Later on the day, the sun was setting, Carolyn was sitting on the couch, Texting on her phone. Oscar walks in the living room.
"Any plans for dinner tonight?"
"Hmm... trying to think If I can make pasta or some sort of spaghetti. What do you think?"
"Whatever it is, I'm hungry for anything you cook."
"Aww... Oscar," Carolyn said. "But I'm also thinking about ordering chinese because I don't really feel like cooking today."
"What happened?" Oscar asks.
"Fucking Michele..."
"Oh, speaking of Michele, she got out today."
"FUCK!" Carolyn yelled. She falls onto a pillow on the couch, yelling into it. Oscar sits next to her.
"I heard about what happened."
"You do?"
"The Las Vegas sign being destroyed, one of the heroes died. Suspect wanted for murder? Yeah.."
"There's no way the LVMPD is going to catch her. Lombardo let her off with a warning after that whole schmuck she did with him...the thought of it wants me to throw up after she pulled me in, making it a threesome-"
"Is that the reason why you came home late that day?" Oscar asks.
"Yes but now is not the time to explain."
"You're Right."
Carolyn sighs. "I just want her gone..."
"Well, this is a suggestion. We can get the heroes to help us stop Michele."
"We could... But she'll find out no matter what."
"Not if we can do it secretly."
Carolyn thinks about it. "I did want to end the mafia..." She said to herself.
"Alright." Carolyn spoke up, "I'll do it, but let me fix this myself before I put Michele in her place."
"Can I join?" Oscar asks.
"You're already in it, Remember?" Carolyn smiles, pinching Oscar's cheek playfully.
"That's right." Oscar chuckles. Carolyn kisses his cheek.
"I'm going to order chinese and going to get ready for bed. I have a game tournament to spectate." Carolyn gets up from the couch and walks in her room.
That next day came around, in the afternoon, The Dixie Arcade was packed full of kids, teens, and tournees waiting for the tournament to start. The spectators start to come in as well, Justine greets the spectators as they walk in. Carolyn walks in the arcade along with two marshalls behind her, Justine looks at Carolyn.
"Carolyn?!" She exclaims in excitement. Carolyn smiles, hugging Justine.
"How are you?" Carolyn said.
"I'm doing alright. Do you remember me?"
"Of course I remember you, Justine! I wouldn't have come to the tournament if I didn't remember you."
Justine laughs. "That's true. To be honest, I thought you wouldn't come."
"I wasn't but I found out that Michele wasn't going to come so I thought I came here to support the tournament."
"Oh," Justine said. "Well, do you want to watch the tournament with me and my friend upstairs?"
"Sure." Carolyn said, smiling. They head upstairs to the balcony. A black man with a fresh new haircut, following with glossy waves going across his hair, his mustache and beard freshly cut and connected with each other. He spots Carolyn and Justine going upstairs. The man's blood starts to boil.
"CAROLYN!" He yelled, storming towards her. Carolyn turns around, paranoid.
"Neil...What a surprise-"
"WHY DID YOU HURT MY SON?!"
"Wait? I didn't even lay a finger on your son.."
"YES YOU DID!" Neil yelled. "He's near the brink of death and you called him a 'Fucking Nigger' after you spit on him,YESTERDAY!"
The whole arcade looks at him, The marshalls come up behind Niel. Justine walks back downstairs. "Neil, Stop! She didn't hurt your son!"
"Stay out of this, Justine!"
"He's in the hospital right now, recovering."
"I told you to stay out of this!"
"She's telling the truth, Neil!" Carolyn yelled. Neil's blood boiled even more until his eyes turned red. His demon horns appeared. He clenches his fist, throwing a punch towards Carolyn.She dodges, feeling the wind go past her. Justine steps in front of Carolyn, blocking the punch by grabbing Neil's fist.
"Carolyn didn't hurt Sunny. He told me yesterday night when I visited him in the hospital before going home."
