Uma got a duffle bag and Corrie told us to start putting in the following. Rope, three guns, bleach, extra shirts, knives, a bible, candles, and a flashlight. "What are we doing?" I asked as I loaded the duffle bag with rope. "It's monster up there and we might need to defend ourselves."
"Then why go?" I rose a brow. "Because, it's important. We can go hunting, when was the last time you had blood?"
"I don't know."
"See. We need food, because we ain't got no money."
"But Lucant?"
"We still broke and he crazy."
Mackie came from outside. "Y'all going on a trip?" she scratched the back of her head, yawning with her arms up to show her hairy armpits. "Bring back somebody."
"We can't get more people." said Corrie.
"Well, if you find a human. Can you bring that back?"
"No..."
"Well, you should..."
"What happened to Lucas?"
"I ate him. But that's beside the point..." she went to the backrooms.
"Crazy bitch.." Corrie mumbled. "Is Mackie nice?"
"Yes but when she's hungry. If she ain't biting herself, she trying to bite somebody else." says Corrie. "She bite me..." mutters Uma. "But she's nice, she just loses it when she hungry and Lucant or Adonija don't feed us."
"If she keep doing what she doing, she finna be lost."
"Lost?"
"Drunk..."
.
.
.
We left the barn and got into Corrie's but also Zanna's brown rusty truck. There was no road to be on until we drove about 17 miles from the barn. There was a street sign laying on the ground it read, Little Swoo Avenue. We drove pass it and I saw a female vampire with pink eyes in a hood. She was skinny and face appeared ghastly.
There were some boarded-up stores, a streetlight in a shopping cart, one shop we passed had a stack full of bibles outside the shop. There was big jazz club on the corner next to a small beauty shop that sold hair and makeup supply. I smiled seeing Just For Me all over the window but the girls had there eyes closed.
"Are they dead?" I said out loud not expecting an answer. "No, that's not the original girls." said Corrie. She turned right on a long road that had a sign at the end of the street sitting in the grass, The Vybe. "Why did they close their eyes?"
"Innocence."
As we went down the street towards the Vybe. The houses looked nicer minus the white house with the Christmas lights and a crucifixion. I hope it was a scarecrow attached to the cross, but something told me no.
There was a huge black building that kept waving and disappearing.
"There's Aleigha's studio." uttered Corrie.
"I can hear the damned." The road seemed so relaxing. I thought Uma just wanted to share a ghost story. A lot of vampires came into view. There was a dancer in the streets in a bra and long skirt. She was kinda chubby with a big nose but pretty and youthful. Men were around her clapping as she swayed her hips, spun, and skipped. I think she had bells on her hips.
"Uma look in the glove compartment." said Corrie. Uma looks in the glove compartment. I see a map, a gun, and a bag of marijuana. "Put the gun in the bag Cedrica. Give me the map." Uma hands me the gun and I stuff the gun in the bag.
She hands her the map and the car slows down. Corrie stretches the map across the stirring wheel. "It's near here..." says Uma.
"My memory bad as shit. Does it move?"
"No. You taking about the studio but now it's trapped so..."
"Where is the mountain?" I can hear aggravation from both. "We passed Little, came through the Vybe-- shit, fuck it." She tosses the map to the back seat. "I'm about to drive in circles."
"Be a fairy!"
"Shut Up!" the car jerks as it speeds 45 miles per hour. My back hits the seat. a vampire crossing stares at the car for a moment, but the vehicle just goes right through them. I look at the back window at the nigga flipping us off.
"Ask somebody!" I whooped. "I don't need to ask shit. It's a street I can't see."
"Then it's not a street!"
"It is a street!" The car speeds up, going sixty. "Corrie!"
She pulls the stirring wheel right. We almost hit a fire hydrant. The truck skipped passing over the edge of street. Corrie looks through the window and pulls the truck in reverse. "I think it's down the other way." She backs up slowly before jerking the car to the left and switching gears. "Look on yo side and tell me if you see it." she tells Uma. Uma holds her seatbelt. "It's by the flower shop with the gargoyle!"
