The Black Snake's Target [REVAMPED SAMPLE]

CHAPTER FOUR [REWRITTEN]

Daniel returned to the chaos. His eyes were wide with shock as the flame stood tall, burning the guesthouse down to nothing. The orange blaze couldn't be contained. Those who lived near or who were too inquisitive were forced to run from the carnage and leave the outage to the firefighters that were called. He dropped the KFC bag and raced towards the house, tears in his eyes as he searched for his sister.

"Jo, JoJo, weh yuh deh?! Please, do not be in there. Joanna, come out nuh!" He begged, falling to his knees.

His body trembled despite the heat emanating from the flame. No matter how the firefighters screamed at him to get out of harm's way, his legs would not let him. He felt like his entire world was crumbling down.

'Not Joanna. Not my sister, please!' His vision was blurred by the overwhelming tears. He broke down and became inconsolable.

"I know you're gay, but why yuh a bawl suh?"

He gasped and looked up at Joanna. She looked the same, confident, and casual, without a single scar or burn. Well, no new ones. He jumped up, disregarding her insult, and pulled her into a tight hug. He cried out with relief. "I thought you died in the fire!

Joanna rolled her eyes and pushed him off. "After everything I have endured, you think a measly fire is going to take me down? Ave likkle common sense."

Daniel narrowed his eyes and wiped his wasted tears. "Weh yuh did deh den? What happened? Why yuh neva call mi?"

Joanna grinned, "I walked to the bar down the road, decided to wait out the flame and plan my next move. You should hear it. It's a masterpiece. Oh, some assholes attacked me, but that isn't your problem, and you weren't in any danger. That's why I never called."

That was the final straw for the young man. "Not my problem?! Are you fucking kidding me?! What if I didn't offer to get food? I would have been here and gotten killed! You're so fucking full of yourself!"

She arched her right brow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! This is all your fault! Why do you keep doing this and you don't have to? Why do you keep on putting us in danger? Is it worth the risk? Is it worth losing each other? Haven't we been through enough?!"

Joanna rolled her eyes and huffed. "Fucking hell. You're making my ears bleed, kid. Now move out of the way. I gotta go."

Daniel stared at her, flabbergasted, as she walked by him and towards the waiting taxi. It took him a second to really process what she said before running after her. "Go where? You just burned down someone's house and you're just gonna leave? What about them and the police?" he asked, flashing his hands at the mess for extra measure.

"If you must know, I have already paid off the owners. Even sent them a little something to keep them quiet. Even if they still talk, they don't know our real names. Plus, a Jamaica this for crying out loud! Nobody gives a fuck what happens here."

Daniel stood and grabbed her arm. His eyes were welled with more tears and his chest tightened with anxiety. "And what about me? Are you just gonna leave me here? Without so much as a word? I don't even know where you're going, or if you'll come back this time. That's how it always is!"

He looked up at her with desperation, hoping that she would find a shred of compassion for him. But that hope was crushed when she looked down at him with nothing but indifference. "And yet, you're not used to it by now," the woman muttered, ripping her arm from his grasp. Joanna pulled out her purse and handed him one of her cards. "Find yourself a hotel to stay in. Meet a nice guy to share it with. I don't care. I'll call in the morning." She huffed, turning her back.