Neil calms down. His horns disappear off his head. "Who hurt him?"
Justine looks at Carolyn. Carolyn looks away, nodding her head.
"Michele did. I happened to be there when Michele was beating him. Carolyn pulled me away so I won't get killed by Michele that night."
Neil calms down. The marshalls grab him, Carolyn stops them from grabbing Neil. Neil storms out of the arcade.
"I got to go." Carolyn said, walking out the door. Justine stops her.
"Wait, Carolyn! You just got here!"
"I have to... Come by my house tonight. I want to talk to you." Carolyn said, walking out the door quickly.
"But... I don't know your address."
The marshall grabs a notepad out his pocket, writes Carolyn's address down on a sheet of paper. He gives the paper to Justine.
"Thank you." Justine said.
"No problem."
The marshalls walk out the arcade. The whole arcade looks at Justine.
"FUCK man!" Justine yelled, storming upstairs. The whole arcade went in silence, whispers roamed across the facility. Justine sits down at the table with Cerena. Cerena hugs Justine.
"Thank you, Cere."
Raya and Vivian come upstairs.
"Should we start the tournament?" Raya asks.
"Sure..." Justine said. "Let's start the tournament."
"Okay." Raya and Vivian said, walking downstairs.
"Fucking Michele man..."
"You okay?" Cerena asks.
"No.. Michele is fucking this city up. not only that, she put a really bad stain on Carolyn's name. I bet she probably brought her Mafia members to this tournament."
"Is that one of her Mafia members over there?"
Cerena points to the archangels walking up to the stage. Justine looks at them grabbing their instruments.
"We never hired anyone for entertainment?"
"What about the national anthem?" Cerena asks.
"Nope."
"Hmm.."
Maddie grabs the microphone and plucks for sound.
"GOOD MORNING HISTORIC WEST LAS VEGAS!"
The whole arcade became confused on what's going on. Justine, Cerena, Raya, and Vivian look at the Archangels confused.
"My name is Maddie and this is my partner, Enzo and we're 108 Strat!"
"Why do y'all band names sound like a street address?!" Raya exclaimed in the background.
"Ooooh.." Vivian laughs. Everyone in the arcade laughs. Maddie and Enzo look at each other.
"Should we start singing?" Enzo whispers to Maddie.
"Might as well." Maddie whispers, she looks at the audience, Michele comes in. Maddie sweats and quickly plays Master of Puppets by Metallica with her bass guitar. Enzo follows along with the drums snares. The audience pays attention to the sounds of the instrumental music. Michele smirks, Justine looks at Michele.
"Shit..." Justine talks to herself. She gets up and runs down the stairs, Cerena follows her.
"The tournament is rescheduled for tomorrow! Leave!" Justine yells while running out the backyard. Vivian and Raya follow Cerena and Justine outside. The audience groans and leaves the arcade. Michele looks at the audience leaving. She looks at Justine and the group. She stares at Maddie and Enzo, signaling them to go get them. Maddie and Enzo run after the group. Justine quickly gets on Dixie along with other group members.
"What's going on?!" Raya yelled.
"I remember that the 108 Strat is a rock band that Michele created to hypnotize everyone to fall under her ruling. She did this with other bands she created in Vegas, If I remember correctly." Justine said. "Run Dixie!"
Dixie runs out of the yard. Running towards Downtown Las Vegas.
"Oh so that's why they're playing Master of Puppets?" Vivian asks.
"That's one song they'll play to catch anyone's attention," Justine said, "They play a variety that is available to play through bass and Drums."
"Damn." Raya said. Maddie and Ezno run out to the backyard. The group is gone. Michele walks out the backyard.
"Damnit Justine..." Michele said.
"You know the owner of the arcade?" Enzo asks.
"That's Josephine and Ghost's daughter. She owns this arcade."
"Oh..."
"Ghost? As in 'The Wise one on the Westside' and the owner of Phat Katz Restaurant?" Maddie asks.
