DaddyIssuesCentral

I like to write fanfics

[heythereimashley]

Photoshoot #3.

This was the first photoshoot I ever saw of him and I was like WHO IS THIS MANNNNN

[sugarlove-01]

The Cruelty Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Your POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

6:35 in the Evening

            My puppy sniffed everything he put his nose to. The cute thing looked as if he was looking for his own collar. But for some reason, the little guy kept growling. I looked over to a man behind the counter, who kept looking at the little baby. I tried to shoosh him, but instead picked him up and decided to carry him. I wasn’t sure if there was a sign that didn’t allow dogs inside.

            I finally found a collar I liked. It was a brown leather collar with small metal buds on it. I tested it around his neck, and it fit perfect. It was only 2.50$ so it was perfect. I’m sure my mother would be happy about my choice, soon I would need a tag for the little baby. Then I heard a whistle.

“Hey sweety…”

            I looked behind me. It was the same man from yesterday, from the corner of the pretzel stand. Behind him was his other friends. The 6 of them, and the man with the boom box over his shoulder. This must be the place where they came to hang out and relax. The man who whistled at me wore the red spiked dog collar. He still had the same look as yesterday. He looked…very mischievous. Like he was the one who called the shots.

“How ya doin’ girly? Nice night, ain‘t it?” he came to me.

            I kept silent. There was this suggestion that he thought that all girls were easy. But I knew better. It just made me angry that he could take advantage of the fact that I was new in this place.

“Aww, the girl’s shy. Aren’t they all?”

“Ain’t no need to be shy. We’re all friends here…”

            The man came up, with his big black boots. Looking like a different version of G.I. Joe. His jacket looked torn, patched up, and ugly. He had no recognition of B.O. either. His dirty hands and tacky style of his clothes. There was no one here to help me, not even the man behind the counter tried to help me. I clicked my tongue.

            The other boys behind him looked amused, ready to swoop in and insult me or something. Or try more dirty pickup lines. His greasy hair proved that he didn’t care about anything, or any other personal opinion. At this point, he looked disappointed that I still said nothing.

“What’s wrong, can’t talk?”

“Maybe this little thing needs some company…With all of us.”

“Naw, dude, maybe she would like some dance and food? Perhaps…?”

“Naw, man, how bout a little drink instead?”

            Something snarled in his throat. His hand came up to my shoulder, his fingers went a little bit under my shirt, lifted my bra strap and let it snap against my skin. His friends laughed, and that was my cue to walk away.

“Aww! What!? We’re just having a little fun, baby!”

            I placed the collar on the counter. The man didn’t care what was going on, but just read a Superman magazine. He burped and took my item and rang it up, the price showing on the black screen. I took out my money, but a hand beside me slapped down a 5$ dollar bill. Crinkled and torn a little. It was the man with the red spiked collar.

“Don’t…” was all I could say.

“No. No. No. Let me pay for it. You can keep the change, babe…”

            I assorted out my change and paid for it myself. The man asked if I wanted a bag, but I refused. I took my purchase, and walked out. All I wanted was to be near Tom again and talk to him, make me feel better. In the future, I’m going to train my dog to be vicious against guys like these, I swear.

“Ey! Where ya goin’ hot stuff?” called the surf dude after I walked out.

“Dude, she don’t want you man!” said the man with the boom box.

“Ah, don’t listen to these losers! How bout I use this 5$ for something else then!?” he joked.

            What a pervert. I shook my head in disappointment. I checked the time, 6:50. I had a lot of time to kill. My legs moved faster. The good thing was that I was in public, so the boys behind me couldn’t do anything they needed to get my attention. They threw a few insults at me, like tease and bitch. They turned around and walked away. So I made my way to Tom’s work, and sat down on the tables with the umbrellas over it. In 10 min he would talk to me. 

Dwayne’s POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

6:50 in the Evening

            David was nowhere to be seen. That son of a bitch disappeared again. There was no way that he was getting off that easy. If he was their leader, then he would have to act like it.  And even Dwayne was curious to where he went. For a while the lone vampire walked, searching the Boardwalk for his target. Other gangs looked at him, then walked the other way. Security guards glanced, talked to their communicators, then put their hands on their waists.

            After walking by the shops, he looked to his right. A small gang of six men were angry about something. Talking about a hot bitch and 5 dollars. Then for some reason, he smelled something on them. It was very faint, but it was…David. Dwayne made no mistake about it. It was all blood and cigarettes. In a way it was David. It was a thin smell, but it was him. Dwayne moved closer. He shook his head, and turned. He had no time with those idiots.

            Fire were lit in garbage cans, with smokers and men playing guitars. Artists drew large funny pictures, selling it and have money being thrown into their hats. Men just sat on their bikes, smoking and drinking and laughing under the carnival lights. No place for children. There was nothing different about the boardwalk, so what would cause David to leave the pack? Just then, his nose caught his scent again. For a strange reason, it was in the same place as last night.

            Then he saw her again. Brown shoes and green jacket. It was her again. She was at the hotdog stand. She talked to the worker at the cashier, who he tipped last night. The man held her shoulders and sat her down and talked. The raven-haired vampire moved closer, wanting to make sure that if the girl smelled like their leader. She did. Oddly, she did. She didn’t notice him moving towards her, but he sat exactly where he did last night. And the girl had a puppy.

            The girl and the worker in red and white talked about the animal. For awhile, they talked about a name for it. She talked about the collar and the leash, along with her mother for a little while. A few seconds later, the man chose the name Coney. The girl chose Hunter. Both debated, and decided that Hunter was a great name. She thanked him, put on her green jacket, and both began to walk. Dwayne followed them. Maybe they had something to do with David.

“So, how are things going at the stand?” the girl asked, with a smile.

“Business is slow. But I’m sure it’ll pick up soon…” he smiled back.

“That’s cool. And how are things at home?”

“Fine. Just finished painting the kitchen. Painted it green.“

“Hm, that’s nice. And me? There’s nothing new…” she smiled.

“Oh… so…no boyfriend to talk to?”

“No, apparently not. Well, I am new here… So I guess that makes sense.”

“Hey… Wanna eat something? There’s some food stands over here.”

“Ok.”

            The two went to a hamburger stand. Expensive at a carnival, but he paid for it. The girl got a hamburger, french fries, and a strawberry milkshake. The man got a hamburger, french fries, and a Coke. They were seated comfortably near a garbage can lit on fire. For some reason, they made a nice picture together. The girl gave Hunter, the puppy, a few french fries.

“Aww, the little guy’s cute. He looks so…feisty.”

“I know. My mom couldn’t stop gawking at him today.”

“Oh, you got him today? From a shelter?”

“Yea, we went downtown. Also went shopping…”

“That’s really cool. Uh…How’s your…burger?”

“It’s ok. It’s good. And are you thinking about getting a pet?” the girl asked.

“Uh, it’s not that I want to… It’s the money.”

“Oh, money kinda tight?” the girl asked, feeding Hunter another french fry.

“Yea, you have no idea… And- And…”

“Tom? What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry… But… “ The worker in red and white paused,“ But I think that guy’s staring at you…” the man looked past the girl,” Don’t look. Don’t look. But… he’s either looking at you or me.”

“Well, people are strange here. Don’t mind him,” the girl stated.

            Dwayne looked to where the worker looked, but saw no one. The girl was right, there was creeps out there. But he was one of those creeps. The fire of the can almost blew out, the sky seemed to shift.

            His eyes looked up, the boys were flying tonight. He knew he had to meet up with them, soon.

            He had to feed soon. Dwayne shook his head. Perhaps he was wasting his time. So what if the girl smelled like David. Dwayne turned away and left.

David’s POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

7:20 in the Evening

            Tom looked at him as he talked to the girl. Looked at him again. Then made a statement that David was looking at him. Tom told her not to look, and she stated that there was strange people around. Which was correct. So he paid no attention anymore. The vampire leader seemed to turn pro at expanding his grounds. Soon his target would be his. That made him boil inside. But David turned and walked away. He sensed Paul and Marko take to the skies. And so he had to join them.

            Those damn idiots were always hot-tempered now. They hated the fact that David left them alone. Feeling cheap and abandoned. But he had other important things to do. So under the moon, they met up. Flying over their next meal in only a few minutes. Dwayne caught up to them afterwards, looking serious as ever.

            And finally, they were all hungry. So all the boys flew away from the pier and the carnival, to somewhere dark. They spotted 6 guys who were stoned as hell. Their laughing chased cats away. David licked his lips. The boys were riled up already. Their feeding frenzy made them forget their small annoyance that David left them. Once in awhile, Dwayne would look at him and look away. The vampires were laughing as they flew. The main thing that came to David’s head, was the collar shop.

“There’s few here. Ya guys have to share a’right?”

“Yea, yea! I call dibs on that guy!”

            They laughed.

“The hell!? No dibs!”

“Just shut up and kill them! I get the one in the red spiked dog collar!” David growled, as they dove for the kill.

“I got the one with the boom box!”

“Hey, dude, I get the boom box afterwards!”

            So the boys tore those guys apart. The blood spewed, and their tummies were full and satisfied. Disposing their bodies in the ocean. Later they went to Max’s Videostore, just annoying him by their presence. Paul and Marko laughed and joked around flirting with the cashier behind the counter. While Dwayne stood by the doorway waiting for the other boys to exit the store when they’re done fooling around. David didn’t talk either. The customers looked at them, then left the Videostore or tried to ignore them. Paul and Marko began to pet Thorn, and ruffle his ears, shaking his collar. Dwayne looked out the window, doing absolutely nothing to join in Marko and Paul‘s group. David approached him.

“What the hell’s on your mind, Dwayne? Feeling crappy as always? Still down in the dumps? What makes the lone wolf growl this time?” David knew his brother was annoyed, so he thought it would be funny to rile him up a bit.

“What I’m thinking about is where you go when you wake up, David. You didn‘t think we would notice? You disappear and then near midnight you come back, looking hungry and some shit. What do you do when you‘re gone? Go eat more security guards? Terrorize Max all night?” Dwayne turned towards him. 

“Damn. Whatever happened to privacy? Oh wait, we‘re vampires aren‘t we? So we have to stick together always? Like shit, we do. And what about you? You look as angry as ever these days, Dwayne. Hehehe… Take it easy. You know we‘ve all been together always. But…times are changing, I‘d say.” David stated.

“Whatever, man. I know we’re not damn kids anymore. So why not send a message to the other boys that they‘re on their own? You know that there can’t be any secrets, David. But you know the law. You know what Max said, don’t you David?”

“So what Max says is law now? When the hell did it become law? I know he wants a family for god knows what! I leave just to be alone these past couple of nights. That’s all. I’m not doing anything to put us in jeopardy. If you‘re that worried.”

            David took out his packet, lit a cigarette, put the lighter back in his pocket, and began to huff. Dwayne was angry these days. For reasons he didn’t give a damn about. But David knew that Dwayne was trying to figure out what was so important, as to leave the pack. Was it loyalty that drove David away, or kept them close? The two vampires continued to talk.

“Well, I hope so. Because no one will like that here. We don’t want any real trouble from the humans. And I haven’t been worried. I know you. You always screw up something when you don’t think about it. But I do have something to say to you…”

“And that is?” David smiled.

“Fuck off… I don’t care anymore. Go gurgle holy water in your mouth for all I care. Dig yourself a hole and burn in the sun. Go cry over Star. Maybe she was right to leave this place after all… And maybe you wouldn‘t care about that, huh?”

            Dwayne left the Videostore to go wherever the hell he wanted to go. David knew that man had mysteries no one would know about. But that’s what made him… Dwayne. But at least he didn’t know about the girl. That thought triggered something in David. The Videostore was about to close. David, once again, left Paul and Marko to themselves and went off on his own. He picked up his bike and started the engine. Through the marijuana smell on the beach, David raced down on the sand.

            Where was his loyalty? That’s precisely what Dwayne asked back at the Videostore. David knew that all vampires had to stick together. It’s how they survived, how they lived. It was like that for years. If they were alone, soon they would surely die. So…David wasn’t sure where his loyalty was. But hell, anything for that piece of meat, David would go a year being alone. The hell with the boys.

            He passed the gas station, where him and his brothers horribly mutilated those boys. Went up the road, pass Tom’s house, and to a peculiar home. He parked his bike at the sidewalk. This was her house. He came closer. The smell of soap and fur at his nose. The wind chimes on the porch blew, making fairy music as he approached. He looked up to her window. This was her nest. Her peaceful haven. And possibly a feeding ground for David, when he would have the chance. The windows gave off a yellow glow. The smell of spaghetti in the house and garlic bread.

            The girl wasn’t in the living room. She wasn’t in the kitchen. She wasn’t in the hallways. At this time, perhaps now, she already ate her dinner, watched TV, washed dishes, put away the dishes, locked up her bike, changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, fixed her hair, and was ready for bed. That was her routine before bed. But that was just a guess. But he would know. David hovered up to her window. The TV was on. The bathroom light was on. There was that smell of soap and fur again.

Your POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

8:00 in the Evening

“Stop moving around Hunter!” I laughed.

            I was kneeled down, leaning over the tub. Hunter’s little paws splashed in the tub. The warm water was nice. I scrubbed his neck and his chest. Hunter shook his head, splattering in my face and soap floated in the air. His nails clattered against the floor of the tub. His fur felt slippery. Some little pieces of fur floated in the water. My hand on his new collar, holding him down, for he desperately wanted to get out. Jumping up and down. The soap did well, because brown water was being washed down the drain. A lot of dirt for one puppy. My nails scratched his ears.

“No. Hunter, no!”

            Finally after about 10 minutes, I took him out of the tub, grabbed a towel and rubbed down his neck. I got his tail and squeezed the water out of it. The smell of shampoo on his back. Getting the hair dryer, I put Hunter in the sink. I drained the water in the tub. Putting it on full blast, Hunter was dry in no time. I brushed him, and he was clean. Running out of the bathroom, Hunter snuck under my bed. Squeezing himself under. Fearing the bathroom already.

“Oh, don’t be such a cry baby!”

            I whistled. But he didn’t come. I whistled again, but he didn’t come. Hunter needed to be trained. I wondered if he was housebroken. I was pretty sure that Tom could help me with that. I laid down upon my bed, the quilt was soft. After a few minutes, Hunter came up from the bed with my yellow sandal in his mouth.

“Hey!”

            Hunter shook his head violently, growling, my sandal flapping around like a cheap flag. Hunter then attempted to jump on the bed, but ended up falling back. His round stomach seemed to be the trouble. After trying to jump again, Hunter tumbled backwards again. Tripping over his paws. I took pity and picked him up. I flopped him on his back, both his paws bent.

“Aww, Hunter! That was the most adorable FAIL I’ve ever seen…!” I giggled, holding him close.

            He still smelled like soap. There was nothing better than to have a wet dog smell all over you! I played with his paws for awhile. Then my mom knocked at my door, came in and sat on the bed. Her hand scratching Hunter on his ribcage. The perfume of jasmine was on her. Possibly her and dad were going out tonight, to be all lovey-dovey. Their first night out.

“Hey, sweety. Did you wash dishes?”

“Yes.”

“Did you put away the dishes?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Lock up your bike in the back?”

“Yes.”

“Brush your hair?”

“Yes.”

“Did you brush your teeth?”

“Yes.”

“So, you’re ready for bed?”

“Yes.”

“That’s my girl…”

            I smiled and I changed the channel, hugging my pillow. I smelled a little bit of honeysuckle on her.

“Hey, I’m about to do laundry. Do you have any dark colors?”

“Yea, I have my green jacket and my jeans…”

“You’ve got a lot of clothes. Maybe you should get a new wardrobe here.”

“Yea, that’ll be fun. Maybe I can go to the Boardwalk. Or the shops downtown…”

            She smiled. My mom went over to my laundry basket and got all my clothes lumped up together. She had to do a few chores herself. She picked up a couple of socks, then paused. She dropped all my clothes and touched my sweater. I didn’t know if she was examining a mustard stain or not.

“Hey, honey. When was the last time you took a shower?”

“This morning. Why?”

“Wheew! Your jacket smells! It smells like…cigarettes and something else I can’t name! I’m going to double rinse this…”

“Whatever’s clever…” I smiled, then frowned,” And I haven’t been smoking! I’m not a smoker! I hate smokers…”

“Well, it smells funny… And I‘ll make sure not to take out the pretty dark green color, ok? I know this is your favorite jacket…”

“Maybe it’s the Boardwalk. I’ve been hanging out down there a lot. And a lot of people smoke down there. Maybe the smell caught onto me.”

“It’s not Tom is it? It better not…”

“No. He doesn’t smoke. All he likes to do is draw and…sell hotdogs. So, he’s clean,” I smiled.

“Ok, it’s all I needed to know…” Then she went to the washer and the dryer.

David’s POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

8:15 in the Evening:

            The mother left the room, with the pile of clothes in her hand. So, the little girl doesn’t like smokers does she? Then she’ll love him! David chuckled, with his cigarette in his hand. He tapped it, the ashes falling down on her roof. A small orange light in the darkness. He watched his prey as she petted her puppy and watched more television. She was watching MTV, listening to rock bands play.

            The smell of the soap and fur came from the dog. Fresh from the bath. And fresh from the shelter too. So…she named it Hunter. He could see it seemed to fit perfectly with it. But the girl. The girl was too easy to track down. She looked easy to attack and snatch away into the night. She was defenseless. With no one to protect her. It drove him crazy. Those were always his favorite to prey on.

            His ears picked up movement. He looked towards the sidewalk and saw a figure walking up towards the house. It wasn’t a jogger or a someone going for a stroll. It was a dark figure coming to their door. The porch light made out everything, as for it was Tom. He knocked. And knocked again. David moved across, ducking out of view from the windows. As the girl’s father answered, David listened in.

“Hey!” Tom smiled.

“Oh, Tom! Good to see you! Good to see you! Wanna come in?”

“Sure!”

“What brings you over here? Bored?”

“Uh, just wanted to say hi. There was nothing to do back at my place.”

“Ah, I see. You look tired.”

“Yea, I got a few customers at the stand. I’m not interrupting, am I?”

“Oh, no, you’re not. You can come over anytime you want. Anytime.”

“Ok, thanks! So…where’s…?” Tom smiled, and the father knew what he was talking about.

“Oh, she’s upstairs with the new puppy. A mongrel isn’t he?”

“Ha! He is. Your daughter has good taste.”

“Hahaha! Well, go on up. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you…”

“Thanks!”

            David put his ear up against the wall of her house. The sound of creaking with the sound of the radio. Tom asked the father where her room was. The father replied, giving directions. Tom’s feet pounded on the staircase. He also heard the mother and father were in the living room, playing cards. Every night, they played cards. David listened to where Tom was going. The pounding stopped.

            Tom paused. He took a right turn from the stairs, kept walking, then a left turn. Kept walking. Turned to the right. Then came to a stop. There was her door. He knocked. It was at the end of the hall, the corner of the house. David had that memorized. From the beginning of the staircase. A right, kept walking, a left, keep walking, and then stop to the right. Tom was at the right place.

            David swooped to her window. The girl got up from her bed, and answered the door. Tom stood there. Her puppy barked at the intruder at the door. Tom smiled at the girl, swooping her in his arms, giving a bear hug, then put her down. The neighbor petted Hunter, giving it a hug, smelling the soap on its neck. The girl closed the door, and she took a seat. Her pajamas showing her legs.

“Hey, Tom! What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. Just came by. Wanted to say hello!”

“Well… Hello.” the girl smiled, folding in her legs.

“Hello…” Tom replied, holding Hunter in his arms like a baby.

“How are things at work?”

“Oh, it’s good. Got a few tips in the jar.”

“Cool. Same routine tomorrow?”

“Sort of. But I get off at 9:00...”

“Oh, well that sucks. But I‘ll be there!”

“I know. And I’m going to be so tired…”

“And what about your art? Watcha draw so far?”

“Well, I drew this!”

            He reached in his pocket. It was a folded up. He gave it to her, and she opened it. She smiled. She turned on the lamp, getting better light. David couldn’t get a good look at what was in her hand, so he came abit closer.

“Holy crap, this is awesome!” she gawked.

“Ya think so? That took me about 30 minutes…Tops…!”

“You should make your own comic book!”

“Ah, well, I’m not that good. But I do like comics…”

“Well, there’s a comic book store at the Boardwalk.”

“What? There is? All this time I’ve been here, I didn’t know.”

“Yea! You didn’t know? Yea, there’s a lot of comics.”

“Awesome sauce! Ok, thanks!” Tom smiled.

“And the good thing is that the comics aren’t that expensive.”

“Oh, good. Because recently I’ve been--” Tom’s smile turned into a frown.

             A long pause.

“---There is someone outside your window!”

“What!?”

            Now, that scared the hell out of David! He jumped back from the light. His bones bubbled with action! He crawled up to the roof. Hard footsteps ran. The window below him opened up. Hunter began to bark.

            The girl was scared. Tom looked out the window, on the balcony, and on the street. He shut the window. Closing the curtains. Locking the window, backing away, and standing infront of her.

“Mom! Mom! Dad!”

            Footsteps ran to her room. The dog was still barking. The girl turned on all the lights. The door opened up, and the footsteps were her fathers. The mother was running up the stairs. Their breathing, huffing, quick, and fast.

            David could figure who was who, because of weight distribution and all the other perfect sounds of their bodies that was needed to be heard.

“What!? What is it!? What happened!?”

“Not to scare you both, but someone was on the balcony here.”

“What!? That’s crazy…! Are you sure?”

            The father ran towards the window, looking out. Then going to his daughter, that was standing at the door.

“No, I swear to god, I saw someone. When I said something, it was gone.”

“Dad…!?” The girl stood at the door with her father. Their breathing, alert.

“It’s ok, sweetheart. Whatever it was, it‘s gone. It‘s not going to hurt you.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She doesn’t take exciting action too well. It’s something she’s had for awhile.”

“Hon? Sweety, what happened here?” The mother came in at the door.

“Mom, Tom said there was someone outside my window.” More footsteps.

“I knew I didn’t like this neighborhood. Sick sons of bitches, I’m calling 911.”

            The footsteps moved. All together. Out the door. Down the hall. The dog stopped barking. But the girl was breathing hard and fast. The vampire leader enjoyed her soft suffering. What was it? A panic attack? It would be fun scaring her. He loved reactions like that. The fear. The sensation to kill something, receiving that last outburst from life. To get to know the person better. But what would life be without death? It was like… a bunch of humming motorcycles crashing inside of your chest. Clashing and burning. That is the reaction from their victims, the depending doom.

Your POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

8:30 in the Evening

            My father‘s nose was on the back of my head.. His hands holding my shoulders. His chest against my back. My legs laid out on the couch. My mother called 911, trying to not stutter on the phone. Something in my tummy was trying to stop my breathing. Tom swore whoever was outside my window was just a creep, trying to spy in on a pretty girl. My father told Tom to hold me feet. I was sprawled onto my dads chest, and everyone was scared.

“Sweety. Please… Hold onto the pillow. Hold on as tight as you can, honey. Can you feel my breathing? Find the rhythm. Control it. I know you‘re scared. I know it hurts. I know it hurts. Control your breathing.”

            My hands gripped onto the pillow, on my chest. I hated these nerves of mine, I hated it. What was happening to me, I’ve had almost my whole life. It was like a quick panic attack, or it was asthma. I couldn’t remember. My chest felt tight. My eyes looked up at the ceiling, and my face going pale.

            Damn it hurt so bad. My chest rose high and fell again. My head swirled with fear and confusion. As I breathed, the roof of my mouth was dry. My lungs felt they were being pushed to the limit. My eyelids stung, along with my neck. My father spoke to me again.

“You’re almost there."

I still couldn't breathe. But I could hear his voice.

"Just breathe slow, baby. Just breath slow. Control it. There’s no reason to be scared anymore. Your heart‘s beating fast. Please, I need you to listen to me. Breathe.”

            His voice wasn't panicky. It was calm. His chest heaved up and down, as mine did. Tom held onto my feet. Slowly the feeling in my tummy and chest, was slowly going away. My white fists on the pillow were slowly being loosened. My dad was trying to stay calm, and his grip on my shoulders were tighter. My eyes began to flutter. My mother came back, but couldn’t watch.

“Breath. You see? You’re almost there. Feel yourself let go. Find the rhythm with my breathe. Calm down. The pain’s stopping… There you go. It’s stopping. You’re not scared. There you go. You’re here…”

            I closed my eyes, and opened them again. I was fine now, but then I began to cough. My mother brought over a trashcan, and I spit. Tom let go of my legs. My mom hugged me, telling me to go to bed. My father told Tom that he appreciated the help, and Tom said it was no big deal.

