PAIN (Book 1)

F I V E

Euphemia

It's 4 in the morning and I'm up wondering if my mama is alive and if even remembers that she has a daughter out here with a evil bastard. I can't sleep at all. She's the only person that I've been thinking about beside Keith.

I sit up in bed because I hear Genesis rambling around downstairs, she's talking on the phone with someone and she sounds upset. I can't really make out the things that she's saying, the only word that I'm able to catch is hospital. Someone she knows must've been hurt.

Within a few minutes later she comes into my room, her eyes are red and puffy. "Euphemia I have to go to the hospital to check on Candace, Your stupid ass daddy beat her again" she says before leaving my room again. I felt bad for Candace, now I really see why she didn't want me to go down that neighborhood.

I get up to get dressed because I didn't want Genesis to go alone. I just thew on some pink sweats and another shirt that Genesis let me barrow until she takes me shopping. They were a little big but I was still able to fit them. I kept the slippers on then proceeded downstairs, Genesis was just about to leave too.

"I wanna go with you" I told her but she shakes her head no

"No Euphemia stay here just in case he's there"

"Please" I begged "I don't want you to go alone"

She headed out the door and I followed behind her, we had to take the bus to the hospital because her car is at the shop right now. It was fine with me I liked taking the bus, you meet a lot of strange yet different people. The only thing that I hate about taking the bus was that it smelled of piss and must almost all of the time. An hour later our stop had finally came which was right in front of the hospital. We rushed inside and went straight to the receptionist.

"I'm here to see Candace Langston" Genesis told her.

"Just sign these papers and I'll tell you what room she's in" I looked around and my eyes landed on Keith's friends. What are they doing here?

"C'mon Euphemia" Genesis said taking me out of my thoughts. I looked at her then back at Keith's friends. I told Genesis that I would be there shortly and to tell me what the room number was. I walked over to where they were sitting. I didn't know any of their names so I couldn't address them properly. Instead I just cleared my throat letting my presence be known. They all looked up at me and one of them looked pissed

"Um, where's Keith?" I asked

"like yo hoe ass don't fuckin' know." The one that was mean mugging me said. I grew a confused look on my face because I didn't have a clew as to what he was talking about.

"What?"

"Yo daddy shot him and had his little goon jump him in the alley. We just brought him here an hour ago"

I gasphed. I knew him being around me was nothing but trouble and I was now sure that it was Zach that was chasing them. I looked down at the floor not knowing what else to say. This was all my fault. I wish I never told him what haopened. I should have stayed home, none if this would be happening if it wasn't for me.

"Look, it ain't ya fault. You ain't know this was gonna happen" his other friend said he was wearing basketball shorts and a white wife beater.