Hell-Borne

Streetlights

Lyric storms down the sidewalk alone. She knew her way around the stores, and she had some cash left in her bra. She crossed her arms. Angry tears rolled down her cheeks. She knits her eyebrows as she closed her eyes.

"Fuck you Williams." Lyric growls. That became a common word for her now.

He didn't care.

I'm a fool to think Ace would actually fucking care.

She kicked the can, then shoved her hands in her pockets. Someone chuckles behind her.

"Back away." Lyric warned.

"Sunshine!" Keith grins, walking in front of her, he grinned.

"I couldn't help but stare at that ass you got." He says, Lyric continues to glare at him.

"No? Usually girls would be clawing at my pants now." Keith says.

"I have so say, I would pay to fix you up." Keith says.

"Leave me alone or I will kick you." Lyric warns.

"Honey, you can't be like that, you know your little crush isn't coming, and your mother has never came in the picture. I know everything, now if you would. Come with me." Keith says.

"No." Lyric protests.

"No? This is so rich!" Keith laughs.

"I'm serious, I don't know what happened to Ace and his lover. But I'm tired. I don't want any drama." Lyric confesses.

"Adessa? His little girlfriend? A sexy bitch." Keith mumbles.

"I don't care, I'm not Ace's girlfriend." Lyric says.

"My boy said that you were. Lie again." He says.

"We're wasting time." The man behind her said. Lyric shoves him, then she runs down the sidewalk.

Running away was like a relief, she imagined running away but now it's for real.

She hides behind the dumpster, a high man laid there smiling at her.

Police. Someone please find me.

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Ace calls his friend Gabe.

"Hey baby! What can I do with your sweet ass?" He asks.

"No jokes asswhole. Have you seen a girl named Lyric Reid?" Ace asks.

I'll drive all night until I find her.

"Reid?" Gabe asks.

"Yellow-ish skin, long black hair, brown eyes." Ace said.

"No....what happened?" Gabe asks.

"She ran off somewhere." Ace said.

"I saw her running down the sidewalk, she looked scared." Gabe said.

"Gabe you don't get it. It's Keith's place, if they find her..."

"Say no more, I have the guns ready." Gabe says.

"No. Lyric will freak the fuck out, and we can't get too involved with her. She's headstrong."

"Your Dad is on bad terms with Keith's. We weren't going to kill him." Gabe says.

"Fuck it-I'm finding her myself." Ace says hanging up.

Dammit Lyric.

Ace steers down the street, to see a man high out of his mind.
-----------------------------------

Lyric kept her hand over her mouth, some car headlights flashed.

"You can't hide out here forever Lyric!" Ace yelled.

"I'll have all night." Ace adds. "And the road behind you is closed."

Lyric stands up, Ace walks over to her, she glared at him.

"I'd rather die than get in that car with you." Lyric growls.

"Look, if it means I'm dragging you to my car kicking and screaming-so be it." Ace says. Lyric gets her fists ready.

"I'm not going down without a fight." Lyric said. Ace rolled his eyes, picking her up and carrying her over his shoulder, she fought back, pounding her fists as hard as she can into his back, his hands sloppily on her butt.

He puts her down.

"Take me home." Lyric says sourly.

"But-"

"Take me home Ace. Before I destroy the one thing you love." Lyric warns.

"And that is?" Ace asks.

Lyric looks down, Ace rolled his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure you'd destroy it." Ace says, looking down at his pants.

"Take me home Goddammit." Lyric growls.

"Fine." Ace said, he drove her home as promised, Lyric stayed silent.

Lyric's stomach growls.

"You're hungry." Ace said.

"No shit." Lyric says.

"You need to eat something-"

"I'll be fine. Remember the deal? We're strangers now." Lyric said.

"Fine then, you're so fucking stubborn. Put away your pride for once."

"I'm going to eat when I get home." Lyric said.

"Fine." Ace said. The ride becomes silent again. Lyric watches as Ace pulls into her apartment, she hops out hastily before he came to an official stop.

"You're so pissed, that you're willing to jump out of a moving car?"

"Ace....if I was pissed, you'd be on the ground and I'll be the scariest woman you'll ever see." Lyric said walking to her door.

"Thanks for everything though." Lyric said.

"I'll be pissed if you didn't eat something." Ace said, Lyric grabs the key from under the doormat, she sees her mother laid out on the ground, half naked but with a syringe on the floor. Lyric shook her head.

She steps over her, walking into Leo's small room, he had his tablet in his hands.

"Hey Leo." Lyric says, he drops his tablet, hugging her.

"I missed you." He said, his voice muffled in her stomach, she ruffles his hair.

"Same here buddy." Lyric says.

"How much money did you make today?" He asks.

"I'm on it Leo, did you lock the door while...." She asks.

"Yeah." Leo says, she nods.

"Well once I get the money, I'm finding us a better place." Lyric promises.

"That sounds good." Leo said softly in her ear.

"Go to sleep, we have school tomorrow." Lyric said, kissing his forehead and tucking him in.

She walks back out only to get tackled by her mother. She crawls away.

"Yo triflin ass!!" She roared in her ear, before Lyric could crawl away, she feels a violent sting in her back. Lyric tries to push her off but Diane scratches her in the shoulder. Lyric gasps in pain.

Her mother screams, slapping her violently in the cheek.

Lyric gets up, then she runs into her room, slamming the door into her room. Hoping her mother's anger would be directed towards her, fortunately....it is.

Diane throws her weight on the door. Lyric takes a deep breath, going to sleep in the middle of the linty floor.