            My dad calmed down himself. Tom wanted to leave, give us some time by ourselves.  My mom brought my up to my room and told me that she would be sleeping in here for tonight. I was fine with it.

            She sealed the windows, and made a bed for herself on the floor. Hunter stopped barking and slid under the bed. I laid myself down on my bed. A while later, the police came up. Knocking on the door. While I was slowly falling asleep in peace, my dad was outraged as they told them the story.

            They made reports and asked questions, and came inside the house. My father told them the whole story. They suggested security lights, secure locks on the doors, and a high fence. They laughed and said it was a good idea to get a dog in the first place. My father laughed afterwards.

            More policemen came, from their cars with the red and blue lights spinning around. A total C.S.I. picture. The police scattered with their flashlights in hand, on the balcony, and in the backyard. Searching all over the house with dogs. They bid us goodnight, as they found nothing.

[sugarlove-01]

The Cruelty Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Your POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

9:15 in the Morning

“Hey, dad. Can we get a dog? Well, can we get a puppy?” I asked, as I sat in kitchen, playing with my hair.

            My father listening to the radio, with his newspaper on the counter. His loose black and green tie around his neck, giving me the notice that he was getting ready for work. His black shiny shoes, and his glasses hung on his jacket. He shook his head with a smile to my sudden question.

“A dog, sweety? What for?” he chuckled, rinsing a few pans in the sink. Looking totally oblivious.

“What do you mean what for? For… I don’t know.”

“Just for fun? For companionship? To spend a lot of money for a slobbering beast?”

“No, it’s the first option. For fun! It’ll be my first pet ever! And plus we have this new house and all. It‘ll be a huge new start for us.”

“I don’t know. What kind of dog? Retriever?”

“Don’t know, yet. Um, yesterday I saw a flier. There’s a shelter, and there’s a lot up for adoption.”

“Still not sure,” was his reply.

“What happens of I ask mom?”

“I’m pretty sure you’ll hear the same thing, sweetheart.”

            Right then my mother came in with a flower pot in her hands. Of course she was planting a garden already. It symbolized that this was a new start, and we had to plant the roots around it. Claiming this place as ours, a new home. We did this every time we moved, if we had a backyard. My mother had a green thumb. Anything she’d put in the ground, it would grow. And anything my father touched seemed to…do the opposite. And she teased him for that.

“Guess what, hon? Our baby girl wants a puppy…” my father chuckled, shaking his head.

“Oh! I think a dog in this family would be nice!” my mother beamed, putting the flower pot at the window.

“What? I thought you were going to be on my side. We don‘t need a dog! We didn‘t have a dog last time.”

“You don’t want a puppy? I think a puppy is a great idea!” exclaimed my mom dusting off the flower pot.

“Great! How bout me and mom go to the shelter today? They‘re giving them up for adoption!” I smiled.

“We don’t even have the supplies to take care of a dog. And do you know how much work a puppy is…?” my father put the dishes away.

“That’s ok. Remember me and mom can shop?” I teased him,” And anyway, you know I can take care of a dog!”

“Yea, we can both go downtown and look for a doggy bed, food, toys, brushes and washing supplies. A leash and a collar.”

“Yea! And the vote’s 2 to 1, so we win…! Ha!” I smiled. Mom stood beside me with her purse in hand. 

            My dad sighed, and smiled. Maybe he agreed or not.

“Ok, ok…go get a puppy, sweety…”

            So my mother and I went downtown, and it was perfectly sunny. Many people wore shorts and sunglasses, carrying plastic bags and beach balls. It was a perfect day to be at the beach, as some people carried blue coolers. Sometimes my mom asked me what I was going to name the puppy, and nothing came up yet. She was thinking Sergeant Fuzzy Boots.

            My mother made a list of supplies needed for a puppy. I wrote some things down myself. I pushed the shopping cart in the little market, as she gathered squeaky toys. She looked at the price tags, while I was thinking about a few names. Human names and pet names. We limited ourselves to a price range, to save money for a doggy bed and maybe a collar.

            We went further down the aisle and came to the leashes. They were differently colored, which made it the more fun to pick out. Made of rope or chains, of different sizes. My mother thought it would be nice that I’d choose the color, so I picked up a purple leash. Looked like the perfect size. It also looked like a leash the puppy couldn’t chew through.

            My mother and I soon separated. She went to go get the food, while I went to go get the clippers and brushes and the bowl. By the time I got everything, my arms were full. Then we met up again. I pushed the shopping cart to the cashier, with my mother who picked up a few magazines and a Pepsi. The toys were paid and done for. As well for the leash.

“Ok, the only thing we’re missing is…the collar. But we have the full body leash, that‘ll be ok for now. But I still want the collar.”

“Yea, mom, I looked everywhere in the market. I didn’t see any and I asked an employee and he said they ran out.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure we can wait on the collar…”

“Or, I can go to the carnival or the Boardwalk and try and look for a collar tonight. There’s a lot of shops there.”

“I don’t want you to go alone. Is Tom working tonight?”

“Yea, he told me he’s working tonight. He said I could come over and chat for awhile. And then he’s off near 8:00...”

“Ok, you can go. Just as long as Tom’s there... Alrighty then! Ready to go the shelter, now?”

“Yes!”

“So what time is it? What time are we getting our first puppy?”

“Ok…it’s 12:35 on June 14th…! My first puppy!” I smiled.

            The shelter was old, and smelled like soap and fur. The woman at the desk was happy that we came in. She said that not enough people come in anymore, even though there was great puppies and dogs here. So, she took us inside.

            The dogs yelped and barked. Pawing the cage doors, running in circles, with their tongues out. My mother marveled at this little Chihuahua with huge black eyes, a disproportionaly large head, and its little paws and tiny tail.

            For a long time we walked around the shelter. Even looking at cats. The woman talked to us about adoption and we asked her questions about vets and health that we needed to watch out for. So we walked and walked and walked.

            Every once in awhile, my mother would look at little white puppies that almost crawled all over her. The woman dressed in green and black worker clothes opened cages to let loose the puppies and kitties. My mother loved them all.

            She cooed at them, while I looked at this other puppy with white puffy fur and big black eyes. But I continued to walk. Finally after walking a small round, I came to a small peculiar puppy. It was black and brown, with black eyes.

            The woman told me that they found this puppy in their garbage right outside their door, and took him in. Apparently the poor thing almost starved to death. But it was ok now. My mom took a look at it, and kept hugging it to death.

            The woman said that they couldn’t truly identify it’s breed, but the puppy was a total sweetheart. Its teeth were fine and had no tics or fleas. The little angel puppy had its wash just yesterday, and so I agreed. I had chosen my puppy.

            So my mother put the puppy in my arms, started the engine and drove back home. We wanted to show my dad the good news. If he saw it as good news. But we both knew he wanted a puppy in the house too. He just denied it.

            Soon I wanted to go to Tom’s work and show him my little furry surprise. Maybe he could help me figure out a name for my new baby. He would be surprised, and it was good because he wasn’t allergic to animals or anything. It would be fun.

“Aww! Would you look at this thing!? It keeps trying to lick you and all! Like its trying to suck up or something,” I said, as the puppy licked my chin.

“I know! …Gah! I can’t help myself! I just want to hug it until I scream!” My mother hugged my puppy.

            It was a rather large puppy, but really young. It looked like a retriever and a husky. But it had soft fur, floppy ears, and really large paws. Then my dad came in. He actually looked surprised to see the cute little thing in my arms.

“Isn’t it cute dad!?” I squealed.

“Yes. Yes. Yes… It makes you wanna vomit from all the cuteness…” he joked, and laughed.

“Oh, don’t be like that. You know you love it!” my mom said, hitting his arm.

“What time is it?“ I asked.

“It’s…5:30. Why?” my mom looked at her watch.

“I’m going over to Tom’s place! He’s working, so it’s a perfect opportunity! And I want to walk this little guy!”

“Ok… Just be careful. Tell Tom we said hello…”

“I will…!”

            So unlocking the chain to my bike, I began to peddle off. I held the leash as I held onto the bike handle. I passed Tom’s house and went down the street. My puppy at my side. We went to the Boardwalk. But this time, it felt different. Since I had my puppy with me, I didn’t feel so alone anymore. So I found Tom’s hotdog stand, and he still had no customers. His red and white worker clothes made him look like a dork. I smiled as I came up.

“Hello Tom!”

“Oh! ’Ey! How are you? Hey…you‘re lookin’ bright today. What‘s up?”

“You’ll never guess what I got!”

“A car?” he smiled.

“No…!”

“A life!?” he joked.

“No…!” I laughed.

“A job?”

“No…!”

“I don’t know…! Tell me.”

“Look down at my feet…!” I smiled.

            Tom leaned over the counter and looked at my shoes. But then he saw the leash in my hand, and saw the little puppy that sniffed at the ground for something. At first, he froze.

“Oh wow! Hey little guy! What’s its name?”

“Well that’s the reason I came down here. I was wondering if you could help me figure out a name for it.”

“Ok! That’s cool. And is it a boy or girl?”

“It’s a boy.”

“Ok, I get a break in about an hour. How bout we talk about it then?”

“Alright, cool. I’ll be back. I need to go look for a collar for it anyway…”

            Tom smiled and I went my own way. I looked at my watch, and it was 6:30. I had enough time to kill before 8:00. I walked and looked around, and then found a shop for collars. They had spiked collars, leather collars, light-up collars, and collars that had little charms on it.

David’s POV:

Tuesday, June 14th

6:15 in the Evening

“Where the hell did ‘ey go? Huh? Run off already? Where’s the little Laddie?”

“I don‘t know. I don‘t know... Look, man, everyone’s out tonight.”

“Ah! Whatever. Anyway, where’s the fire tonight boys?”

“Whose hungry!?”

            The boys were all out of the cave. Star and Laddie went their own way. They always separate from them, right when the sun goes down. Shit, maybe it’s because their embarrassed. Or they hate them.

“Who knows where ‘ey go! Alright? Let’s just leave it!”

            Paul shoved Dwayne.

“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! Get outta the way, dude!”

“Whoa man! Watch it! Hahahaha! Hey!” Marko shoved Paul.

“Gonna bring you down, son!”

“Shut up! All of you! Star and Laddie are gone. So what!”

            The hell with them, then. Paul and Marko were laughing their heads off, seeming to run eachother over. Poking at eachother. Dwayne was spinning around on his bike, spitting sand.

“Where’s the action man! Hey, David! David!”

“Shut up! Go separate ways! Go find her!”

            Paul and Marko laughed, tipping their heads. David lowered his head, looking angry.

“Hahahaha! ’Ey, let her go, man! Let’s just go hang out!”

“What the hell, I said go find her. On foot!”

“Whoa… Hit a nerve? A’right. A’right. We’re goin. Chill out…”

“Let’s go boys… and if you do find her, just bring her back.”

            They waved and left. They pushed and shoved past people. Their wild suitable ways were normal as usual. They’d snicker at people and feel power over people. Like a couple of gods walking around peasants. Marko was already flirting with some chick infront of her boyfriend.

“Hey there sweety…!” Paul smiled.

“Hey back off man,” her boyfriend said.

“Naw, you back off! Get off me, man!” Paul shoved the man’s hands off his shirt.

“Get off, man! Get off!”

“What did you expect man? Your girlfriends hot!“ Paul laughed.

            David shoved between his brothers, and the girl pleaded to her boyfriend that they would just go somewhere else. David smacked Paul across the head and pushed Marko back.

“Shut up guys! Go to the damn carnival and look!” David yanked them back and forth.

“Ya heard David, guys! Look! Don’t want another embarrassing scene.”

“We’re just foolin’ David! Just foolin’ around, man!”

            Paul raised his hands up in defense.

“I don’t care. Go!”

            The boys finally went. Going separate ways and looking for Star and Laddie. David went to check the concert, but she wasn’t there. He tried the Boardwalk, and she wasn’t there. There was something about that woman that David purely hated. He wanted to fly over and look for her. Maybe tell her who’s in charge here, and slap her in the face and make sure that it burns.

“Where the hell are you?” David muttered to himself.

            The air was smoky, and he caught onto her scent for a minute. But then it was gone. David wanted to make sure that Star wasn’t doing anything stupid. He only looked for her because she had Laddie with her. It was for the sake of Paul, Dwayne, and Marko. They missed the little guy.

“Where the hell is she!?” David growled at himself.

            All night he looked, and she was nowhere to be found. Max is gonna have a bitch-fit when he finds out. So the boys gave up. It was so early in the evening. They would have all night to have fun. They didn’t want to waste their time looking for her.

            But he was no mood to be with the rest of the boys. While he was separated from the boys now, he wanted to go look for her. That girl. He hoped that she was out and about. But first David had to check the hotdog stand. And she was there. But the first thing that caught his eye was the leash in her hand.

            David looked down and saw a puppy. That was definitely new. It was black and brown and sniffed at the ground. He looked at people and looked so excited. His tail wagged, with its ears perking up at every sound, his tongue hanging out.

            David knew that the little mutt would be trouble in the future. It seemed she bought her own security alarm for her house. David had no idea why on earth she would get a puppy, but…whatever she wanted.

            David kept his distance, and listened to their conversation. She hadn’t named the animal yet, and needed Tom’s help. In an hour, he would be on break and they would talk more. David saw how Tom smiled at her, and his grey eyes gleamed. But the girl seemed to be totally unaware that her neighbor liked her. Then she left the hotdog stand and walked towards the shops along the Boardwalk. Right when she left him, David followed right behind her.

            He was right behind her. As she walked, her hair brushed along his face, tickling him almost. And then…once more he traced a finger down her green jacket. He put a cigarette behind his ear, and put away the lighter in his pocket. The things he bought from the gas station. His finger stayed on her back for awhile, then he withdrew. All the while he did, she never noticed at all. The puppy looked at him, and seemed to be scared of him. The little mutt growled at him.

            She went inside the shop and looked at the collars all on display. It was for the little mongrel. David followed her in. She looked at the collars and the price tags. Her little animal scratched at everything and sniffed, but still looked at him with those eyes. The little mutt knew that he was dangerous, and began to snarl. The girl tried to hush the poor thing, and carried it instead. Rock and roll music played in the speakers. But it didn’t cover up the dogs growls.

            David would kick it if he had the chance. Just to make it shut the hell up. There was 4 aisles in the whole shop, and she was in the 2nd aisle. While David walked in the 3rd aisle, looking at her through the small openings in the shelves. Sometimes, she’d stop look at something, and walk. Sometimes, she’d face him entirely and he would look at her face. David walked more. His thoughts, unclean. And his intentions, evil. And she wouldn’t know.

[sugarlove-01]

Cold Was The Night Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Anne fidgeted with her red locks.

“She hasn’t spoken a word since this morning. She seems to be in shock. Something out in those woods frightened her. Two days ago, Salem endured the worst hurricane on these shores in years. Times are beginning to become more unnatural but one thing is for certain: she’s no agent of the French.” Anne crosses her arms, nervous and somewhat anxious about the occurring circumstances. The morning had been a cold and slow trod for the whole village but she had become restless.

John Alden spies the girl lying in bed, through the cracked opening of the door,” No one appears out of thin air like a ghost, even after the storm. I suspect she is hiding something.”

“She failed to mention where she comes from,” Anne paced in the hallway, weaving her fingers together. “I agree her wardrobe is quite… different. Perhaps she is just lost. Perhaps maybe she and her mother lost their way from Boston.”

“Or she is a sad lonely little girl unable to cope with the fact she has no home, no family, and not but a name…She’s a runaway.”

“How?”

“Look at her. Look at her clothes. Look at her shoes. Look at the red paint on her lips. Look at the paint on her fingernails. Look at what she is and at what she isn’t. And she’s anxious—anxious to speak with me at least.” He strides into another room.

Anne followed him, “We cannot keep her here?”

He shook his head, “It will be impossible. In times like these… with so much going on here in Salem, we cannot stow a runaway. If people know I am keeping this then there will be another scandal. Or worse: a hanging.”

“She’ll have nowhere to go. She has no possessions or family to look after her. You’ll be condemning her to nothing.” Anne took a step toward him, an arm’s reach away, then hesitated herself. “We’ll be condemning her.”

“We?” he raised a brow.

“Yes, you found her in the woods. You could have left her there to be eaten by wild creatures or kidnapped by savages or hunted and killed by witches, but you did not. You chose to bring her here on your accord. Don’t you see? You have a heart Captain Alden and you cannot sit idly by while this beautiful and kind stranger falls victim yet again to this horrid nightmare we call Salam,” Anne smiled at him, knowing she was affecting him with her words, maybe his heart as well. John shook his head looking up at the ceiling; she gained her courage ready to pound the final nail in her campaign. “You decided to make her your responsibility, Captain Alden, and if we just throw her out then she’ll surely starve or worse—”

“She cannot be my responsibility, Anne. I’m sorry. I have far more important matters that I must attend to,” he gazed out the window to the Sibley house, his eyes drawn to those dark windows. Where his mind and heart always reside.

“Captain Alden, why on earth would you rescue this poor lost soul if you would condemn her to the harshness of Salem? If we do not do something now then it’ll be the whore house. If we do nothing then we are the same as those men whom you protest against so much--”

“Anne…”

“She is our responsibility, Captain Alden. Please, I beg of you.”

“Alright! Alright!” he waved his hands in defeat. Dear god in heaven, he hoped upon a falling star he was not making a colossal mistake. “She may stay one night and no more.”

Anne stepped forward to embrace him, hesitated, but only took satisfaction in his gaze of acceptance as a reward.

“Thank you. That is all that is needed.”

The Next Day:

I stood on top of the bed reaching as high as I could holding my cellphone waiting to catch some bars. For the half-past hour, I’ve been trying to catch any signal but no luck. This was impossible! I slipped my cellphone back into my pocket and sulked in bed. I had already cried my tears, said my prayers, and closed my eyes hoping this nightmare would end. After accepting this nightmare was real, I convinced myself I needed to escape. Every sound, every smell, every unfamiliar sound, creaked and moaned in this tiny house and it made me sick to my stomach.

I needed to get out of here and go back home!

Anne offered breakfast like a sweetheart. A breakfast plate of dry-crusted bread with a boiled egg and undercooked beef that looked like lamb brains.

I declined.

But she persisted.

Like she persisted on many other things.

“So, what is your mother’s name? Does she live in Boston? Where were you born? Did you come from London, England? Is your father in Boston?” Anne poured a cup of hot tea into two cups for us both, smiling.

So far, Anne was an absolute angel and she had no trouble keeping me company while the Captain went hunting in the woods. I had overheard some of their conversations from upstairs and the thought of being with him alone under one roof made me shiver. She was the daughter of a very important man in town and the Captain was a veteran war hero who was in love with an unattainable woman. Mary Sibley, the wife of George Sibley. The richest man in the country. At least that’s what Anne had explained to me.

“Um, Catherine, but everyone calls her Cathy,” I replied, accepting her homemade tea. I watched her forehead crease in curiosity.

“And your father? Is he from Boston or New York? Or has he journeyed here from London?”

From Arizona and California, but I don’t think that has been established as a state yet. I bite my lip accepting her cup of tea. 

“He’s… not from here, in fact, I haven’t seen him in years. He went off… to explore… the western lands. He’s far away.”

More like 300 years away from my time.

“How brave and adventurous of him! An explorer! I suppose there’s more in the world to explore than little Salem, I envy him. Truly I do,” she complimented.

She sat in her chair for a moment keeping a hawk’s eye on me. I sipped my tea and tried to hide the sour look on my face. The herbs were strong and sour like cough medicine but resulted in a soothing after-feel in my throat warming my belly. But she was happy she was being a good caretaker for my well-being.

“And your mother?” she sipped from her cup, eyeing me the entire time. “I imagine she’s worried sick about you. Is she coming here to Salem as well? I’m sure you’re worried sick about her and I’m sure she’s most certainly worried about you.”

“I’m not sure,” I whisper, remembering her face shrinking into the woods. But my memory was limited. I remember her being swallowed by the fog and disappearing. “But I… don’t think I’m going to see her or anyone I know again.”

“Where does your family come from?”

Lived in California, and moved to Salem when I was 2 years old because my mom was sick and tired of her weird nagging parents and my dad got a better job.

“I’m… from the far west coast,” I lied, feeling my little white lie win her naïve trust. “I don’t know how I ended up here. I don’t know what happened. Everything happened so fast. I really, really, really don’t belong here. I don’t know how to explain it.”

That was the truth.

“I don’t belong here and I don’t want to stay here.” I put down my cup on the tray with a little too much force. “All I want to do is go home. I need to go back! And I… don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how I got here.”

I couldn’t tell her any more than that.

I can’t give too much information.

If I gave her any more information they would find me and hang me as a witch. It’s the one thing Salem is famous for. 

“Be calm, Miss, it will be all right.”

Maybe it was cabin fever or dread, but my body was restless. She swallowed, pressing her lips together in thought looking at the little herbs swirling in her cup, trying to find a comforting retort. At the moment she thought of a response, John walked in through the door and gave Anne a quizzical look. He was a filthy wild man carrying three hares over his shoulder tied to a string. He took his furs off his shoulders and kicked his muddy boots on the door frame. His entire outfit smelled like mud, blood, and death. The Captain dropped the tip of his axe onto a wood stump and placed his bow and quiver on the table in front of me. I winced at the blood on his hands and wondered how on earth I was going to convince him I was a normal person. His striking brown eyes captured mine and for a moment; all I could see was suspicion and distrust.

“What’s going on?” I rose to my feet, standing beside Anne. “What’s happening?”

John snarled, dropping the dead rabbits on the table,” Dinner.”

“What!?”

“Ah, how kind of the Captain to fetch dinner at this fine hour. I’m sure, we ladies can prepare the hares and return such kindness. Miss Evey, we can change you into proper dinner attire and cutlery. Then we can fetch the skinning knife?”

“Y-You mean we’re actually going to skin those rabbits and cook them!?” I gasped.

First big mistake.

Captain Alden and Anne stared at me and placed me under a microscope. A thousand voices automatically screamed at me to stop talking and stop being a moron. I could feel the deep gaze of his eyes studying me.

“You’ve never stepped foot in the kitchen, Miss Blackwood? Are you… so below your class?” Captain Alden eyed me once more picking me apart one molecule at a time.

“Perhaps… we can change … your attire… and attend my household for dinner, Miss Blackwood. I have a few ideas of what your place might be here in Salem.”

I shook my head,” Yes, Anne, that would be nice.”

“But certainly, we can change your very interesting… garb. I believe my household has not seen such an expensive, beautiful, exquisite wardrobe and it would certainly put my mother and me to shame. However, my father will be a very interested and fascinated host.”

“Anne…” Captain Alden cut in, looking at Anne with a warning. “Shall we truly believe that is a good idea?”

“One must adapt to survive, Captain Alden,” she smiled in return.

“I do want to survive…” I chimed in.

“Yet, you stray so far from home?” Captain Alden leaned forward in his chair, his gaze burning more than ever. My stomach flipped when I met his gaze. “How is it, pray to tell, Miss Blackwood, you could travel so far from home without an inch of survival instinct in your body? I’ve never met a woman who’s never skinned hares without the exception of being… royalty. Then appear out of thin air on my doorstep, proclaiming you wandered from the woods, yet your tracks tell me a different story.”

Anne gave him a look, “Captain Alden is just—”

“I’ve found many strange things in those woods. Your tracks do not come from anywhere. It is as if you have appeared like an apparition from another world…”

“I… can’t remember,” I simply stated, tearing away from his suspicious gaze and biting my bottom lip.

I couldn’t turn to face him. One look and it would be all over.

He fetched his axe from the wooden stump, fetched his coat, and headed towards the door,” I am not done asking my questions. This will continue, Miss Blackwood. The truth always comes forward, especially when we least expect it. Anne, do as you see fit.”

In three long hard strides, he stomped out the door, shot me a quick gaze, then disappeared to go hunt. I tucked my hair behind my ear hoping to god he wouldn’t come back from those woods. If he finds out that I’m different, then he’ll send me to the noose.

“Well, shall we go Anne?” I asked, breaking the tension.

“Perfect. But I must warn you about… my father,” she spits, rolling her eyes. And then I understand. Anne sees the realization on my face and smiles. “He’s a magistrate of Salem, and he’s so keen to bring the whole town to ashes because of this witch panic. But he is the one man in this whole town to help you find your roots and make Salem your home. I will see to it that he assists you. It would also certainly relieve Captain Alden of such a wonderful guest in his home. He will be utterly devastated to see you go.”

