Tears of an Angel Ch 6

We sped through Hawley at an amazing rate. I felt Janie squeeze my waist tightly, as if scared. I felt my hair whipping around my face and neck as I slowly twisted the accelerator. I urged the bike to go faster. Eager to get home and make sure that everything was all right, I pushed the speed on my Ducati to exceed the speed limit of 65 miles per hour. The houses, trailers, trees, and people rushed past in a blur of color. My mind was racing almost as fast as my bike. I dared John to lay a hand on Janie.... Or my mother.1

We slowed to a stop in the driveway to my house. John was sitting in the porch swing, flipping a silver butterfly-knife. He watched us as we dismounted the bike. I told Janie to stay with the bike until I came back to her. I walked down the cement walkway to the porch and climbed the steps to come within John's reach.2

"What are you doing with that butterfly?" I asked nervously.3

"Nothing," John replied lightly, "just a trinket i picked up for no reason but just to have one."4

"Right...." I said. "I don't care what you said to my mother. And I don't care what kind of sugary words you try to sell to me. I still don't trust you, so you had better keep that knife away from Janie, my mother, and me."5

"Right bossy aren't you, boy?" John said arrogantly.6

"Do not call me 'boy'." I said angrily. "I am not scared of you, John. Knife or not."7

I glared at him as I turned to walk away to get Janie and introduce her. I walked back to the bike where Janie was waiting patiently. 8

"Is everything all right?" she asked concerned.9

"Everything is in order and should be just fine." I said almost doubting my own words.10

I took her hand in mine and slowly led her to the front porch steps. John stood at the top of them and looked down at us.11

"Janie, this is my stepfather, John." I said reluctantly and not looking at him. "John, this is Janie." 12

I led Janie up the steps, taking care to make sure that she could make it. We walked past John, who was still flipping his knife. I opened the door and pulled Janie inside by the hand. Looking around, I didn't see my mother. I turned around to see John standing in the doorway. I shot him an evil look and led Janie to the stairs that would take us to the second-floor hallway. When we got to the top, she gasped and almost collapsed.13

"What's wrong!" I asked urgently as I scooped her up into my arms and continued to walk toward my door.14

"I don't know...." she said. "My knee just gave out and wouldn't carry me anymore."15

I kissed her lightly on her forehead and continued down the hallway. When we reached my door, I gently pushed it open and carried Janie to my bed and laid her down gently.16

"I will be back in a minute." I said to her as I walked back to the door to exit the room. "I have to have a word with John."17

I walked down the hall to the stairs and took them two at the time to the bottom. John was still standing in the doorway, flipping his knife.18

"Where is my mother?" I asked as politely as I could manage.19

"She went out with friends." John replied lightly. "You and your little girlfriend better do what I say, when I say it. Got it, runt?" 20

"I'm not doing a damn thing for you, you sadistic bastard." I said back cruelly, "and neither is Janie. And if you come near me with that knife, you had better kill me."21

"Don't worry, your mother will be back soon." John said and smiled as he slithered back out the door. 22

I walked back up to my room where Janie was waiting for me. As I entered my room, I noticed that Janie was not on the bed where I laid her. In fact, she wasn't in the room at all. I heard her whisper my name from behind me.23

"Where were you?" I asked.24

"I had to go to the bathroom." she replied. "You worry too much for a boy."25

"I'm sorry that I care." I said jokingly. 26

I laid down in the bed next to her and she laid her head on my chest. It felt so perfect to have her in my arms. To know that I finally had someone that actually loves me. I could feel her heartbeat against my side. I concentrated on that slow, steady rhythm for what seemed like hours. Slowly, contently, I drifted off into much needed sleep.27

I dreamed about several things. Things that would scare a normal person. But I'm not normal am I? I dreamed first of being in a blood-soaked hallway, filled with re-animated corpses. Second, I dreamed that I was flying through the sky. I had a happy feeling. The feeling that I could do anything. Then I saw Janie and saw that she couldn't fly. I landed lightly by her and saw that she was crying. When I asked why, she pointed to my wings. In my dream I thought for a moment and then closed my eyes and concentrated. When I opened them again, my wings were on Janie's back. She looked up and saw that they were now hers. She jumped up and hugged me and I felt warm liquid on my back. When we parted, I saw blood on her wrists and then the sky turned black. Janie fluttered her wings and flew away, blood dripping from her arm. The sky got darker and darker, until BANG!28

I woke with a start. Janie was still laying next to me, sleeping soundly. I looked out of my window to see a star-filled night with a full moon. I always felt like the full moon gave me a sort of animalistic desire. A lust for blood. I lay back next to Janie and closed my eyes, afraid of what could happen. John with a knife, and my mother in her fragile state. I was scared. What if I couldn't protect them both? 29

I thought about all of these things. And all of them seemed small compared to what had already happened. I had fallen in love. I had fought my abusive stepfather. I had rescued an angel. And found something to live for other than myself. I had to live.30

"Get up, runt!" I heard John growl at me.31

I opened my eyes and looked around. "What, John? What do you want?" I asked rudely. 32

"Just get up or I'll hit you." John said back, threateningly. "Get up and come with me."33

Reluctantly, I got up. I glanced back at Janie to see that she was still sleeping soundly. I glared at John for waking me up and followed him out into the hallway. John turned and glared at me, then continued without a word toward the stairs. He walked down the stairs and out through the front door, beckoning me to follow him. I walked cautiously through the door and into the yard to see two of John's friends standing on the front porch. One of them was muscular and tall, the other was rather short and stocky. 34

"This the runt, John?" the tall one asked.35

"Yeah. That's him."36

"Scrawny, ain't he?" the short one chuckled.37

"What do you three want with me?" I shot at them.38

The short one walked to me and hit me in the ribs. "Speak only when spoken to." he growled roughly as the other two laughed quietly.39

I looked up at the one that hit me evilly. Pulling myself upright, I leaned against the door frame for support. 40

"Said I wasn't going to hit you anymore, didn't I?" John barked cruelly. "So I'm not. Instead, they are." He gestured toward the tallest of the two, "Meet Brock," then the shorter, "and Jack."41

I looked them up and down, then returned my gaze back to John. 42

"You see, runt, these two are going to be keeping an eye on you and your whore."43

"Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth." I growled threateningly.44

Brock hit me again. This was just too much. I erupted. I hit Brock back, breaking his nose. Jack rushed me and took me to the ground. I fought back and flailed violently. I hit him in the throat and then in the mouth, knocking out his breath and three teeth. Then I went for John. In my rampage, I threw my fists, not caring what or who I hit. I landed 4 solid hits on John when I felt something hot on my arms and chest. I began to feel dizzy and light-headed. I heard John cackling evilly, then I blacked out. 45

I woke up alone in my mother's room. I looked around to see that the windows and doors were nailed shut. I called out for Janie, but to no avail. When I tried to move, it felt like I was being held in place by razor wire. I looked down to see that I was slashed across my stomach and chest and across my arms. Blood soaked, and in pain, I lay there. Thinking about what John's plan could possibly be. All I knew was that I had to find a way out and a way to rescue Janie. I had to do something before it was too late. It seemed like it was already too late to save my mother; I hadn't seen her in two days. All I could do for the moment was lay there and hope. Hope that I would be able to keep Janie safe and to make John and his bastard friends pay.