Family Of Darkness

Angelica's Story

Five years before the fire...

Angelica flattened wet leaves beneath her designer high-heeled boots as she walked up the cracked pavement to the gray two-story house with a collapsing porch. I hope he's home. Across the street, a middle-aged man, with a bald head, hollered at her from behind a chain-link fence. "Hey, dark chocolate! The party's this way!"

Gross. She rolled her eyes and cinched her double-breasted trench coat tighter. The exposed skin on her legs prickled against the chilly autumn wind that smelled of marijuana.

The man shouted, "What's the matter baby, cat got your tongue?"

Why do so many men think women are put on this earth just to get their dicks hard? Why do they think it's acceptable to degrade them just because they can? Angelica ignored him and walked up the splintered, wooden steps and knocked on her boyfriend's broken screen door.

"Stuck-up whore!"

She bit her tongue. Do not engage. He's not worth it.

The door opened and Milo's crystal blue eyes nearly doubled in size. "?"

She lifted her hands into the air and shouted, "Surprise!"

"I thought you weren't getting into town until Friday."

She leaped into his arms. "I thought I would surprise you." Her face twisted into disgust as she whispered into his ear, "Is she here?"

"No, she went to the store with Gunther. They just left so they won't be back for a while."

The bald man hollered from across the street. "Yo, Milo, how much?"

I hope he didn't hear that. "Let's go inside."

Milo leaned his head out the door. "What did he say?"

Angelica pushed him back through the entrance. "I don't know. He's probably talking to himself."

The man shouted again, "I got five dollars. Send the hooker on over."

Milo cocked his head and pointed. "Is he talking about you?"

"Forget about him. He's just some loser trying to stir up trouble."

"Oh, hell no." Milo grabbed a bat next to the front door and walked outside.

Angelica followed him. "Babe. We get it. You have big balls. Now let's go back inside."

He pointed the bat at his intended target. "Nobody disrespects my woman and gets away with it."

Angelica hit his chest and her large hoop earrings swayed back and forth. "Damn it, Milo Alexander Jackson! If you take one more step, I swear I'm leaving."

His face softened.

She continued. "I just got into town. I didn't drive all this way so you could go to jail over some loser talking shit."

He lowered the bat. "You're right. I'm sorry."

A woman only five foot seven, with big blue eyes and blond hair was walking past. She stopped. "Is he bothering you?"

Milo scoffed . "Yeah, it must be tuesday."

"Don't worry I'll take care of it." Cailia Jean turned and lifted her jacket to reval a glock in a holster strapped to her hip. "How about you shutch the fuck up before I Come over there and put a hole inyour head!"

The man closed his mouth and hurried inside.

Milo laughed and Gave Cailia Jean a fist bump.

She smiled looking like a little angel. "No problem. I've been waiting to do that." Cailia Jean contniued on her way.