money.'� He could tell by their faces that this deal might not be so easy to close. And a closer was exactly what Benjamin King had become.
Another fifteen minutes went by, fifteen minutes that seemed more like an hour to the salesman. Then, finally, it was time to reel them in.
'This, my friends,'� he said, pointing at a now elaborately graphed board. 'is why you need us.'� Then, silence. No chattering, no whispers, only silence as the men exchanged glances. Ben was still nervous but glad to have the presentation done with. All that was left was their response and from the looks of it they were in no hurry. Then'�
'Mr. King,'� the largest of them began as he stood, exposing his gut which had been hidden beneath the table. 'You have yourself a deal.'� And with the shake of a large man's hand Benjamin King took his first step into the big leagues.
After thanking the well dressed men for their time Ben showed them out and returned to the presentation room. There waiting for him was a note on the table. At first glance he simply carried on but then something about it caught his eye. The corners had all been cut and rounded, leaving no edge. Suddenly Ben was no longer standing in a presentation room in Harlington, Nebraska but crouched down at a door to someone's empty home in Plaith, Minnesota and somehow this all seemed right.
Craig snuck up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, startling him just as he had all those years ago. 'Glad you made it.'� He said.
'Hey, what was the cut up note all about?'� Ben asked.
'Oh, I just figure I can cut the corners and you'll know it's about a new house to hit.'�
'Oh. Listen, I don't know about this one, Craig.'� Ben said, nervously. 'I've got a bad feeling this time.'�
'You've always got a bad feeling. Just pick the lock and let's do this.'�
'Ben?'� Spoke a familiar voice. He looked up from the note he'd been concentrating so intently on to see Joshua, a co-worker, standing in the doorway. 'Are you alright? You look a little pale, man.'�
'Yeah, of course. I'm fine, really.'� He stuffed the note into his pocket and left the room, brushing by Joshua without a second glance.
When he arrived home he put the bottle of wine he'd picked up for celebrating into the freezer and called Sarah. This was his big night and he wasn't going to celebrate alone. As the phone rang he fumbled in his right pocket for his keys to toss onto the coffee table but instead of the keys his fingers found the note. As he pulled it from his pocket and began to unfold it Sarah's voice answered the phone.
'Hello?'�
'Sarah, it's Ben.'�
'Oh, hey Ben. How are ya?'�
'I'm good. Listen, um...I kinda have some news.'�
'Um, ok. What kind of news?'�
'The kind you need to sit down for.'� He said this last part in the most worried voice he could muster. It was more fun to make people sweat before giving them great news; it had a very positive effect this way. He'd learned this in his first year of marketing.
'Are you ready?'� he asked.
'I think so.'� She was expecting something terrible; he could hardly hold the laughter in. It was so cute to him.
'I um, I uh,'� he stopped and waited.
'You what, sweetie?'� she asked, now more concerned than worried. It was time to drop the bomb.
'I just secured the deal with Gin Star! I'm set!'�
He had to move the phone from his ear for a moment until the yelling on the other end had quieted a bit. She was almost more exited about it than he had been when he first made the deal.
'So listen,'� he said. 'I thought maybe you'd like to come over and celebrate with me.'�
Before he had time to even wait for an answer she had more than happily agreed and was on her way. They went way back, she and Ben. They had gone to marketing school together and sharing the same interests they'd decided to date. The affair didn't last long, of course. Maybe they had been too much alike, neither of them knew for certain. Even their friends had thought it was a great match. Still, they had remained close friends and even intimate at times. It was this bond that kept Ben going. He needed someone close, that sense of completion.
He set the note aside and went to the cabinet to get out a couple of wine glasses in preparation for later. Humming some old sixties song he'd heard on the radio driving home he checked on the wine which, as assumed, wasn't nearly cold enough yet. He tidied up the kitchen some, clearing off the table though they probably wouldn't be eating. (She wouldn't be eating, at any rate.) He smiled at that thought.
A knock came from the door, it was Sarah.
'Come in.'� He said.
'Well just look at you.'� She sang, obviously impressed by the fact that he was taking the time to prepare for the night. The place already looked great but he had a habit of seeing even the most organized home as messy. This was especially true for his own.
Sarah wrapped her arms around his waste from behind as he checked once again on the wine. It still wasn't as cold as he'd have liked but it would do. He took it out and poured some into each of the two glasses. He handed her a glass and took one for himself.
'To good memories and a great future.'� He said and they toasted. He carried the bottle into the living room and placed it in the holder with some ice. They sat and looked at one another for a moment.
'So did you ever imagine you'd be here?'� Sarah asked, breaking the silence.
'What do you mean by here?'�
'Just, I don't know, in a nice house with nice things. Sipping on expensive wine and celebrating a multimillion dollar deal.'�
'Oh, well then definitely.'� He said, jokingly.
'Always the smart ass.'� She remarked.
'You asked.'� He said and they both laughed.
Sarah finished her glass of wine and slid a little closer to Ben.
'One glass does it for you?'� he asked, surprised.
'I don't need wine.'� She said and leaned in to kiss him.