"Yes, him." Michele said.
"That's so fucking sick, dude!"
"Don't care. Anyways, go find them." Michele demands. Maddie and Enzo run away, finding the group. Meanwhile, at UMC, A black female, her long black hair flows down to her shoulders. Her maroon dragon scale flows in the hallways. She walks past one of the rooms looking for her son's room. She passed by room 215. A familiar face made her stop and walked back to the window.
"That face looks familiar." She said to herself. "Is that... Azenith?"
Azenith lies there, still recovering from the fight that happened. Blood from the scars and stitches are still freshly leaking out of her bandage. Jason and Dylan walk out of the elevator, heading towards room 215. Jason looks at the woman, squinting his eyes.
"Is that Monica?!" Jason exclaims.
Monica turns around, she looks at Jason in the distance, walking towards the room.
"Jason!"
Monica and Jason hug each other.
"What are you doing here?!" Jason asks.
"I'm here to visit my son. He's sick right now." Monica said, "What about you?"
"Dylan and I are checking up on Azenith."
"Oh!" Monica exclaims "I could've sworn that was her in there. What happened?"
Jason and Dylan go silent. Monica's eyes widened. "Oh... was it about what happened on New Years?"
"Yeah... Michele killed her." Jason said.
"MICHELE?! As in Mob Donna Lusty Michele Fiore??"
"Yep."
"Oh hell no..." Monica said. "So that's why there was a multi-pile car crash on the strip?"
"Yep. all because of Michele." Dylan said.
"What about Carolyn?"
"She has nothing to do with it."
"So it was all Michele?" Monica asks.
"Yep." Jason said.
"God damn," Monica said. "Let's hope that she doesn't do anything today."
"Shit...I wouldn't jinx it if I were you." Dylan said.
"What do you mean?"
"I have a feeling she's out there messing with people again."
"Should we go check??" Monica asks.
Monica, without hesitation, runs out the hallway to the elevator, Dylan and Jason follow Monica. The elevator door opened and they all ran inside. The elevator took them to the first floor to the lobby and ran out of the hospital. A Bison with a red diamond on her head carrying four teenage girls ran past them. Two archangels follow after them, angrily.
"We should follow them." Dylan said.
"Right," Jason and Monica said.
Jason grabs his Cat staff.
"Let's Claw it!" Jason yelled, transforming into his hero form. Dylan transforms into his hero form. They run after the Archangels. Monica turns into her Demon dragon form. She speeds after the heroes. Maddie turns her guitar to a double axe and throws it after the group. Vivian looks back and sees the double axe being thrown at them.
"DUCK!" She yells. The group ducks and the guitar flies back towards Maddie. She catches her guitar back.
"Damn..." Maddie said. Enzo starts to get worried.
"You missed?!"
"Yeah. That Bison can run..."
"Michele isn't going to like that."
"I know I wont..." Michele appears next to them. Maddie and Enzo get scared and start speeding towards Dixie.
The group crashes into a house in a nearby neighborhood, Carolyn walks out of her yard and sees the Bison with the group of teens on the back of it running towards her neighborhood. She sees Maddie and Enzo chasing after them along with Michele
"Aw shit..." Carolyn said to herself. "STOP!" She yells. Dixie stops along with Enzo, Maddie, and Michele. The Heroes stop as well. Michele growls.
"CAROLYN WHY ARE YOU RUINING MY CHANCE TO KILL THESE KIDS?!" Michele yells.
"KILL??" Maddie and Enzo exclaimed, confusedly.
"The fuck do you think you were doing?!"
"ENOUGH! I just had enough of your BULLSHIT MICHELE!" Carolyn yells. "I'm so sick of you making Maddie and Ezno kill the locals. THESE ARE FUCKING YOUNG TEENAGERS!"
"You don't tell me what to do, Carolyn!" Michele walks up to Carolyn, angrily. "I don't know who you're talking to but I'm the mob donna here and I can do anything I want. As a matter of fact, You're aren't really anything but my underdog. You should be ashamed of yourself for raising your voice at me. You should show some respect."
