Previously: Aleigha and Deidre go out to find the relatives of Linus Growden. Deidre learns they might be related to Angels.
We make it to St. Ann's Warren Street. A house with clay titling, a gambrel rooftop, and an umbrella arch over the porch. Two windows side by side, a giant snake resting on the side of the wall covered in mud splatters. It sits between two other houses connected to it.
We get out of the truck and my nerves are on fire thinking I have to pass by the snake on the wall. Why the fuck is a snake just casually on a house?
"Don't be a bitch," Aleigha mutters and walks up to the door. Who are we looking for we didn't even get names?
I follow behind him slowly, He puts out two fingers towards the snake and it flies off the side into the overgrown grass. I jump and scurry to his side. "What did you do?"
"He isn't dead."
"Who lives here," I'm still eyeing the snake in the grass. Aleigha checks his phone, "Goldie sent me names. Ari and Ezio Wilson live here. They're grandkids of Linus Growden."
Who the fuck is Linus? Aleigha does hesitate to drop kick the door in. "NIGGA!"
"It's fine, I Don't like racists."
He scrolls inside. The carpet has patches missing showing the light brown wooden floor under. It's dark, the ceiling fan is on and a hanging lighting fixture blinking.
I walk in and shut the door.
"I know y'all heard me when I came in." Aleigha announces. "Bring y'all asses to me!"
I hurry to stand behind him. I'm a magic-less vampire, I'm a baby; I don't know what's going on. Aleigha has his phone in front of him. "What's his number?" he questions. That phone can give a number it doesn't know? Goddamn it.
We stand in the torn, dismantled living room. On the left side, there is a couch missing cushions, adjacent to it in the kitchen. "They're in the house." The voice echoes, it's scratchy and brittle. Is the phone dying? "It's a Texas number. No spirit inside. It's a dead phone."
"Thank you Ileoh." I find new shit out every fucking five seconds! "It has a name?"
"Yes, I got to find a spirit for you. At least you can do that until I restore your memory."
Why didn't we do that first! "What's the point of keeping me out of loop!" I furrow, baring my teeth. "she's my fucking mother too and I don't feel shit for a woman that's dead and I barely fucking know about!"
"You shut up, right now."
"No! You've been dragging my fucking ass all over the place!" It's so quick, I forgot I was standing. Aleigha raises his hand and smacks my cheek which now I'm thinking was a fist, to begin with. My nose drips on the worn carpet. "I'm not finna have your stupid ass run again!" He grabs my collar and hoists me on my feet. "Follow me and don't say shit, do you understand me?"
I'm not a fucking child. "I should have kept yo' ugly ass in the car." He insults, "Motherfucker don't know how to act." He pushes ahead, I just wanna choke him.
"Ileoh, are you telling me he has a non working burner?"
"I think it is." The fucking phone has a soul. I'll leave never on my shit again or forget to charge it. Phones are people now. "There's a phone in the house, but it's broken. But I can hear someone breathing next to it."
"Good. Soundwave." The phone lifts off his palm and releases several balls. White lights begin to travel to the kitchen and backrooms. The voice is louder than before, "There's two rooms in the back, the kitchen has a closet in it."
"Where is he?" Aleigha tucks his hands in his coat. He didn't bring the shades. Wonderful, at least I know this isn't the fucking matrix. God forbid Agents to start showing up and glitching about. Aleigha berates me, "You workin' my last nerve."
"I don't care!"
"He's using an amulet!" screams the phone.
Aleigha stumbles back making a yelp. I get to the floor as a whistle passes by me. There's a hole in the door. "Hi, Alliebird!" jeers a county accent. "You found me you undead fucking nigger!"
"Wasn't that hard, bitch!" Aleigha rubs his chest, finger the hole in his muscle. "Susgasii" he utters, and the bullet soars out of his torso. "Goddamn it!" sputters the racist. "He's using that nigga shit, Ari!"
"I'm in bathroom Ezio! Shoot the spooky!"
"Oh, so now I'm spooky?" Given that he is a vampire, that slur makes so much sense. "Kutakia Mura"
The barriers around the home begin to splinter and implode. The ceiling cracks, casting asbestos from the broken building. "Mi-hi Leke..."
The dust combines into a large ball of poison, the backroom. I get up and Aleigha ventures forward, "Open up hoes."
"Get the fuck out, Ape!" this is funny. My brother is so unbothered. A shot fires off, again hitting him square in the chest. He winces, repeats the spell, and the racist screams. "Shit!"
"I'm right in front of the fucking door..." that wasn't much a stand-off. "Fucking hell, Ezio where's the amulet!"
"In the other room!" he barks behind the door. "Why did you plan this?"
"I'm in here taking a shit!"
"I told you he was coming!"
His eyes toss upward, "Really? Stereotypical rednecks?"
"You a redneck, you black ass magic operating, bone chewing, coffin sleeping, nigger monkey."
Aleigha gasps, he looks at me and back at the door. "That's a lot in one breath."
We brought them out of the room and tied them up in the living room. Ari and Ezio, twin brothers. One missing an eye and the other with tape in hair. Not sure what that's about. "Which one is which?"
"I'm fucking Ari," says the biggest twin with a potbelly and wife beater.
"And I'm Ezio," states the dirty blonde with tape in his hair.
"What's the tape for?"
He frowns and shouts, showing his front teeth missing. "I got alopecia. I'm not lettin' my hair escape me."
"Well, he's doing a good job." Snickers Aleigha. "Fuck you, Allie. Yous the one that did it—and I'm tired of playing this game." Whatever accent he had, disappeared. "Hey cousin." Greets Aleigha. "Playing racist?"
Ezio laughs, "I was showing you, what he would have done. He did it to us."
"You know a Cajun wouldn't shoot you," smirks Ari. "so, anyhow. We got here first acting like the police."
"Their names are Lemuel and Thankful. Also, they got another," nods Ari. "stop being stupid. Stay the fuck still." orders Ezio."
"Thankful," Aleigha asks. "Who's Thankful?"
"Big bitch." Says Ari. "Big titties," chimes Ezio. "Triplets or something." Says Ari. "We wanted to prank you. How you doing cousin?"
"Aleigha, what is going on?" I beg. "who are they?"
"They texted me before this, that's why I used weak magics. This is Medard and Vassilli. Two cajuns that helped mama out back in the day." How far does this shit go?
The two struggled on the floor, "Hey, untie us. Before I get a spirit to whoop y'all asses." Threatens Ari, his appearance changes along with his name reveal. "And I mean that!"