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Soft singing came from the old warehouse. The preacher,
Watkins, was guiding a packed house of mostly street kids in an angelic
chorus. Sue lay in bed exhausted but smiling. That old boy sure knew how
to show love.
As the last song died, she held Benny close.
“Please, baby. You said you would. We done shared a meal, a
fire, and blood, though we ain’t done that,
yet.”
Terror sweat rolling down his face, Benny’s head tipped in
a stiff nod.
There was a shout of horror and a snarl. Anna’s soothing
voice called to Carl/shongili.
“Be a while afore that curse wears off,” Ama noted. “He
ain’t going to soften any time soon.”
“Huh?” Benny glanced at Ama. “Nah, that’s just how
Carl is.” A snarling animal shoved into the tiny bedroom. "A real
dog.” He gave Carl a smirk.
Carl/shongili sniffed at Benny’s leg and grinned.
“You take a leak on me, and I’ll make sure it hurts so
much you're impotent for three days, got it?” Benny stomped a foot on the
boards and one cracked. Carl/shongili snorted a laugh.
Followed by worried but smiling Anna, Sue’s preacher came
into the room. He held a small black Bible in one hand. Eyeing the shongili, he cleared his throat.
A small wooden vial came from Watkin’s coat.
“God bless all in this house.”
“Ni:io.”
He glanced down at Carl/shongili, so Carl repeated it.
“Knee-oh.”
“Uh, Amen.” The preacher opened the Bible. “Beloved, I am
here to join these two in holy matrimony. If any here want to protest this
union, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
He glanced at the animal. It was smiling. At least, he hoped it
was smiling.
Seated on high behind his bench in the courthouse, Judge Baron
Harrison doubled over and screamed in hate.
Henri sat up and shivered as ice clutched at his heart.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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