Page 6 of Three Minutes
I prop up on my elbows, keeping my stare on her. Beck runs her eyes down my body, stopping between my legs. She sucks her lips into her mouth, biting down on them. My heart pumps viciously as she crawls onto the bed between my legs. I watch every detail and movement she makes. She keeps our eyes connected as she brings the condom to her mouth, ripping it open with her teeth.
She sits back on her knees, leans forward, and takes a deep breath. She gently wraps her hands around my swollen length, causing my breath to hitch from her sudden touch. I’d thought about this moment so many times before, wondering what a woman’s touch would feel like—the intensity of it.
Beck brings her other hand down, clutching the condom, her hand trembling. I reach over, wrapping my hand around her wrist, stopping her. Her eyes jolt back and forth between mine. “You don’t have to do this, B.” She shakes her head, sucking in her breath. “No, I-I want to. It’s just that with Davis, I didn’t get to do this…it was so fast. I want this to be perfect for you.” I rub my thumb along her wrist before letting go. “It’s good, Beck, you are good.” She gives me a nervous nod.
My lips separate as she slowly slides the condom down my length. She sits up on her knees and scoots closer, climbing over my legs. She then positions herself over my tip, using one hand to hold me in place, and the other gripping my shoulder. She closes her eyes and slowly begins lowering herself down on me. We both gasp at the same time. Pressure builds in my chest and stomach. She pauses for a moment, biting down on her bottom lip.
My hands instinctively grab and hold her hips tight. She lifts and lowers again, sliding down further onto me. The feel of warmth shoots through me. I squeeze my eyes shut and quickly open them, not wanting to miss even a second of this with her.I can see the battle of pleasure, and perhaps even discomfort, in her expression. “Are you okay?” I whisper. She nods anxiously. “I’m okay. I just need a moment.”
She squeezes her eyes shut, then opens them quickly to make eye contact. Then, with a final drop of her hips, she fills herself with all of me. My grip tightens on her hips as we both catch our breath. The feel of her tightness around me makes my vision blur. She rocks her hips in a slow rhythm, her nails digging into my shoulders, surely leaving marks as she continues her addictive pattern.
A pleasure I’ve never experienced before takes over me completely. I feel the pressure building quickly—nothing like when I’ve touched myself. I can barely focus with every nerve in my body reacting to her being so close. I try so hard to hold back, wanting the feeling of this moment to last forever.
My thumb runs along her birthmark on her hip. Mesmerized by how stunning she looks, my hand runs up her stomach. I trace my fingers around her bathing suit top, and her nipples harden beneath my touch—moans and heavy breathing flow from our mouths. The air is thick with lust. “Beck, I-I can’t last much longer,” I grit out. She sucks in her bottom lip, rolling her head back as she continues to ride me into submission. “It’s okay, Ezra, let it go. It’s supposed to be like this.” Her voice is reassuring and sweet like honey.
She stops momentarily, grabbing my hands and placing them around her waist. She presses her hands over mine, motioning for me to take the lead. I grasp around her waist, her skin like silk. I start slow, but pick up the pace, lifting her slightly and dropping her back down onto me. Everything goes dark around me, and we both let out a muffled moan. A heavy release shoots out of me as I feel her pulsing around my length.
I pull her down onto my chest as we both try to catch our breath. I once thought I truly knew Beck on a deeper level. Wegrew up together and spent countless days and hours together. But this, this is different. A feeling of predatory instincts clouds my senses.I love her. I’ve always loved her.
The sounds of a siren approach outside, followed by multiple air horns. Beck jolts up from my chest, pulling off of me. I quickly sit up, yanking the condom off and tossing it in the small trash can beside her bed. Pulling my phone from my shorts pocket, I slip my boxers back on and then my shorts. Before I can check the time, a door slams hard, and within seconds, Blake bursts into the room, panting hard.
His eyes were initially concerned, but he instantly became shocked when he saw Beck and me. “Dude, what the fuck!” he yells. Beck throws the cover over her lower half. Blake shakes his head, trying to understand what he just walked into. I look down at my phone, seeing that it is 11:01.Fuck, I’m late.I quickly turn back to Blake, and his mouth opens. “It’s your house, Ez. It’s—it’s onfire. Dad just drove by, heading there now.” My heart sinks in my chest. I look at Beck, her expression full of fear and worry.
Wasting no more time, I sprint out of her room, knocking Blake to the side. I hear him and her shouting for me, but I keep running as fast as I can. My mind races, running through different horrible scenarios repeatedly.They got out. They’re safe outside while they tame the fire. I repeat it aloud, speaking it into the air. I finally blink, and I’m already one street away from my house. I see the smoke rising across the sky, and the smell of burned wood fills the air, making my eyes sting. Thick air presses against my bare chest.
I try to catch my breath as I approach my yard. Multiple fire trucks line the streets and front yard. I spot Jesse’s pickup truck sitting near the mailbox, unscathed. My eyes freeze on the house, the home I grew up in, in deadly flames. My heart lurches, trying to rip from my exhausted chest. I glance at myphone in a panic.11:03. From the corner of my eye, I spot an ambulance, and relief sparks within me. I sprint over, hoping to see my mom and Jesse there, unharmed. Two paramedics discussing something turn and look at me, shaking their heads in confusion.