"I don't have to be ashamed of myself for telling you how I feel... I shou-"
Michele punches Carolyn in the face, causing her nose to break and bleed. She grabs her and continues to beat Carolyn in the grass. Justine gets off of Dixie and runs towards Michele.
"Justine NO!" Cerena yells. Justine clenches her fist, fire sparks around her fist. Her demon horns appear on her head as her eyes turn red. Her Wrath Demon tail appears as she charges up the punch. She punches Michele off of Carolyn. Carolyn lays on the grass with her nose continuing to bleed, Maddie and Enzo help Carolyn up off the grass and away from Michele. Justine continues to punch Michele in the face. Michele's eyes turn red, she punches Justine in the face. She backs up, Michele gets up, her wrath demon horns appear along with her wrath tail. Justine wraps her hair up in a loose bun.
"You son of a bitch!" Justine yelled.
"Oooh!~ You became very strong after your mom and I beat the shit out of you two weeks ago." Michele said. "She must be so proud!" She chuckles.
"You are one sick motherfucker, Michele. Why?! WHY ME?!"
"Because, you're an offspring of a guy that doesn't even give a damn about his second daughter."
"You keep my dad out of this! He cares about me! He knows what you did to my eye!"
"Oh really now? Why don't you call him now? Unless he's a pussy to fight me?"
"Nah. I don't think I want to do that now, I can call him but it's best for me to fight you myself."
Justine runs towards her and throws a punch at Michele.
"You're going to fight me just to save your little friends?"
Michele blocks her punch, She throws a punch towards Justine. Justine blocks the punch.
"Did you forget that I'm an offspring of Ghost Hicks? He may be the wise motherfucker in the Historic Westside but he's the strongest local born demon. I have that type of power too!"
Justine lands and kicks Michele in the face, as she speeds around Michele, she places in multiple combos of punches and kicks towards Michele. Michele growls and creates her double axe with her fire powers. Justine lands on the grass grabbing her double blade swords. As Michele throws her axe towards Justine. She blocks the axe with her swords. She lowers the axe and kicks her in the face. Justine throws her sword towards Michele, she grabs the sword, Justine runs towards Michele, kicking her in the chest hard. Michele loses her breath, justine kicks her chin. Michele falls over onto the street. Justine lands on the grass as she turns back to normal. She breathes, looking at Michele.
"Leave Michele!" Justine yells. She blinks and Michele isn't laying on the street. "Oh shit.." She said to herself. Michele appears behind her, grabbing her neck as she clicks her dagger cutting her cheek landing it toward her neck.
"Maybe you should leave, Justine, '' Michele said. "You did say you want to kill youself."
Justine couldn't speak as Michele continued to choke Justine, causing her to lose her breath. Carolyn grabs her dagger out of her shirt and throws it towards Michele's dagger. The dagger knocks off Michele's dagger out of her hand.
"Out of my yard, Michele." Carolyn said. Michele growls and throws Justine on the ground, bleeding from the cut on her cheek. She walks away. The group gets off of Dixie and runs up to Justine. She breathes. Dixie walks up to Justine, Whimpering. Maddie and Enzo help Carolyn walk towards Justine.
"Justine?" Cerena said. Justine looks at everyone, Carolyn stands behind Cerena.
"Okay, everyone grab Justine and help her in my house."
The group helps Justine get up and walks her inside Carolyn's house. Carolyn walks inside the house. The group lays Justine on the couch. Carolyn walks in, Dixie turns into her small form and walks in the house. She closes the door. Oscar walks in the living room.
"What happened?!" Oscar exclaims.
"Michele happened." Carolyn said. Oscar looks over onto the couch and looks at Justine.
"She didn't?"
"Ghost's daughter? Yes."
"Who's Ghost?" Oscar asks.