“Yea, I’m sure he’ll hate to see me leave…” 

When I heard the word witch my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. This is the age where everyone thinks women are a bunch of crazy bitches. The abuse, the violence, and the cruelty towards women are unfathomable. It’s the worst century ever! Especially for young girls whose time traveled 300 years to the past! Hot panic rises. Anne brought me to the back and changed my whole wardrobe. I put my Halloween costume in the closet with my boots. She fixed my hair into a braid tucked into a bonnet. Then I’m suddenly wearing almost 3 layers of clothing with a skirt and new shoes. When we were done I hid my cellphone underneath my bedroom floorboard. Anne walked with me out into the courtyard and this was my first real outing. Salem, 300 years in the past, was everything I thought it was.

“My house is across the courtyard. You can see my father there.”

“He’s your father?” I whisper, looking out the window at the man with silver hair and wearing a broad square hat. His long black cloak swishes against the cobblestone steps of his home greeting his wife waiting for him at the door. Maybe I need to stay on his good side. To me, he seemed like a strict man, full of power and ignorance. I trembled, my hand tracing to wipe the hot sweat from my brow. These psychos fucking hang people! What happens when they finally see that I don’t fit in? Will they think I’m a witch too?

“Anne? What do they do to people who are… different?”

“Different? In what way?”

“I’m just new to town.”

“It’s all right, Evey, fear not. You do not deceive me, I dare say, in some way or other, of which I formed the idea that you weren’t being completely honest with me. But I completely absolutely forgive you. We are friends. New faces of people have misrepresented themselves, changed like the face of the moon when they are running away from their past.”

“What?” my face dead-panned.

“While I can have a morning to myself,” Anne said walking towards the foot of her door’s entrance. “It is enough—I think it is no shameful sacrifice to join occasionally in my own fantasy that I do not belong here in Salem either, and I live another life somewhere. And I profess myself a secret imagination that I am someone else. And I know now that you are imagining yourself as someone else, right now.”

Earth to Evey! She’s telling you she has your back! This is the first homegirl you’ve made that’s from another century!

“Okay…” I replay everything she just said and reorganize every word. “You caught me. I’m a runaway. What do they do to runaways? They don’t brand them, do they? Do they go to jail?”

Or hang!?

Anne squeezed my hand,” Fear not! The whore house is not for you! Nor a jail cell! Nor the noose. Come! You must find your place here in Salem, lest you be living on the streets which would be most unsuitable for a darling young lady like yourself!” Anne pulled me into her home. “And I know just the thing! It’ll be perfect! Come along!”

1 Hour Later:

“Father, you are not listening—"

“Lovely to meet you, Evelyn Bankingwood, such a pleasure, Anne, dear, I have to attend a meeting tonight and I am running late. Stay with your mother after you introduce the new Headmistress and please be sure to come straight home, your mother will have my skin if you are not put safely in bed.”

“Father, you have not gazed upon our guest. She is—”

“Tomorrow we shall discuss more of this matter. But for tonight, Anne, please stay out of my affairs, I have plenty on my plate as it is. This witch panic has my entire focus.”

“Father—”

“Good evening my daughter. Good evening, Miss Coalwell…” Magistrate Hale didn’t even look me in the face.

He seemed like a busy man. He didn’t even look me straight in the eye.

“It’s Blackwood, actually.”

He slammed the door leaving his daughter and me standing in the hallway. That went a lot better than I thought it would.

“As I was saying before my father rushed out and did not attempt to know your name… my friend, Bridgette Bishop, was a midwife and she was a dear friend of mine. She’s lived here in Salem all of her young life. They hanged her for being accused of being a witch,” she whispered, holding up her drawing book to me.

The portrait of a woman seemed to affect Anne, her face darkened. They seemed like they were pretty close. It made me sick to think so many people would sentence her to death; she was an innocent woman. She looked like my 4th-grade teacher. She didn’t look like a witch at all.

Now she was dead.

Anne embraced her book to her chest, “The townspeople saw it fit to loot the orphanage when their headmistress was… removed. They tore everything apart and after they left my father hired Captain Alden to renovate and repair the house in hopes of reviving the orphanage. The children here are in dire need of a new Headmistress…”

“They hanged her for being a witch…”

Oh my god, those poor kids.

“Yes, it’s madness! It’s all insanity!” Anne pulled out a large chest from beneath the bed and opened it, pulling out coifs, waistcoats, petticoats, and aprons with shoes. “She was taken to trial and judged by the selectman and—and it was Mary Sibley who cast the vote for Mercy Lewis to judge her.”

“Mary Sibley? John Alden’s ex?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean… his former love interest?”

“Yes. Mary Sibley, the richest woman in all of Salem and the country rules behind her husband and fears no one and loves no one, certainly in these times. She and I share… no similar opinion and I don’t care what mother says; she is a vile and loveless woman. But an attentive neighbor she is true, she is the sort of woman whom one cannot regard with too much deference. Beware of her husband, he has the most influence over the whole village.”

Oh my god, the 1600’s had their own Regina George. They love to hate her.

She tied her black coif around her head and stopped to look back at me from the doorframe, smiling warmly at me as if I had a halo above my head. Anne could see me do no wrong. She saw the good in everything and everyone. Especially when we both shared… a clean and unique point of view. All in all, we were equals.

“I’m so sorry, Anne… sounds like you’ve been through tough times.”

“Thank you, Evey, I know you will make a great new Headmistress with such a head for compassion and loveliness. You will be a great success. Thank you for everything, I’ll be back tomorrow to check on the children and you. Then we shall begin your training into the perfect little secret runaway.”

Whatever you say, Miss Queen of Goodness and Charity and Mercy.

“No, thank you, Anne. At least now I have a chance.”

I smile unclipping the cloak from my back and hanging it up on the chair before turning to look back at her, squeezing my fingers together against my stomach, trying to figure out what else to say. I don’t know if I would survive in this place without her.

“Thank you again, Anne,” I said before she left. She stopped at the doorway. “You know… for giving me a place to stay and not telling anyone about this. I bet there are people who are scared of… different.”

300 centuries of different.

“I would never!” she smiled her biggest smile, stepping closer. “We all have a choice and a destiny. Yours is right here, in Salem. You were meant to become our new Headmistress. Can I speak truthfully? Your past is history, but it is just that, history, and do not consider me now an elegant female, intending to plague and pity you, but a rational girl, speaking truth from her heart that you and I are the same. You are splendidly charming! I am persuaded to introduce you to the whole Council in church this Sunday if you could join us. The people of Salem would love to meet the new Headmistress, Evey Blackwood!”

Everything happened so fast and I couldn’t be more grateful. I looked at the pair of keys in my hand and immediately felt the responsibility on my head. But this was also a chance to find my way back home as well. I embraced Anne thanking her one more time and felt a cold shadow loom over me again. I felt cold. Or maybe I wasn’t used to so much girl-bonding time with someone besides Tina. But I guess it couldn’t hurt.

“Yea, sure...” I smiled. “I’ll be there.”

Anne walked me to the building where I would be residing. It was a tall two-story building made of dark wood sitting against wild ferns, weeds, and sunflowers. Large bushes were strewn all over the walls and had grown onto the windows. A thin tall white tree sat on the side of the building with a string and a wooden board attached to the highest branch where the children could play. A functioning water well lay rooted like a barrel beneath the white tree attached to a pulley system and a bucket. The pine door had been broken in, the windows smashed, and all of the furnishings had been stolen or destroyed. There were no children here but their empty bunks were proof they had resided there. The bunk beds sat side by side on each side of the room for at least 20 children

The whole upstairs was completely dedicated to the Headmistress, which was me, and it was just as robbed and destroyed. The floorboards bent down in the center of the room due to a large hole in the floor created by a fire. A bed cot had been the only thing the people of the village hadn’t taken.

“This place is absolute trash…” I whispered.

“Pardon?”

“I said ‘this place is absolutely… lovely’” I grinned with a fake smile, kicking a bucket across the room. “It just needs a few touchups.”

“Captain Alden will be here tomorrow to finish the roof after it caught fire. Sadly, when the orphanage was burning the children fled for their lives and hid in the alleys and crevices of the town. They fear that if they return they will face the same fate as their previous Headmistress. When Miss Bishop was burned as a witch, no one dared to search for them, or else they land in the stocks.”

“They just ran? They didn’t come back?”

“They simply disappeared and no one has seen them since. I pleaded with my father and other men to go into town and search for them, but he insisted they would be in god’s hands.”

“That’s stupid,” I whispered under my breath. “That’s just an excuse not to face the consequences of their actions. People here preach about being pure and good but judge others for what they’ve done; judge not lest ye be judged. When they realized that she wasn’t a witch when she was being hanged no one searched for the children?”

Anne frowned,” The men in town were afraid they would be thrown in the stocks, receive a branding, or meet the other end of a rope. Then Captain Alden volunteered to look for them to bring them back home, but they are rather good at hiding”

“Well, that’s even worse. Who told the people that she was a witch?”

“Our very own Reverend Cotton Mather, son of Increase Mather, a world-famous witch hunter.”

“It’s completely idiotic. If people know that when they burn a woman and she lives; she’s a witch. But if she dies because she wasn’t a witch, she’s innocent, then why wouldn’t anyone go looking for the children after realizing the big mistake they just made? They were innocent, too.”

Anne stayed silent for a moment and was about to respond but another voice entered the room.

“Because people are losing faith in finding good in each other. When people stop finding the good, they learn to thrive in the bad. Then they become the monsters they were taught to fear and hate,” Captain Alden appeared in the doorway.

Anne beamed at his sudden presence but I was the absolute opposite. She pushed her hair to one shoulder while he approached and stood in the door frame of the bedroom. He could definitely make his existence known without even saying a word. She took his presence with great, great, great importance. He brought in wooden boards under both his arms for construction and dropped them against the wall before politely taking a bow. A proper greeting in Salem, I’ve come to learn.

“Captain Alden, what a surprise!”

“Peace be upon you, Miss Hale,” he greeted politely, turning his gaze toward me. “Can I have a word with our new… Headmistress?”

This should be good.

Anne, though slightly disheartened, politely bowed and obliged his stern request and exited my new living quarters. Captain Alden stood in the doorway, axe resting on his broad shoulder, while I carefully stepped into the kitchen to sit at the table. This shouldn’t feel this scary to be near a man like him, but it did, it really did. I could feel his heavy footsteps trail slowly behind me and he took a seat too.

“What have I done now?” I started first. My voice shook when I said it, and I hated that. I sounded weak. I’d never wanted to sound weak in my entire life.

It was such a desperate cliché question. If these were to be my last words, they felt like stupid and unimportant ones, but I had to know. I had to know what he was thinking. My life may depend on it. 

“I just need to know…” he whispered,” I need to know who you are.”

“My name is Evey—”

“I know your name, Miss Blackwood. My question is: who are you? Anne is convinced you are no agent of the French and I agree that you are no spy. I’ve seen you stalking around town. I can sense you truly do not belong here. The people here may see you as an outsider, they can feel you are misplaced. We can all feel it. I… can feel it.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong…” I remember thinking this was how spy movies often started with sensory deprivation; the first step to getting the intruder to spill her secrets.

I had no secrets. I was just as stumped as he was and maybe that was the problem. The table between us groaned as he stood up once more to build a fire in the fireplace. I sat in my chair, helpless. He knelt down and placed a few logs, got a match, and bingo! Flames were burning in less than a minute which I was grateful for, I didn’t know how to start a fire. The floorboards beneath his weight creaked exactly like they do in scary movies. At least now I knew what kind of scary story I was in, no sense fooling myself about it now.

Why had he chosen me? Did I send out a vibe or was he just obsessed? Was there something about me that screamed victim? Or witch?

“I just need to know if you truly desire to be the Headmistress of Salem orphanage. Anne and her father may have placed that title on your belt, but nay, I believe you’re running from something. Your story does not connect and it is a damn lucky coincidence that you are Headmistress now that Miss Bishop is dead—nay, murdered. The timing is too close. The orphanage, all of Salem, and I—we don’t need another imposter pretending to be something that she is clearly not. I’d like to tell you all the ways that I can dismember a wolf pretending to be a sheep in thy home, Miss Blackwood.”

His thumb swiped at the blade of his axe and my eyes roamed over his large hands. I could only imagine all the damage he could do with those hands… and all the good too.

“But… if you are in danger… then let it be known now. If you are in fear for your life, then perhaps, under the circumstances, I will help you. Even protect you from whatever you fear.”

I sigh, biting my bottom lip.

He notices.

“If not, then I will surely get to the bottom of this mess you have brought. I will discover your secret, Headmistress… When I do discover your secret, I cannot protect you or help you. Neither can Anne and I will bring you forth into the light.” Captain Alden had been itching for an answer.

Any kind of answer.

But the truth was still blurry.

“As I told you before, I don’t remember…” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t remember how I got here.”

“Very well…” he sighed, looking disappointed. Agitated, even angry, he was nowhere nearer to the truth. “We shall see what brought you here, won’t we, Headmistress Blackwood…”He disappeared into the darkness leaving me in my new little orphanage house. His exit allowed me to hyperventilate, almost suffocating to breathe, and I ached for comfort. I moved my cot closer to the fire and covered myself with my cloak. The blankets were itchy and filthy. I slowly drifted off to sleep, not knowing, a single solitary woman stood in the corner of my room in a long black cloak with eyes as black as midnight.

[sugarlove-01]

Cold Was The Night Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Jake was definitely with Amber.

She was straddling his crotch like his dick was her source of everlasting life. Her red catsuit and her devil horns were stripped and zipped down from her head and shoulders. Jake slipped his hand beneath the clasp of her bra sticking his tongue down her throat like he was feeding a baby bird. I slammed the garage door behind me and they both stopped and stared at me.

“E? Is that you?” he stumbled forward, throwing her to the floor. She dropped with a loud thud. He scrambled to cover his crotch. “E it’s not what it looks like. I’m just really drunk and she just wanted to give me water.”

My world became dizzy like my vision was hazy from too much heat. My head began to warm up and my cheeks flushed. I was too stunned to speak, so I turned on my heel and walked toward the first place that could give me peace and quiet; the woods. I began seeing red. There was nothing to say. There was nothing else to do but walk and walk into the night. Or was there?

I immediately ran back to the garage door and spat “Fuck you, Jake! Fuck you and you can go to hell! Enjoy an STD from slut-Zilla! I fucking hope you rot in hell and you two just fucking die together because you’re perfect together. Take it up the ass, Jake. Your dick’s small. You suck at kissing and Amber fucked your dad!”

Amber’s eyeliner ran down her cheeks. “I-I-I was just…”

“E, wait! You have to let me explain!”

“Fuck you, Jake!”

“You’re not hot enough to act like this!”

The house suddenly became silent with white noise with so many teens drinking, playing pool, playing darts, beer pong, and stripping naked in the pool. I push past the smell of weed and the naked boys with horse masks kicking a soccer ball in the living room. I shove past everyone until I see nothing but forest. The music of the party could barely be heard as I ran further and further through the trees and far from the backyard of Jake’s house until I was standing behind completely alone. He was supposed to be my first. My lungs were full of hot air and I could barely breathe. My heart…was broken. It was supposed to be special. My hands searched for my phone.

“Tina,” I take two deep breaths; my lungs feeling the fire grow within. “Tina. Tina.”

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and scrolled through my contacts. Dad. Mom. Tina. I scrolled back to Mom and took a deep hard look at her number. Wiping the tears coming from my eyes, I wanted to tell her what happened. But after hearing the whole ‘strong woman’ speech, this was something for my sister to help me with.

The phone rang.

And rang.

“Hello?

“T-Tina…”

“E?”

“T-Tina, you were right. You were right about everything! He was fucking her and I caught them. You were right about everything!”

“E, what happened? Did he do anal?”

I stomped my foot on the ground,” Tina please, you have to listen to me.”

“Stop talking like a fucking psycho! What happened? I can barely hear you! You’re breaking up!”

“He’s a dog! He’s a fucking dog! He is dead to me, T. Dead!”

“I-I can’t—hear—you!”

“Tina!” I screamed into the screen. “Fuck.”

My tears were allowed to fall freely once I was out of the woods and standing on the sandy pebbly beach. I wiped my nose. Be tough. Be strong. Nobody wants a sobbing mess on a night like this. Sniffing, I went to the edge of the pond and threw my basket into the black water screaming. I know my mom told me to be a strong woman but here I was crying over a boy; what a great birthday. I’m sure she would be proud of her little girl. The feeling of heartbreak and embarrassment felt nauseating and my head swam with possibilities it could bring, good or bad. 

My phone rang.

Mom.

“Mom?” I gasp, exhaling a big sigh of relief. Trying to catch my breath, I smile into the phone, “Mom, I’m so glad you called me.”

Thank god!

“Evey! I called Tina. Where are you?” she exclaimed loudly in a panicky voice. “Are you safe? Are you hurt?”

“Mom, I walked off. I saw Jake. I needed some air. It’s really stupid. I just want to come home.”

“Where are you? Are you safe?”

“I-I’m near the river. What’s wrong? You don’t sound right.”

Static came through the speaker. A rough noise came bellowing from my phone like a horn. Her voice faded until there was silence. The noise became a boom making me flinch and drop my phone.

“Mom!” I shouted louder this time, then I suddenly see a shadow move in the woods seen from the corner of my eye. I narrow my eyes to get a better look at this shadowy figure. The air turned ice cold and the hairs stood up on my neck.

“Hello?”

A gust of wind emerged from the woods towards me in a powerful gust. I could see my breath, it was so cold.

“Evey!” her voice came through the rough static. “R-Run, Evey! She’s c-c-oming!”

I knelt to the ground holding my phone,” Mom! What’s happening? Who’s coming?”

“E! E! Get back in the fucking house. Whatever she says she is lying to you! She’s a trickster Evey! She’s trying to take you away!”

Goosebumps prickled over my arms as the cold air had turned into snowflakes, softly falling from the sky. The lake water beside me began to transform into one giant iceberg. The leaves and flowers began to crisp, turn black, and crack into pieces. It was a tall shadowy figure standing against the trees almost as if this thing was wearing a large black coat over its head. My heart raced to watch this thing suddenly move as if it were made of clay, shaping and morphing into a face. It was mom standing against the trees.

“Evey!” my mother’s voice rang through the phone.

I couldn’t take my eyes away from this…thing. Mom, or whatever it was, began to slowly walk into the woods as slowly and as dimly as a shadow. Soon her arms and shoulders were visible to the point where her body figure stood amongst the trees, walking backward, never taking her eyes off of me. A voice in the back of my mind told me to follow her to wherever she was leading me. Her eyes weren’t her eyes, they were black, black as midnight. I took another step forward realizing I was halfway across the frozen lake. My stomach twisted in tiny knots thinking of the worst.

“Evey, come home…”

Its voice sounded so serene. So calm. But another voice came from behind, I turned my head to see my real mother.

My mother, my real mother came running and holding a hand against the wind erupting in a violent storm coming from the clouds circling above the lake pushing the leaves into a swirling vortex. She was still in her black dress with Tina by her side. She raised her voice waving her arms but I couldn’t hear her. I couldn’t hear any of them. The only thing I could see was the shadow and the only thing I could hear was…indistinct whispers. Whispers in all different voices but coming from only one person; her. I followed her farther out onto the lake, under the moonlight, until the darkness was so complete I was sure that I was lost until I saw her walk between a blanket of fog, steadily into thin air.

“Mom?” I called out, clutching the collar of my cloak tighter, protecting my face from the wind.

There was no answer, only more wind and a raging storm coming closer and closer until thunder and lightning broke the roar. Leaves whipped against my face while the lightning struck across the sky in bolts so big it shook the earth, and I shook.

“Mom!” I called out, kneeling to the ground, smashing my hands against the cold dirt. “Mom! Tina!”

The bolts of lightning momentarily lit my path of trees, leaves, and a figure standing among all of it. Somewhere Tina was calling my name and I was calling hers too, trying to find each other in these woods. Crescendos rang in my head until finally all together—it stopped. A silence so sudden I thought I had gone deaf. As soon as I opened my eyes, the world outside the circle was raging as violently as anything I’d ever seen.

Was I in some sort of bubble?

It was as serene and tranquil inside this invisible bubble. I stood up and saw Mom, smiling, with black eyes, standing next to the tree in a black dress and I wanted to say something to her, call out to her for help, and to come back with me to the house—until she disappeared. It’s almost as if the tree opened its mouth to eat her.

“Mom!?” I brought my hand to the tree, trying to find her. “Tina!?”

I bang my fists against the trunk and raked my nails across the hardwood, trying to understand what happened.

“Tina!” I screamed, realizing the lake was gone. I was standing on a pebbly beach and the lake had completely disappeared.

A voice reminds me to breathe, I inhale and a powerful feeling enters my lungs reaching higher and higher up into my head. It was a high feeling that I’d never felt before. A newfound strength rises and moves inside me, like a fire, and it’s getting stronger. With outstretched arms I feel the suction, being pulled into the dark mouth of the void and soon filled with warmth and reverence.

In a matter of minutes, the windy night sky transformed into a bright day. I’m falling, falling, and falling. The ground screams as it comes in contact with my face, I see a flash of white and red, I taste blood on my lip and the pain swells. My ribcage is pounding. I breathe, cough, and roll on my back looking at the sky. I flutter my eyes open and it takes a few seconds to adjust. Birds are in the trees while a cloud blissfully moves across the sky and the sun is warm against my skin.

What the hell just happened?

“Evey! Evey!” a voice, someone’s voice… Mom’s voice whispers in my head. “Evey, he needs you…”

“Mom?”

“He needs you…”

My face still hurts when I stand up and walk towards her voice, wobbling into the woods, reaching out for support. I have to get Tina, find Tina, and get the hell out of here and this nightmare will be over. Suddenly the whiplash sets in and all the contents in my stomach burst from my mouth in a fountain into the bushes leaving the sting of stomach acid lingering in the back of my throat and nose. My world suddenly becomes 2, then 3, then 4 images swirling across my eyesight in a kaleidoscope turning in circles. My knees turn into marshmallows as I fall back into the dirt and my world goes black.

2 Days Later:

I wake up in a cold sweat and kick off my covers, panting as if I ran a marathon. My body aches. I push the bed covers off of me. The furs and pelts fall into a heap on the floor. Sunlight pours in the windows and a rooster crows outside somewhere leaving me paralyzed in my place.

“Mom…” I mumble, holding a hand to my head. “Mom. Mom?”

Was I hungover?

“Be still,” a voice came from the dark, it was a man’s voice. His fingers come in contact with my head. “You’ve been asleep for nearly 2 days.”

His face looks blurry, like big blots of black paint in my vision moving across the room. My head is still swimming and my legs can’t stop shaking. I’ve never felt this way in my entire life.

“Dad?” I murmur, holding my fingers to my lips. “Dad, I had a bad dream.”

There was a pause before the man gently asks,” What’s your name?”

My tongue feels like an alien body in my mouth, dry and making disgusting noises as I try to speak,” Evey…”

Am I in the hospital? Through my lashes, he peers closer. My legs stop shaking and I finally see his face.

“Where am I,” I ask, barely whispering.

His whole demeanor tells me he wants something else, something important, besides knowing my name. I could feel it. The man nods his head pouring water into a cup before placing a hand against my head. He kneels up to leave the room for a moment to return holding a plate of food with a young girl walking beside him. She pulls back a hand before momentarily touching my head informing the man there was no sign of fever. They both look at each other for a moment before stepping out of the room to have a private discussion. He even closes the door. I wipe the crap out of my eyes and take a better look at the room. It’s…not home, that’s for sure. I sit up from bed to look at the beef and bread sitting on the bed table. My appetite is the least of my worries. I can hear the man and the woman argue outside my room before momentarily entering and it looks like the woman had the last word. He moves a chair in front of me.

“Evey,” he begins gently, pausing for a moment, looking back at the woman as if he was getting impatient with acting polite. “What business did you have in the woods?”

I rub my head against my hands, fuck I need some painkillers right now.

He’s waiting eagerly in his chair, tugging on a hair from his chin,” What business did you have in the woods?”

“What?” I whisper. “Oh my god, where am I? Are my parents here?”

It’s his last nerve and he stands from his chair,” The woods! You’ve been sleeping and speaking folly in your sleep. What did you—“

“Why were you alone out there?” the girl asks, holding his shoulder. She pushed him back behind her, separating us. “Especially all alone. You could have ended up in the belly of a bear or at the hands of savages.”

