It was 2 a.m.

I couldn’t sleep again. Every time I closed my eyes I saw my Momma’s shop bathed in blood and seeing her purse on the counter and her slippers on the floor. I sipped on the one beer I allowed myself a day now. I couldn’t allow it to become a weakness. Momma hated drunks and weak willed people. I couldn’t disappoint her. Not now.

I sat in the living room playing a game of solitaire on my mother’s coffee table. I just needed time. Time to think and time wait for this shit to get easier to deal with.

“Hey what the hell you doing?” Ace said.

I looked up and smiled at him. I noticed the female next to him but ignored her as I came to my feet. “Waiting for you. I couldn’t sleep. Diamond and Joe are upstairs sleeping in their old rooms.” I said.

Ace walked over and took me in a hug. I started crying then. “You made it.”

“I’m here. I’m here.” He said and then pulled away looked at my face and wiped a hand down my face to wipe my tears away. “Stacy. Baby could you go get my brother something to eat and give us a minute.”

“Okay.” Stacy said and walked away.

Ace stared at me. “What’s fucking with you?”

“I saw what they did to her at the shop. Joe was with some shortie and missed picking Momma up. She called me down to walk her home. I got to the shop and the door was open. I the place was painted in blood-“

“Holy shit.”

I turned to see both Diamond and Joe in the room pale face. Ace blocked them from my vision. “Go on.”

“It was to much.. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.. What they did to her. It wasn’t real it couldn’t be real.. But it was what it was. I lost it and screamed loud enough to woke up the whole damn neighborhood came then and they luckily kept me from going inside.. Somebody called the city guards and mage medics. I came back around when Joe came around and gave the guards my statement. I’ve kept it together barely but your here. We’re all together again. It’s going to be alright.”

Ace stared at me and nodded. “We’re all here. We’re all in this together.” He said.

We gathered around each other. I finally could relax enough to close my eyes and not see it.

Warm regards

Guardiandogg