"Oscar, there isn't much time for this. Please help me get the first aid kit."
"Got it." Oscar said, running back to the bathroom getting the first aid kit.
"Justine... Why did you have to fight Michele? You know she is stronger than you?!" Cerena exclaims.
"Because she's beating up, Carolyn." Justine said.
"You son of a bitch, Justine. She's dangerous," Raya said. "I want her dead and gone!"
"Shit, there's no way you can kill her, she almost has all the deadly sin demons." Carolyn said.
"And I'm an elemental dragon. I can summon dragons to kill her. I don't care! I'll kill her myself."
Carolyn laughs.
"I like the confidence you have." Carolyn said, winking and smiling at Raya. Carolyn walks up to Justine. She smiles.
"You're one strong demon, Justine," Carolyn said. "Thank you for saving me but I want you to be careful!"
"I know."
"It's not an 'I know' you could've got killed!"
Justine goes silent. Carolyn sighs and calmly smiles.
"I'm sorry, Justine for yelling at you, I just want you to be careful. I'm not mad at you, honest."
"It sounds like you are..."
Carolyn sits on the couch. "I'm not really... I'm kind of surprised that you fought her yourself. That takes a lot of guts for a person to stand up to Michele for me."
"Yeah.. that's true."
"I'm proud of you, Justine." Carolyn smiles. Justine smiles.
"Carolyn! Where is it? I can't find it!" Oscar exclaims.
"Oscar, it should be in the cabinet under the sink. You have glasses, why can't you see?!" Carolyn said, getting up from the couch, walking into the bathroom. The group of teens laughed.
"Damn!" Justine exclaims. "Oscar got burned."
The group laughs harder.
"The pain." Raya said, laughing.
They all breathe from laughing.
"Want to head back to the arcade?" Cerena asks.
"I'm gonna stay here. I'm going to close the arcade for the rest of the day and have Dixie take you guys home." Justine said.
"You're going to stay?" Cerena asks. "What will your mom say?"
"She has surgery and won't be back until Midnight." Justine said, "she doesn't even care anyways. I'll get there before that."
"Okay"
Cerena hugs Justine. "I'll text you when I get home."
"Okay!"
"Oh can you close the arcade for me too please?"
"Sure thing!"
"Thanks Cere, Stay safe y'all!"
"You too, Justine!" The group said,walking out the door. Dixie gets up and walks out with the group. Carolyn and Oscar walk out of the bathroom with the first aid kit. They head over to the couch.
"Hey where did your friends go?" Carolyn asks.
"They left, they headed home and I had my Bison take them home."
"The big Bison you rode here?"
"That's yours?!" Oscar asks.
"Yeah. She's trained, Don't worry."
"Awww, I saw her come in with her littlest size. She's so cute!" Carolyn sits down, getting the hydrogen peroxide and a cotton swab. " What's her name"
"Dixie. I was gifted to her by my dad when I was 2 years old. She's like my protector and my best friend."
"Aww.. Your dad wanted to make sure you're protected wherever you go. Hm?"
"You can say that." Justine chuckles, Carolyn chuckles with her, dabbing the cut with the hydrogen peroxide. Oscar sits down on the reclining chair.
"How old are you?"
"Fifteen. I'll be sixteen in three weeks."
"And you own an arcade in the Historic Westside, by yourself?" He asks.
"Not really by myself, my friends help me with the arcade so they own it too. So I like co-ownership but I'm the main owner."
"Wow! That's dedication! How long have you had this arcade for?"
"A year now."
"And you've been with your friends since a year ago?"
"Yep."
"High school friends can go a long way." Oscar said.
"It does." Carolyn said, "Do you have a group name for your friends?"
Justine smiles, "We're called," Justine sits up and turns her body around, showing Carolyn and Oscar the back of her shirt. The logo of a Bison that looks like Dixie with red eyes surrounding the logo of the Dixie Arcade.
"The Dixie Katz! Kachow!"