“Bears? There are no bears in Salem,” I look at her through my lashes. My head is still spinning, “I was just… looking for my mom. I just want to go home.”

“Your mother?” the man narrows his eyes,” That deep in the woods? No bears in Salem? Our guest must have struck their head harder than we expected.”

After splashing water over my face, I got a better look at them now and my mouth dropped. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach when I saw… whatever they were wearing. I saw the room. I saw and tried to digest where I was.

What in the fuck happened in the past 2 days!?

The girl rolls her eyes,” You must excuse Mr. Alden, I think the girl is quite parched, don’t you think? She must not be thinking quite clearly. Fetch her water please?”

Everyone in the room knew it was a tactic for him to leave the room which I would enjoy instead of receiving his suspicious glares. He kneeled from his chair and shut the door behind him. I wasn’t getting that water, was I? The girl put on a kind smile on her face and for a moment we both stared at each other, not knowing what else to say.

So, I was going to break the ice.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

We both blurted out.

She straightened her back, “Anne Hale, it is nice to meet you, Evey…?”

“Blackwood, Evey Blackwood,” I nodded my head, rising from the bed and looking out the window. “Where… W-Where am I?”

A rooster screams somewhere in the distance as I look out the window. I see a group of pigs point their snouts in the mud while men and women wearing—whatever the hell it is they’re wearing—walking. Women hold baskets of fruit and bread and walk with their children while the men talk to each other in groups. The rooster’s scream jostles me back to reality and Anne comes up behind me.

“Evey, what is it? Are you ill?” she stepped closer.

I pull my hair into a messy ball on top of my head and grab my shoes at the foot of the bed wiping tears coming down my cheek. Anne is already grabbing the tray of food and closing the shutter window, rushing after me. This house is smaller than I expected, turning around a corner wall into the main living room. On instinct, I touched the wall for a light switch but there were none. There was no sign of modern technology, flat-screen TV, electric outlets, or any sign of indoor plumbing. Warning signs ring in my head as I take a deep breath and open the door to the outside world, but it’s nothing that I expect. I can’t take another step forward and my hand tightens around the door knob.

This is a dream, wake up.

“Wake up,” I repeat out loud, closing my eyes hard, and opening. “Wake up…”

I let go of the doorknob and step out into this different world. I don’t recognize anything! Or anyone! Anne is behind me trying to decide whether to let me wander like a poisoned sheep or help me back inside the house before I lose my mind.

“Wake up…” I repeat, louder this time.

“Oh, dear.”

Anne steps in to hold my shoulder and try to lead me back to the house trying to ignore the people stopping in their tracks to whisper among themselves. She tries to tell me to return to the house, but as soon as I see the body of…--- a body? My blood freezes, instantly, shackling me to the ground in invisible chains as I see the body of a woman hanging from a noose on a platform in the middle of the town. My bottom lip trembles, my stomach sucking up against my spine, while my memory is reeling in every detail of the corpse in high definition. She wore a black dress with a black bonnet over her drooping head with a red apron covered in something stinky, hanging limp as a doll.

Anne came up behind me, swallowing a sob, “I know how you feel. It’s an abominable thing; she didn’t deserve a fate such as this. I am as disgusted as you are,” Anne looked upon the hanging body with grief before scowling at the ground. “It’s madness. Complete and utter madness.”

“Anne!” a voice came from behind us, but I was too frozen to move or look who was talking. The smell of death was right in front of me and the sight of it was there too.

“Anne! What is she doing out here? If any of the selectmen or your father spy her prowling out here dressed like that then it’ll be a swift walk to the gallows! For all of us!”

Instantly, I feel my body being moved from the streets and back into the house. As soon as the door closes behind us, I suddenly feel relief, the world had gotten much smaller and composed of a single room with Anne and his man here with me. I could finally breathe. He shoves a glass of muck water in my hands and has a private word with Anne in the other room, while I decompress from shock. They’re speaking to each other, arguing even, as two parents would over their troubled child.

I’ve never seen something like that before.

In fact, no one should.

But this is Salem, only centuries before anyone I knew was born. Fucking time travel. I sniffle, wiping the tears away from my eyes. The word witch comes to mind and I’m hoping against all the odds that I’m not the century I think I am. That woman’s dead face, her blue dead face wasn’t leaving my mind, the image was still flashing in my head. What’s wrong with these people!? A rooster screams from outside the window reminding me what’s out there and I can’t help but feel alone like I’ve never been alone before.

Please, someone save me!

Anybody!

On The Sea:

It began with a dead blue girlchild, no older than two or three years, lying amongst the festering rats, intertwined among the bodies of her siblings and mother and father. Lifting her eyelids her eyes were white, riddled with red veins, milky, evident of unnatural death. The ship did not rock, nor did it stir, refusing to voyage any further in these deep waters lucidly sitting among the fog underneath the full moon. But it was not the water creatures beneath that disturbed the great witch-hunter Reverend Mather, nor were its dead passengers, but the evil that resided on this ship, living largely on the dead souls it served itself. With a heavy boot, he pushed her body on her back revealing her worm face slick with sea slime, pouring water from her lips, rotting in her bones. The poor girl never had a chance. The Captain, in his state of selfishness, urged the Reverend to return back to the deck explaining a strangeness spreading throughout the ship but Increase, coiled and brazenly angry, snarled and pushed the Captain away from him. The serious matter was not being understood by the Captain, but how could he understand, he had not dealt with forces such as these. Forcefully disregarding his orders to return—only an insidious truth and discovery has been revealed.

“Reverend! These are not your quarters; please return out of this foul place. It has been 7 days becalmed, no wind, with our food and water diminishing.”

“Foul, it is indeed,” the Reverend hissed looking out over the ocean. 

His gloved hand moved the head of an unconscious man back and forth as if checking the head of cabbage, checking, rechecking, dismissing then moving on to the next poor soul that would never live to see another day on this ship nor on land.

The Captain gazed upon the poor souls with a grimace, “Is all of this meant for a purpose?”

“Does this…” he lifted the body of a boy, limp, blue, frozen from his spot. Lifting the body with both arms and shoving it into the Captain’s arms with a shove, sending him trembling in his place. Increase pointed to the boy’s face, dead, cold, and tragic. “Need purpose?”

The Captain huffed, circling in front of him. “We are hopeless. This ship is becalmed between lands, we are stuck.”

“This ship is spelled,” growled Increase, ruling across the floor back and forth, not looking at the Captain, but looking at the faces of the diseased, snarling, feeling, smelling, knowing a demon lurked somewhere here, now, taunting him. Never go weak or weaponless into the darkness and Increase will do just that.

“It’s here.”

The Captain stepped closer, cautious to give the strict Reverend his space, “What’s here?”

Quickly, he fetched his book from his pocket, gripping the leather bind with intense vigor it ought to crumble into dust, and he, at last, gazed upon the Captain, “Make no mistake—I will find him.”

[sugarlove-01]

Cold Was The Night

Yes, I am a sick little girl with extreme daddy issues

So sue me.

This is my story about the one and only Reverend Increase Mather, located in Salem, working and hunting witches during the Witch Panic. You are a young girl from our time who mysteriously ends up 300 years in the past. Survive, adapt, or be hanged until dead. It's tough being a modern girl in old times, especially when the world's most notorious and cruel Witch Hunter of the century is regrettably, irrevocably, without a doubt... captured by you against his better judgment.

No matter how much he tries to push you out of his mind

Fight these sinful urges

Regain his sanity and discard his fiery forbidden thoughts

Reverend Increase can't help but be allured by this beautiful, blonde, mysterious female...

Who knew sin could be so much fun.

Chapter 1:

“You can’t be serious,” I crossed my arms over my chest.

A gentle wind came into the kitchen softly bringing the smell of pine from the suburban neighborhood of Salem, Massachusetts 2025. The orange and red leaves of the season heavily littered the front yard of our wonderful red brick wall two-story home. The school day had just ended and the Halloween weekend was finally here! My favorite holiday along with a beautiful and rare Black Moon that appeared every 333 years.

What’s better?

Tonight, was my 16th birthday. I looked towards my sibling, Tina, my older sister, we were both in the kitchen preparing my birthday cake. Tina was the usual prettier, smart, more popular girl in my school that played basketball with the boys and got her nails done at the salon. Her long dark brunette hair, trimmed eyebrows, and a suntan. She was the social butterfly. I was like her of course but on the other side of the same coin.

“It won’t be long,” Tina smiled, carrying the bowl of chocolate batter across the kitchen. She always loved preparing birthday cakes for every family member, even her own. But today was very special. “It’s only for tonight.”

“Whose idea?”

“Mom,” she shrugged her shoulders. Her light chocolate brown hair fell to the middle of her back. “She believes in rites of passage. Special occasions can’t be ignored. Make some pretty speeches, blow out the candles, make a wish. Blah, blah, blah and everyone will throw the biggest birthday bash on Halloween just for you.”

I picked up a pink candle and looked at the colorful banner on the wall in the living room. The family had taken the day off school and work for today. The sun was beginning to set. Happy 16th Birthday Evey in colorful letters sprinkled with sparkles. Red and gold balloons were strung up in all 4 corners of the room with white ribbons streaming from the stems. It was beautiful. 

“It’s sweet.” I smile, gathering the candles together. “Where is she?”

“With dad outside picking a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. It’s your turn this year to cut the pumpkin,” she nodded toward the window, pouring the chocolate into a baking pan, rippling over evenly until the square was complete. She placed the pan into the oven. 375 degrees. 40 minutes She licked her finger,” So what’s it like being an old bitch?”

“Just fabulous,” I laughed licking the chocolate off the edge of the bowl. “It’s not the end of the world. I have my driver’s license. I’m going to definitely be joining AP classes next year. It’s going to look great for college. Being 16 is gonna kick ass this year.”

“Sooo…” Tina hummed biting her lip, smiling. “Is the birthday girl gonna get a present from a certain boy tonight at the Halloween party?” She poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek and moved her hand back and forth from her lips, giving an invisible blow job.

“It’s not like that!” I slapped her hand away. “He’s coming over tonight, through my window, after the Halloween party and my birthday party. You have to promise me you won’t tell mom. She’ll freak out.”

Tina nodded, agreeing.

“Are you guys gonna… do it?”

I bit my lip, going through the memory of him and me sitting at the willow tree making a promise sealed with a kiss. The school year had been a roller coaster ride, secrets, movie dates, and breakups. Cafeteria lunch dates, sitting next to each other in Home Room and walking me to my locker every morning. I’d come to see him play Lacrosse on Friday nights. He’d come to see me play my volleyball games. The high school mean girl, cheerleader captain, and OnlyFans superstar Amber tried to come in between us. But after months of tip-toeing around each other and our feelings, we finally confessed we liked each other. After 8 months of dating, we wanted to be more. Just a little more.

He was a virgin, too.

So, I didn’t have to feel any shame for being a virgin too when… we would—

“I don’t know,” was the only answer I could give.

Tina smiled, shoulder pushing me, and giving me a hug. It was at that moment when mom and dad walked in with the biggest and brightest orange pumpkin that I’ve ever seen. Dad gazed at mom before slipping out a large steak knife from his hand holding her gaze and turning to us.

“Girls,” he smiled.

“Hey, dad.”

“Hey, dad,” we replied, sitting at the table.

“Thanks for the party.”

My dad was a hotshot journalist from New York, going to an ivy league college, hustling as a strip club bouncer, moonlighting as a volunteer firefighter, running from a drunk abusive ex-fiancé, and getting a job as a promising architect in California, and then finding himself attracted to a young woman he met in a coffee shop. A beautiful green-eyed girl in a blue sundress. A mysterious and enchanting girl who accidentally spilled her latte all over him.

A girl from Salem.

Our mom.

He defied his father’s expectations and his mother’s pleas to marry a sophisticated high-class debutante from Georgia. From all the chaos in his life, he found love and peace with our mom. His life changed from the moment he met her and she continued to change his life since.

“Anything my youngest wants,” he kissed my temple, holding my shoulder with the knife in his other hand. “Ok, gather around! It is the highest honor in the household that you carve the first pumpkin. Go on. Take it.”

The large blade was presented in my hand. Looking at my mom, she smiled nodded her head and stood close to dad. I looked at the pumpkin and stabbed the head firmly feeling the shell wobble and crack under my pressure until the entire stem was gone. The smell of the seeds within came first. My mother couldn’t have been prouder at that moment and held a steady gaze with my father until Tina presented me with my first birthday gift. It was a gift card to Starbucks and a photo frame of both of us when we went to California for a vacation alongside the beach 2 years ago. To the beach where he first proposed to her.

“Happy birthday!”

“Happy birthday!” my dad fired off a confetti gun.

Tina hugged me,” Happy birthday!”

My mother stretched out her arms towards me and like a magnet, I embrace her knowing she put her heart and soul into this birthday fiesta. Just like she put her heart and soul into everything else. Her long black hair falls over me as she gives me a squeeze. She releases and looks at me with her green eyes, with tiny freckles of gold in there somewhere. She’s the kind of mom that gives me courage when I’m scared, encourages me to live boldly, and she’s the kind of mom that I can always talk to.

“Oh, my youngest baby, you’re growing up so fast. I remember holding you for the first time 16 years ago in the hospital. Your dad was so excited to meet you. You’re just as perfect as you were back then. Happy birthday! I love you!”

“Thanks, mom. I love you, too.”

While dad and my sister are digging into the cake and cupcakes, my mom pulls me to the kitchen table. We sit together and she holds my hand. She’s wearing her crystal rings and her elegant black satin evening gown that complimented her curvy figure. The neighbors have always been complaining about her inappropriate costumes almost every year. Nurse, a firefighter, a cop, an escaped convict, a salt shaker to dad’s pepper shaker. The wives don’t let the kids come to our door to trick or treat anymore. They even talked about her ‘dress code’ during a School Board meeting when she would pick me and Tina up on her motorcycle after school. In a tight black leather suit which caused an accident between four divorced dads. All of Tina’s guy friends from the Lacrosse team begged her to join her 13th pajama sleepover (which was a girl’s sleepover). The answer was obviously no. Last year mom was dressed up as Maleficent, the year before The Evil Queen from Snow White. Now this year she’s a modern-day Morticia with red lips and her sexy satin evening gown was just something she threw on last minute.

“You know the women in our family shared a long tradition of cutting a pumpkin on special occasions. In your case, Evey, you were born on Halloween. We celebrated all Hallows Eve for the past 250 years as a family. We have so many traditions and we made so many stories. Today is a special day, my young one. Enjoy it and cherish it, because one day it’ll be gone. There are so many responsibilities that come with being a woman, especially a 16-year-old woman in our family. When you turn 16… something special happens. Your great, great, great, great, great grandmother was a brave and amazing woman 300 years ago. You are a descendant of her. You are becoming stronger every day. More beautiful every day. I could tell you more about the history of our family but I know you have plans later tonight.”

“What happens on my 16th birthday?”

My mother inhaled deeply, regaining her patience, and exhaled rubbing my shoulders. A soft smile spread across her lips while she looked into my eyes.

“You’re growing into a very powerful woman, Evey. Don’t you ever forget about that! You come from a long line of powerful women. At some point, I’ll tell you more Evey. But… it’s not time yet,” her soft gentle fingers pushed a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Ok?”

“You’ll understand one day, little one. Not today but soon. You’ll understand why things like this are very sacred. You’ll understand the sacrifices and the importance of these memories. But tonight, I’ll let you celebrate your night. Go have fun. Then tomorrow, we’re going to have a little chat. Woman to woman. You need to know your family tree and where you come from.”

“Ok, mama.”

I smiled and thanked her for the gift, sneaking a quick glance at the object she put in my palm. It was a condom. But it wasn’t anything embarrassing; she gave me the talk when I was 11 years old and hid in the bathroom during my first period for 8 hours. Tina had the talk before she was 10 years old and she kissed her first boy under the school jungle gym. How typical of my mother to encourage safety on my special day and on the day of Halloween. Tina pulled me in for a hug while mom and dad stepped out of the room to give trick or treaters candy. Later in the evening, the trick-or-treaters knocked on our door wearing their adorable animal costumes carrying plastic pumpkin baskets.

Dad was dressed up as Gomez. They’ve always done couple’s costumes for years. Her long black polished nails dropped chocolate bars, caramel nuggets, and marshmallow balls. This year the wives were out with their children. Husbands stay at home.

Tina and I were in our rooms fixing our makeup when mom came to our door with a flashlight and two cans of pepper spray. 

“Hey babies, you two have a curfew at midnight, and don’t forget to stay in a group. Use girl code and look out for each other. Your phones are charged %100? Make sure you have your best spandex on tonight. Use protection please for the love of god! I’m too young to be a grandmother!”

“Mom! We’ll be okay, it’s just a party,” Tina mumbled holding a comb in her mouth and spraying mousse in her hair. “We’ll be okay.”

“We’ll text you every hour.”

“But just in case,” she gave us each a pepper spray. “You never know when a werewolf, vampire, Frankenstein is gonna come along and ask you if you have a rough tongue.”

“Ew!” Tina cringed. “Why would they ask that?”

“You’re a cat aren’t you?”

“What? No! I’m a lemur! The most intelligent and adorable creature of Madagascar! Can’t you see the tail?”

“Oh, my second guess was a raccoon,” mom mused, smiling,” And you! Evey, you never know when a boy dressed as a mustard bottle is gonna come along either.”

“Mustard bottle?”

She looked at my outfit, “You’re dressed as a ketchup bottle, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m dressed as Little Red Riding Hood! I got the hood and boots and a basket. Tina did my makeup and my hair. I don’t look like a ketchup bottle do I?”

“No, you don’t.”

“Look, all I’m saying is that I want you to be safe. From the ghouls, goblins, monsters, lions, tigers, bears—“

“Oh, my—“ we both joked.

“---werewolves, elves, trolls, firemen, cowboys, 1920’s gangsters, spacemen, pirates, cavemen, twerkers, and monsters of the night. You think one minute everything’s fine and then the next minute you’re vomiting in the bird feeder and you have your bra in your pocket. Did you know that they’re inventing new ways to slip date rape drugs? You two please stay together tonight. Update me on where you’re going every chance you get. I read it in this online article published by a housewife who lives in Florida and she said--”

“Mom, we’ll be ok.”

“We’ll be ok, we promise.”

“Okay, okay I’ll stop talking,” mom followed us to the front door. “But use your flashlights! Tina do you have your coat? Evey make sure you have my number on speed dial. Remember to stay together even when going to the restroom! Keep your cell phones close! Never put your cup down! I put hand sanitizer in your pocket! Make good choices! Okay, I love you! Be safe! I love you. I love you!”

By the time she stopped talking we were already in the family Subaru waving out the windows and headed towards the party at Jake’s house. Our house disappeared as we turned around the corner. I rolled my gloves back and looked at Tina, in her fur boots and scarf, and thought about today. Taking out the condom from my pocket, I gazed at the plastic circle.

“Do you think this outfit is too sexy?”

“No never. Any Halloween outfit is never too sexy. Anyway! Anyway! Tonight will be great,” she suddenly said, as she came to a stop at the red light at an intersection. “Jake is a nice guy, I guess, and everyone knows that he loves you. We all saw you two get cuddly at the Spring dance and at the winter dance. You love him, right?”

I frowned,” I’m just afraid it’s going to hurt.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Do you love Jake?”

The light turned green and the car accelerated forward. I looked at the mood ring he won for me at the carnival, the mood ring, and I remembered it was the first time he called me his girl. Jake was the only boy in school that didn’t treat me like I was in the shadow of my sister, the eldest, who was great at everything. Even looking at her now, she was too beautiful for any boy to resist in the school. Lemur or raccoon or not she had the wild ambition of a sexual prowling tiger. I may not have been captain of the varsity volleyball team, captain of the debate team, straight-A student, president of the student council, or the prettiest girl in the school. But he never treated me second rate.

And that’s what made him special.

“I…I do, yea, he’s been sweet to me. And we’ve been together for a couple of months and he told me he would make it special. I believe him...”

“First of all, you hesitated. Second of all, there’s nothing more cringe than losing your virginity on Halloween at a party upstairs if you don’t love him… And third of all, you make damn sure that he treats you with some fucking respect!” she raised a brow looking at me. “Don’t let him treat you like Donny treated me. They’re all fucking dogs.”

I remembered Donny.

I also remembered the bruises he would leave on her and all the phone calls and the police cars outside our house.

“He always treats me with respect, he’s sweet and he’s considerate and generous. He says tonight he has a special birthday surprise for me. He’s a good one. Dad likes him.”

“But mom doesn’t,” she quipped.

“Not yet anyway! You know how she’s overprotective sometimes.”

“And crazy.”

“And paranoid.”

Tina held up her spray can,” Oh really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“He’s a gentleman.”

She waved her finger at me, “Well, birthday girl, you do what you want to do. Today is your day, not Jake’s, and if you don’t want to bone him then that’s completely up to you. I just …don’t want you to have any regrets tonight, especially on your birthday. And if you don’t get plowed tonight then we can still have fun.”

“Gee, thanks.”

We turned around the corner and approached Jake’s house. It was the only house with the lights still on and cars parked alongside the curbs. We could hear the music boom from inside as we stepped through the main entrance. Halloween decorations, candy, snacks, and beer were displayed at everyone’s fingertips. No doubt his father left him a very flexible budget for this party while he was away with his mother in New York. My hands rubbed together thinking of what Tina just said to me and fingering the plastic wrap of the condom in my hand. 

But would I leave a different girl than when I entered?

Sucking in my breath, I pulled my hood over my head.

“Thanks, T…” I mumbled, looking at the mood ring on my finger. “If something happens then you’re definitely the first to know about it.”

“Trick-or-treat!” Tina smiled, skipping towards the house. “Come on! You’re only 16 once!”

I followed her inside every room. Immediately it’s almost as if we entered a club. So many people in masks, devil horns, cleavers, pig masks, ghosts, ghouls, animals, cartoon characters, and so much more were huddled together in a drunken and wild group dancing in strobe lights with fog machines. Shoulder to shoulder I was bumped like a hockey puck across the room until I was finally free to roam in the kitchen distracting myself by getting a cup of punch. Tina was at the pool table talking to Cindy and Rebecca and Rachael. The famous 3, the fabulous trio, the blonde trinity of sisters dressed in matching Vegas Girl dresses, glamorous and beautiful.

“Well, I’ll huff and I’ll puff… and I’ll tear that dress right off of you and eat you alive,” came a voice from behind me.

Chad, the weed dealer, class clown, the kid of divorced parents, fresh from California just like me, and he wore his Ninja Turtle costume holding a red cup of Hennessey mixed with soda. He was harmless enough, but when drunk, he could get a little handsy and flirty. Tina and Chad had a small fling before the school year began but she dumped him. Poor pothead was absolutely crushed. We walked to the back porch to overlook the whole rest of the party at our high school. Christmas lights were crisscrossed over the pool flashing and beaming rainbow colors. A DJ booth was set up facing the grass yard, hyping the crowd. Everyone was here. I could smell the tequila and beer in those water guns by the pool. He gazed at my dress and at my black bodice and red cloak and laughed.

“You looking for a Prince Charming?” he pointed both thumbs towards himself with a big goofy smile.

“I’d rather kiss a rat than a toad.” I smile looking at his green outfit.

“Sticks and stones, baby,” he smiled, taking a grinder from his pocket. “And where is your sister?”

“With her squad and where is your merry band of men?”

“Outside watching a group of sexy mermaids make out with each other,” he smiled getting me another cup of red punch and handing it to me. He took a cigarette paper, grinder, and weed from his pants pocket. In two flicks he made a joint.

“I’m looking for Jake, do you know where he is?”

“Outside around the pool house. He’s waiting for you. He’s waiting to give you a special birthday gift…” He took out his lighter.

“Ok.”

“If you wanna find your big bad wolf I suggest you try the Beer Pong table in the garage, you’ll find your boy toy, baby. But you’re not gonna be happy when you see him...”

I pushed him away, dropping his red punch,” Wait what? What does that mean?”

He whispered in my ear, “I shouldn’t be the one telling you this and I hoped you wouldn’t find out this way. Girl, Amber is here and she’s the devil. Straight up.”

“Yea, everyone knows she’s a bitch.”

He took a big hit, held his breath for 10 Mississippi’s, and exhaled coughing, “N-No, I mean, she’s actually dressed as the devil. Chin up, queen. I’m sure there’s absolutely nothing going on between the two of them, and you won’t see something that will devastate your life and the events of tonight will not change our lives forever.”