* * *

Ben's eyes once again came to life in time to see the sunlight gleaming through slits in the window blinds and casting abstract shadows on his wall. There was no alarm to annoy him this time; however there was a beautiful woman in his bed with her arms wrapped around him and her head buried in his chest. He sighed with the relief of years of struggle gone at last. Finally, after all the hard work and long hours, he'd made it. This was his time to shine and he'd do just that. He kissed Sarah on the forehead and caressed her cheek. She mumbled something about pancakes and fell back into dreamland. Benjamin laid his head back down in the mountain of pillows and closed his eyes. It was time to sleep without having to dream. His dreams had all come true.

* * *

Ben picked the lock with somewhat of an ease. He'd been doing it for a couple of years now and had become quite good at it. He grabbed the knob, twisted it slowly and pushed the door open. Inside was comfort. This was the kind of home couples dreamed of one day escaping to. Ignoring Craig's advice to 'get to work and start grabbing shit.'� Ben simply stood just inside the still open doorway, admiring the enormous living room.
'Ben, goddamn it, come on!'� Craig said, trying to whisper loud enough to catch a starry-eyed Ben's attention. 'You're gonna get us caught, get moving.'�
He looked at Craig, shook his head in disappointment perhaps because he expected more of an admiration from his friend and finally continued with the task as planned. Craig, of course, was already quick at work looking in bedrooms and bathrooms for jewelry and such. Ben began moving paintings to check for a safe. After thirty minutes of this they met up in the kitchen.
'They won't be back 'till next week!'� Craig exclaimed.
'Are you sure there isn't some silent alarm or something?'� Ben asked, nervously.
Craig sighed, annoyed at the question. 'I told you, they have a neighbor watching the place for them and if we don't hurry the hell up that neighbor will be back and we're going to jail. Now help me find the damn safe.'�
They were like professionals but not so much in the manner of style. They simply had good sources and knew most of what they needed to know about the place they were going to hit. Ben was fairly new to this but not Craig. Craig Vaughn had been doing this for some time. He was older now, of course. Twenty five, to be exact, and didn't make the same mistakes as he'd learned from the past. That's why he had to keep at Ben who was still in his teens and had only a couple years under his still small belt. The truth of the matter, in fact, was that Ben was being used.
Craig had grown tired of doing all the work and wasn't so great at picking locks. He'd seen the movies and watched famous burglars use a pawn in case something went down and they needed a scapegoat. Ben obviously had no idea and thought they were a team. After all, being accepted as the cool guy by even one person was exactly what he wanted. The fact that what they were doing was so secretive only made the rush more exhilarating.
As they made their way through the kitchen, rummaging but not really expecting much more than useless pots and pans, headlights shined through the window over the sink and their hearts jumped. The neighbors were supposed to be gone for another hour.
'Get down!'� Craig said, already near the floor.
Ben got down beside him. 'I thought they''
'So did I.'� Craig replied. 'Obviously we were wrong. Just follow me.'�
The two soon to be convicts made their way further into the kitchen, Ben following closely behind Craig, crouched down low enough that he could feel his thighs beginning to burn. When Craig reached the other end of the kitchen he stopped and sat with his back against the wall. Ben did the same.
'What are we doing?'� Ben asked, confused.
'We're waiting. They'll be watching the house for an hour or two and then we should be able to get out without being noticed.'�
Almost as if they had heard the very words he'd spoken, a small circular light reflected off of the opposite wall from where they were sitting.
Craig new what the light was coming from.
'Shit!'� he exclaimed. 'Shit, shit, shit!'�
'What?'� Ben asked, more worried now than he'd likely ever been.
'They're coming over.'�
'What? How do you know that?'�
'That's a flashlight, dumbass. Just wait here.'� Craig left the kitchen and moments later returned with an oven lighter.
'What's that for?'� Ben asked.
'Diversion. I saw it in a movie.'�
'What are you gonna do?'�
Craig didn't wait to answer the question but went to the drapes and lit them. He then went to various other flammables throughout the kitchen and began doing the same to them. Before long the entire kitchen was in flames and Ben was on his feet alongside Craig.
'What the hell did you do?'�
'I think a fire will take precedence over a burglary. Don't you?'� Craig said as he continued on to the back door. Still setting things ablaze and now doing it more out of desire than necessity, Craig turned to see how fast it was spreading in time to realize that he had either underestimated or overcompensated as the flames had already spread into the living room and up the stairs.
'We have to get out of here!'� Craig yelled but before he could run a crack overhead gave late notice of the beam that was let loose upon him.

