Influenced

Chapter 9 -- Mohammad Knows Better

Mrs. Costas put her hands in the air and screamed. The other woman leapt towards her and she turned to run, her short legs working overtime as the red headed woman reached out to trip her.

Jenner tried to yell out again, this time for the safety of his mother, but the sound was muffled by the tape. The knife in Mrs. Costas' hand flew free as she fell to the floor and the red head climbed on top of her, a crudely carved wooden stake gripped tightly in her hands. Jenner kicked his legs, knocking over the bucket he was standing in, and with another swift kick of his heavy boot the bucket flew threw the air and hit the woman in the head, sending her falling to the floor. Mrs. Costas took advantage of the distraction to try to climb to her feet, but the other woman reached out and pulled her back.

Jenner worked his jaw furiously, trying to force the tape free of his face as he screamed into it. As his mother was punched in the face, he swung his legs in the air and pulled at his restraints in an attempt to be free.

"Stop!" Jenner finally managed to say as a corner of the duct tape peeled free, "Don't hurt her, please!"

"Why the hell not? Obviously she's a fucking vampire!" The woman said as she punched Mrs. Costas again.

"What? She's not a vampire, she's my mother!" Jenner's voice was growing more clear as the tape peeled away.

"She was your mother man," the woman said, then gestured toward the blood staining his stomach and the leather tying his wrists, "She clearly isn't anymore!" She punched Mrs. Costas again, her face was bleeding and her eyes swollen as she seemed to lose consciousness.

"Look, I don't know who the fuck you are but if you keep hurting my mother I swear to God I'll fucking hunt you down and slit your pathetic throat myself you freaky ginger bitch!"

Satisfied that the target of her aggression wouldn't be escaping anytime soon, the woman stood up to examine Jenner, bloody fists on her hips and anger in her eyes. "Do you honestly think you're in any position to fucking threaten me? You're tied up and bloody, not to mention I'm saving your useless skinny ass from a blood sucking vamp!"

"I'm telling you she's not a vampire! She's my mother and I won't let you hurt her."

"Hurt her? Buddy, I'm gunna kill her!"

"No!" Jenner screamed as the woman bent over to pick up her stake again, "Leave her alone! We'll tie her up or something, interrogate her, just don't kill my mother!" Jenner was crying now, he could feel the leather loosening as he tugged against it, he looked up and noticed the spot where the strap was anchored into the ceiling was cracking. He tugged harder, feeling the strength return to his arms and with a cloud of dust the drywall came loose; he leapt for his mother's knife, hands still tied, and brandished it in the woman's direction.

"Fuck man, what's your deal?"

"What's my deal? What the fuck is your deal lady? You break through my window and attack my mother, you accuse her of being a vampire!"

"Buddy, have you noticed that your hands are tied and you 'mother' is about to bleed you dry? I know it's hard to believe but she's a fucking vampire!"

Jenner took a deep breath, he looked down at his bloody, unconscious mother and pushed back tears. He could still taste his 'drippy sammie,' he was surrounded by things that reminded him of how much he was loved, how could he accept that the woman who brought him into the world now wanted him dead? There must be another explanation.

"I'm going to tie her up, when she recovers from your beating!" He emphasized the word and glared at the woman. "I'll figure this shit out."

"You must have a death wish," the woman said.