Carolyn and Oscar looked at each other and looked at Justine, impressed.
"The Dixie Chen Katz." Carolyn said, "That's a cool name for your group."
"Thanks Carolyn." Justine said, turning herself back around.
"You're welcome."
The house went silent, Carolyn snapped her fingers.
"Oh!" She continued. "Have you met Oscar before?
"We kind of met, Sweetheart. What's your name?" Oscar asks.
"Justine McHenry-Hicks." Justine said.
"Oscar Goodman."
Oscar gets his hand out, Justine gets up from the couch and shakes Oscar's hand. Carolyn smiles.
" Do you want anything to drink?" Carolyn asks.
"No thank you. Also, didn't you want to talk to me?"
"Oh! That's right. Meet me outside of the backyard."
"Okay!" Justine said. She walks out of the backyard. Her eyes widened as the backyard was spacious and full of beautiful flowers and bushes, surrounded by trees. She looks over the pouch, she sees a koi fish pond on the left side of the backyard. Sakura flowers floating on the surface of the pond as the light reflects the pond. A glint of koi fish swam around the pond. Justine sits down at a table. Carolyn walks out to the backyard with a bottle of water in her hand. She sits down at the table with Justine. She breathes.
"Justine. I have a confession to make." She spoke up, "I'm part of Michele's mafia. I'm a dangerous person to be around. Very dangerous. I don't think you should be around me just in case Michele is anywhere where I am."
Justine fell in silence. She looks at the sky as it turns into a lighter blue-orange as the sun is setting in the west.
"I kind of noticed that you were."
Carolyn's eyes widened.
"You noticed?" Carolyn said. "How?"
"Carolyn, after I saw you with Michele multiple times on the news and yesterday. I kind of didn't believe you would join her." Justine said. "In all honesty, I wouldn't think too much about it."
"But what about the murder in Tonopah, The Henderson massacre, Circus Circus, the Strat?! Justine, I'm a criminal accomplice to the mafia. I'm an underdonna of the mob! "
"Yeah sure, you're an accomplice to the mafia but still I wouldn't look at you differently."
"I don't think you understand.."
"I kind of do and don't, I'm denying everything you have done because I know it wasn't your fault."
"It is my fault."
"No... it isn't. I know that Michele is telling you what to do and you just do it out of impulse. Aren't you a Wrath Demon?" Justine asks.
"What... How did you know that?"
"Trust me, I do a lot of research on people in my spare time when I'm drawing or just looking up things."
"Oh."
"No personal information I got out of it if you're wondering?"
"Oh no! I get where you're coming from!" Carolyn said, chuckling. Justine laughs.
"Oh okay!" Justine continued. " But I have so many questions for you. Is it true that you killed Oscar?"
"Yes and no. It wasn't pretty."
"Why? What made you do it?"
"Well, Michele was suspecting that Oscar was getting suspicious about her 'plan'. She wanted me to kill Oscar. Now, I told her no but I was forced to kill him, if not she'll kill him herself and then kill me. So I 'attempted' to kill him by knocking him out with a bat , he survived and has short term memory loss."
"Man..."
"And then of course, Michele found out that I didn't kill him and shot him dead in the backyard and I sat there and watched in horror early in the fucking morning." Carolyn said, "Sorry for cursing."
"It's okay. I'm fine with it, I cuss like a sailor, but wow."
"Kids your age shouldn't be cursing like that but I'll allow it, It stays between us and Oscar, but yeah."
"Wow... Well, did Oscar come back to life? Well he IS alive but how did he come back to life without Michele knowing?"
"Oscar was still breathing before he was declared dead 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital. I told the doctors to revive him. I begged and pleaded for them to revive him back to life. They did afterwards but it took about a month and a week and a half to revive him."
"Ain't no way." Justine said, "At least the legend is back to life."
"Aww.. yeah" Carolyn said. "Michele has been doing this since I've been forced to join her mafia... I really want to get out of it. I can't even take it anymore. I mean, you saw what happened to Neil's son yesterday?"