* * *

'Ben, Ben babe, wake up.'�
He opened his eyes and began to run to Craig before realizing that it was Sarah leaning over him.
'You had a bad dream, it's alright now.'� She said.
He rubbed his forehead and found that he had been sweating. He didn't normally sweat when he slept, even when he had one of these dreams but this one had been far worse than the rest.
'Um, who's Craig?'� Sarah asked.
'Who?'� he couldn't let her know anything about that. It was a long time ago and he'd become a new person. The remaining memories were old useless garbage he had not yet managed to completely rid himself of. Maybe the doctor had been right and he would never be able to forget it all. Shouldn't being cleared of the charges after a few months in juvie have been enough to ease his burden? Apparently not.
'Ben?'�
He could tell that she was concerned. She was cute this way and adorable.
'I'm fine.'� He said. 'I don't know who Craig is, just someone in my dream.'�
'What was the dream about? You really had me worried.'�
'I don't remember much, really. We were at a party and someone got into a fight. One of them had a gun. I, I don't really remember anything else.'�
'You don't remember the fire?'� She asked, sarcastically.
She knew, how much she knew was uncertain at this point but she definitely knew something and that was bad. Was it too late to play dumb?
'Fire?'�
'I can tell when you're hiding something, Ben. You know that.'�
'I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I just woke up.'�
'Alright,'� she said. 'If this is how you want to play it then this is how we'll play it.'� She got out of bed and started getting dressed in somewhat of a hurry. This was a sure sign that he'd dug his grave. The question now was should he climb out or keep digging? She stopped grabbing for her clothes for a moment and looked at him so sincerely that he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her that he watched his best friend die. Let him die and watched it happen. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and that there would be no more secrets between them. That the reason it never worked out between them was because he was too goddamned scared to tell her all of this before. Just as he was too scared to tell her now.
'I guess I'll see you later.'� He said, feeling something inside of him begin to wither.
She didn't respond with an insult or a threat of never talking to him again. Either of these would have been good, because they would have shown that she was still waiting for him to fix this. But no response at all, that made the matter so much worse. Without a word or even a sigh Sarah finished getting dressed and left the room. Moments later Ben heard the front door open and shut downstairs followed by her car pulling out of the drive way. He closed his eyes and sighed.

