I remember I held my daughter in my arms. I was looking everywhere. Calling and calling; she's not the type to run off. Shikki was a good kid. The Worst thing she ever could do was call me stupid. And even then I didn't get mad.
I FUCKING HATE WHITE PEOPLE. It makes no sense! My baby was hung, they kidnapped her.
They have to be retarded, nothing else as a definition fits. Shikki loved psychology, and she asked me what is a narcissistic person? I said, oh, it's somebody that's full of shit. It's simple as that. But, then, she asked; but why would they are better if that ain't?
Again, remembering the times she teased me or meant it full-heartedly, I don't fucking know. My kid had a big heart, but she knew limits. It's sad but at a young age, she knew you can't be friends with everybody.
She stayed in the house a lot.
Now I'm thinking about shit, I ain't got no business thinking about. I really asked my daughter, why don't you go play outside?
She said, I want to. It's a sunny day, I said. She replied, I have asthma. And now I'm like, my daughter is depressed because of her illness but all in all, Shikki didn't want to be around a lot of people.
Just as simple as that. She had a selective group of friends and loved her big brother most of all.
They put my little girl on a plantation...
I'm so sick of this shit.
"Which twin?" questions Asphy'hod. "I don't know..."
"The fat one. The darker one. The stupid one." he says. He rubs the watch, "This is a strange question. In the case of three money being; Hear, See, and Speak. Which money is the dumbest?"
"You askin' some strange questions."
He smirks. "Just like your daughter..."
Hush. "Which is the worst money? Hear, See, or Speak?"
"All three."
"You sure?"
What kind of fucking question is that? The Three monkeys are called the wise monkeys. So he's asking about false wisdom right? "What about thinking?"
"Thinking?" he paces for a moment with big eyes. "Thinking is wise." he puts his fingers to his lips and then covers his mouth with his full hand. "But which is not?"
"To say talking is unwise, is crazy. You need to speak."
"Wrong." he closes his eyes. "If I didn't see it. How can I tell you?" he closes his ears. "If I never heard it. How would I know what you said?"
Asphy'hod looks at me and holds three fingers. "I see no evil. I hear no evil. I speak no evil?"
"Rumors."
"Why would I lie on a child?" he cocks his head. "If God sent you to the world naked. Why would you call a baby a lie?"
I'm just not that type of parent. My kids is pretty good, I just hate em. Ellie shot somebody, Valentina hard headed--I'm sick.
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"He think he finna get loose." snickers the squirrel.
I don't know what to do.
"Just come quietly, my nigga." the lemur gazes at me. He pulls out a blade from behind his back.
It's just a fucking animal. The lemur lunges at me with blade. I push his hand down and strike with right. "PAUSE!" yells the squirrel. "BREAK!" As the word flies at me. His own breaks into two. "Move..." I glare. I'm out of their glances and beside my car. I go for the handle and a fucking lion with camel feet races towards me yelling like a baby. "FIE!" the lion is consumed by flames and hop in my car. I'm being selfish right now and I know it.
I pull in reverse and hit a goddamn horse on two legs with tongue sticking out. Straightening the car out, I drive off. If no nigga is smart enough to get out. That's on them.
I have a sheep and a monkey running on all fours after me. My mileage is 180.
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By the time I leave the town. It's around dusk. I'm tired as hell and clueless as to why a bunch of zoo animals are murderous.
I don't know the area. I wanna pull over so bad and sleep. I'm driving casually at 35. There isn't anything in sight until I make the unconscious decision to look up. It's that fucking ostrich from the town.
I can't hide anywhere. The last thing I need to do is start running this engine hot again. It's just flying, I'd be too damn stupid to start following this bitch.
I'm not even gonna test it.
I swerve the car with an SUV appearing in front of me. I hit the brakes and the car disappears. I need to get off the road entirely.
I drive off-road and go through thin grass. It seems peaceful, and I can't see the ostrich. I think it's safe enough to stop.
I can see a barn house from where I am. I'm not going near it. It's safer in the car. I turn off the engine and give the car a break.
I almost want to cry. What the fuck is going on? What did Jocelyn say? Mangles? I've heard that somewhere before.
I'm looking at the barn house and I see a little old woman come out with a bucket. She moves to a well and drops the bucket in using a rope and brings it back up. That's normal. If this is like the deep country, she's just taking care of regular duties. She struggles to take the bucket full of water--no.
Is that blood?