"Yeah"
"There's more to the story as she continues to torture Las Vegas locals all for a plan to take over Nevada. Just to have control, have all the powers, and assassinate Sisolak."
"The Governor??"
"Hell yeah the governor."
"Wow... Is that the reason why she made the mafia?"
"Practically yes."
"Damn." Justine said, "I'm sorry Carolyn that you had to go through all of this."
"You don't have to say sorry, Justine. I'm going to find a way to get out and dismantle the mafia for good." Carolyn said. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this?"
"I promise. I won't tell anyone. Well, can I at least tell my friends? I think they want to help you get out of the mafia too."
"Sure as long as they don't tell anyone." Carolyn smiles. "Enough about that! I want to learn about you!"
"I don't know, I don't think you want to learn about me."
"Of course I do!"
Justine stays quiet. Carolyn smiles softly.
"I see you're not that kind of person to talk about your life and problems?"
Justine nods.
"I understand," Carolyn said. "I'm like that too. Private, reserved. Hell, it took a lot of confidence in me to talk about the mafia shit to Oscar. I'm assuming that goes like that with you and your friends and family?"
"Depends on the situation, yeah. I just don't mention it."
"Well I noticed that your eyes are a different color."
Justine covers her right eye.
"Oh yeah about that."
"Take your time." Carolyn said, smiling softly. Justine breathes, avoiding not crying in front of Carolyn.
"It's nothing... I accidentally burned myself with really hot water when I was being curious with the tea kettle one time."
Carolyn raises an eyebrow.
"Is that what really happened?"
"Yeah it really did happen." Justine nervously smiles.
"You're lying to me. What really happened?"
Justine hesitates to speak, she can feel the tears coming out of her eyes. She breathes again.
"Two weeks ago, Michele and My mom came back to the house that night. I was in my room, sleeping. Not only two minutes later, I hear a SLAM in the door. My mom was yelling at me to get the trash, not only was it three in the morning, I got irritated because I took out the trash before I went to bed. I saw the bag that I threw away back inside the house. I snatched the bag and threw it away outside again. When I came back and closed the door, Michele was in the hallway. Staring me down. Without hesitation, she grabbed me and started beating me so badly to the point where I started to bleed from my nose, started coughing up blood, and got cuts and bruises all over my body. To be honest, I'm surprised I haven't crippled myself getting up doing my morning routine. I can feel my bones still crunchy."
The tears came out of Justine's eyes. "She found out that I wanted to kill myself and she wanted to do it herself. She continued to beat me before I passed out. I looked at my mom and she just stared at me. Didn't do a damn thing. But Michele saw her with some tea she was drinking and told her to pour it on my face and she went with it and it burned like HELL."
Justine starts crying. Tears rolled down on Carolyn's face. Flashbacks of Michele hitting and abusing Carolyn started to play in her head. She gets up and hugs Justine. Justine hugs her back and continues to cry more.
"Justine..." Carolyn whispered. "Justine, I-I know how you feel...I'm so sorry that you had to go through that... I went through that with Michele so many times. But she brought in your mom?!"
"It's more than that, shit..." Justine said, breaking up the hug. "My mom encouraged her to beat me because she thinks I 'deserved' it. She said that it will help me toughen up for the real world. I just want to be a normal teenager!"
"You didn't deserve that, I think you're a good kid going through the trauma of what happened."
"The trauma goes on for 15 years now. But that's a different story."
"You're a strong young lady, Justine." Carolyn said. "Have you told anyone about what happened?"
"Just my friend, Cerena. That's about it."
"You didn't tell your dad yet?"
"No. Not yet."
"Oh well... when are you going to tell him?" Carolyn asks.
"Soon, I just don't have the courage to tell him yet."
"Well. take your time on telling him. When you have the confidence to tell him. Tell him. But don't wait because it's going to be too late because they'll find out without you noticing.."
