Abreaction- Sequel to "Like A Skyscraper"

Love thy neighbor

"-I pray the Lawd my soul ta keep. May ang'ls watch me through th' night, 'n keep me in th'r bless'd sight. A-men"

I sat on my bed, waiting for that little girl to get up off the floor. I never really believed in that sort of thing, but tonight I hope those angels really do watch over her. I hope I can get away quietly so she doesn't know

"Jane-y?"

I look over to the little girl. Her name's Mary, she's new, only been here for two weeks and she's already decided to attach herself to my hip. But I don't blame her. She's newly been orphaned. I can tell she's confused, but her faith keeps her innocent to their deaths

"Jane-y?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don'tcha pray?" She asked me as if it was like not brushing your teeth

I shrugged, knowing no matter what I said it wouldn't be a good enough answer. I decided for once I'd be blunt "Don't want to"

"Don'tcha wanna talk ta' Jesus?"

"Not much of a chatterbox"

Her pickle-colored eyes narrowed "Don't need a blabbermouth t' talk ta Jesus"

I shrugged again "I just don't have anything to say to him"

"I ain't neva seen ya pray Jane-y. 'Least pray w'th me t'night. Please?"

I sighed, slithering off the bed and getting on the wooden floor next to her "What do you want me to say?"

"Ask Jesus t' watch over ya. Ask him t' protect ya from that nasty ole Devil"

"Alright" I replied, only doing it to please her "Jesus protect me, Amen"

"No no, yer doin' it all wrong!" She spat

"Well how about this, you say the words and I'll pray with you?" I said quickly to quiet her

She nodded, putting her interlaced fingers up on the covers and resting her forehead against the corner of the bed "Lawd we ask ya t' look over Jane-y t'night. Watch ov'r her as she trav'ls"

I looked at her in surprise, but she kept going

"Don't know why she's runnin'. Maybe she's lookin' fer 'er folks. Nice t' be with yer own folks. Help 'er find 'em please. 'N make sure she don't run into no troubl' please. I can tell she already got some troubl' inside her. Dunno what, but help 'er avoid 'em demons. Help 'er finds what she needs. A-men"

There was a pause and I muttered "amen" She hid her emotions so well. Mary was aware, oh she was aware, but hid everything behind a veil of innocence. Her ignorance was just a mask that even fooled me

There was more silence, the cicadas outside chirping like hell "Mary-"

"Just git on goin'" She interrupted, standing up and brushing the nonexistent dirt off her overalls "Ma's out visiting' 'n Pa's at a church meetin'. Ya gotta go 'fore they come back. Now go on, git"

I pulled out my bag from underneath my bed and stood up "Mary, how'd you know?"

"You's been as jumpy as a jackrabbit lately. You's a-checkin yer bag. You's cooped up here all day. I dunno why ya wanna leave, but I figure ya wanna see yer folks again. I don't want'cha t' go, but Jesus says t' help trav'lers, so Imma do that"

Suddenly I heard gravel crackling in the distance.

I raced towards the window and saw her father's blue pickup coming towards the house. I also noticed the sun quickly dipping down behind the trees. "I gotta go now Mary" I turn back to her and hoisted my bag in between my arms "If he asks where I am, just pretend you don't know okay? Pretend you were taking a nap or something"

"But that's lyin'"

"Please" I crouched down to her level "Do this for me" I hugged her and whispered "Thank you for understanding"

I went downstairs, careful not to be noisy but trying to stay quick. Heading towards the back I opened the squeaky screen door as slowly as possible, turning and doing the same for closing it

I cursed the nearly flat landscape surrounding the area, hoping that if I could behind some of those trees in the distance I'd be fine

"Jane!"

I turned and saw the father getting out of his car

He started running towards me so I raced off towards the trees. Suddenly I heard gravel crunching and a car starting up

I picked up the pace, slipping the other arm through my backpack strap so that it'd be easier to run

I dared a look behind me and saw the blue pickup truck coming close

Eyes forward. Aim for the trees. Eyes forward. Aim for the trees

"Jane!"

I'm almost there! I'm nearly there!

Suddenly that blue pickup truck screeched ahead of me and pulls onto it's side to stop me

I tried to stop but I built up too much momentum. I threw my feet out in front of me to stop myself but I ended up rolling in the dust

"Dammit Jane! We treat ya right and ya try t' run" The father, Joad I think, yells at me. He grabs my arm and tries picking me up

I could feel how upset he was at me. His disappointment burned from his hands into my wrist that he held with force.

I thrashed against his grip, trying to get away as the sun died "Let me go!"

"I want answers. Why'd ya run Jane?"

"Let me go! Just go back home!" I pleaded, feeling the moon's cool rays hit the side of my face

"Why'd ya run Jane?! Wha'd we do so bad?"

"Go away!" I cried, knowing it was already too late "Shit!"

Everything went black, then everything went to a sickly yellow. I saw Joad's face, then I slashed at it. I don't know why, but anger overcame me. I hated him. Why couldn't he just LISTEN!? I slashed and slashed till there was no more Joad. I prowled around, looking for more things to kill. I noticed a rabbit in the distance. I chased it towards a pack of trees, but the kill wasn't satisfying. A pack of coyotes caught my attention. They put up a good fight. It was satisfying.

I was getting tired, so I stalked the small forest for anything. I heard a young voice in the distance, and went towards it. I saw a house. I saw a light up in the second floor of the wooden home. The barriers were simple, the little girl's shrill cries quickly ended. She cried out for someone, but it was useless. I stalked around the shack, killing the animals as well. Another pickup appeared, and her cries for mercy didn't save her

There was nothing else to kill, and my bones grew tired. I found a tree and curled myself under and rested my eyes

~

I raced towards the blue pickup, hoping that nobody noticed the carnage. The images from last night flashed in my eyes like a bad horror movie.

I threw my backpack into the passenger's seat, wondering why I didn't leave the night before. Jumping in the drivers seat Mary's screams echoed in my ears, my hands shaking as I started up the car. I drove off the land, from the dirt to the road, and hoped that I would have enough time to get out of here. I thought about Mary again, and how she prayed about those angels protecting her

She was too good to me