I can't tell for sure, it's dark, and I'm far. Maybe the water is just dirty. Well, all you need to do is boil it a thousand times.
I think I can sleep, so I do.
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I wake up to a tap at my window and my heart jolts at the sight of a hound on two legs. "You not from around here are you?"
I can't speak for a minute. I just nod. He peers into the window, "My vision ain't good. Why don't you step out?"
I shake my head. "The name is Hazy Rivers. I know why," he pokes the glass. "It's because I'm a dog. I can't blame you. I promise, I'm not gonna hurt you. I used to be human but my soul still good."
I open the door with haste. I get out and hug this dog like I haven't seen my best friend. He's way shorter than me with a tail of a dog, nose and long droopy ears. "Thank you!" I yell. "Thank you so much!"
"It's alright. You can stay with my family and I. Just to let you know. My wife is a cow, my youngest daughter is a sheep and my daddy and mama have cat feet."
"I don't care!" I'm just so happy. "I don't know what the fuck the ostrich is! I saw a fucking lemur, a goddamn squirrel was talking to me!"
"Come on inside, friend."
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Adele
Lynndie
I'm welcomed inside. I take seat on a long couch set between ma and pa in two rocking chairs. "You must have saw Gregory." says Adele, Hazy's wife. She's a large cow female with a white apron over her light pink floral dress.
The daughter has turtle feet and two blue bows over her ears. "Who is Gregory?" I ask, ogling around the room. "Gregory is a mangle like us. But we made ourselves."
"Why?" I look at Lynndie. "We live in the realm and pa was scared to lose his wife." she hugs the small barbie with half a left leg. "This is Monique!" she holds up the doll to my eyes. "She's getting her baptism tomorrow." she cuddles the doll.
"Why is the doll getting a baptism?"
"So I can finally have a sister!" her ears wiggle. "Lynn, has always wanted a sister." Hazy moves to the back rooms of the house, going pass his wife. "I had a miscarriage and my vision was going bad." Adele explains.
I didn't notice before, but her eyes are glossy. "I died in my sleep."
"Mama had numoania(pneumonia)." I hear hazy let out a loud breath. "Oh!" Lynndie hops. "Grandpa and grandma can't use the power of word. But they here."
"What you mean?"
"My parents lost their souls to Gregory." says Adele. I look at the grandma, she's just leaned over stretching her neck out. "We need new bodies!" shouts Lynndie. Hazy groans in the back room.
"I'm so sorry." Now this is the part where I could definitely help. They look like nice... creatures...not to be rude. "We have an extra room down the hallway, pass ours." Adele directs. "Thank you. What about Gregory?"
Adele turns to the main bedroom and shudders. She looks at me, "Gregory is my husband's brother."
"I hate uncle." furrows Lynndie. I look at her. "Why?"
"He's a rapist--"
"SHUT UP!" Hazy barks. "Lynn, go to your room!"
"But daddy!"
"Go to your room before I get up!" he hollers from the bed. Lynndie scuries to her room down the hall and shuts the door quietly. Hazy comes out the room with his eyes squinted and breathing heavy. "Hazy, you don't yell at your daughter like that." states Adele. "She ain't got no business using that kind of language. And you!" he points at his wife. "You ain't got no business telling that nigga a damn thing!"
"Hazy..."
"Enough!" he stomps his paws. (Do you call them feet?) "Your parents are dead. My daughter, no matter what the fuck i do, is trying to leave me and you too!"
"Hazy." says Adele. "He stays the night. I already made it a rule, we don't talk about that shit in this house!" he yells. Hazy marches back to the room and slams the door.
Lord.
"That man got too much heart..." she utters. Adele looks at me. "Would you like supper?"
"Huh... yeah."
"We have beef, cornbread and carrots. My daughter helps me cook." she smiles. "I can help... if you need an extra hand." the zombies look at me. Thank God they don't actually eat flesh.
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Lynn set the table for her grandparents and Adele waved her hands to get them to eat. Little Lynndie made the gravy tp go over the beef and we set down at the table.
"I told that man to come on." she sets herself in the chair, wincing. "What's wrong Ms. Rivers?"
"Oh, I got bit by a snake and the wound hasn't healed." she sniffles. "It's giving mama a cold..." says Lynndie.
My eyes get big, "D-Did you try the bone?"
"My husband as cursed it because it won't do what he says." she chuckles. "We don't eat bone marrow in this house." says Lynndie.
