Targeted

04 | Long Journey Ahead

          Kellan swallowed to quench the very sudden dryness in her throat. Tyler's voice had been dark and menacing, filled with death, and the sight of him and Jink made her tremble.

"J-Just let me explain. Please," her voice came out slow and careful. She cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to regain her composure.

"A'ight, bet. What're you gonna' explain first? The fact that you've been withholding information from us, or the fact that you've been fucking lying the entire time?"

She didn't know she was in mid tears until she felt it drip onto her hands. She sat unmoved in the chair they placed her in at a different apartment, attempting to gain the strength to find her voice. Jink was getting bored and upset as he watched her stall. He clicked back his gun making her flinch and dart her eyes up to him.

"You think this is a game?" He gritted.

"No, I'm not playing games or anything! I swear to you!" She cried.

"So when were you going to tell us that you knew Tara isn't your birth mother?"

"I didn't know!! I mean, I still can't believe that she may not be my mother. You have to believe me," she pleaded.

"We don't have to believe shit. You lied once, you'll do it again," Tyler said eyeing her.

"I didn't lie about anything!! I admit, I did hold information though, but that's only because I'm confused and scared right now. I don't even know either of you to be giving out my personal story," she confessed. "There isn't any proof that she is not my mother either."

Jink eyed the printed picture of Tara. "She don't look like she could be a mother, period. Especially not to a seventeen year old."

"Maybe so, but if we were the same age, or even remotely close, then how would she have raised me all this time alone? She couldn't have raised me and herself. She's always looked that way growing up. You've never heard of the saying, 'black don't crack'?" Kellan commented lowly, and Jink shrugged his shoulders and nodded a little in agreement. Tara was mighty attractive, Jink thought to himself as he sat the picture down.

"Why was your name switched?" Tyler asked dismissing the topic of Tara.

Kellan placed her face in her hands feeling overwhelmed. "Can I have a glass of water?"

Tyler walked to the refrigerator from the kitchen table and grabbed a bottled water. He handed it to her and took a seat, as did Jink. Jink flicked the lighter as he stuck a blunt to his lips. He puffed on it and blew out smoke in Kellan's direction as she gulped down the water with urgency.

Once the blunt was passed to Tyler, he took a few tokes before looking to Kellan for answers. "As of right now, all information needs to be on the table for viewing, Kellan. Don't leave shit out. Starting from the beginning."

Jink sighed preparing himself for a boring story. He was annoyed by her presence already, so hearing her talk about herself and her past was going to drive him insane. He took the blunt from Tyler.

"What do you want to know first?" She spoke up. "Should I tell you more about myself so—"

"Hell no," Jink blurted out, not giving a care in the world to know her personality. On the other hand, Tyler actually looked interested. "We already know ya' name. Your likes and dislikes are irrelevant, we need to know details about your past, starting with Tara. You never mentioned how she died."

"That's because—" she started, suddenly her demeanor became visibly uncomfortable. "—I found her...in the bathtub full of bloody water where she slit her wrist."