For Nevermore Season 1

happened. We can all see that. But just because something happened that we can’t explain doesn’t mean Noella is to blame.”
    “Like she wasn’t to blame two years ago?” Randy practically snarled.
    Noella’s tears spilled, and she wiped them with the long arm of her oversized sweater, not wanting to give Randy the pleasure of making her cry.
    “That was different,” Josie said. “That was an accident! She didn’t kill that girl, and certainly didn’t burn her alive!”
    Randy shook his head, “Then what the hell happened, Josie, huh? Because the way I see it, there were only three people in the shop, Noella and the two victims.”
    Josie glared at Randy, “Victim? Victim?! Are you crazy? Noella is the only victim here! That man was going to kill her, just like he murdered that poor boy, Tony! I don’t know what happened, but thank God it did, or Noella would be dead right now. Is that what you want, Randy? Would you prefer to be standing over Noella’s dead body?”
    Randy opened his mouth, but Detective Avery stepped in between Randy and Josie to wall off his rage. “Please, Randy, can you just … just give me some space for a minute?”
    Randy looked like a wild dog reprimanded, and took a single step backward, his breath heavy and agitated.
    Josie sat, holding Noella tight, slightly shaking.
    Noella stared into Detective Avery’s eyes, “I have no idea what happened. I swear. And I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t even know how to do that. It’s mutant.”
    “No, I don’t think you did it, either. It’s not like you’re that girl from X-Men , right?” Detective Avery gave Noella an awkward laugh. Noella tried to match it, but couldn’t.
    “Listen, Noella, I’m not looking to hang this on you. Even if you somehow had done it, you and I both know it would have been self-defense. I’m showing you this video because I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’m hoping you can illuminate something, and help out by telling us everything you know.”
    “I swear, Detective Avery, I don’t remember anything other than what I’ve already told you. I wish I did. I’m just as shocked as anyone. More so, probably.”
    “Okay,” Detective Avery said, his hand on her shoulder, “Hang in there, kid. Everything will be okay. Now,” he stood, “I have to ask you all to keep this between us. The media is already hawking all over us, and the last thing we need is talk of ghosts or telekinesis, or whatever people will wanna call this. A suit named Jensen from the FBI called on this already. Seems like they may want to talk to you, but as far as I’m concerned, we’re not investigating you.””
    Detective Avery handed Noella his card. “But I’m always here. If you remember anything, anything at all, no matter how trivial or irrelevant it may seem, please, give me a call anytime, day or night.”
    “Thank you,” Noella said, taking his card and trying not to cry.
    Detective Avery left, and a shroud of silence fell over the room.
    Randy stewed, simmered, then cooled, before finally turning to Noella. “Listen,” he said, “I’m not saying you did anything bad, at least not intentionally. Maybe you did something and don’t remember you did it. I dunno. I’m just trying to figure out what happened so I can help you.”
    “Enough!” Josie said, with a barb to her voice that Noella hadn’t heard in years, if ever. “No more, Randy! Now you’re being cruel. Leave her alone.”
    Randy’s nose flared as he stared hard at Josie. His face was red, and blue eyes crazed. He looked to be a half-inch from finally snapping and smacking Josie, like Noella always knew he would eventually do. Noella had recently wished he would finally snap so that she and Josie could be rid of him forever, but now that it seemed just seconds from happening, she was filled with an icy terror. It wasn’t enough that he was stronger than both of them, but he also had access to a gun.
    He inched closer, breath heavy, like it was when he was drunk or mad. Randy was close enough for Noella to smell the Old Spice when he yelled, “Screw this! I got enough crap without dealing with you two looney broads!”
    He grabbed his belt and gun from the chair in the corner, stomped out the door, then slammed it behind him so hard, two framed photos on the wall fell to the floor.
    Josie jumped at the sound of the shattered frames, then stared, eyes wide, at the front door. Randy’s car roared to life, and he was gone, leaving