Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

said Flick. “Want me to try another one?”
    We had three other containers of possible accelerants.
    “Nah. Let’s just do it with this one,” said Derek. “We’re losing daylight. We still have to wait for the fire to die out and then clean up the mess.”
    “He’s right,” I agreed. “When we run out of acetone, we’ll try those other ones.”
    Flick grabbed the container and went to the fridge. We all followed behind.
    “So, you want me to douse everything in there?” He waved the container in the general direction of the piles of bones.
    “No,” I said, still worried we were going to torch the whole place if we got too enthusiastic. “Just do that body in the middle. We’ll do a test run.”
    “Good plan,” said Jamal. His voice sounded weak, even with the mask effect going on.
    “Why don’t you go sit on that counter over there?” I suggested, touching his shoulder and gesturing with my head over towards the sinks and prep tables.
    “No. I’m going to stand firm. I’m going to say a prayer for these people.”
    “Whatever floats your boat,” I said, turning back to the fridge. “Just don’t pass out.”
    “I’ll try.”
    Ronald moved over to stand next to his brother and the two of them held hands as they murmured words of prayer.
    Flick stepped inside the fridge and opened the container. “How much do you think I should use?” he asked, looking back at us.
    “A capful,” I suggested.
    “Three of ‘em,” said Winky. “That little flame we just had isn’t going to be enough.”
    “Works for me,” Flick said, measuring out three caps of the liquid and slowly pouring each over the remains.
    “Everyone out,” I said, stepping over to the edge of the door. I swung it most of the way shut. “Flick, throw that match from outside. I want to shut the door, just in case.
    Flick stepped outside and put the cap back on the container. He stopped just outside the door and turned back to face the inside. “Ready?” he asked, not looking back.
    “Ready,” I said. The others murmured their assent.
    “Here goes nothin’,” he said, as he lit the match and threw it inside.
    I hurriedly pushed the door shut and heard the latch click, my pulse racing a hundred miles an hour. I wasn’t sure why I was so freaked out. A part of me worried all those bodies would make gasses that would maybe blow the place up. But it was probably long past the point where that could happen. They were months and months old, and we’d had the door open long enough to let any of that stuff out.
    “Well?” asked Gretchen. “Should we look?”
    I put my hand on the door. “Here goes nothing.”
    ***
    The body was still there, but now it had some weak flames dancing along the top of it. Parts of the remains were charred.
    “Well, that worked, didn’t it?” asked Ronald.
    “Deliver her soul to heaven, Father,” said Jamal.
    “Isn’t her soul already there?” asked Winky, leaning on my shoulder to look into the space.
    “It’s just a form of respect,” said Jamal, pausing only to give her his explanation before continuing with his work of sending any lost souls to where they needed to be.
    “I think that worked, right?” asked Gretchen. “Can we do the rest of them now?”
    I shrugged. “I guess. I’m just worried, okay? Let’s make sure we’re totally ready for an inferno.”
    Flick went inside and opened the container. He turned it sideways and started pouring it liberally over the bodies, walking slowly around the room. “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.”
    “What’s that all about?” asked Winky.
    “I don’t know. Just … you know. Ceremonial. This is like a cremation,” he explained.
    By the time he’d gotten around to the other side of the boxed space, the acetone container was empty. “That’s all she wrote. If you guys want more firepower we’re going to have to use another one of those containers.” He tossed it towards a garbage can across the room making the shot. “Three points, all net. Swish.”
    “I don’t think mixing chemicals is such a great idea,” said Derek.
    “You read my mind,” I said, glad I wasn’t the only one scared of crap I knew nothing about. I really wished I had paid better attention in chemistry class back when there was such a thing.
    “Okay, everyone out,” said Flick. “I’ve got matches and I’m not afraid to use ‘em.”
    “Dude, you’re scaring me with the pyromania stuff,” said Gretchen.
    Flick turned halfway to