Family Of Darkness

Milo's Third Story

Birds sang a merry tune as Milo and Angelica sat under a large oak tree. It provided shade from the warm summer sun. Angelica picked up a piece of cheese from a platter.

Milo poured champagne in a plastic flute. "It's a beautiful day for a picnic, Isn't it?"

She smoothed out her pleated skirt with a bright floral pattern. "It is. I can't wait to be married to you and spend every moment in this state of this kind of bliss." She took a sip of champagne.

Milo blinked, looking at a red stain on her lips. "Is that-" He pointed. "Is that blood?"

She touched her lips and looked at her crimson-coated fingertips. Her forehead crinkled.

His eyes fell to the flute in her hand. The tan champagne had transformed into blood. Angelica screamed and threw the cup. Blood spackled Milo's face as the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

"What is happening?" Angelica cried.

Milo looked up at the dark sky. "We need to go. It isn't safe here anymore."

"No. You will never leave them."

"Who?"

"Barbara and Gunther! You will never leave!"

Milo reached for her hand and she pulled away. "No! Don't! Don't hurt me!"

"I would never hurt you."

She stood up. "The blood won't stop until you leave them. You're a death sentence."

Her words splintered his heart. "Babe, why? What are you talking about?"

The ground started to crack. Angelica screamed and scrambled back. Milo took a step toward her but the ground opened up, creating a large crevice between them. The heat from boiling lava rose from the earth and burned his skin. He spun around to find the tree had become a mirror. Milo gawked at his disfigured appearance. Smoke rose from his burnt flesh. He turned back to his fiance. "Angelica."

She pointed to the boiling lava a hundred feet below. "That's where you belong. In Hell for what you did."

"I didn't do anything."

"You killed me."

The earth shook and Milo lost his balance. He stumbled forward and fell headfirst down the crevice hurling towards the lava.

Milo sat up in a cold sweat. He glanced around to see he was still in the mansion. It was just a dream. A horrible dream. He turned on his cell phone and flipped through his photos until he found Angelica's smiling face. His heart felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Tears cloud his view. "I just want to hold you again. One last time. I miss you so much, Babe. I wish I could turn back time. Do things differently. I would have gone to Autumn Falls with you the moment you asked me to. I wouldn't have waited. I would have stopped slinging dope. I would have made you so proud if only I could go back and do it all again. Damn it, I should be the one in the ground. Not you."

He rolled over on his stomach and pressed his face into the pillow. His scream was muffled. What am I still doing here?

He grabbed his crumpled up jeans off the floor and slipped them on. This is worse than prison. Get the hell out of this place and never look back. They have no power over you. You're done with their bullshit. Done. Do you understand me? No matter what they say. No matter what they do. You're out.

His black boots were heavy against the burgundy carpet, so he tried to lighten his steps. He didn't want anyone to spot him and try to stop his escape plan.

Milo snuck into the study and shoved stacks of cash from the safe into a black duffle bag. He didn't know how much he had taken, but he knew it would be more than enough to start over someplace new. Maybe even open up a bar of his own. He always thought Milo's Place had a nice ring to it. It wouldn't be anything fancy. Just a little hole in the wall where people could come, have a drink and forget their troubles.