The man stepped out of an alley onto Claymont and headed north towards the business district at a
fast pace. The sky flashed white and low rumbles of thunder sounded in the distance as rain began to
fall. The man slowed to pull the hood of his gray jogging suit over his head and adjust his black duffel
bag on his shoulder, continuing towards his destination. Two blocks ahead on the opposite side of the
same street stood the old Oakdale apartment building. A dark window on the second floor twinkled briefly
with a small light.
Margaret snapped her lighter closed and took a drag on her cigarette as she watched the street
below through the dirty rain streaked glass. The apartment behind her was empty and she had
alternated standing and kneeling by the window for the past three hours. Not comfortable, but an
excellent vantage point from which to observe the street below including a clear view of the entrances to
the Powell office building directly across from the Oakdale. She could stand a little discomfort in return for
the diversity and excitement of her job.
Margaret raised her camera and once again scanned the area around the Powell through the
electronic viewfinder. The camera served multiple purposes in her line of work. It was getting close to
eleven pm and very few pedestrians had come into view during the past hour on this rainy night. An
occasional car splashed by below, but none stopped nearby. She slid the camera strap from around her
neck and placed the camera on the floor next to today's copy of the Globe. A flash of lightning revealed
the front-page headline; SENATOR TILDEN KILLED. Below the lead story was a smaller caption, which
had been circled. This story was the reason for Margaret's vigil at the window. The minor banner read;
THIRD BLAZE - ARSON SUSPECTED.
Margaret didn't suspect - she knew. She'd been on top of this story since the second building had
gone up. In fact, she was certain she had just missed the arsonist himself at the last fire. She had
snapped a shot of a man wearing a navy pea coat and faded jeans. He had been carrying a duffel bag
and was leaving the area in a hurry. He hadn't looked right to Margaret and she had a feel for these
things. She had a tip that the Powell might be the next site to be torched and she would be ready. She
intended to top the last story.
She stretched and stubbed out her cigarette with the flat heel of her tennis shoe. As she returned
her attention to the street below, a man turned the corner and walked towards the building across from
her. He wore a gray sweat suit and was carrying a black duffel bag. Margaret's pulse quickened and she
felt a tingle go up her spine as she raised the camera and took several shots, zooming in, trying to get a
close-up of the man's face - but his hood was up. He suddenly disappeared from the viewfinder and she
looked up, realizing he had turned into an alley at the side of the Powell building.
"Damn!" cursed Margaret in a whisper, slinging the camera over her shoulder and jamming the paper
into the pocket of her trench coat. She hurried out of the apartment and took the steps two at time to
street level where she sprinted across to the Powell. She flattened her back against the wall at the side of
the alley and cautiously eased her head out and peered in. It was empty but not completely dark; a small
light was visible above an old rusty door halfway down the side of the building.
Margaret glanced around, then turned into the alley and carefully approached the door. It was closed
but unlocked - the old rusty catch had been pried open. She took a deep breath and opened the door
slowly, revealing stairs leading downward. There was a dim light visible below. Margaret looped her
camera strap around her neck, slid her hands into her coat pockets and started down the stairs.
* * *
The job was almost done. He had just finished pouring the contents of a gallon size plastic milk jug
around the perimeter of the large storage room. The trail of greenish liquid traversed a large shelving unit
containing a variety of cleaning fluids, paints and other wonderfully flammable substances. The man next
pulled a paper package from his duffel resembling a pound of ham just wrapped at the local deli. He
popped the tape and unwrapped the bundle revealing a mound of a clay-like substance. This he placed on
a shelf in the middle of a puddle he had created.
He returned to his duffle and began to pack his equipment - then froze as he heard a sound. It came
from the dimly lit hallway outside of the storage room. The man turned slowly to face the door. He pulled
a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open. Hopefully just a rat - he would allow no witness to his
latest project. There was no one in the doorway and he started towards the hall to check it out. As he
moved, a woman stepped into the doorway holding a camera at face level.
A series of clicks and whirrs echoed in the room. The man in the sweat suit stumbled backward and
crashed into the shelves. The woman snapped away as he steadied himself and attempted to recover
from his initial panic and come to grips with the situation. He was very good at fires and was capable of
so much more. He was almost as good at handling surprises, like this medium sized surprise with the
camera.
Margaret could see him clearly in the dim light. This was the man. She had him cold - the evidence
was all around him. She had gotten several good shots, which would develop perfectly despite the low
lighting. She couldn't believe her luck. Wait till they read this one, she thought. She lowered the camera
as the man took a step towards her. She saw the glint in his right hand and recognized the knife held
there.