CHAPTER TWO

Everyone would be counting down soon. Ben had received an invitation to a New Year's Eve party in York and reluctantly had decided to go. What better to lighten the black cloud overhead than alcohol and loud music?
Someone bumped into him, nearly knocking the drink from his hand.
'I'm sorry.'� The girl said. 'Lost my step. In these heels I'm doing good just to keep on my feet.'� She laughed.
She was cute and very attractive. A slim figure with shoulder length blond hair and a sexy voice. She was half drunk, of course but still aware of what she was saying.
'Don't apologize.'� Ben said. 'If I were wearing those I think I'd be falling too.'�
'If you were wearing these I think falling would be the least of your problems.'� The girl replied and they both laughed. 'I'm Claudia.'�
'I'm Ben.'� He shook her hand lightly. 'Some party.'�
'Is this your first?'� She asked him.
'My first New Year's party?'�
'In York.'�
'Oh, well in that case, yes. It is.'�
'Who are you here with?'�
This had to mean she was interested in him. Of course after a few drinks anyone could be interested in anyone. 'I came on my own, actually. Gary invited me.'�
'Oh so you must be that Ben. Well in that case it's very nice to meet you.'�
It had been a few weeks since the big deal and he'd had some time to adjust to this new level of popularity. However, the drunk girl knowing who he was, that was a nice addition.
'So you know me.'� He said.
'Well I know of you. You closed the deal with Star. Congratulations.'�
'Thank you.'� Wonderful. He thought. Even at a party I find myself discussing business. This was to be expected, of course. In spite of his negative attitude toward discussing work at a party, he knew that he could have expected little more at a party to which only business executives and marketing heads were invited.
Trying to change the subject, he asked her where she was from to which she replied. 'Omaha. Have you ever been?'�
'No but I'd like to go sometime. I hear it's really nice.'� This was of course a lie but why not? He might as well humor her 'till the party started picking up. Then again, just how wild could a party consisting of business majors become? What if he was stuck with Claudia for the rest of the night? Of course, she did have a very nice figure and a cute face to compliment it. How long had she been talking now?
''�but there was really no need to spend that kind of money. At least that's what I told him, I don't know if he took my advice.'�
'That's crazy, wow.'� He had no idea what she was talking about.
'I know.'� She replied with a deep sense of relief that he understood her and had been listening to what she said. She stepped in a little closer until there was only a foot of space between them and in a much lower voice, (which served no purpose in contrast to the racket being emitted from the rest of the party,) she asked him a question.
'Have you read the letter?'�
His heart began to pick up speed and his mind was racing. He knew immediately what she was talking about but how could she know? Maybe he'd heard her wrong.
'I'm sorry.'� He tried to say calmly. 'What did you say?'�
'I asked you if you've read the letter yet.'�
'What letter?'� Maybe she wasn't talking about the same one.
'I think you know. You really shouldn't unfold things and leave them lying around.'� She said, matter-of-factly.
Had she been in his house? He'd locked the door, how was that possible? And even if she'd broken in, why would she take the time to read a simple letter. Hell, what were the odds of her being at this party if any of that was the case? This was all too much.
'I've got to go. I'm sorry.'� He apologized and turned for the exit. She grabbed for his sleeve and he could have pulled away but somehow she was still enticing to him. He turned to look at her.
'You can't keep running from yourself. You'll always be there no matter where you go.'�
'Who the hell are you?'� He asked, sounding almost desperate for some sense of understanding but she simply turned and walked away, blending in with the rest of the party. Ben turned once more and left.

Arriving home, he rushed to the door and turned the knob. He was shocked when he felt it make a full rotation and nearly terrified when, giving no resistance (as was not the case with broken locks) it opened into his home. He stood there just outside the doorway thinking back, trying to remember locking the door. And he did! He definitely locked it when he left; he even remembered turning the knob to make certain the door wouldn't open. Tricks of a youthful trade, as he liked to think of it.
Standing now before an open door to a house that no longer was his, Ben considered calling the police but then questioned such a rash action. Besides, in order to convey the magnitude of what was taking place he would have to tell them everything. This meant explaining the note and the girl at the party. What was her name? Clair? He couldn't remember now but he was certain of one thing and that was the doubt he would see in the eyes of whichever cop decided to document the fantastic story. However unfantastic it might be.
Just give a yell. He told himself. If there's still someone in the house they'll be less likely to make any rash decisions if given time to hide or even leave.
'Hello?'� He heard his voice echo back. Taking in one final breath of safety he entered the vandalized home and crept stealthily to the couch, not initially to look for the note but to get a view down the hallway. Seeing that no one was in sight he made his way in that direction, trying still to be as silent as possible. It then occurred to him that he was doing the opposite of what he had intended and was actually sneaking up on the intruder, should they still be in the house. He stopped, stood up, and yelled.
'If there's someone in this house, leave now! I'm giving you a chance to get out before I call the cops!'� His voice was wavering, he tried to strengthen it. 'I have the phone in my hand and it won't take more than a second to call the police!'� Then something fell in his bedroom. The hallway was long as a result of the comfort that came with making comfortable profits. This meant that if Ben was to walk at a fairly slow pace the stranger in his bedroom would have enough time to get out through the window. But would the bastard be smart enough to think about using the window in the first place?
'The window is large enough for you to go through!'� He then added at the thought. 'It'll open easily. Hell, breaks it if you have to!'� He listened, moving slothfully down the hallway for any sound at all but heard only the slight scuffle of damp shoes on carpet. Shhh! He wanted to say.
When he reached the door he stopped again and leaning forward, he peeked into the bedroom.
Nothing. The room was empty and the window was closed. Ben knew that he should have been relieved at this but instead his worry increased. He looked the entire room over and finally allowed himself to relax a little. The closets were open as well as the bathroom. Suddenly a feeling rushed over him that he was not used to by any means. It was a sort of backwards de ja vous. Then, immediately following this uncomfortable sensation, his eyes nearly jerked his attention to the stairs and a single thought crossed the front of his mind. I don't remember ever going upstairs.
He began to walk toward the staircase when he snagged his pant leg on something. He pulled hard once with the trapped leg but it wouldn't budge. Giving it another pull he still could not loose it. Suddenly he could feel the staircase calling him. As if he were a slave and at the top of that climb was freedom.
Wanting nothing more than to be free Ben began pulling repeatedly toward the stairs. He didn't care if the thing that had his leg took his pants entirely, he wanted to reach those stairs and he would do just that. His heart was racing and he began to sweat but still he persisted. Grunting, heaving, saliva nearly falling from his mouth, he refused to stop until he was free when without warning a drowsiness came over him that he couldn't fight. The urge to sleep was too great and in seconds he was unconscious.

