The Pain Of Their Presence - Sequel to Sound of Their Presence

Chapter Eighteen: Obligations

Tina's POV

    Cheyenne is hardly at the hotel, while I am practically confined here. Although Auntie Lilith is gone- dead, I still feel obligated to kill Cheyenne. She is kinder and sweeter than my aunt made her out to be. Is the true reason of that specific hatred because Cheyenne is of the unicorns? Or is it because she stole the heart of my cousin, who has always been more like the older brother I never had.

    As far as I am concerned, I shall kill Jillian! How could I not, when the reason of my birth was for her sloppiness? My birth, because she was not a careful teenager. Becuase, Jillian drank around some guy she had just met. Because they went to far.

    She never saw my father again. I am ashamed, but I will admit that I am a b*sterd child because of the bad choices another pair of people had made. Then you add the fact that Jillian left me with my aunt for over four years. I thought she was dead for the longest time.

    What kills me, what almost changes how I feel about my mother is that she is here for me now. She went through much to get me back, and she checks on me often to make sure I am fine or get me whatever I might need. Jillian is here, even when Cheyenne is not. The biggest difference I discern between them being on my kill list? I am assigned to kill Cheyenne. I want to kill Jillian.

     "Regrets collect like old friends

Here to relive your darkest moments

I can see no way, I can see no way

And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh

But I like to keep some things to myself

I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love is pastured, such a mournful sound

Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground

So I like to keep my issues drawn

But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh whoa

And I am done with my graceless heart

So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart

'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn

It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

And given half the chance would I take any of it back

It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone

It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh whoa, oh whoa...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't

So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road

And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope

It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat

'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me

Looking for heaven, found the devil in me

Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh whoa" 

    Jillian and Cheyenne finish singing Florence and the Machine's Shake It Out in perfect harmony, right outside my door. I lay my head down on my pillow and act like I have fallen asleep in perfect time.

    "Sh," Jillian whispers to my future unicorn victim. "We don't want to wake her! She hasn't gotten much sleep lately."

    "Do you know why she prefers to sleep under her bed like that?" Cheyenne asks, knowingly, as she nods to me, of course, proving her pint.

    "No. Tina hardly ever talks to me. I can't blame her, but I am trying. Cheyenne-" Jillian chokes on her tears. "I am really trying to be there for her now!"

    "I will mover her onto the bed, you go on, Jill. You need to get your rest, too."

    "Are you sure?" my mother manages to splurt out. A solem nod from Cheyenne, and Jillian is gone.

    Cheyenne nears me. Once she reaches my bed, she anounces, "I know that you are awake, Tina." Cheyenne is so gentle about it, I feel the regret I know will mutliply when I do kill her. "Will you sleep in your bed tonight? I know it feels safer under there, after what Lilith did to you at night." How did she know that my aunt would drag me from bed and beat me in the night? That she would wake me to train me like some super soldier?

    "I want to stay under here," I croak. I still loved my aunt like a slave their owner, I suppose. She trained me to be unstoppable and carry on her kegacy, when Shane decided to run off . . .

    Cheyenne reaches a hand out to me, and I jsut eye it up, suspiciously. Did she know of her fate at my hand?

    "I can stay until morning, if you want. I think there is a store downtown you might like," she offers me.

     "But Jillian-"

    "Agrees that you need a day out."