Sophie stared in disbelief at the figure in the doorway, "Sssam?" The figure moved forward slightly, she had turned at the sound of the door, mildly irritated by Russ's lateness and was shocked to see who stood there. He grinned at her "Hello Soph! Long time no see!" She took in his appearance, his eyes black with shadows underneath, his face gaunt and tinged with the yellow of fading bruises. He was thin, and his clothes hung off him, dirty and stained. He noticed her look "Sorry sweetheart, didn't have time to clean up before our date!" He continued grinning which sat at odds with his eyes, cold bleak and unsmiling. "It was kind of you to take Russ under your wing, but he's a poor substitute for me" The grin disappeared replaced in an instant with rage "Did you think I'd never know? Never find out? Shafted by my girlfriend and my brother" the last words came out in a violent hiss. People were now beginning to take note, Sophie glanced behind her but the barmaid had retreated to other end and was oblivious busy serving a customer, banter playing between them. "Did you think I'd let you and him get away with it, make a fool of me?" He'd raised his voice which made more impact around the pub, he was attracting attention now, even the barmaid looking round irritated her flirtation had been interrupted. Sophie noticed the bag in his hand "It wasn't like that Sam... just let me explain" She tried to move back, move away but felt the solidness of the bar pressing into her back, Sam stood between her and any getaway. "Like what? Like you and him railroading me back to jail so you could hop into his bed?" He was snarling now voice raised and angry, a voice behind him said "Hey mate! Leave the lass alone now!" Sam swung round and eyed the stranger "Get over by the bar...NOW!" he yelled. Surprised the stranger took steps back, Sam dropped the bag he was holding and grabbed the contents, Sophie transfixed watched in horror as he produced a petrol carrier and a lighter. "NOW I SAID...NOW!" The stranger staggered over to the bar beside Sophie, Sam swung round facing the rest of the pub "And you lot too get over here where I can see... DO IT!" There was a scramble from the seats as the remaining customers moved over to the bar keeping their distance from Sam but also from Sophie "You! yes, you in the blue top, go outside and round up the stragglers, we wouldn't want anyone alerting the boys in blue now would we, and just in case you were thinking of inviting them..." at this point he seized on the girl stood next to his choice, tipping fluid in a circle round her feet, "I'll be starting the welcome bonfire here!" The girl screamed and tried to move, Sam sloshed more liquid in her direction, "Do that again and I might be tempted to just do it anyway" The man shot out through the door and returned with the party from outside, Joe, Olivia, Jessica and Steph trooped in behind him looking perplexed but not overly anxious "He said there was some kind of emerge..." Steph stood speechless as she recognised the grim figure standing in the centre of the pub as if conducting a concert, with only him being able to hear the music and understanding it. "Let's get this straight" he addressed his audience, "Any move by anyone, anyone and this place goes up like a bomb" The crowd at the bar pressed back and the girl whimpered. Joe broke the silence "Listen mate this isn't the way to sort it out, Sophie didn't get you jailed, you did! You and Andy" "Shut up Joe!" Sophie found her voice at last "Just shut up!" Joe shot an apologetic glance in her direction, she could see he was trying to distract Sam but mentioning his arrest and Andy would only add fuel to the fire, she cringed at the analogy. "Yeah Joe just shut up" He turned his attention back to her, "I've had plenty of time to think about why I ended up back in jail and every time it comes back to you!" He jabbed a finger in her face, she tried to move back but now she was crowded by terrified customers edging away from him, from her, leaving her isolated and vulnerable "I kept saying to myself she didn't mean to do it, something or someone must have forced her to do it, she loved me she told me so. So I got out to find her and tell her and ask her to forgive me but what do I find?... the little bitch is shacked up, shacked up with my brother!" His face was now inches from hers, his voice high pitched with the emphasis on brother. One or two of the customers at the door end of the bar had taken advantage of his momentary inattention and were edging towards it when a movement caught the corner of his eye and he whirled round away from her and roared at them "NOOOOO!" The sudden movement caused the liquid to fly out in a wide arc from the container and with a last glance back at her, he flicked the lighter and dropped it. For Sophie it all seemed to happen in slow motion, the unexpected whoosh as the flame licked the carpet, soaked in fuel, the screaming and pushing muted and seeming to come from another place. She saw Sam's face blurred through the heat haze then a muffled bang and everything went black
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