* * *

Dr. Rebecca Green took her seat at a small table, opposite a small man who was wearing even smaller glasses. On his chest was a name badge that displayed his identity.
Dr. Michaels
Neurology

Dr. Michaels opened up the briefcase on the floor next to him and placed on the table a file. 'I suppose this is when you ask if your patient should in fact be a patient.'� He said to the lady across from him.
'In so many words, yes.'� Dr. Green replied. 'How is he doing at the moment?'�
'Other than managing to bust his head open and dislocate his shoulder he's fine.'�
A look of surprise overcame the lady doctor. It was clear to Dr. Michaels that she expected the whole thing to be an attempt at avoiding prison. This would be the visit to change her mind.
'What happened?'� She asked, still shocked by the news.
'We aren't certain but we think he was imagining an escape. Walk with me, Dr. Green.'�

They made their way down a few quiet corridors and finally reached the wards. To the contrary of what Rebecca had expected, these rooms were not occupied by raving lunatics but by heavily sedated, peaceful patients. The only noise one could hear was mild snoring from some of the rooms.
The hallway eventually opened into a sort of reception area. Dr. Michaels stopped at the counter and leaned in to speak with the nurse. Rebecca couldn't hear much of what he said but she did manage to understand something about the patient's condition. The nurse said something back to him and he was off again. Rebecca followed him once more and soon they were standing next to a hospital bed. In it slept Benjamin King.
Rebecca noticed some letters and notes on the counter next to him. She then noticed that there were no corners but that the ends were sort of round. Dr. Michaels noticed her examining one.
'It's so that he can't harm himself. You'd be surprised at the damage a simple envelope corner can do.
'Has he read any mail since he's been here?'� Dr. Green asked.
'What few letters he gets. Not the one today though. One of our nurses decided to go against policy and bring it to him personally. When it became clear to her that he wasn't going to acknowledge her presence she set it down on his bed, the only piece of furniture in the room, and left. Later he found the letter and set it down before proceeding to bash himself into the wall. Those walls are padded but blunt force in repetition is gonna do damage regardless.'�
'So you think it was the letter that set him off? But you said he didn't read it.'� She said.
'Exactly. These patients have to make sense of the routine that we give them. It's the only bit of sanity they have. When something is changed in that routine they can't understand what's going on and resort back to madness. When the letter was placed on his bed instead of dropped through the mail slot he was forced to break his routine.'�
Dr. Green shook her head and looked back at Dr. Michaels.
'Ok so you've made a believer out of me. I'll tell the judge tomorrow that he's incapable of standing trial.'�
'If you don't mind my asking.'� The short doctor began. 'Why did he start that fire?'�
'We don't know. It was supposed to be a burglary, they seem to know that much. As for the fire, no one knows anything from what I can gather except that he started it.'�
'How do you know it was him?'� The doctor asked.
'Because he was the only one there. The thing that seems to be baffling everyone is that the neighbors insist they heard someone yelling Ben, Ben.
'Then there was someone in the house after all. I'm confused.'�
'There were cameras in the house made to withstand just about any kind of damage. I've seen that tapes more times than I cared to and he was the one doing the yelling.'�
'So he was yelling his own name?'� Dr. Michaels asked, scratching his head.
'Strange, I know.'� Rebecca said. 'Just keep a closer eye on my patient next time so that maybe we can avoid this sort of thing in the future.'�

* * *

Ben awoke in time to curse the buzzing of a clock eager to bring him to waking life. This was the day of his big presentation and he wasn't going to be late. However, he would take advantage of the snooze button'�

END

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