"It could help." I pluck a piece of beef with gravy. It's tender with salt and seasoned well. "This is delicious!" I take some beef plus carrot and tear off a piece of cornbread.
"Mama makes her own cornbread. And I remember before we died, she won't a cooking contest with her famous cornbread cake!" cheers little Lynndie.
"Cornbread cake?"
"I thought I was being smart. I think it's stupid." says Adele. "Mama don't be like that! Pa said if you ever held your memory real good. Thank god for the cake."
"How do you make it?"
"Like regular cornbread. Flour, I personally grind up corn while it's dry salt, A bowl of butter then you put in the cake flour about a half cup and three whole eggs." Adele picks at her plate. "And milk!" adds Lynndie. "Oh.. and the milk."
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I headed to bed, and I had peace like no other. The bed was comfortable, and I covered up in a nice quilt.
The grandparents just stay in their rocking chairs. Adele used magic to shut their eyes, and they look peaceful. I didn't have a window in my room, and I was thankful for that. I shut my eyes and went to sleep.
I had dreams and I kept hearing a verse from the bible.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Maybe I don't read enough. I have no idea what that means.
The dream I had was simple. I was driving and saw the ostrich. But I kept hearing that verse, and it just has me thinking.
In the morning, Lynndie came into my room with Monique. "You want breakfast?" she asked. "Yeah, you cooking?"
She giggles. "A little. I make the eggs and pa makes the sasauge."
I get up and go to the kitchen. The grandparents are up and Hazy is cooking with Adele sitting next to the table. "Hazy, please don't put a load of eggs on my plate this time."
"Hush woman..." he glares at her. Lynndie cracks seven eggs in a bowl. "Papa, where's the milk?"
"I'll have to go hunting this morn', use water."
It'll make the eggs thin. "What about carnation milk?" she asks. "It's sweet. Use water."
"Just use water Lynn."
She turns on the faucet and the water runs black. "Shit!" he turns it off. "I never asked your name. Can you get water from the well?" asks Adele.
"Sure." I get up. "The name's Samhill Heavens."
"That's a pretty name, huh pa?" she smiles. Hazy stares at me, "Heavens?"
"Yep, my family owns a motel in the big state."
He lifts his brows, "The state?"
"Outside the realm?" says Adele.
"That's cool! Pa, can we go to virginia?"
"No Lynn." he tells her.
I take the bucket by the door and go outside to the well. I tie the rope to the handle and drop the bucket in. This family must be living hard. I look at the sky, paranoid. She said that Gregory was his brother, and they're mangles too. Is he haunting them?
Well, he isn't in the clouds. I pull the bucket up and go back to the house, but before I enter. I set the bucket inside and close the door. A human figure dashes from the side of the house in blood, chirping. His run is comically. Running with his ars to the side and leaping forward.
What is with all this nudity?
"Sammy?" calls Lynndie. The door jerks. "Don't come outside Lynn." I say.
"Oh, well, thank you for the water!"
"Sam, is everything alright?" questions Adele. "It's one of those things out here!"
I hear a clunking in the house and the door pulls open. "Where!" yells Hazy with his shot gun. He faces me. "Where was he?"
"Beside the house."
"Come with me." We go to the side of the barn house and find two dead bodies near the water tank. "So that's where it's coming from?"
"Y'all can't keep using that tank."
"If it's coming through the facet then it's soaked through the ground. I gotta make new dirt." says Hazy. "I'll shovel." I can't just stay out of danger and live off these people. I should be a friend then a pain in the ass. Hazy just looks at me, "Fine. In the house, it might be in your room. That's wher eI keep all my working supply."
I went and got the shovel from the closet that also had extra pots, pans, gun and a bail of hay. Going back to the water tank, I dug under it and sure enough. It was gallons of blood coming up from the dirt.
"Lynn can't have this..." I'm shoveling the bloody soil and I have to blink at the arm I dig up. "It's bad isn't it?" I look behind me at Adele. "They been eating over here. I could fix it but it would be best to get a new tank."
"That's all we got. We don't have money and Hazy goes out to hunt the very things that come to the house."
"You eat them?"
"Meat is meat." she says. "But the more he hunts, we get peace and that's the blessing."
"What is this? Like revenge?"
"They have to be following orders." she looks down. "Gregory raped my daughter when she was eight. She ran out the house and I never knew what happened."
"You don't have to tell me that..."
"I feel like I have to. I got sick and her big mama just could run after her. Hazy killed himself, Gregory just took everything we had."