Corrie pulls off, settling at 35 miles per hour. I'm focused on the pedometer, I think I could go to heaven. I could go to heaven for a day, a week, stay the night; but i wanna live. "What are we doing?" my body swings to the side. "I need a grave and some food."
"For fuck's sake slow down."
"Why? This is what killed me." she tugs the wheel down a square street. Speeds pass an alley with a mass of vampires in it. The homes look luxurious around this area. We pass a pool venue that's ruined and pass a large skating ring. Again, she hits three people, including a child but the car goes right through them. "Corrie! For the love of God!"
Corrie stops on the breaks, backs up, and makes a calm left. "Is that the flower shop?"
"I HATE YOU!"
I'm nauseous. I breathe in and out. "Is that the flower shop?"
"YES!" squeals Uma. "We almost there..." I look over the seats, she's smiling.
.
.
.
With no consideration for other people. We made it to Yo Gotithehm Ten. We drove through a valley of trees, fog, with some bamboo trees in the background ponds.
There was a gargoyle in the thicket that walked on all fours before coming to the road and sat down. "What are gargoyles here for?"
"The purpose of a dog is protection." says Corrie.
"Gargoyles are a type of dog in the realm." adds Uma.
"Really? But it's a rock."
"It's a type of dog."
In front of the mountain is a monk with a small shrine behind him sweeping. We get out the car and there is a red aura around the monk. He has his head down but as we get closer, his four pink eyes stare at us.
I stopped walking and the monk bears his teeth. "What do you want now Corrie?"
"I came to the mountain." she states. "Aleigha's church ends and begins here."
"Aleigha is dead." the monk takes his broom and aims it at Corrie. "Did come to reap graves again?"
"No..." she shakes her head. "Cedrica come here."
I walk to Corrie's side. She grabs me in front of her and my neck bents back at cold metal on my throat. "You got a grave site?"
"What the--"
"Shut up." she looks down at me. "Lu-Sing, give me the medal."
"What is wrong with you?" he sneers. "Chelsea doesn't do shit like this."
"I'm not her..." she ogles. "You are her shadow."
"And! Look, it's people that need food, graces, and..." she looks at the dark clouds above. "Other shit. So let me through."
"Corrie I found graves."
"Ok, you a monk and Asian. Take care of that."
"My mother was German."
"Ok... let me through the mountain." She digs the knife a little deeper. "Lu-Sing, just let us pass." Uma rolls her eyes. "I don't see why you try to defend it. Aleigha's dead."
"He'll come back. I wish I could see the look on your faces." he says.
"Wait! I thought you said--" she covers my mouth. "Now Sing why are we saying he's dead?"
"Cause he is..." he squints. Corrie's wings start to buzz. "Ooo, we looking too far for answers and ideas."
"Corrie, I swear to God--"
"Well bless my pussy, let me through the mountain or this baby meets the bridge."
"What would Chelsea do? You're her shadow, what's she hiding?"
"Nun... I'm a mere thought. If you get that..." she sways the knife. "Come on now... move."
"Make me."
"Or you can move." says Uma. "Use your magic." orders Corrie as she places the knife under my neck again. Uma lifts her hand, her lips move... it's a rhythm but I can't hear it.
The trees bend and the shrine starts to melt as well as Lu-Sing's eyes. "Fucking mumble rappers..."
"I can put Islam in it..." she opens her palms and Lu-Sing sinks into a pitfall. "Hard." she speaks and the ground is solid. He tries to lift his feet, he can't. "You killed nine other people."
"Well, this I cannot tell a lie. I did and I'll do it again. Because my mind ain't right." she scratches her temple with the knife. "This is my kid. Cedrica." she looks down at me. "I promise I won't make a grave. I came to hunt unless you wanna go."
Lu-Sing's eyes get big then he closes them. "Hey, Sing. You got family right?" He looks up. "I'll cut you deal." Corrie grins.