"This was a damn stupid move lady," he said quietly, his voice angry, containing a strange mix of fear
and amazement. He had been moving sideways, looking around her, afraid there were cops with her - but
there was no one.
He couldn't understand how she could just stand there looking at him. Maybe fear - or maybe she
didn't realize what he was doing in the storage room. No matter now. He took a step towards the
woman. He knew he could get to her and the camera before she could make it ten feet. He took a second
step; beads of sweat clear on his forehead as he thought about what he would do with her body and
which escape route he would use to get clear. A crazy grin formed on his face and he actually giggled,
despite his own state of near panic, as he prepared to rush her.
"You dumb bitch. You're something else. I know some of you reporters are gutsy. You'll take some
crazy chances. But you made a bad mistake this time."
Margaret let the camera fall to her side and revealed the silencer equipped automatic she'd been
holding in her right pocket, constantly aimed at the arsonist from the moment she entered the room. His
eyes widened and he stopped moving when he saw the gun.
"Reporter?" said Margaret calmly, "I don't even read the papers unless it's absolutely necessary." She
lowered the gun slightly, aiming at his leg, and pulled the trigger. The was a muffled chuff as the muzzle
spit flame and the arsonist's leg buckled, his right kneecap shattered by the bullet's impact. He screamed
and collapsed to the floor, holding his leg and moaning in pain. Margaret walked to him and aimed the
gun at the other kneecap. He looked up at her. "Please," he whimpered.
"You were paid to destroy two specific buildings, Mister Devoe. You've already burned one too many
and were about to do another. This has certain parties very upset. Parties who have paid you and to
whom you owe some professional courtesy." She paused and looked at him expectantly. She lowered the
gun to her side. "Now - give me the name of the person who instructed you to burn Polk Street and the
Powell building." Devoe looked at her face and saw no weakness there. "It was Kane," he whispered.
"Martin Kane."
"Thank you, Mister Devoe."
Margaret raised the pistol and shot him in the forehead. She pocketed the gun and snapped two
pictures of the corpse.
Margaret truly enjoyed the diversity and excitement of her work. Yesterday a senator, today a double
crossing arsonist - what will tomorrow bring?
They'll have to read about it in the papers, thought Margaret.
fast pace. The sky flashed white and low rumbles of thunder sounded in the distance as rain began to
fall. The man slowed to pull the hood of his gray jogging suit over his head and adjust his black duffel
bag on his shoulder, continuing towards his destination. Two blocks ahead on the opposite side of the
same street stood the old Oakdale apartment building. A dark window on the second floor twinkled briefly
with a small light.
Margaret snapped her lighter closed and took a drag on her cigarette as she watched the street
below through the dirty rain streaked glass. The apartment behind her was empty and she had
alternated standing and kneeling by the window for the past three hours. Not comfortable, but an
excellent vantage point from which to observe the street below including a clear view of the entrances to
the Powell office building directly across from the Oakdale. She could stand a little discomfort in return for
the diversity and excitement of her job.
Margaret raised her camera and once again scanned the area around the Powell through the
electronic viewfinder. The camera served multiple purposes in her line of work. It was getting close to
eleven pm and very few pedestrians had come into view during the past hour on this rainy night. An
occasional car splashed by below, but none stopped nearby. She slid the camera strap from around her
neck and placed the camera on the floor next to today's copy of the Globe. A flash of lightning revealed
the front-page headline; SENATOR TILDEN KILLED. Below the lead story was a smaller caption, which
had been circled. This story was the reason for Margaret's vigil at the window. The minor banner read;
THIRD BLAZE - ARSON SUSPECTED.
Margaret didn't suspect - she knew. She'd been on top of this story since the second building had
gone up. In fact, she was certain she had just missed the arsonist himself at the last fire. She had
snapped a shot of a man wearing a navy pea coat and faded jeans. He had been carrying a duffel bag
and was leaving the area in a hurry. He hadn't looked right to Margaret and she had a feel for these
things. She had a tip that the Powell might be the next site to be torched and she would be ready. She
intended to top the last story.
She stretched and stubbed out her cigarette with the flat heel of her tennis shoe. As she returned
her attention to the street below, a man turned the corner and walked towards the building across from
her. He wore a gray sweat suit and was carrying a black duffel bag. Margaret's pulse quickened and she
felt a tingle go up her spine as she raised the camera and took several shots, zooming in, trying to get a
close-up of the man's face - but his hood was up. He suddenly disappeared from the viewfinder and she
looked up, realizing he had turned into an alley at the side of the Powell building.