[sugarlove-01]

The Cruelty

Ok this is my story of DwayneXReaderXDavid based in Santa Carla with my own character. I loved the Lost Boys! Always have and always will. They were my favorite characters so I had to write a story about both of them.

Be warned: this isn't a happy fic, this is fanfiction that is based on obsession, stalking, murder, abuse, and death. Some themes are triggering, so be warned.

But it's also a love story.

Prologue:

If you know one of these. You know them all.

You’re born.

You live.

You die.

There you go, life sucks.         

Chapter 1:

Your POV:

Monday, June 13th

9:13 in the Morning

“Mom, can I go down to the beach? And the carnival, please?” I asked.

“Yea, sure. Go out. Explore,” replied my mom.

“Ok, thanks. And I moved in all my stuff to my room.”

“Did you take out all the boxes?”

“Yea. I brought in your purse, too. You forgot it in the truck again.”

“Ok thanks. On your way back, can you bring back some milk?”

“For cereal?”

“No, for Oreo cookies this evening… And cereal tomorrow.”

“Ok. I’ll be back…”

            I walked out of the house. Noting to myself to go to the gas station later this evening for milk. My mother, calling a few friends on the phone, talking about a book club. I rolled down my sleeves. Got my green jacket and my brown shoes on. The weatherman predicted a cloudy day in Santa Carla. Maybe a few winds. Going to the shed, I got out my bike. Unlocked the chain and peddled off.

            Not much has been happening in Santa Carla. Not for the past week that I’ve been here. The moving trucks weren’t needed anymore and my mother had all the help she could get from my father. My father was sleeping on the couch infront of the TV when  had left. He always looked so restless ever since we moved. Maybe it was the exhaustion of moving, or he missed our old house as much as I did.

            As I rode, I passed Tom on the way down the road. He was taking out the trash. He was a neighbor, the one who first greeted us when we moved in. He always took out the trash at 8:15 in the morning, every day. He worked at a hot dog stand near the carnival. He was, in truth, an artist actually. When we first met, I promised him I’d try one of his hotdogs when I went down to check it out.

            I rode out of the neighborhood and down the road. Down the road I looked around. Two men were hanging out at a gas station. One man with dreadlocks was looking at a magazine with a plastic bag in his hand. The other was reading a newspaper. The both of them stood next to a bulletin board that had paper fliers on it. Fliers for concerts, yard sales, puppies, and lost children.

            I got to the pier. The beach looked occupied and warm, with trash all around it. But there were a few men with trash bags picking everything up. I attached my bike to the railings that had bubblegum underneath it. There was strange people here who looked at you and snickered. It seemed they had a thousand piercings and a thousand tattoos and with many different hair styles. They were wild kids.

“So this is Santa Carla….”

            I chained up my bike. With money in my pocket I got in and looked everywhere for something or anything interesting. And there was many in fact. Clowns juggled. Boys danced on cardboard. Cotton candy stands and other sweets were open. Men tried to talk you into buying lotions and cellphone chargers. Even shops for mini golf and leather jackets. Souvenir shops. Tobacco shops. And others.

            I passed my way by, not bothering the roller coaster or other carnival rides. So I walked around the carnival in a circle. There was a drink stand and I decided to buy a pretzel. The cashier inside wore a red and white shirt. He went to get my order. I waited. There was women in bathing suits eating at the tables and shirtless men who watched them. They looked at me sometimes, but didn’t bother.

            The man in red and white came back with my pretzel and a napkin. He asked me for anything else, I said no. When I finished my fingers were buttery and tasted of salt. I went looking for a trash can. At the corner of the stand I found a trashcan, and I 6 men there. One man held a boom box over his shoulder. One man whistled at me, wearing a red spiked dog collar with high eyebrows. I threw away the napkin.

“Hey sweety…” He clicked his tongue.

            I looked at him. And his friend chuckled. I kept walking. Soon I found myself looking in a comic book store. A man and a woman were behind the counter, looking as if asleep. They wore black glasses. I paid no attention. But there were two boys. They packed comics out of a box, placing them on shelves, and organizing them. I didn’t mind comics. What I loved most was the art work and the action.

            Later that evening, I began looking for a hotdog stand. I didn’t have breakfast this morning. But it wasn’t just any hotdog stand. It was where my neighbor worked, Tom. He said I could come right over if I wanted. I found it. It had yellow and green neon lights with a picture of a hotdog man. Tom was there, at the counter in a white and red worker outfit and waiting for someone to approach. And I did.

“Hey Tom…!” I smiled.

“Oh hey! How ya doin, girl? Likin‘ Santa Carla? Or hatin’ it already?”

“It’s ok. I’m just looking around.”

“Ok, cool. You want anything to eat? And guess what’s on the menu!? Hotdogs!”

“Like, omg, no way! I would never have guessed....” I laughed.

            The menu was awesome. There was hotdogs on there that I didn’t know existed. Tom worked with a smile and made my small dinner. A hot dog, french fries, an ice-cream bar and a Coke. The Coke came in a glass bottle with a straw for it. Tom talked to me more and said there were seats I could sit on with umbrellas and eat. Where no one could bother me. And when he’s off, he could walk me home.

            I was glad, because that man with the spiked collar creeped me out. It was exciting to be here. There wasn’t much to do. I watch wild kids run with shopping carts, playing duel. Men flirting with women. The security guards watching the boys with spiked hair and alcohol. The tattoo people get more tattoos in stands. The people with piercings get more piercings. And kids dancing to heavy metal on the street.

            Rolling down my sleeves, I went to the beach. That was where it was most hectic. A lot of people were sunbathing and surfing and making sand castles and digging big holes on the beach. A bunch of seagulls were flying over picking up small stranded Dorito ships and Cheetos. Even dogs were on the beach, trying to steal a snack or two from their owners or from strangers. But they were just playful.

            It wasn’t later until I went across the Boardwalk watching men in black and white juggle random objects and others host magic shows. Near there I found a Videotape store. The best selection in Santa Carla, and perhaps I could agree. The shop was covered with neon lights, fliers of lost children, and a weird smell around it and with a white dog at the entrance. There was even posters in the corner.

            Finally after a long day at the carnival, I made my way back home. Tom said that he could meet me at the gas station. Tom knew that this the streets could be dangerous. It was a long day. I approached the gas station. The bulletin board seemed to have been added more pictures of children and other people who were lost. That was the thing I noticed most about this new home of mine. All the fliers.

            Peddling towards the gas station, I went inside. There were more fliers of lost children, and a security guard with a mustache. Going inside, I looked for the milk and a newspaper. It was only 8:15 in the evening, but I felt it was time to turn in. And I was tired. And plus my mother probably waited long enough for the milk. The newspaper was for me. Tom was already inside, and we both walked home from there.

David’s POV:

Monday, June 13th

6:30 in the Evening

            As soon as the boys woke from their sleep, they were hungry. Their fangs showing and their eyes fiery and ghoulish. So they found more Surf Nazis, laying around on the beach far from any civilization to hear them scream. So it was perfect. They tore them apart and drank their blood. The Boys were cheerful that night. They threw their bodies into the fire, sizzling. Their skin, cooked, crispy, and curled. They were dead and drained and gone. The boys were satisfied as they howled in laughter. Paul, Marko, and Dwayne were in high spirit tonight.

            David laughed as well. They discarded the bodies, and soon they had to meet up with Max. David lead the way, flying towards the pier. He was well rested to go the Boardwalk and look for her. Yes, dear reader, he’s looking for someone. She must be walking around at this time. David knew that this girl was out and about. Walking about, vulnerable and open. She was new. It was not long ago when David saw her, but it was an accident. Less than a week ago. And that’s when the wheels of fate began to turn. For better or for worse, he didn’t know.

            A walk down memory lane, he remembered when he first looked at her. The sighting was an accident. David thought that she was Star, but was wrong. She had straight hair, different colored eyes. She wore different clothing, not like the gypsy wardrobe Star had for herself. By the look on her face, she didn’t really know Santa Carla or its people. In a way, David, thought it was adorable how she looked so lost and vulnerable to everyone and everything. She was so polite, that even if she ran into a wall she would excuse herself. Prey.

“Hey, yo! Hey! Where ya goin’ David!? I thought we were all goin’ out together, dude?” Marko called out.

“Where’s he goin? It’s not even 8:00 and he’s already ditching us for…. some chicks that he’s either gonna bang or eat!” Paul grinned.

“I don’t have to baby sit you guys all night. Make your way on your own…”

“Aw, come on David. This is the 5th night that you’ve ditched us for god knows what. The hell is goin on? Where the hell do you go buddy?”

            David closed his eyes, gained back his patience, and gripped his bike handle hard. Gripping that bike handle was great restraint on his part. They others mounted their bikes and began their engines.

“Why the hell would he--- Oh nevermind,” Dwayne looked away.

“Oh god. Would you all shutup? I’m goin my own way… See you guys back at the cave…” David seated his motorcycle.

“What? We’re not good ‘nough for you? You leavin us for someone else?” Marko joked.

“Oh, David, is that true? I thought we all had something special!” Paul put the back of his hand on his forehead, swaying backwards.

“Get outta here!” Marko pushed Paul and laughed with him.

            David started his bike and sped off. Leaving his brothers in the dust. Paul and Marko had stupid smiles on their faces.

“Wow, he just chucked it didn’t he?”

“David has no time for us anymore, huh?”

“Just hit it and quit it…”

“Always been my motto…” Paul nodded his head.

Dwayne’s POV:

Monday, June 13th

7:00 in the evening

            The three boys drove off their own way. Their leader flying away to wherever he was gong. The boys didn’t really mind, so they flew off to the carnival. Going off to the Boardwalk, where they dominated all the other gangs in sight. Dwayne looked back, thinking where David really went. It would be easy to ditch Paul and Marko, since they were geeky losers. Something was up, and he didn’t like the fact that David was being mysterious and suspicious. David didn’t have the leader-like qualities like he used to, and that was something that couldn‘t be tolerated. So the boys walked, talking about going to the Videostore. But the quiet one of the group had other plans.

“I’m out,” Dwayne started to walk away, going to find David.

“Hey, whoa there. Where you are going?” asked Marko. Paul noticed and turned to him.

“What’s it to ya?” Dwayne groaned and turned towards Paul and Marko.

“It’s David and now you? What the hell is goin’ on?” asked Paul.

            Damn, Dwayne thought they wouldn’t notice him leaving. Paul was on his right side and on his left side, Dwayne was sandwiched in between them. Being irritated by their very presence.

“None of your damn business! Just drop it.” Dwayne rolled his eyes.

“Ya know, this is the first time this has happened. We’re separating.” Marko pointed out.

“What are you? A lost puppy? We don’t need to be together all the time!”

“Just pointing it out, man! Just wondering where the hell he is!”

“Who?”

“David! That’s who! Ya know!? The one that keeps ditching us for the past 5 days!”

“Shit, man. Maybe you two are the reason he leaves in the first place, damn it!”

“Oh, Dwayne! That was cold!”

“Shut up and get outta my way! Shut your mouth and move it!”

“Ok! Ok! You don’t need to snap, man! Damn, Dwayne! Just chill! Just chill!”

“Well, ya know what I--”

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Can’t you see you’re tearing this family apart!?” Paul gasped and put both his fisted hands on his face with his knees bent towards eachother. What a joker.

“Drama Queen…” Dwayne whispered. Paul noticed.

“Hey, I heard that!”

“Good! It was meant to be heard!” Dwayne called back, leaving them alone.

            So the silent one of the bunch left, and searched for their fearless leader. He walked through the crowds, people looked at him but only saw him as a bored and peculiar man. Some looked at him as a very serious and dangerous man, that could out-silence the dead. Of course the boys had a reputation around Santa Carla. Maybe some people knew his name. Even the other gangs on the beach feared him and his brothers, and try to keep to themselves.

            After walking around for about 20 minutes, Dwayne sat down, lifted his knee to his chest and sighed. The seat was oddly comfortable and clean. No bubblegum or spray paint. Yellow and green neon lights glowed on him. He looked up to see a picture of a hotdog man. A really stupid thing. Dwayne looked at the man at the cashier, dressed in red and white. Maybe Dwayne should tip him in the tip jar. He decided yes, because that guys life as a hotdog man sucks. Then he saw the customer.

            Her long hair. Her jaw line. Her nose. Her ears. Her brown shoes and green jacket. Her hands. In a way, when he first saw her, she looked like Star. But he was mistaken. She was…pretty. She was ordering a hotdog from the worker in red and white. Then something caught his attention. The smell of hotdogs and mustard didn’t catch his nose, but it was her shirt or jacket.

            Dwayne looked at her face, and she didn’t have any wrinkles or any evidence that she did any drinking or drugs. She looked clean. Healthy. But she smelled like cigarettes, alcohol, and… blood. He could obviously see that she wasn’t a vampire or anything. He knew it was all on her jacket. Was that jacket hers? Did she drop it, let it get trampled on by bleeding crack heads, and then wear it again?

            But it was familiar. And he knew it, but couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Then she came over and sat down on the tables and began eating. For some reason, he was intrigued by her. She looked… normal. More normal than anyone here in this whole damn place. She didn’t notice that he was sitting near her. But she just ate, and sat there, and just…looked cute. She looked deep. Real. Like a book with no ending. And soon after a quick 5 minutes, she finished and began walking again.

            He saw her once. But decided to leave it be. He searched for David again. But never found him. Near midnight or so, Dwayne feasted on a lone homeless man before finding his way back to his group. Paul and Marko only wasted their time chasing cats and talking about Max and the Videostore and getting Thorn a spiky collar. Near the time of morning, they hid their bikes, flew back to their cave, hung themselves upside down, and by that time Dwayne had forgotten all about the girl.

David’s POV:

Monday, June 13th

7:05 in the Evening

            She was at the hotdog stand with Tom. Talking. Tom was her neighbor down from her house. From the distance David was, she seemed comforted by Tom. Of course David knew that he was the only friend that she knew. In the crowd all alone, she seemed to be so out of place and awkward. People passed by, and he was delighted that he easily blended in. He transformed himself into a hunter. Teaching himself patience and strength to keep his distance and learn everything. Not telling the boys.

            The hunter that hadn’t made his move yet. He would attack soon, but not just yet. He had to have some sort of tactical plan to get close to her. A gameplan. He had to expand his grounds and know everything about her. And so he did, not telling the boys. After he first saw her a week ago, he followed her home. He saw her parents. They looked like any other couple, looking out for their loved one and all that crap. Enough of them. Around town, she didn’t really have a routine, but just wandered.

            The hard thing was that he slept all day, and knew she was out and about all day. The other hard thing was that she retired too early in the evening for him to see her. So instead he watched her from inside her home sometimes. Her parents obviously looked very delicious, and it was all due to the smell in their veins. She was definitely new in Santa Carla. She moved from Washington. Why she moved, he didn’t know. He learned some small things about her as he continually watched her every move.

            She liked to help her mother with the garden up front, watch her dad cut out magazine pictures and paste them on paper, she loved to see movies every weekend all by herself, talk with Tom in his front yard about Santa Carla and it’s people, her favorite snack were smores, she liked to arrange her room differently each day, she liked to talk with her friends on the phone, play with her hair, watch television and listen to the radio at the same time, and sit in her room and do nothing. She was fascinating.

            So for the rest of the evening, he followed. Keeping his hands in his pockets. Soon he followed her to the gas station where she was suppose to meet Tom and he could walk her home from there. She walked in after looking at the bulletin board. David walked up and entered the gas station himself. The girl didn’t notice him. David walked past the magazines and refreshments to the small shelf of cigarettes and lighters. Tom looked up and smiled as he looked at her. And…David didn’t like Tom.

            David knew that if he tried to get near the girl, then Tom would interfere. For example, if David attacked, then Tom would get in the way. He would be reported and leave an entire mess and have a search party or something. And plus, Max said to keep a low profile. Plus, Tom seemed to be the only reason that the girl left her house and go to the pier in the first place. So…David knew that the damn bastard had to live.

            So Tom and the girl stood in line. Tom’s shoulder was in contact with hers, and David didn’t know if it was a public display of affection. Tom didn’t have anything to purchase, but she had milk and a newspaper. Tom offered to carry her things, but she refused him. David stood right behind them, waiting with them in line. David noticed that every once in awhile, Tom would look over at her and smile. And she would look back and smile, hugging the milk closer. Squeezing the newspaper a little.

            Slowly, but cautiously, David raised his hand and made a small trace down her jacket. Touching her. His glove made a line down her back. David’s been doing this for the past week, and she had never noticed. Putting a small, tiny, teeny fraction of his scent on her. The cashier rang in their stuff, and put the milk and newspaper in a brown paper bag. The girl said to Tom that the milk was for Oreo cookies and cereal, and Tom nodded and smiled at her again. After they left, David purchased his stuff.

[sugarlove-01]

Into The Dark Chapter 4

I know.... it's here. So this chapter gets a little juicy so I'm only going to post HALF of it. I am a writer on the website Fanfiction and I have a collection of other juicy fanfictions about my favorite slashers. Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, When A Stranger Calls, and more Norman Nordstrom. My bubble is small here so PM me and ask me for my account reference. Go yell at me there. Toodles and happy reading!

Chapter 4:

I open the package grandpa sent and tear open the envelope inside. It’s a postcard with a picture of Route 66 highway in the desert with a picture of a drunken cowboy on his horse holding up a sign ‘Howdy’. I smile and find what he’s promised me. It’s a single silver key, with an address, along with a new cellphone, the newest iPhone 17 already set up and his number is my only contact. I look back at the house and no one is awake yet. It’s almost noon and everyone including Bella is still asleep. I couldn’t sleep at all. Not a wink. I leave my neighborhood and board the bus to the address he listed and I come to a storage facility. It’s located south of the city and the owner, a man named Mike, allows me into the gate. I show him the key and the address and Mike immediately knows it’s from my grandpa. I guess he owned a storage unit here for over 25 years. Number 886 is on the key and he walks me to the storage unit talking about how my grandpa was always a loyal customer. Keeping antiques, bikes, and vintage cars here. But the man always had his secrets. He had his treasures and his precious possessions. Mike escorts me into a building, keys in the code, and we walk down one single hallway of 20 identical storage units inside. We walk all the way to the end until we come to mine.

Unit 886

“Thanks,” I smile.

He leaves and I take out the key from my pocket and slip it into the lock. Like a magic trick, it pops and unlocks. I roll the garage door up and I see a scooter in the middle of the room attached to a note and a single black leather suitcase on the seat. It must’ve been here for a long time because there’s a thin layer of dust over the bike. But it’s not just any bike. It’s a 1972 Ducati motorcycle the 750 GT edition, with a leather jacket, and of course a helmet. I open the note.

Happy 18th Birthday, my sweet grandbaby!

Grandpa loves you very much!

I went and got this restored for you a couple of years back. You’re still a youngin’ right now but I hope you like it.

Now go out and see the world.

Grandpa must’ve planned this a long time ago for my upcoming 18th birthday next year. My heart grows full and I wish more than ever I could leave this place now and never come back. Get gas, pack nothing, and hit the highway. I’m so happy he could give this to me now but I can’t leave yet. I need to plan my escape a little more carefully. Like Bella, mom would try and find me and bring me back like a lost dog. Now I have a way to get to work and mom will never know. She can never, ever, ever know. I look at the suitcase. It’s a large leather suitcase from the 70s with his name engraved in long and beautiful cursive letters on the box. There’s a combination on the side and I immediately get a text message from the man himself.

The code is 0215

My birthday. I look around the room and see a security camera with a blinking red light and I wave. My screen vibrates again.

Happy early birthday grandbaby

I spin the numbers until it pops open and inside is a small tactical box. As soon as I see a gun inside the foam of this box it should’ve made me shiver. But I know from an early age that grandpa was always a man who loved his Andy Griffon show, no raisins in his cereal, and loved his guns. Inside is a Glock 19 9mm, a good gun for a beginner. I close it, lock it, and decide to leave the gun here for now because god forbid I get pulled over without having a license to carry in Michigan. I shrug on my new leather jacket and feel it hug my body perfectly. It still smells new. I check my watch and I suddenly get an idea.

Hey, you around?

I press send and wait anxiously for a reply. Then my phone buzzes again but it’s not Nathan. It’s Bella.

Hey, sis, where are you? Dad kicked me out today and I’m getting Randy and we’re both going to the airport. I saw your note. Where can I pick you up?

Don’t worry about me. Just tell me where we’re meeting.

?. The old bowling alley near the school on Main Street. 15 minutes ETA

Gotcha

I put on my helmet and bring the glass protector down over my eyes and clip the strap under my chin. I slip in the keys, turn, and my bike kicks to life and I’m out of there. The speed and torque feel incredible as soon as I hit that asphalt and I’m suddenly in control of everything. I can feel the wind and the feel of the road. The engine is the best part, even sitting at a red light I can feel the power beneath my body. In no time I see Bella and Randy waiting inside the bowling alley for a table.

“Holy shit, what the fuck is that!?” Bella’s face lights up.

“It’s a gift from grandpa for my 18th birthday.”

“You lucky girl!”

From where she was standing I could see the bruises on her face, a busted lip, and a black eye. But, in a strange way, she moves with grace and confidence with a big smile on her face like last night never happened. She still stood tall in her shapeless black coat and the baggy clothing she wore did nothing to accentuate her figure, she was still undefeatable Isabella. She moved to me with the grace of a beauty queen beneath her bulky clothing and had every man in the bowling alley and bar following her every move, hypnotizing them like the swing of a pendulum.

“Hey, sis! I got you a beer.”

“You know I’m still underage.”

“Don’t worry about it, I know a guy. Come on, we got a table in the bar’s lounge.”

We sit and Randy is the first to apologize to me. He feels awful and tells me that it was his fault everything happened, he may have been a handsome idiot but he was still sweet to my sister. He places his hand over hers and gives her a squeeze, still happy she’s wearing his engagement ring. Wait… where’s her engagement ring?

“Bells, you didn’t….! Tell me you didn’t!”

She smiled,” I fucked up, E. It’s literally the least I could do. I got the money for you and pay you back like I promised I would. Please, take it and don’t give me any shit. You deserve to get the hell out of here just as much as anyone else does.”

“Bells…”

“Stop trying to defend me, E. I know you don’t hate me but you definitely should be mad. I’m going to do everything I can to get you out of here.”

“No, I get it.”

“Isn’t that right, babe?”

“That’s right.”

Randy smiled, touching her shoulder.

“That’s one of the reasons we wanted to talk to you. Bella told me what happened and I feel absolutely awful. This is completely my fault no matter what your sister says. So that’s why we’re moving out of the loft and trying to buy a house that would be big enough for the three of us.”

“The three of us?”

“We talked about this all night.”

“Like moving in together?”

“Yea, together, together.”

“Yes, we want to move to Arizona and take you with us. We got a little money saved in the bank and my aunt lives in Sedona with all the other older spiritual women who wear long turquoise jewelry and flowy dresses and 50 cats. I’ll be planning in a couple of months and I’m going to try and secure a job in Phoenix and make sure we’re taken care of. Maybe after you finish high school and graduate you can come live with us.”

“Just like we planned…”

“Together?”

“Together, always.”

Years ago, Bella and I had dreamed about our escape. Just leave and never come back and travel all over the world. With everything we both faced and experienced inside our home, we couldn’t do it without each other. When Bella left and I missed her so much, I cried for days. My big sister had become my only security blanket when dad was drinking and my mom would be depressed. There was no such thing as a simple day at the house. On the days I wept, I’d try and stay in bed and think of what to do alone. Where I could go and imagine what my life would be like. A world without mom or dad and how beautiful it would be. It seemed like a pipedream for both of us. Bella told me more about their plan and she convinced me to keep working with my new employee. My escape cannot be possible without him. Norman was the only man who could help me. All my dreams lay in his hands. We drank our beers, ate pizza, and played two games of bowling before we stood out in the parking lot saying our goodbyes. She gave me an envelope containing $2,000.

The Next Week:

I tucked my shirt into my pants and made sure mom and dad were still sleeping. I adjusted the ponytail on my head and made sure to leave before they woke up. No breakfast today, I’d eat later. My lunch was tucked into a plastic bag in the kitchen. A bologna sandwich with mayonnaise along with a bottle of water. My head keeps tricking me into thinking my father is standing behind me, but no one is there. Or my mother is waiting in the living room smoking and waiting to lecture me about the importance of the family and our survival. Her kind of survival was all about how much money her husband raked in every month and her dedication to the growth of her two daughters. We would lead her legacy. I could understand her worrying about the financial troubles of the family, but it ashamed me to actually take pity on her. She’s my mom. I’m supposed to forgive her, right? I grabbed my coat before carefully stepping downstairs and opening the front door. They wake up every day at 11 am to watch the news, sleep, go to the supermarket, and scream at each other. It’s 6:00 am in the morning on a cold Monday. So why was I so nervous? Maybe it was him I was getting nervous about. I walk out of the house and down the block to where I’ve hidden my bike behind some bushes and I get on. I rip off the camouflage tarp and start it. When arriving at his house I notice a large pile of mail stuck and wedged into the slot of the door like it’s been there for days, even months.