I whip around, unable to focus, turning in circles.Where are they? There’s no way…I look back towards the house just as one of the living room windows bursts out with roaring flames. A firefighter comes out from the side of the house, his uniform covered in black smoke. He quickly looks my way and runs towards me. He then pulls his helmet and face shield off. It’s Eric, the twins’ dad.
“Where are they?! Are they okay?” I yell amongst the loud noises around us. Eric runs his gloved hand through his sweaty hair, shaking his head. “They weren’t outside when we got here. The neighbors called as soon as they noticed the fire. W-we tried getting in through the back door, but the fire is out of control. We’re going to try going through—” Before he can finish his sentence, I jolt towards the front door. Eric attempts to grab my arm, but I move too quickly.
“Ezra, you can’t go in there like that, you won’t make it!” Eric yells, but I ignore him. I refuse to let them die. I should have been here. I should have never left. I grab the doorknob of the front door without thinking. The handle burns my fingers and palm, making me snatch my hand back. I quickly brace myself and kick the door as hard as I can. The door instantly rips from the hinges, bowing inward.
An avalanche of smoke and heat pours from the busted-down door. I bring my arm up over my face, trying to shield it as best I can as I move forward. I begin searching, screaming their names. To my right, toward the living room and kitchen, there is nothing left—everything’s consumed by raging fire. I trek toward the hallway, trying my best not to breathe in the smoke, holdingmy breath as long as I can, then taking small breaths in between to keep from passing out.
My lungs feel like they could collapse at any moment, as much as I try to keep the smoke out, it devours me wholly. I check everywhere I can see through the fire and black smoke. The eerie sound of everything melting and crumbling around me causes my heart rate to skyrocket. I try to ignore the feeling of my chest cavity tightening as pain runs through my side into my leg.
I reach my mom’s room and notice the door is shut, smoke billowing from underneath it. I hear Eric and other firefighters shouting from the front door. There’s no time left; they have to be inside. They’re okay; they just need my help. I kick the bedroom door open. Flames burst out, and I raise my right arm to shield my face. The force of the fire pushes me back, knocking me onto the floor. Immediately, the right side of my body burns and stings with raw pain. I bite down hard on my tongue, tasting blood.
I grab my chest, unable to breathe any longer. I glance at my right arm, the flesh melted away, seared skin peeling back in places. I grit my teeth, trying to fight through the agony. My lungs are giving out. I take short breaths, holding on as long as I can. I tilt my head, looking through the door into my mom’s room. I squint my eyes, trying to see past the hellfire that surrounds me.
My strained eyes catch sight of something just feet away: two charred bodies lie motionless, barely recognizable, but I know it’s them. They are holding each other as if trying to shield themselves from the flames, but it’s obvious it’s too late. I try to cry out, I try to scream, but there’s no air left in me—only smoke and fire. A sharp pain grips my chest. I’m suffocating and will die in this house, along with my mom and Jesse.
As my vision fades into darkness, muffled voices approach, their words swirling around me. Something yanks at my rightarm, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my veins. The voices surround me, but only fragments of sound reach my slipping consciousness. I feel my heart working hard, its beat weak and faltering, each pulse a reminder of my life slipping away. The searing shadow of death draws near, and a shiver of resignation sweeps over me—I have earned this fate. I did this. I killed us all.
Chapter Four
Present
59…58…57…I count down in my head. My eyes squeeze together, fighting through the creeping sting but focusing on the pain building against me. I force my eyes open, staring back at myself in the bathroom mirror. Beads of sweat cling to the tips of my damp hair as heat travels through me at a slow, agonizing speed. I pull my eyes down to where I hold the Zippo’s flame against my skin. The tang of burning, melted flesh fills the air. A familiar scent I’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
My hand trembles as I grip the lighter, the faded skull design visible beneath my fingers.33…32…31…I try to stay focused as my other hand presses against the countertop, bracing myself for the final seconds. I hold my breath, grinding my teeth together. Their black, charred faces flash into my mind, their bodies holding each other. I imagine the pain they endured during those last moments, when they knew they were about to die.
Low, muffled groans escape my lips as I bite my tongue, the metallic taste flooding my mouth. This is nothing; their pain was far worse. I did this. I deserve to feel this.3…2…1…The timer on my phone rings. I let go of the Zippo, dropping it into the sink and grasping the counter tightly, my knuckles turning white. I bow my head to catch my breath, sweat dripping from the endsof my hair. I glance at my side where the skin is bubbly and oozing watery blood that trails down onto my stomach. Jolts like lightning run up my side, causing me to tense.
I breathe heavily through my nose, the sound echoing softly in the room’s stillness. My gaze drifts back to the mirror. The reflection staring back at me reveals a face etched with defeat and exhaustion, shadows clinging to my features. I shake my head, dislodging a wave of frustration, then swiftly shut off the timer on my phone. My fingers curl around the cool metal of the Zippo. I squeeze it tightly in my hand, feeling the ridges press into my palm before I finally set it down on the counter with a soft clink.
I wince as I crouch to pull off my boxers. Standing again, I glower at my reflection—my battered body, young yet brutally scarred. I flex my right arm, eyes tracing the damage, lingering on the fire tattoos that snake along my arm and other parts of my body. They’re entwined with faded remnants of old burns, representing the very thing that changed me. These scars are a reminder of all I’ve lost and everything I will never deserve.