"Damn!" cursed Margaret in a whisper, slinging the camera over her shoulder and jamming the paper
into the pocket of her trench coat. She hurried out of the apartment and took the steps two at time to
street level where she sprinted across to the Powell. She flattened her back against the wall at the side of
the alley and cautiously eased her head out and peered in. It was empty but not completely dark; a small
light was visible above an old rusty door halfway down the side of the building.
Margaret glanced around, then turned into the alley and carefully approached the door. It was closed
but unlocked - the old rusty catch had been pried open. She took a deep breath and opened the door
slowly, revealing stairs leading downward. There was a dim light visible below. Margaret looped her
camera strap around her neck, slid her hands into her coat pockets and started down the stairs.
* * *
The job was almost done. He had just finished pouring the contents of a gallon size plastic milk jug
around the perimeter of the large storage room. The trail of greenish liquid traversed a large shelving unit
containing a variety of cleaning fluids, paints and other wonderfully flammable substances. The man next
pulled a paper package from his duffel resembling a pound of ham just wrapped at the local deli. He
popped the tape and unwrapped the bundle revealing a mound of a clay-like substance. This he placed on
a shelf in the middle of a puddle he had created.
He returned to his duffle and began to pack his equipment - then froze as he heard a sound. It came
from the dimly lit hallway outside of the storage room. The man turned slowly to face the door. He pulled
a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open. Hopefully just a rat - he would allow no witness to his
latest project. There was no one in the doorway and he started towards the hall to check it out. As he
moved, a woman stepped into the doorway holding a camera at face level.
A series of clicks and whirrs echoed in the room. The man in the sweat suit stumbled backward and
crashed into the shelves. The woman snapped away as he steadied himself and attempted to recover
from his initial panic and come to grips with the situation. He was very good at fires and was capable of
so much more. He was almost as good at handling surprises, like this medium sized surprise with the
camera.
Margaret could see him clearly in the dim light. This was the man. She had him cold - the evidence
was all around him. She had gotten several good shots, which would develop perfectly despite the low
lighting. She couldn't believe her luck. Wait till they read this one, she thought. She lowered the camera
as the man took a step towards her. She saw the glint in his right hand and recognized the knife held
there.
"This was a damn stupid move lady," he said quietly, his voice angry, containing a strange mix of fear
and amazement. He had been moving sideways, looking around her, afraid there were cops with her - but
there was no one.
He couldn't understand how she could just stand there looking at him. Maybe fear - or maybe she
didn't realize what he was doing in the storage room. No matter now. He took a step towards the
woman. He knew he could get to her and the camera before she could make it ten feet. He took a second
step; beads of sweat clear on his forehead as he thought about what he would do with her body and
which escape route he would use to get clear. A crazy grin formed on his face and he actually giggled,
despite his own state of near panic, as he prepared to rush her.
"You dumb bitch. You're something else. I know some of you reporters are gutsy. You'll take some
crazy chances. But you made a bad mistake this time."
Margaret let the camera fall to her side and revealed the silencer equipped automatic she'd been
holding in her right pocket, constantly aimed at the arsonist from the moment she entered the room. His
eyes widened and he stopped moving when he saw the gun.
"Reporter?" said Margaret calmly, "I don't even read the papers unless it's absolutely necessary." She
lowered the gun slightly, aiming at his leg, and pulled the trigger. The was a muffled chuff as the muzzle
spit flame and the arsonist's leg buckled, his right kneecap shattered by the bullet's impact. He screamed
and collapsed to the floor, holding his leg and moaning in pain. Margaret walked to him and aimed the
gun at the other kneecap. He looked up at her. "Please," he whimpered.
"You were paid to destroy two specific buildings, Mister Devoe. You've already burned one too many
and were about to do another. This has certain parties very upset. Parties who have paid you and to
whom you owe some professional courtesy." She paused and looked at him expectantly. She lowered the
gun to her side. "Now - give me the name of the person who instructed you to burn Polk Street and the
Powell building." Devoe looked at her face and saw no weakness there. "It was Kane," he whispered.
"Martin Kane."
"Thank you, Mister Devoe."
Margaret raised the pistol and shot him in the forehead. She pocketed the gun and snapped two
pictures of the corpse.
Margaret truly enjoyed the diversity and excitement of her work. Yesterday a senator, today a double
crossing arsonist - what will tomorrow bring?
They'll have to read about it in the papers, thought Margaret.
Burned
By: Scott Joseph
By: Scott Joseph