"Okay."
Carolyn smiles, continuing to hug Justine. Oscar walks outside, he looks at Justine and Carolyn hugging each other. He walks up to them.
"Are you guys okay?" Oscar asks.
"We're alright. Justine and I had our talk and we both ended up crying."
"Is Justine okay? She's not taking it too well."
"She's not." Carolyn said, "Justine, you don't mind if I tell Oscar about what happened?"
"Sure.."
"Okay." Carolyn said. "So... two weeks ago, Michele and her mother came back when Justine was sleeping. When she woke up, her mom took the trash out of the trash can and told her to throw it away. She threw it away and then came back in and Michele just beat her to death almost."
Oscar's eyes widened. "Michele beat her?"
"And get this, her mom told her to pour really hot tea on her face."
"Hot tea?!" Oscar exclaims. "She needs to leave that house immediately!"
"I don't leave until next weekend. My dad is out of town for a meeting. I'll be fine staying over at my moms. She's not going to be at home until later on tonight." Justine said.
"Well at least stay somewhere else until your dad comes back. You can't stay with your mom after what happened."
"I wish I had met you guys two weeks ago because my black ass stayed with her afterwards."
"Justine, listen. If it happens again. You run back to our house and you can stay the night here if you like when your dad comes back. We just want to make sure you're safe."
"Nah. I don't want to be a burden."
"You're not a burden to us." Carolyn said.
"If something happens tonight, I'll run back here."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Trust."
"At least take down my phone number and Oscars, just in case."
"Okay"
Justine grabs her phone out and takes down Carolyn and Oscar's phone number. She saves it on her phone.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Justine. We just wanted to make sure you're safe."
"Thanks. To be honest, I hope you're safe yourself Carolyn. You too Oscar."
"Aww, thanks."
Justine smiles and whistles for Dixie. Dixie arrives in the backyard. Justine gets on the back of Dixie. Carolyn and Oscar look at the magical Bison.
"Oh my god she's huge... WAIT WAIT WAIT! Please don't step in the koi pond!" Oscar yelled.
Dixie looks at her back hoof. Justine looks at Dixie's hoof in the pond. Dixie lifts it out and lets out steam in front of Oscar, sadness in her face.
"Dixie says she is sorry." Justine said. Oscar smiles and chuckles. He pets Dixie, She chirps in happiness.
"Aww.. It's okay. Just don't do it again. My koi fish are small and fragile fish. I don't want them to die, that's all."
"She won't. In fact, She likes fish. TO LOOK AT. Not eating."
"Oh good, I got scared for a minute."
"Oh god, Oscar." Carolyn said, pushing him away playfully. Oscar chuckles. Justine laughs.
"I'm about to head out."
"Okay, let me open the gates for you to get out."
Carolyn walks over to the gate, opening it for Dixie and Justine. As Dixie walks out of the backyard, Carolyn and Oscar follow them out.
"Text me when you get home!" Carolyn yelled.
"I will!"
Dixie chirps and runs back to Justine's house. As they're running, Michele appears sitting on The Goodman's stone wall. She takes a picture of Dixie and Justine running down the street.
"Don't think I know you were here, Justine." Michele said, smirking. She goes on her phone and sends Josephine a text message. She sends her the photo of Justine and Dixie running down the street.
Check this out. I caught your daughter talking to one of the most dangerous criminals in Vegas. Michele text.
Josephine looks at her phone. Seeing the message and the picture. She sends a facepalm in the face emoji.
Where is she? She responds. And why is she over there in the first place?
Like I said, she was talking to Carolyn, my underboss. She always fucking up one thing that I tell her to do. But get this, Justine started fighting with me earlier and told me to get out the yard like she has some authority.
Wow. She probably told her about what happened two weeks ago.
Oh she did. I heard everything.
Say no more. I'll handle her tonight when I get back home. Josephine responded. Putting her phone away. Michele smirks, disappearing from the stone wall.