I knock.

His dog, Shadow, already announced my arrival before I parked my bike because as soon as my knuckles even touch his door he swings it open wearing a white shirt and blue jeans like he’s doing them a favor. He’s still as intimidating as he was when I last saw him. He’s so tall and my eyes flit over his torso.

“Evey?”

“Yes, hello.”

His chin points inward.

“Come in,” he says stepping back. “You can hang your coat in the closet here.”

“Good morning Mr. Nordstrom,” I smile. “Thank you.”

Before I step in his hand catches my wrist and for a moment I watch him, with interest, as his large calloused hand finds my elbow, holds me there as if he’s checking I’m truly there, and I shrug out of my coat. He takes his time. The leather fabric of my coat is heavy and thick almost like his arms and chest. Jesus Christ, he’s fit for his age. His shoulders are broad, broader than Nathan’s, and thickly corded. Mr. Nordstrom places my leather jacket inside the closet on a hanger and I notice his head is tilted to the side as if he’s smelling again. I notice that his fingers linger on my leather jacket for a moment longer as if there are traces of my warmth that still linger deep within the material. His salt and pepper hair is thick at the sides and slightly long on top, all combed back from his cruel face that is completely riddled with mystery and scars. Streaks of silver hair only add to the sense of authority, maturity, and experience he carried about him.

“Follow me,” he orders.

I follow him down the hallway to the kitchen he walks with confidence, one hand tracing along the wall, and he pulls out a chair for me again. I sit and still watch him with interest. With fascination. He reaches for something on the stove and pulls two cups from the cupboard. Then pulls out a jar of sugar and a carton of milk from the fridge.

“Coffee.”

It’s not a question but more like a statement. Like, hey, I have this.

“Yes, please,” I say politely.

I can’t take my eyes off this man.

As he moves through his kitchen with such fluidity, I wonder if it’s his job to care for me than vice versa. Norman doesn’t have a coffee machine like 99% of households but he has a silver percolator that’s old, very old, and is decorated with little dents all over it. He must’ve prepared this before I arrived because the coffee is hot and ready to be served. And, holy shit, the smell of coffee wafts through the kitchen and my mouth immediately waters. Its dark and rich aroma is so incredible my whole body shivers.

Starbucks, eat your heart out.

My lips move and my tongue pushes to the roof of my mouth suddenly craving its dark, crisp, and pleasant taste. Norman places a porcelain cup in front of me and he pours me the first cup. The coffee is the same color as my leather jacket, jet black. His biceps stretch the material of his shirt a little as he pours and I can’t help but smell him. He smells clean like Irish soap, cedar wood, and earthy fresh cut grass completing his Lord of the Manor look, along with the snowy white shirt that is a stark contrast to his tanned features. I take one spoonful of sugar and little dribbles of milk into my coffee and stir as I watch him pour himself a cup and sit across from me. Even sitting down his large presence almost takes up half the table, half the room, and half my thoughts.

Jesus, Evey, get a hold of yourself.

This man is self-disciplined. He doesn’t add any sugar or milk to his cup and he doesn’t take his time sipping his coffee as I do. There’s just not enough time, I guess.

“Do you have the list I gave you?”

“Hmm? Oh, yea, I have it.”

“Good, take your bike and park in the garage and lock it up. I’ll give you the key. Sometimes people, kids, will steal.”

“O-Ok.”

He could hear I was riding a bike. I kept my gaze downcast to my cup, a question itching in the back of my mind.

“How did you—”

“I have good hearing.” He finished his cup, both his large hands gripping the mug, almost engulfing it. “Underestimate no one.”

My chest tightened,” Ok.”

“Do you have any more questions?”

“Umm…” my mind went through a million questions like a bullet bursting through the neck of a whiskey bottle. 

My cheeks flame when a little coffee drips down his strong taut neck and my self-restraint to stare became a meaningless rumble on the edges of my consciousness. He catches it with his thumb and licks it. Stop it. Be professional. Get a hold of yourself. My head lowers, clearing my throat, trying to stir my coffee and feeling afraid of what I would find in myself if I stared at him any longer.

“Yea, I do…” I blush even harder. There’s a nervous wobble to my voice. “I know you’ve been injured because you were attacked and you’re also… v-visually impaired.”

“Just say blind.”

“Ok.” I’m not sure why I get so tongue-tied around this man.

“It’s alright,” he assures. His tone is warm and I feel more comfortable. It almost catches me off guard.

“You wrote in your list that you would need personal help. So, my question is: How would you like me to help you?”

It’s a polite question and I watch him lean back in his chair. He’s hesitant but eventually reveals one big secret.

“I was shot.”

“Oh,” I almost gasp when he stands and turns to point at his ribcage and lifts his shirt.

It’s a gunshot wound that is still healing and by the looks of it— painful, still very painful.  It’s still bandaged and still red, almost purple. It’s like a dark purple-ish black bruise. He wasn’t just shot from the looks of his bruises and marks, he must’ve been in a fight. And won. Even when he lifts his shirt up, stretching his waist, he winces slightly, trying not to exude any weakness. Holy shit, he has a six-pack. He takes my reaction as a reply and sits down.

“I just need it cleaned every now and then.”

A big part of me wants to reach out and graze my hand at his wound and feel his side. Even from where he’s standing I can feel his body heat practically lick at the cool air. But you never touch a wounded animal, not even one as tame as he is.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“It’s not your fault.”

He drops his shirt down, seating himself.

“Another rule: don’t move any furniture around. Under any circumstances. When you leave this table put your chair back. When you take a broom put it precisely where you found it. Never rearrange anything without telling me. Not even a chair. Not even a spoon. I have a memory of everything in this house and things have a special place.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Nordstrom.”

“Norman,” he says with a slight chuckle. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Ok.”

“Do you see the keys hanging on the wall by the door?”

I look over,” Yes.”

“You may take those keys and go to the garage. Today I will skip breakfast. I will be upstairs when you return.”

“Alright.”

Finishing my coffee, I escorted my bike inside the garage. I tapped the kickstand down next to an old broken-down Chevy truck that was halfway covered with an old tarp. Tools, work table, and dusty shelves. An old cedar box was also displayed containing an American flag, medals, and a plaque with his name on it. Norman was a Navy Seal, or he used to be. Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. Returning inside, I delve into my duties. Norman stayed upstairs the entire day. I fed and walked Shadow the Rottweiler around the block. The big bear was a big baby who was fond of head scratches, baby talk, and his tennis ball. As I completed my duties as a caregiver, I discovered little clues about my mysterious employer. His home wasn’t too close to downtown but it wasn’t far either. His nearest neighbor was about 5 blocks down and the nearest store was 15 minutes away. The living room is an exquisite room, full of personal artifacts sitting in a tidy clutter against the walls in boxes. Books, pictures, and family photo albums. Displayed together it looks beautiful and incomparable. I’m holding the vacuum nozzle in my hand pressing the button on the box activating the vacuum to suck the spider webs off the ceiling corners. I’m standing on my toes going along the ceiling walls. I push my foot on the tab and it shuts off slowly. I roll the hose and box back into the closet and grab the broom next. The living room curtains are draped back into neat knots revealing enough sunlight to bring some charm into this house. The walls look blue/green with white frames around the doors and windows. I take a look at the list making a mental note of what’s next. There still feels like there’s so much to do. Dust bunnies fly and bounce around my feet as I gather them in a dustpan and dump it in the trash. I check my time. It’s almost 4:30 and that means I have to duct tape the carpets to the floorboards. Kneeling down, slipping off my gloves, I grab the giant silver roll and tear off a sticky strip and apply it evenly to the edge of the carpets, pushing my thumb against it evenly.

Creeaakkk…

I lift my head up and expect to see Mr. Nordstrom standing in the hallway leaning against the wall but there’s no one there. The hallway lamps aren’t on so it’s too dark to see past the frame of the doorway. I stand up holding the duct tape in my hand looking down the hallway and trying to listen to another sound. Could it be my imagination? It must be nothing. Pressing my lips together, the suspicion vanishes from my head. I go into the kitchen and take out the mop and bucket and squeeze the handle twisting the braids until it’s damp and warm. I rotate the handle in a sliding motion across the floor until the smell of thick soap fills my nostrils and I squeeze the handle twisting the braids until it’s not dripping anymore. I move across the floorboards as efficiently as I can. I’m sure to generously use as much water and soap as possible before twisting the dirty water out of the braids and continuing into the hallway.

Creeaakkk…

Creeaakkk…

I stop and looked up at the ceiling. Little bits of dirt fell in strings from the ceiling with each thump and footfall coming from Mr. Nordstrom. He was coming downstairs. I mopped as fast as I could across the floorboards because it was nearing 5:00 and my laundry chore wasn’t done! I threw the mop and bucket into the closet, washed my hands, tied back my hair, and fiddled for a hairpin. I hurry and grab the laundry basket off the washer and hold it against my hip. My timing couldn’t be more perfect as the man walked into the kitchen. He’s wearing his white shirt and jeans from this morning with socks but no boots holding his cane, his leg still trembling. Why didn’t he ask for my help coming down the stairs? His hand holds the frame of the entryway into the kitchen and he couldn’t look any more rugged than he is now.

“Hello,” I said, so he’ll know I was located in the room.

He tilts his head to the side. As if he’s looking at the floors and suddenly I’m nervous. He tilts his head looking at the windows across the room and I understand what he’s doing. He begins to smell the room again, calculating my work. It must smell clean and it wins his approval. He steps forward and reaches for the chair. I stand there measuring his actions. It seems like he’s tired, weak, or friendly, but I could never be too sure.

“The cabinet. Bring me what’s in the cabinet…” his gravelly voice mumbled pointing across the kitchen.

I look at the cabinet, him, and back at the cabinet. Setting the basket down I open it and there’s only one box. It’s a box of canned goods. Some of these looked a couple of years old. Some of them had labels and trademarks I’d never seen before. The cans rumble and clink and clank together as I set them on the table in front of him. Slowly he reaches for the box looking straight ahead of him, his fingers feeling the soft smooth cardboard, and begins to take out the cans. One by one he takes them all out and makes sure it’s empty before counting them.

“Sit,” he orders.

(Ok! That's it! The 4th chapter to my story is much longer than it is on here. Just PM and ask how you can read the rest of the chapter for Norman Nordstrom in my fan fiction of Don't Breathe! Thanks everyone!)

[sugarlove-01]

Into The Dark Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

 “These rules are insane! Are you working for the crypt keeper?” Bella gawked at the little black book flipping through the pages. “You could be working for an OCD condition type of boss and that’s never a good thing! Remember Rebecca from 6th grade? She worked at the grocery store register and she had a boss who always had an OCD thing and she said he was crazy! He went to prison because one of his employees faced the jar labels the wrong way and he beat their ass. They caught everything on the CCTV camera. You could be working for a crazy person.”

Bella and I sat on my bed fitted with white sheets fresh from the dryer. Mom and dad were having a screaming match out in the garage over bills and money so it was up to us to get laundry done. All of our clothes were folded on the beds and our whole room smelled like laundry soap and crisp linen. We sat and looked at the man’s little black book and all the rules and strict employee policies it entailed. Tonight is self-care night and we both wearing face masks with toe separators around our fresh pedicures. Bella lays on her back on the bed with her leg propped against the wall with a fresh foamy coat of shaving cream. We flipped to page 10 and I glanced at it from top to bottom.

“I mean it does make sense. He’s living all alone out in the most abandoned part of town and he was just robbed. I would be worried it would happen again, too.”

“Holy shit he was robbed?” she glides her pink razor up her leg creating a smooth finish.

“He told me that he was attacked by two delinquents.”

“Well, fuck, that does make sense. Poor guy.”

“Look at this. His breakfast must be on the table at 8:15 am. One plate of spam, bread, oats, and 5 slices of apples with a glass of water and black coffee. Apples must be peeled and sliced into 5 slices. Spam medium cooked with no burnt edges,” I smiled at her almost laughing then flipped through the pages. “And at 12:00 noon he wants me to vacuum the living room after I dust and then I’m offered a lunch break until 1:30. He needs trash taken out, recycle taken out, floors swept and polished. Floor polish is located in the kitchen cabinet. Then he needs his plants watered in his greenhouse. There will be no harvesting at this time. I can’t take anything home since that’s his food and I can’t take any flowers too. His home is not a charity. Then to do laundry and fold them. Walk and feed his dog, Shadow.”

“He has a dog?”

“He has a purebred Rottweiler. But that’s about it. It’s pretty easy and I start next week. There are rooms that I am not allowed to enter. There’s even a restricted basement, closet, and attic. There’s a strict policy about locking the doors every time I arrive and leave.”

Bella laughed, “Are you sure he doesn’t want you to wear a uniform too? The nice little skirt with a feather duster and white stockings? ”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Are you sure this will all be worth it?”

“I’m absolutely positive. There’s nothing stopping me from walking back into that house. Especially for 30 dollars an hour.”

Bella flipped through each page and stopped,” Why the hell do you need to duct tape the carpets…?”

“I guess he might be afraid to trip over them,” I shrugged, remembering the scars on his face. How deep they were and how far they spread down his jaw and to his neck. “He’s blind.”

She gawked,” Blind? Wow. Well, aren’t you an angel! Ok. Then that changes everything.”

“His house is super old and it’s the most secluded part of town. It’s kinda creepy. I could feel it when I was in that room.” I swept my hair behind my back, remembering there were other things I felt when I was in the room alone with him.

“Well, hopefully, he doesn’t lower you into a hole under his basement and demand you put lotion on your skin or something,” Bella shoved my shoulder. “You’d be dead meat! He’d be making suits out of your skin and wear them around the house dancing to Goodbye Horses.”

“Where the fuck do you come up with these things?”

“And look at this,” Bella pointed in the middle of the page. “You are not allowed to have earphones in or play loud music. No sandals, only shoes. No perfume. No visitors at any time and you must bring your own lunch. Clean the bathrooms, organize fridge and pantry, and by 7:00 you have to make him dinner. A slice of spam, bread, oats, and 5 slices of apples with a cup of water. Well, thank god he’s not asking for a chef.”

I laugh, “I know right?”

“By precisely 7:30 you need to help him up the stairs. Why does he need help to get up the stairs?”

“He has a cane and he limps when he walks,” I laid in bed pressing comfortably into my blankets sliding the book onto the bedside table. “He just needs someone to help with the chores since he obviously can’t do them by himself. Which is weird because this guy is…big. Like, he’s huge. I think it’ll be fine. Just as long as mom doesn’t know about all of this.”

“I won’t say a word. What’s his name?”

“I know his first name is Norman but I can’t remember his last name.”

“Norman, hmm? For some reason that rings a bell,” Bella sat thoughtfully. “His story sounds familiar. Oh well, I’ll think about it later.”

“I’ll tell Mom in a week that I got a new job as a caregiver. She doesn’t care what I do, just as long as I make money.”

Bella sat in her chair fixing her bangs in the mirror holding a hairclip in her mouth. She looked at me in reflection.

“When does he pay you?”

“Every two weeks. Everything I need to know about his house and my chores are all written in the book. And there’s no surprise why, too. He’s… not a very vocal guy.”

“Well send me a smiley face when you’re off the job then I can come pick you up. Randy and I want to go to the dance club, the new one that opened, and we need a driver for tomorrow. We’re going to be drunk.”

“I can’t believe you two haven’t been carded yet.”

“Maybe it’ll catch up to us eventually. But in the meantime, it’s a damn good time to be alive.”

She sprayed perfume on her wrists and rubbed the sweet strawberry scent on her neck. Her legs were freshly shaven, hair clipped back and she slipped into her summer dress. She attached her favorite butterfly necklace around her neck lifting her blonde hair around her shoulders. At that moment Bella hopped into the closet rummaging through her dresses and tops and taking out her leather jacket. She was a pretty girl. Mom always said she could’ve been a model if only she hadn’t run away when she was 13 years old and came back at 15 addicted to drugs. But she still had her shine, even after she went through recovery. Slipping on her shoes she opened the window and folded herself through the small window frame.

“Which reminds me! Randy and I are going to the old bar across town. There’s a band playing with $2 Jello shots until 2 am and then we’re going to an After Hours place. They don’t card us out there. He’s bringing his brother Nathan with him. Wanna come?” Bella winked at me. She knew how I felt about Nathan.

I shook my head,” Nah. I need to get up early. I can’t be hungover, I need to go to the library and work on some stuff.”

She unfolded herself out the window standing on the balcony,” Suit yourself, pancake.”

In moments she jumped to her escape running to the awaiting vehicle parked on the curb with a young chiseled handsome football player named Randy sitting in his black Camaro. Nathan was with them. I crawled to the open window and waved. Nathan is the kind of person that can be easily spotted in a big crowd with his short cropped black hair and leather jacket with his faded blue jeans on. I could smell him from here. Nathan looked out the window and saw me too and flashed me a smile. My cheeks burned as he waved back at me. Bella blew me a kiss and Randy honked the horn. They kissed and sped off into the night leaving me alone in bed thinking about the little black book sitting on my bedside table. I dipped my brush into the red polish and began to paint my toenails one by one. I placed two coats of crimson ‘Red Mistress’ on each toe meticulously until one foot was completed. The sweet and pungent smell of toluene fills the room and I take a glance at the book again. Norman.

He’s a very lonesome man.

I allow my toes to dry and I reach for the book again. Even from the little pages and leather bind of the book, I could still smell tiny remnants of the old man’s smoky musty scent with each page turn. My thumb bends the pages and flips through from beginning to end. Something falls out of the book and floats on my pillow. My fingers feel a glossy paper. It’s a picture. I reach for my cellphone, push the screen button, click flashlight, and look at a simple yet gorgeous picture of a young girl with long brunette hair falling on her shoulders smiling at the camera. She’s wearing a white blouse that complimented the pink daisy resting in her hair tucked behind her ear. The lighting looked blurry and unfocused but she was still a beautiful girl. It looks like she’s in front of a university campus because she’s wearing a blue and white sports jacket with the mascot on her shoulder and holding college course books. Flipping the picture over there was something written on the back.

To Dad, Merry Christmas.

And Happy New Year, I’ll see you after the semester is over.

Love Emma

How sweet. At least he wasn’t totally alone.

I heard a knock at the door.

“Yea?”

My mom entered,” It’s me. I just wanted to talk to you about your senior year and college.”

“I told you I’m going to the library.”

“I’m not talking about the library. I’m talking about money, honey. Your dad just got laid off today. The company went on strike today and there’s just no work. His fucking boss let everyone know today. And I know what you’re going to say. It’s not fair and you’re fucking right it’s not fair. I know you’ve been working hard at your job, but right now you’re the only one in the family that’s employed right now. My job is taking a break too and—”

“What about grandpa? Can’t he help us?”

“You know he’s not talking to me… he’s just as stubborn as a mule. He still won’t forgive me about your father and your sister. He’s a fat stern old man and he still won’t give us a loan. He’s completely disowned himself from the family, Evey. It’s hopeless.”

“Grandpa… isn’t a bad man, ma. He just has his reasons.”

“Well, I’m happy you two have such a great relationship. I really love it when he sends you a Christmas card in the mail and not the rest of the family. Or when he sent you flowers and money on your 16th birthday and nothing to your sister. Or me. Or that time when he just visited you in the hospital after I gave birth to you and he didn’t visit me once. You’re getting me off track! That’s not the point. I just need you to understand that I’m completely out of food stamps and your sister is about to go back to New York soon. Times are tough for everybody right now. You know how hard it’s been.”

“Yea…”

“Your dad is downstairs in the garage and he’s not in a good mood. He’s become a hopeless man and it’s up to you and me, ok?”

“I know, ma…”

“You and I are going to be a team. That means we have to take care of each other.”

“So, what are you asking me?” I cocked my eyebrow. Please don’t ask me what I think you’re about to ask me.

“Our mortgage is due soon and you and I have to come up with a plan. Can you give your father and me a small loan? We need at least $1,500 to cover this month, Evey. You would be helping your family.”

“$1,500? Last month you only asked for $900.”

“This time it’s different, honey. We’re on the edge here and if we don’t do something now, I don’t know what we’re going to do. This month it’s for groceries, the car, and our phone bill. There’s so much at stake that you don’t understand.”

“You told me that was the last time you’d ask me for money… You promised, ma…”

“I’m sorry, honey. I don’t know what to say. I can’t control what life throws at us. We can only roll with the punches. You’ll understand when you have a family to take care of one day. I wish I could tell you that there was a magic genie lamp that could wish all of our troubles away, but that’s not how it works.”

This wasn’t new. I had heard of her sales pitch before with grandpa and he had loaned her enough money to purchase a new car. But that was it and he had never helped her after that. My mother had never understood that grandpa was always on her side and he just wanted to teach her some lessons along the way. It was his way of showing tough love. But she was difficult sometimes. So was he. After he had disowned her after marrying his best friend’s son, my dad, he had never once shown up for dinner. A holiday, birthday, or called once. But as soon as I was born then he finally reached out. In some way, I was jealous of his isolation from this family. Sometimes I wish I could be like him and just…leave.

The Next Morning:

“Did you tell her to go to hell?”

“I couldn’t… you know how she gets,” I spoke into the payphone downtown wiping the anxiety from my forehead.

I had to leave the house before Bella served breakfast for everyone back at the house. The sun was barely seeping over the dark blue horizon of the city. It’s nearly 5:15 am. I couldn’t tell Bella I was too chicken to say no to mom again. Then she and mom would fight about money and it would be all my fault for causing family drama and she’d never let me live it down. I could hear grandpa groaning through the phone.

“She could never grow up and find her own way just like her mother. She’s still a goddamn child trying to find her way through a shit storm and now she’s got her hooks in ya’. I’m sorry she did that to you, honey. How much did she take?”

“Almost all of it, grandpa.”

“How much do you have left?”

I looked at my banking app, pained to see such a low number,” I have $500 and $500 in my savings. But I was going to use that money for a new car this summer. I got fired from my job at Burger Shack and she doesn’t know about it. But I recently went to a job interview yesterday and I start next week.”

“That’s my girl! Landing on ya’ feet. I’m glad you called me, Evey, sweetie, I miss our talks. Things have not been so good here either. These damn gas prices got me stuck in Flagstaff, Arizona until I can find another odd job. This goddamn place is poverty with a view.”

“Are you coming back to Detroit?”

“You know I can’t pumpkin. I’m headed to the West coast. California and then Hawaii. One day you and I will go there together. But listen I sent you a little something in the mail, ok? It should arrive sometime this week.”

“Ok, grandpa.”

“Keep your head up. Things will get better, I promise.”

The payphone beeped: To continue your call please add more quarters.

“All right, pumpkin. Don’t tell your mother we spoke on the phone, mmk? She’ll have a cow sideways. You know how she gets. I’ll call you again same time next week?”

“Ok, grandpa. Same time. Same phone booth. I love you.”

“Love you, too, pumpkin.”

I hung up the phone and exited the glass booth. The cold air of a Detroit morning hit my skin and I shivered, it didn’t feel like summer so far. The streets were beginning to wake up and begin their daily commute as time flew by. My phone buzzed and it was Mom. A phone call I did not want to pick up right now. She probably noticed I was gone and needed to talk to me about…whatever she needed to be taken care of. I stepped off the curb and headed toward downtown. I enjoyed blending into the crowd as a faceless nobody. The day was spent slowly, more slowly than I could have dreamed. I just walked. To nowhere in particular. The city began to buzz and ring louder and louder as it approached noon. People, traffic, and arguments could be heard in every direction. I just needed to clear my head. At the end of the day, I traveled on the city bus across the whole map of downtown Detroit. The driver, a balding middle-aged man named Al, would stop and blink the next destination stop for his passengers. One would get off, maybe two, but I never moved from my seat. I had paid a full $5 for the 24-hour pass so I was well in my right to ride this bus as far and as long as I could. By the time I stepped off the bus, around 9:00 pm, near my neighborhood I finally checked my phone.

21 Missed Calls

43 Unread Messages

18 Voicemails.

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit,” I covered my mouth and pressed redial.

