House Of Zinc: Healing

Act Two

The stench of smoke and metal filled the air, the sky was dark, and it was stormy, screams of anguish and cries of guilt were carried into the night sky. "What have you done?" A woman's voice cried out. "You must be punished." The same voice cried out. A boy no older than seven, lay on the ground as he watched a house engulfed in flames, he was not sad, nor scared, but he felt enlightened, enthralled by the pretty flames he could not focus on the woman's voice. A man's voice came through the darkness. "Anyone else, in the house madam?" He spoke. The woman could barely form a sentence. "My Jazzy! She's gone, too late." She managed to say. "God will punish you, for what you have done, Merci Vu!" The woman yelled. "Merci Vu." A gentler voice called out to the boy. "Merci Vu? You alright?" The voice asked.

The scene changed to a young man staring at himself in the mirror, he was wearing an apron around his waist, a long white button up shirt, and black pants. He turned and smiled as his mother stepped closer to him. "Merci, are you ok? If you keep staring at yourself like that, you'll be late for work." She said. Merci nodded. "I'm okay." He said grabbing his bag. His mom smiled but her eyes were filled with something, a hint of hate, Merci knew why, and what he did. He walked towards the door, his mother stopped him, fixing his collar and buttoning up the very first button. "Have a good day." She said easily but her words sounded forced. Merci pulled away. "You too mom." He said blankly. He walked downstairs and out the front door. He reached his car and got in. Don't cry. Don't scream. Don't rage, breathe. He drove to his work. It was an old building that sold Greek cuisine. He made good money there, he was saving up to move out of his mom's house. He entered the building it was busy, not unusual for a Saturday afternoon, this was a popular spot downtown. Merci got right to work, he went from table to table taking orders. By night he felt exhausted but he didn't want to go home where he would see his mother's disappointment. He got into his car after clocking out and drove to a bar nearby. He sat at the bar drinking shot after shot, when he began to feel sick, his skin felt hot and his vision got fuzzy. He needed some air. He stood up and stumbled towards the door leading to the alley when bumped against someone. "Watch it bro." The figure said. "Sorry, but please get out my way." Merci managed to say. The figure laughed. "Ya'll heard that? This lil drunk bitch wants me out HIS way, you bumped into me dwarf." The figure said. There was laughter around him. Merci gripped his stomach. "Ugh." He said before pushing the figure out his way and continuing towards the door, he bumped into a tall figure, it was Kyanite, they both stood there, Kyanite was about to express her anger when her skin began to feel as though it was on fire, a shock between Merci's shoulder and her arm where they bumped ran through their bodies. Merci just thought it was from the alcohol, but Kyanite felt weird, she had never experienced this before, just as she was about to question it an image ran through her head, it was hazy, but she could tell it was this human she had just bumped into, they were together, undressing each other, their naked bodies looked as if they were melting into each other, they kissed hungrily. The images vanished quickly. Sylvia had her hand on Kyanite's back. "My lady?" She spoke. Kyanite looked at her. "I'm fine." She whispered. Merci winced and pushed pass Kyanite, running out the door and puking onto the street.

The door flew open after him. "Hey man." The figure had followed him outside. "That shit wasn't cool; we got an issue?" The figure said. Merci turned towards the figure. "I feel a little better." Merci said. "Man, I ain't come out here to ask if you're alright, you embarrassed me in front of my girl and my homies, you need a lesson taught to you bro." The figure said. Merci laughed. "Your mom leaves you home alone as a child with your infant sister who's hungry, so you try to make something and set the house on fire and suddenly, you're the devil, ok teach me a lesson." Merci slurred the words out, but he was harsh in saying it. "Man, what are you on about?" The figure walked up to Merci and yanked his shirt. The figure pulled out a pocketknife and pressed it against Merci's stomach. "I'm not fooling around." The figure said. The door swung open, and Kyanite and Sylvia walked out. "Get out of here, before it gets ugly ladies." The figure said. Kyanite walked over to the figure. "No, I think it's you who should leave." She said sternly. The guy turned towards her and tried to slice at her, Kyanite jumped back and grabbed his arm, pulling it behind his back and breaking his shoulder. The guy yelled. "Bitch!" He ran at her but Sylvia grabbed the back of his hair and through him to the ground. She pulled out her dagger and stabbed him in the heart. Merci turned and threw up again, his heart racing. He fell to the ground looking at Kyanite and Sylvia before fainting.