In two seconds, mom answers the phone and she doesn’t start by screaming. She’s quiet, so quiet that I can hear her breathing through the phone. I wait for her to say something. Anything. But she’s been sobbing and I can hear her voice croak.

“Evey… your sister got arrested last night.”

At The Police Station:

This place smells like feet and ass. It’s depressing too. The three of us waited underneath the fluorescent lights of the station, in the waiting room next to other groups of families. One family looks like they’ve been waiting on the bench for days, maybe weeks. There’s a mother with four of her children and the look on her face tells me a story. She’s sitting in between three little boys and one little girl and they have the same look on their faces as the mother does. I wonder who she’s here for. A father? Brother? Sister? The way she’s rolling a wedding band on her finger gives me the answer. The only thing that doesn’t make me want to cry is the fact that I’ll be able to hug my sister again, soon. No matter what she’s done.

“I told you… military school was always an option. Or boarding school. You never take my advice. Bella is back on drugs and this is all your fault. You were never there to whip her backside when she was young. You coddled her ever since she was born and you never made her into a respectful child. Now we’re here. Are you happy?”

“Let’s not talk about this, please? I didn’t make her on my own. You were there too when she got suspended from school. You were there when we found her in the garage doped out of her goddamn mind. You weren’t there when she ran off to New York and she didn’t come back,” mom whisper-yelled. “Do not pin this all on me!”

“When this is over I am done. You can fuck off. Your dad can go fuck himself and the rest of your goddamn psycho family. Bella, she can go back to New York. I’m going to my goddamn garage and I am never coming out.”

“Oh, and what? Drink till you pass out? You’re a real hero! Yea, you’re obviously the man I married and wanted to have kids with. You’re definitely not a fucking coward or an alcoholic bastard. Bravo!”

This went on and on for god knows how long and I still haven’t said a word. I sat there thinking how nice it would be to be that family of 5 sitting in the lobby with us. To wait there patiently for my husband, thinking about the kids, and waiting for him to walk down that hallway and exchange despair for joy. But as soon as Bella walked down the hallway with a plastic bag and a handful of paperwork mom and dad erupted in disappointment and anger. Disappointment and anger turned into a screaming match in the whole lobby, to the car, and back to the house. I hug her and we hold hands all the way to the car. The evening fast-forwarded like a movie and my sister and I are the only ones standing still. Mom won’t stop screaming, dad won’t stop blaming mom, and Bella can’t stop threatening to leave and never come back again. I enjoyed my invisibility until mom revealed to me that she used the money I gave her as bail.

As bail.

It didn’t faze me until I walked to my bedroom and I had the privilege to cry alone in private. Bella stomped into our room and slammed the door shut. I could hear mom starting a fight with dad downstairs. For a moment she stands in the middle of our room wiping her nose with her sleeve trying to clear her throat before she could speak. It takes her a moment longer to get a hold of herself when she turns and sees my face.

“E-Evey, I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to… The fucking cop… I didn’t know mom asked you for money or else I…”

“It’s ok, Bells.”

She could’ve exhaled a ball of fire as soon as I said those words. 

“No, i-it’s not fucking ok! It’s not fucking ok, E! Stop saying that every time someone fucks up and asks you to pay the price! She thinks this is all my fucking fault but she wasn’t there when the cop came and pulled us over. Randy was fucking drunk and I didn’t know what to do. I tried to help!”

“Listen Bells… mom is always going to freak out about something. It’s mom. At least she had the money to bail you out so you wouldn’t be stuck there.”

“I’m so sorry, E…I’m so sorry… I am so, so, so, so sorry… I’m a big fuck up, Evey… I can’t do anything right,” she collapsed next to me, holding my hand. She weaves her fingers with mine and gives an assuring squeeze and locks me in.

Bella, my sister, was probably the strongest woman I know. Why? Because she escaped this place. She escaped mom’s claws and broke the ‘Guilt Trip’ spell that she was under since the day she was born. But, unfortunately, some traditions don’t break. Now it was my turn. But, thankfully, Bella was nothing like mom. My big sister was still my hero.

“I will get your money back, ok? I will pay you back every penny as soon as I get back to New York. No matter what it takes. I can send you something every week. I’m not like mom. I can pawn my engagement ring and that will help us for a little while. I just… can’t believe mom borrowed money from you again. You should have told me, E.”

“It’s –”

She squeezed my hand, “If you tell me… it’s fucking ok, again, I swear I’ll slap you, E! It’s ok for you to be upset at mom. It’s ok to hate her, E. She did you dirty. She fucking did you so dirty! We… we, actually we both did. We both fucked up and she should be here apologizing to you, too.”

“I get it, ok? We all had a rough week. Dad lost his fucking job. Mom still won’t find an application and prays to the lottery gods every day. And of course, mom is wrong for asking me for money… I just can’t catch a break with her.”

“It’s fucked up, E. Everything is so fucked up. I’m sorry, E. I’m so sorry for everything. I didn’t mean to come here and make things harder for you. I’m sorry you lost your money. I’m sorry mom is a fucking cold heinous vicious bitch to you about money and school. I’m sorry you have to deal with these fucked up people.”

It’s not your fault, I think remembering our childhood spent together dealing with our mother together. Not alone. But together. Always, together. I squeezed her hand in return, offering her a forgiving smile. I remember everything that happened when mom kicked Bella out so many years ago and dad was the root cause of it all. Not even when she’s home, safe, and alive he’ll never apologize for what happened. Dad will go to the grave not apologizing to anybody for anything, no matter how bad it gets. Bella wraps her arms around me and it’s comforting for both of us. I miss our late-night talks in the closet when our school year began. She crosses her legs on the bed and I do the same. I look towards the door listening to our family fight and argue about everything downstairs and it makes me absolutely sick. Grandpa was right.

“I’m sorry, E… Truly I am. I’m a fuck up and you can hate me, too.”

“I will never hate you, Bells. Ever. Because I understand what you went through. I totally get why you left…”

She offered a weak smile, “You talk to grandpa, again?”

“Earlier. He’s stuck in Arizona but he’ll be waiting for me in California just like we planned.”

“Does mom know?”

“Obviously not…” I rolled my eyes.

Bella nods her head, “That’s good. I can give you some money today and that will help you until you start your job next week, ok? I can cash you on your phone right now. Randy can go to hell for all I care. He’ll get over it.”

“Thank you Bells. I can start work again, soon, and I’ll make enough money to get out of here again. Don’t worry about me. Grandpa tells me I always land on my feet and he’s right. I know you feel guilty, Bells, and I get it. But I’m stable for now. My money isn’t all gone. I can always buy a car in the Fall.”

My cellphone buzzed.

My screen blinked on.

It’s from Nathan.

“It’s Nathan…”

She gave another smile, a real smile. “You get that. I talked to him last night and I kinda gave him a hint that you want to suck on his gorgeous lips this summer before your Senior year. I gotta take a shower. When I was in jail I think I accidentally sat on blood,” Bella tapped my leg hopping up and leaving the room with renewed enthusiasm. “Don’t give up on me, E. I love you.”

“Love you, too, sis.”

I look at my text messages from Nathan and I’m suddenly standing in the middle of my room clutching my phone thinking of what to say. Tell him I’m glad he’s ok that he didn’t go to jail with my sister and her fiancé. That I’m sorry I couldn’t say hi to him last night when he was on my street? That I’m excited to hang with him and our friends in our upcoming senior year.

Hey

Hey, you ok?

Never better

So sorry about Bells. I should’ve taken care of her and R man. I was there when it happened.

It’s not your fault

I’m still sorry, E. It shouldn’t have happened. I wish there was more I could say

It means a lot you’re checking up on us. That’s sweet

I just worry about you. And Bells

Me too. I’m just happy she’s alive and safe.

I’m glad you’re ok too 

Thx

He placed a beating heart emoji at the end of his sentence and my world began tearing away at the negative and being replaced with positive feelings. I’ve loved him ever since I laid eyes on him in gym class. He was short back then, in Drama club, and had braces. A few moments go by and our back-and-forth conversation suddenly slowed down to a stop and I was worried he had ended the conversation. Then my screen blinks again.

So… hells bells told me that you liked to get together?

Hot panic and anxiety begin to burn and prickle at the back of my neck. What the hell did she tell him!? I think of something to say and my feet carry me in a circle around the room before sitting at my desk. I rest my head against my palm and I want to scream.

What did she tell you?

Why don’t I just tell you? I’m outside by the mailbox.

I stand and peer out the window and sure enough… Nathan is standing outside my house with his hand on his cellphone and the other waving at me. My hot breath fogs up the window as my legs become weak like jelly and I hang up the phone and wave back. Quickly I go through my closet and find my cleanest pair of blue jeans and a white floral V-neck shirt and tie up my hair with my headband. One quick once-over in the mirror and I sprinted out of the room, down the stairs, and to the front door. Mom won’t know I’ll be gone and god fucking forbid my dad knows I’m going out to see a boy outside. Nathan is still waiting by the mailbox but soon I tug him into the bushes and away from the house. We go to his car, a black Camaro, underneath the shade of an oak tree. The neighborhood is quiet with rows of shaded trees along the sidewalk with boxed flowers in front of every yard. Nathan doesn’t start the car, we sit instead and we don’t leave because we both know that this is going to be quick and sweet. I look at him and keep looking at him. He’s young and lean and strong wearing black jeans with a blue polo shirt and Jordans. His physique is built from years of playing basketball, baseball, and football. This year he’s joining cross country. 

“Hi.”

“Hi…” I smile shyly.

His car is polished, clean, and immaculate with leather interior and decorated with a tiny disco ball on the rearview mirror. Just for a little flash. Nathan enjoyed a little flash here and there. It was his personality. He glides a hand through his thick black hair and he seems too anxious to talk. He turns his keys and switches the radio on.

“Fresh wax?”

“What? Oh, yea, my old man and I just got this done last weekend. You like it?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You meant the car, right?”

I laughed,” No, no, no I meant your bikini area.”

“Well, shit, that too. You know me. I’m ready for summer.”

We laugh and I look at his face. He’s handsome when he laughs and his whole body moves when he does. His eyes are a beautiful burnt hazel color and I suddenly become anxious when he turns toward me. We look at each other and I notice he’s trying to keep it together.

“So… Bella told me that you wanted to talk? I mean not talk, but hang out. Again, I’m sorry about what happened last night. I should’ve been more aware of what was happening. I’m just glad you weren’t there. I-I mean not that I wouldn’t want to see you. I like to see you. All the time. It’s just that I wouldn’t want you to go to jail. You know what I mean?”

I bite my lip,” Yea. I do. Thank you for being there anyway, Nathan. You’ve been really good to my sister and me”

“Of course. If there’s anything that I can do for your family you let me know.” He places his hand over mine and suddenly I’m in heaven

“Thank you,” I smile weakly, wondering what he must see in me.

My skin is so fair-skinned that I could see blue veins in my hands and my newly braided hair was so pale, unlike Bella’s, it looked white and silver in the sun. I was so skinny that I was often mistaken for a youth instead of a teenager on the cusp of 18 and so short in stature that my head just came to his shoulder. Even sitting in the car with him I could feel his body take up so much space.

“So… d-did Bella tell you that I like you?”

“No.”

He shook his head, his hands moving over his knees. “Oh, well, that’s cool. I mean I do. And it’s cool if you don’t. I mean I can handle it.”

“No, no, no, I do like you, Nathan. I’ve had a crush on you for a while…”

“Really?” he raised his brows and scooted closer. “Because, I totally feel the same, Evey. I liked you ever since you told Angie Harney Dinkleman in History AP she was a frigid cunt in front of the whole class for bullying Morgan about her gap tooth. And that time you called out Sara Sienna Silverman for cheating on her boyfriend with his brother in the cafeteria a day before the school dance. Or that time you broke into Mathew Mathius Callaway Jr’s locker room in gym class and stole all the girl’s bikinis back and got him suspended for sexual harassment.”

“He was a misogynistic asshole who deserved it! I’m so glad enough girls came and petitioned with me and got his ass expelled.”

“Me, too. He was a douchebag. None of the guys on the baseball team liked him very much. But I want you to know that I liked you before then. You’re the smartest one in the class and you don’t even have to try. You’re nice, too, not a lot of pretty girls are nice.”

“Yea?”

“Yea. You’re a pretty chill girl.”

“Thanks. You’re really sweet…” I leaned toward him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

We both blush to realize it’s our first kiss and he still sits there waiting for me to give him more. His eyes are burning into mine and the song on the radio changes. But I can’t give him more. I’m not as experienced as him but I make it clearly evident I want him.

“Wow. So that’s what it’s like…”

“What?” he counters, never taking his eyes off my lips. Still leaning toward me and I stop him placing my hand on his chest and, my god, he’s so impressively lean that it takes my breath away. He’s an inch away and I close my eyes still holding him at bay no matter how much I want him to continue.

“My first kiss…” I whisper.

He laughed tossing his head back,” That’s why I like you, Evey. You got guts and you’re not afraid of anything. Or anyone.”

“Thanks… I like you, too, Nathan… and I’m so glad to hear—"

The beams of a flashlight suddenly blinded both of us and I squinted my eyes to my window. I raised my hands to block the light and panicked. Oh my god, it’s the cops! The man’s finger taps on the window and I roll it down. He moves the flashlight over my face and to Nathan and suddenly we’re both too shocked for words.

“Evey!”

“Dad!?”

He swung open the car door and grabbed my wrist,” Get out of the goddamn car!”

Nathan panics and gets out of the car.

“Dad, it’s not what it looks like. We were just talking!”

“Evey’s dad, sir, um, we weren’t doing anything.”

My dad roars at him,” You better get the fuck out of here before I call the goddamn cops! She is a minor and I’ll have your ass arrested so fast you’ll be digging cocks out of your ass before you even bend over in the shower! Not in jail but in prison! You hear me!?”

“Dad, stop it!”

“Get the fuck inside the house!”

My dad’s face is so red I swear he’s about to burst into flames and I can see the veins across his forehead. Our neighbors are suddenly on their porches in their bathrobes listening to my dad yell threats at Nathan and my face is burning red with embarrassment. All I can do is cover my face with my hair and let my dad yank me back to the house. Nathan tries to follow us but my mother comes out of the house barefoot and my sister comes running out of the house in her bathrobe and my world crumbles before my eyes. I watch Nathan disappear from my view and tears form in the corner of my eyes.

“What the hell is going on!?” my mom growls.

“Get the fuck back inside the house! That boy was selling our daughter drugs! They were sitting in the car and he was pushing drugs!”

I try to escape his grip,” He’s not a drug dealer, dad! He’s just a boy from school!”

My dad drags me into the house and sits me down on the couch in the living room prepared to have a family meeting. Bella sits down with me and holds my hand.

“Dad, chill the fuck out. It’s not that bad. You caught me in bed upstairs with Craig back when I was 15! You even knocked up mom when you both were 15. What’s the difference!?” Bella barked at him.”

He pointed a stern finger at her,” That. Is. Fucking. Different. And not another goddamn word, do you hear me? Another word out of you and I will take a belt to your ass.”

Bella is so tempted to bite back at him that she stares him down. They both stare like this for an eternity. I squeeze her hand extra hard and try to help her stay in our own little safe zone. Mom is done talking to the neighbors trying to cover up our shame and came back inside and stood next to her husband. She looks embarrassed and doesn’t say anything. This isn’t her problem and goes upstairs.

“I’m sorry, daddy…” is all I can say.

Bella looks at me, almost shocked I could surrender so easily.

“You two…” he pinches his nose, shuts his eyes, and drops his head. “You two are so… goddamn disappointing. Do you want to give me a heart attack before I turn 40? Because you’re taking me there! I got one foot in the grave!”

I’m too scared to say anything that I shrink into the couch. I want to feel as small as possible. Tears fall down my cheeks and my leg shakes. My dad’s face is sweating he’s trying to muster all his strength just to breathe again. But he just yells and yells and yells and my ears suddenly go deaf. All I can hear is a high-pitched ringing like a bell inside my head. He’s waving his arms up and down and he slaps his baseball hat against the wall. I let my head fall and I just close my eyes. I’m picturing Nathan’s face as I kiss him on the cheek and how sweet he tasted. I’m trying to picture me and Grandpa driving his red Buick Roadmaster 1975 on Route 66 all the way to sunny California. Just me and him wearing sunscreen and sunglasses with the windows rolled down driving wherever we want. It’s the freedom I’m imagining. It’s the freedom to do what I want when I want, how I want, and with whomever I want. I’m imagining me and Bella in Hawaii laying on the beach in our bikinis enjoying a fruity cocktail with tiny umbrellas. I imagine we’re running through the white foam and splashing into the ocean laughing. The sun is so hot it gives us tan lines and the ocean is so cold we see sea turtles.

“EVEY!” my dad shouts throwing a vase against the wall.

The crash pulls me out of my daydream and I’m back in my living room holding hands with Bella. She never left.

“What?” I respond, blinking back to reality.

By now my whole body is shaking as I watch my dad walk over the broken shards and stand against the wall supported by his hand looking at the family photo. He was younger with more hair and no sign of a beer belly. Our mother looked so much happier and sunnier back then and hadn’t drank so much vodka. Bella and I were in matching tweed dresses with bows in our hair. It was a memory that seemed so long ago. It was hard to believe we were the same family in the photo. He looks at our family photo deep and hard and then looks at the picture of himself wearing his football jersey in high school. He was younger, stronger, and more confident back then. He just stares and doesn’t say anything. Like looking at the picture long enough can make him time travel back to fix his mistake.

“You are fucking killing me! You are literally murdering your old man! I can’t believe that God would give me these two fucktards instead of boys! I always told ya’ motha that I wanted boys. But life had to kick me in the nuts! You think I wanted to be a dad!? You think I want a pregnant daughter!? DO you really think I want two pregnant daughters!? Do you think I know how to do this!? You think it’s fucking easy for me!? I never wanted ta’ both of ya’s! You were the biggest mistake of my life!”

He points his finger at me. 

“You talk to that fucking drug-dealing friend of yours or get pregnant before you’re 18…and I am kicking your ass to the curb and you are never allowed under my roof again! You two’s were the biggest mistake of my life! After having Bella I told ya’ motha’ to take the goddamn pill but she just had to fucking keep ya!”

Bella shot up from the couch,” Dad!”His eyes are puffy and so red I can see his veins. He’s been drinking. Maybe he’ll remember what he says or maybe he’ll forget tomorrow but I still can’t move. The ringing in my ears comes back and I go deaf. It’s like I’m underwater and I can’t hear the upper world beneath the surface. I’m trying to go back into my daydream again but I see dad slip his belt out from his waistline and he snaps it. Bella is screaming at my dad until he slaps her across the face with his hand and she falls against the wall. I stand up and scream.

[sugarlove-01]

Into The Dark Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The morning had come bright and sunny with clear skies all across town. As I walked down the street closer to my destination, my nerves began to build up with tension worrying about my interview. Popping a few pills to help the migraine and a can of energy boost began to soften whatever buzzed in my head. Bella dropped me off. Mom believed I was still at work. Dad doesn’t know anything. Doing this alone felt terrifying. I stood in front of the house holding the piece of paper I printed out this morning. The address was correct. In each direction, there was nothing but silence, dead silence. Perhaps this place was a charming friendly neighborhood in the past, but nothing but memories and ghosts lived here now. I proceeded up the steps suddenly jumping at the sound of barking coming from behind the gate. Something large growled and clawed at the gate. It was a dog. A mean dog, too. This person (man or woman) must not like company. Or visitors too much. Gulping, I raised my hand to the doorbell when the door suddenly swung open. I was face to face with a brunette woman, maybe in her 50s, shuffling past me pushing my shoulder, and fixing her handbag.

“Son of a bitch! Rot in hell. Drop dead. Rip your guts out,” she grumbled stomping to her car parked on the curb. She threw her bag in through the window, crawled in, slammed the door, and drove down the block. A rooster tail of exhaust and screaming tires trailed after her speedy departure. It didn’t help with my confidence too much. Mentally I asked myself what I was getting into. I looked back at the open door and peeked in.

“Hello?” I whispered, stepping inside.

It was dark. My nose crinkled. The room felt tight, close, and unaired. My hand reached for a light switch against the wall but it failed to turn on. Pushing back my hair, the back of my nape prickled, and maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. There was no response. Maybe they were upstairs? Feeling uneasy, I began to step back towards the doorway giving the final decision to go home.

“Who’s there…” came a hoarse voice. “I do not want to be preached by the word of God I don’t care how many years you were a nurse. I do not need a missionary! Leave here with your bible now!”

Gulping, catching my breath, I stutter,” H-Hello? I’m not a missionary. That woman just left.”

It caught me off guard. Halting in my tracks, I faced the darkness peering into it failing to locate the owner of the voice. My footfall created a creaking noise in the wooden floorboards as I stepped closer into the living room. The house looked old but still had impeccable charm. Wooden floorboards, white walls, a high ceiling, and a staircase leading up to the second floor. All the windows were covered up by bed sheets allowing a dim glow through the sheets. Cobwebs had completely taken over this man’s house and he was on the verge of becoming a hoarder. Newspapers, plastic bags, picture frames, light bulbs, mason jars, clothes, and suitcases were piled up against the wall. Not to mention a big, green, and mossy stain covered the corner of the living room due to a leak from the ceiling. It looked like the entire house needed some repairs. Something moved in the dark. I blink rapidly, my eyelids matching my heart rate as I see something tall, dark, big, and brooding in the darkest corner of the room. The owner of the home approaches and I can’t believe how big he is. My hand clutches my bag while the other pushes a lock of my hair behind my ear.

“Who are you?” he croaked.

Trying to find the courage to speak was beginning to become hard and to be honest, intimidating. His voice sounded so dry and uneven, like a piece of toast in the desert. The dark figure moved across the wall, slowly, until I could see the outline of a man. I stepped closer feeling the pull of gravity become stronger as I can sense him coming closer.

“M-My name… is Evey Williams. It’s nice to meet you.” I reach out my hand. He doesn’t reach out. I wait a moment longer. Feeling embarrassed I withdraw my hand.

His voice seems to be full of suspicion and judgment. Curious. But suspicious.

“What do you want…”

Quickly I pulled my papers out,” I saw your ad online. We scheduled an interview today about the caregiver position. …”

For a long time, he’s quiet until I can hear his footsteps go across the room in loud thumps. He steps forward and takes a seat in the living room chair and he pushes a chair out toward me.

“Take a seat…”

It’s more of an order than a courteous gesture. Little streams of light poke through the open slits of the curtains and bed sheets illuminating little galaxies of lint flying in the air. I take nearly 3 steps through those galaxies and then I see him in a better light. My jaw almost drops when I see him up close. Intense wasn’t the right word. It didn’t seem close to describing him. Intimidating, yes. He had salt and pepper hair with a beard shadowing his chin and jawline. His whole face was mussed, unruly, and longish. There was a raw ruggedness that attached to him like fire attached to heat.

“W-What do you want to know?” I whispered, looking at him through my lashes.

He exhales, croaking, “You sound young…”

Well isn’t that obvious?

I moved my eyebrows before nodding my head. He moves his head looking at the ground and then up at the ceiling before reaching his hand out across the table towards me, suddenly choosing to look at the wall again. His hands are huge. My eyes run down his fingers with wide strong palms that could squeeze a watermelon into chunks or rip phone books in half. I look at his arms under my lashes and I can’t stop staring. 

“Your clearance card… copy of your ID... I need to make copies.”

Reaching for my bag, I do what he says. Everything is pushed forward. But for some reason, his hands reach across the table tapping his fingers everywhere before finding them. This is interesting because he touches each item with precise movements, investigating the thin plastic card in between his fingers. Maybe I should say something. Or would it be rude? Why would it be rude? My paper and card are completely authentic. My tongue runs across my teeth and before I could say something he gets up and walks into the other room (tracing his hand along the wall, I might add) and opens a drawer. In the dark, my eyes can see the silver glimmer of a cane firmly being held in his left hand. He’s limping too. A part of the puzzle pieces together. In heavy thumps, he reenters the room carrying a small book and a pair of keys.

“Write your name here, address, and written consent that you are under my employment of your own free will. The paperwork is very important. I need to know who will be working in my home.”

He pushed a pen toward me, looking at my shoulder, and I gave a face. He was certainly a very careful employer.

“I-I don’t understand,” looking at the papers. “You have my ID and fingerprint clearance card. They’re authentic I promise. You can read it. It’s in my handwriting I swear.”

He looks down to the ground, seemingly annoyed and most disgruntled, but he inhales a long breath regaining his patience, and looks at my shoulder again. The chair he sits in creaks as he crosses his legs.

“I wish I could believe you, but I have to be sure. I like to be %100 sure. I don’t like any loose ends. Have you ever done this kind of work before?” his head tilted to the side.

“Yes, I have. I used to live with my grandmother when I was 13 years old and she needed help around the house. She was diabetic and I helped her with medication and helped her shower. It was for one summer but I learned a lot. She passed away last year.”

“Here you’ll learn more from me. I’ll teach you. But, I hope my schedule won’t take too much time from your husband or children.”

“I don’t have children and I’m not married.”

“You sound young…”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh? May I ask how old you are?”

“I’m 17 years old. I may be young… b-but I can work hard. I can do anything you want me to. If you need me to go shopping I can. I… can try and attempt to cook. If you need me to remind you about medications I can do that, too. I may be young but I’m a fast learner.”

“Ah…” he realizes something, nodding his head. “Good. You’re in high school and you only need this as a summer job?”

Shit.

“Y-Yes, sir. But I can work hard for as long as needed. I can push myself to be whatever you need.”

“Don’t panic. All I need is someone to come in for 2 months. Maybe 4 months. I won’t need help all year. All I need are basic things. Newspaper, household chores, feeding, and walking Shadow. Among other things. I need someone young and strong and stable. Reliable. I need someone to come in every day on time. I need you to show up and be here. Do you understand?”

“Of course.”

“I was recently released from the hospital and I am in recovery.” He knocks his cane on the floor. “That is why I have this. I am weak and in constant pain. My home was broken into and I was attacked.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. That must’ve been so scary.”

“I need you… to be completely available. It’s very important that you’re here with me. I will double your pay if you’re here with me after hours.”

The dark features on his face seemed frozen in half light and half dark, as if he was purposely trying to hide from me. The intensity of his expression doesn’t seem to falter while I squirmed in my chair, pulled my locks behind my ear, and looked down at the middle of the table. It was rude of him to stare for so long.

What’s wrong with this guy?

By now I can feel the pills and energy drink from this morning battle together in the pit of my gut for room making it hard for me not to sweat and squirm in my chair.

“Of course, sir. I can guarantee you’ll be happy.”

“You have an accent…” he noticed, turning his head in another direction. “You’re not from around, here are you?”

I knew he was laughing at me for being so ignorant. My fingers slide my red headband from my head, unraveling my hair down my shoulders and touching my back and the world is suddenly better with the cool air wafting against the back of my neck. It’s not so hot anymore.

I bit my lip,” No, sir.” I pause, for too long, drinking him in. “I live across town.”

Placing my headband back in place I try to remember that this is just a summer job and it’ll be over soon. My hair swoops and falls behind my back as he seems to be dissatisfied with my answer but he looks away and seems to enjoy the color of his living room wallpaper. Something catches his interest.

“Hmmm” he croaked looking at my breasts and I didn’t feel so invited anymore. 

Pervert.

My arms twitch moving in sync as he seems to be studying something on my neck and then moving to my shoulder. With each tilt of the head or glance, he moves in a shark-like motion. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Suddenly he moves his upper body forward and it’s a chance to see his face closer. My heart rate flutters when he’s no longer in the shadows. He tilts his head to the side looking at the ceiling, smelling. His neck cranes down, slowly shutting his eyelids, turning his head to look at the floor, smelling, almost as if he’s trying to look for me. The lamplight illuminates his face in a soft yellow/gold hue. His ‘smelling’ chills me to the bone and my body stiffens, clenching my toes in an attempt to hold back my stifled breathing and give me away. It wasn’t too long when his nose caught something wafting in the air between us, stops, smells again, and unclenches his cane releasing the tension in his knuckles and I could’ve sworn I heard him breathe a soft,” Fuck.”

“Do we have a problem?” the words suddenly leave my mouth and I immediately regret saying anything when his head sharply turns to look directly at me. “Do you want me to leave?”

Then I understand.

His eyes.

Very slowly, he turns his head to the windows, smelling, curling his fingers around the head of his cane. His knuckles pop and turn white he’s clenching so tight. The air became more intense as I watch him use his other senses. The lamplight illuminates more of his face each time he turns his head. I’m breathless when I notice his eyes are two milky white pools. His left eye is scarred, almost burned with star-shaped scars, with a milky white scar across his brow and bridging into his iris reaching his cheekbone. The whole left side of his face is covered in scars reaching to his ear. The other side of his face is smooth and unharmed but the damage has cost him his sight completely. His entire facial feature almost seemed…undead. I had no idea. And that means I’ve been an asshole for the past 5 minutes into my interview.

“You will be working in a blind man’s home…” he croaks looking at the wall, turning his head slowly to the floor and he withdraws back into the shadows. “You’ll do.”

 “I-I didn’t mean to-“

“No, you did not,” his voice seemed distant this time. “Here are the keys.”

On a single silver circle were 3 keys and a red label tag on each. Front door. Back door. Bedroom door. I pocketed the keys into my bag, unable to tear my gaze away from him sitting in the dark, fascinated and intimidated all at once.

“That’s it? I’m hired?” I asked.

“The one important…thing…” he croaked, coughing, covering his mouth, and regained himself. “You must do for me… is to never lie to me.”

I look at him out of the corner of my eye and shiver, moving my shoulders. He’s serious. Dead serious. Being in his presence burned something in me. Suddenly the atmosphere of the room shifted from being dreadful and dipped into a peaceful hush between him and me. His head tilted waiting for an answer.

“Of course,” I whispered.

He seems satisfied with my answer, leaning back, taking his cane, and pushing forward the little black book before leaving the room. He limps, turns his head in my direction, then leaves without another word. I look at the empty door frame, the book, and back to the door frame. I reached out and opened the book. It was a chores list of everything that needed to be done and completed in his home in a certain timeframe starting in the morning and ending precisely 12 hours later. My excitement is hard to contain! I finally achieved my summer job duties for the next couple of weeks! I scan through each page as fast as I can before realizing that it’s gorgeous. His handwriting (surprisingly) is very neat, thin, long curved, and beautiful, sitting perfectly on each double-spaced line perfectly. He may have lost his sight but he’s not as beastly as I thought. Before I know it he’s back in the room with me.

“I’ll be here early tomorrow morning. Thank you. I’ll do my best to make your home a happy one,” I smiled, looking into the empty doorframe. “Thank you Mr….”

My face goes red.

I don’t even know his name.

“You do not start tomorrow morning. There are some things that I need to prepare my home for before you arrive. I can’t risk another break-in. You start next week.”

I grab my bag and walk down the hallway and I can hear him thump around in the kitchen opening cabinets and shaking pots and pans, silverware, and silverware falling into the sink.

“Excuse me?”

“I need to prepare my basement before you arrive. There are some things I must do. Then you may begin.”

He turns on the faucet listening to the water splash over the porcelain bowls and heavy mugs clattering at the bottom of the sink. I watch him closely. He stares at the wall while both of his hands scan over every bowl, fork, mug, and knife and turns off the sink water before it reaches the rim. Lathering his hands in bubbles he grabs a rag and begins to rub and finger old coffee stains from a mug. I shrug tucking the book under my arm. He keeps his head perfectly balanced and straight, never once looking down or in any other direction. He’s completely in control.

“I don’t know your name…” I murmur, watching his hands look for a brush. “I’m Evey.”

For a moment he stops, and both his hands grasp the metallic edges of the sink, lowering his head down, listening this time. He turns towards me slowly as if he’s about to say something important. His knee twitches and he tries to hide it, but I can see he’s having a hard time standing on both legs. Limping and half-walking he steps closer to me until he’s standing nearly 3 feet away from me, breathing hard, looking at the ground and to my shoulder. This time I take a better look at his face and his milky white eyes and I’m completely entranced. Complete silence comes between us both and I’m not exactly sure what to do at this moment. My nose catches whiffs of wood (maybe cedar) and a certain musty smell mixed with fresh-cut grass and soap coming off of him. He may be a little older but he certainly doesn’t act or smell old at all. Not like other elderly people I’ve met, which I decided I liked about him. This man, this large intimidating man, uncurtained himself from the darkness and slowly devoured my name one morsel at a time.

“Evey…” he whispers, rolling my name around on his tongue.

He says my name slowly, taking time for him to fully appreciate the sharp and strong ‘E’ and ‘V’ that pronounces my whole name. 

Even when he says my name it sounds delicious.

His eyes go to the window as he turns his head to the ground, tilting his head to the side, listening for my presence for as long as he can. In a second I see his hand reach out for mine and my gut suddenly ripples with butterflies looking at the scars across his knuckles and arms. This man has been through hell and high water and it shows. The scars completely covered his knuckles in little dashes and marks crisscrossing over each muscle with soft white tissue. His whole body was a canvas of scars and I wondered what kind of artist was responsible for it. Slowly my hand grasps his (the butterflies turn into sparkles of fire almost melting my insides) and we are finally introduced in a soft peaceful shake.

“Norman,” he murmurs, lifting his gaze to my forehead. His voice is gravelly when he speaks. “Norman Nordstrom…”

[sugarlove-01]

Into the Dark

Ok so this is my first post on Tumblr and I wanted to post some of the stories that I like to write. I'm a fanfic writer when I'm not at work. It's a hobby and I always love to do it. So here it is: WARNING if you've seen the movie then you know what to expect. There are graphic details, sexual themes, drugs, and language! Remember this is just a hobby! I know I got serious daddy issues... but don't we all? Can't wait for Don't Breathe 3 that is CONFIRMED to be in production.

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Chapter 1:

“What are you going to tell mom?”

“Haven’t told her yet.”

Bella smiled,” She’s going to kill you.”

“Maybe. But only if she finds out. Don’t you dare say anything,” I responded dumping my uniform and cap into the trash bin, shutting it, and returning back inside the house. I could still feel the whips of hot panic at my back. But there was no turning back now.

Bella followed putting an arm around me,” Look at it this way, at least you don’t have to smell like grease and sweat when you come home. I swear I thought you bathed in that meat bucket.”

“There’s always other places that are hiring. Fast food places are always looking for young high school employees.”

“What other places are left? It’s a small town, pancake,” Bella smiled.

Getting fired sucked. But yelling at my manager for not giving me a paycheck for the past month felt even better. The orange sunset transitioned into pink and purple sending the entire neighborhood into a soft peace. Dad was in the living room watching the game. Homework was done. College applications are checked off my list. Every thought blazed through my mind like fire. It was like my life was beginning to unravel before my eyes. Bella dipped her brush into the crimson red paint before carefully applying the polish to her toenails. I was surfing the internet on my twin bed mirroring across from hers. The nape of my nape prickled at the sound of mom pulling into the driveway, their car pulling to a stop, and their headlights flickered across the room. Quickly jumping off the bed, I snatched my laptop and curled in the closet looking at Bella.

“I’m not here,” I whispered closing the doors.

She gave me a thumbs up.

I reopened the doors,” Don’t you dare say a word!”

I scooted behind the coats and dresses and blouses until my back met the wall. Every shoe, sandal, sneaker, high heel, and boot felt like boulders against my butt and legs. I swiped my thumb across my screen to lower the light setting on my cellphone pushing my knees up to my chest. Footsteps came up the stairs coming towards the door.

“Mom.”

“Bella,” she addressed, her voice sounding muffled,” I tried calling Evey she didn’t answer. I thought she would be home by now... Do you know what’s going on?”

They both sounded muffled at this point. My legs stiffened. I was so dead.

“Um, yea, she texted me and told me that the-the boys from the football team came by and she was really busy. You know Fridays, the place gets really busy. They like to come in and order burgers and stuff”

“Ok. I’ll pick her up from the Burger Shack tonight.”

I squeezed my hands together. Crap.

“No! No! M-Mom! I promised her that I-I’d pick her up and take her t-to… the store because she told me that today is… heavy flow day for her. And she sounded like she was in a mood today.”

You sassy bitch, I rolled my eyes.

“Yea, it’s just a heavy flow day for her, and, uh, she didn’t want to tell you because she’s embarrassed about her wide-set vagina. You know how it gets. It’s like a murder scene down there. There’s, like, buckets of blood down there.”

Mom raised her hands in defense,” Ok, I get it.”

“She said it was like the elevator scene from The Shining.”

“Ok, I get it! I get it! Just let her know I need to speak to her about something important.”

“You can find an ear down there…”

“Bella! Ok, I get it. Just make sure you two get home safe. Dad wants to watch his game downstairs with Phil.”

“Ok.”

The door closed. Footsteps went down the stairs. I let a few minutes of silence go by and Bella whistles giving me the signal to come out. Bella pursed her lips forward and turned her head towards the closet doors. I crawled forward emerging.

“Wide-set vagina?” I repeated.

“What?” Bella shrugged. “Or else she’d never believe me…”

Groaning, I slapped her leg and set my laptop on the bed. Bella pursed her lips together and blew on her crimson nails and looked at my screen.

“Why don’t you become a stripper? They make good money. You can wear the G strings, pretty glitter all over your body, and high-heeled shoes. They got free buffet dinners and free drinks with a lot of bacon-wrapped shrimp. You can work on a pole for the summer.”

“I think that would be my last resort. And besides, I think I wouldn’t even enjoy dancing and twerking for awful men living in hotels after their wives kicked them out. Casey from my Biology class did that last year and now she’s a divorced 18-year-old with triplets living behind the movie theater.”

She smirked, “You’re totally right. Your boobs are too small, anyway.”

“Jesus..”

She typed something in.

“What the hell am I looking at?” I cringed looking closer. “A pornstar!? I’m not filling this out! Do you know how many unhealthy sex juices are being splurged at every second between two people? Don’t you know that if you have sex with one of them then you’re having sex with every person they’ve been with! It’s like a cesspool! It’s completely gross!”

“Don’t be such a wimp. You just have to lie in bed while the guy does all the work. Wear a lot of cheap blue eye makeup and you have to push up your boobs together with your hands and moan like this! OOhhh yea! Oohhh yea! Give it to me! Give it to me good, baby. Oh my god, you’re so big!” she exclaimed.

“Shut up!” I covered her mouth. “Mom thinks I’m still at work, you tampon!”

Bella shoved the laptop back in her lap typing.

“Well, what about becoming an escort? You can wear fancy dresses and get paid for escorting businessmen to nightclubs and golf courses and you don’t even need to have sex with them! Or, I mean, if you want to. You can bang them if you want. But on second thought old saggy balls aren’t really firm, are they?”

“I can’t believe what’s coming out of your mouth right now…” I pulled the screen back onto my lap. “I just want to do something that isn’t questionable, full of skeezy cheating married men, pornstars and adult entertainment, or stripper money or even the slightest hint of burger grease.”

“Well, there’s only one place to go when all those options are gone,” Bella smiled, pulling the laptop back into her lap. Her fingers flew all over the keyboard smiling with intent. “Where is the one place where people go and be free to advertise what they want? The one place where you can buy what you want if you look hard enough? The one place where anything goes? The one place online where there’s a thin line between legal and barely legal?” she pushed it back into my lap.

“Oh good god.”

“That’s right… Crehygzlist.”

This time Bella locked our bedroom door and we both crawled into the closet. Shutting the door, we both peered at the screen. Bella was the person that helped me with everything, even if her solutions were unconventional and a little ridiculous. I sighed looking onto the bright screen riddled with advertisements, sales, personals, jobs, and housing. It was my last resort. It was either this or saying goodbye to a new car and my own college dorm across the country in my dream school. Graduation couldn’t come any sooner! The mouse on the screen scanned through each title until it reached ‘Jobs’ and my finger double-clicked without hesitation. The screen loaded and opened. Bella and I both stared and read as fast as we could, scrolling through each listing. I double-clicked onto page 2.

“You could be a sandwich maker?”

“Pass.”

“An Uber driver?”

“Forget it…”

“You could be a receptionist?”

“No, I want something that will keep me occupied. I don’t want to sit in a chair all day answering phone calls and getting coffee for somebody. And besides being a receptionist only pays me $10.50 an hour! We’re living in a Pandemic for goodness sakes!”

“What about working at the mall? I hear working at Victoria’s Secret has its perks and benefits. It’s got a lot of cute stuff. I worked retail it’s not that bad.”

“It says I need retail experience and it pays depending on experience. The only things I’ve sold in my life were tacos, burgers, secret menu specials, and hot pockets,” I bit my lip, double-clicking onto page 3.

She pointed to the screen.

“What about working at the sex shop? Outfits, lube, vibrators, rope, lube, dildos, porn, lube, and toys! Those bridesmaids cup with those little penis straws. Did I mention lube? They get great benefits and half-off prices for you, your friends, and your family members. Don’t ask me how I know that.”

I blushed,” No. Oh my god, do you know how filthy those places are? Maggie from last year in my French class told me that’s where orgies happen! She said she let 4 guys bang her at the same time. She doesn’t even have that many holes! I don’t want to get STDs!”

Bella nudged me,” That’s now how that works, pancake. What about working as a greeter in a store market?”

“Ugh, that sounds exhausting. I would break my face smiling too much. And it only pays $9.25 an hour! And that’s IF I have experience! I have to have a job that will earn at least 3,000 over the summer or else Mom won’t help me get a car. I won’t be able to go to college and I can say goodbye to the West Coast…” I double-clicked onto page 4.

Bella pointed,” What about selling your panties to a guy for $10 online? $20 if there’s pee on them. I heard from Jessica in Drama Club that men in prison will pay top dollar for a pair from a woman in the outside world. It’s like that shit from Orange is The New Black.”

“Gross!”

“Or going on a ‘Live Stream Cam Session’ to let guys watch put lotion on your feet?”

I gagged,” Oh my god! Stop, just stop! Who comes up with this stuff? No! A definite no!”

“Beggars can’t be choosers, E! Do you want that car or not?”

My heart slowly sunk into a hole of doom and despair. What if Chris was right? Maybe I should stay in town and live here for a while longer. My future isn’t getting any brighter. Without that scholarship, I wouldn’t be seeing the sandy beaches of California any time soon. How am I going to get my degree and Masters now? I was only in my Junior year of high school. Working in fast food chain restaurants in clown uniforms with minimum wage was another nail in the coffin. I rubbed my face with my hands and typed into the Link Bar, watched it load, and double-clicked the Jobs section. The last string of hope began to unravel until the mouse glided over a title that caught my eye. Looking closer there seemed to be a feeling I recognized. It was hope and joy. Maybe it was serendipity. Suddenly the world didn’t suck. Bella had already given up before I did. Reapplying her nail polish kept her distracted from my amazing miracle discovery. I blinked several times before I was convinced that it was real. It was real! The mouse clicked on the blue words.

Caregiver Needed Immediately: No Experience Necessary

Must have a fingerprint clearance card (apply at the local police station)

Must clean, cook, shop for groceries, run errands, and be reliable daily.

Must work from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday

Must have a copied photo of identity

No resume needed. Walk-in interview required

1837 Buena Vista Rd, Detroit Michigan

$30.00 per hour

I nearly shit myself reading that last sentence. I punched Bella.

“Ow! What the fuck!?”

“I think I found my saving grace! Look at this! This is what I want to do!”

Bella read it and shook her head,” There has to be a catch. There’s no way it’s real. Bitch, you have to work 12 hours 5 days a week! That’s insane! There’s no human strong enough to do that! Even doing laundry brings dirty pores to my skin!”

“There’s a phone number at the bottom.”

Bella crawled out of the closet to her bed lifting a magazine to her face,” Well if you want to be a little ‘maid’ to some person then go ahead. It would totally cramp my style if somebody told me to scrub their toilet or something. I would have nightmares if I found a hair on a bar of soap in the tub! Oh my gosh, pancake, you’re so brave.”

“I’ll call them tomorrow.”

“It’s in Buena Vista right? Isn’t that place a ghost town? I heard from Mandy who heard something from Jake who heard something from Tiffany who heard from someone named Toby who heard something from Max who heard something from Angela who heard something from Sam who heard from Brian that there’s this hermit living on Buena Vista. No one really knows who this person is but they’re the only resident there. How freaky, right? You could be working for Buffalo Bill!”

I knew that Bella was saying something, but honestly, I wasn’t listening to a word. I added the number to my contacts list, saved it, and smiled. Rereading the ad one more time, it was too unreal. Something in my gut fluttered like butterflies. I shut my screen and pushed under my covers thinking of all the possibilities of my future coming to light.

Later that Night:

“I’m still unconvinced that you’re saving up to buy a car, E. If you’re out there doing god knows what with those football boys, I hardly think you have enough money for a car. Let alone a dorm for college.”

“Trust me, mom, everything is going to change. I’ll have the money before you know it.” Not that you ever believed in me.

The four of us sat at the dinner table eating dad’s famous spaghetti. It’s Thursday. Every Thursday is spaghetti night. Bella and dad are sitting quietly while we have our usual back-and-forth banter. So far, mom is comparing me to every darling debutante in the state and wonders why I’m not a pro athlete or a homemaker by now.

“Sophia, Karen’s daughter, the one next door, she’s going to college on scholarship.”

“That’s great for Sophia…” I groaned.

“She’s got a bright future.”

“Well not everyone can win a fucking beauty pageant every year. Everyone said she cheated when the judges found out that she had implants done. She was 15! I’m not going to win Miss Congeniality anytime soon, ma!”

“Watch your fucking language. I didn’t say you had to be Miss Queen of the ball.  Just choose a path and stick to it this time. High school is a breeze compared to real life. When you turn 18 life is going to hit you in the face like a shovel and for the love of all that is holy-- don’t be like your older sister, Bella. She’s had three pregnancy scares this past year alone.”

Dad almost pukes,” Jesus Christ…”

“Devil’s working hard but my cooch is working harder,” Bella beamed in her seat sticking a meatball in her mouth.

“Why couldn’t I have had boys…”

Mom looks at my dad,” Did you say something, honey?”

“Oh, I forgot to check the mail,” he rose from his seat and walked out the door.

Bella, mom, and I sat in more silence as I tried to think of something else to say. But I knew that my mom wasn’t done making me feel guilty for not having my ducks in a row. Bella scrolled through her phone underneath the table while my mom pointed her fork at me.

“I want you to know that I will always support whatever decision you make in your life. Just don’t make it a stupid one.”

“Sure…”

“And for god sake’s girls, wear a condom. The first rule in life is to wear a condom.”

“Mom, stop being a psycho. Evey’s got it together. She’s got a job at least. Right? Stop sounding like the fucking mob, too. She’ll get the money.”

For some reason, mom always felt better when Bella talked to her. It was like Bella had this magical thing when she talked to her. It must’ve felt nice to be the favorite child.

“Good,” she smiled, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

“And I’m just going to let guys finger bang me for the rest of the year.”

Later That Night:

Dreams of finishing my upcoming senior year without worrying about any financial situation or finishing debt student loans for college disappeared from my mind. Then I’d climb my way out of this hell hole once and for all. Looking across my room was my calendar marking every detail of my summer right to the beginning of my senior year of high school. I’ll be leaving my Junior year with high hopes. 

“Are you listening to me?” Bella asked giving my elbow a nudge.

“What?” I snapped back to reality.

“Mom will wonder where you are.”

“Well that’s your job, isn’t it? Please, Bella? Please Bells? Hells Bells? Bella my fella? Cover for me?”

She sighed pushing her hair behind her ear and rolling her eyes,” Well I am kinda the best… and I am amazing… and beautiful… and wonderful… and a good sister.”

“Thank you!”

“But don’t you think this is a bit extreme?”

“No. Mom is never going to get off my back. Senior year is coming, summer is here, admissions are coming, I want a car, and mom is never going to get off my back. And I have no job. I repeat: I have no job, Bells! I can’t be like you and be homeless for a year and claw my way through New York digging through the garbage.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers! Ok, calm down, Jesus. You act like you’re going to run for President or something.”

“Well, Bella. You have your life in New York and your fiancé. You have an apartment. You’re not in debt. You have no kids, that we know of. That’s life. You made it and you had to do it by yourself. That’s something mom can brag about to girls at Blackjack night on Tuesdays when they leave Applebee’s for happy hour.”

“Ok, I guess you’re right. But mom will kill me if anything happens to you. So, you better be safe, bitch.”

I understood where she was coming from, but my financial future was in a crisis. There was no way I could mess up this amazing opportunity.

“I want to go college, Bells. It’s all I ever wanted. To get a job and get out of this place. The west coast is my best chance to see the world for a little bit and start over. And if this job is completely authentic and real… I’ll be ok. Then there’s nothing stopping me from walking in there and acing that interview.”