Hiraeth

viii

Switchfoot- Meant To Live

"My mom is excited to meet Helena," Carter looked over her shoulder as she iron pressed her dress. 

It had been so long since she put one of these on. They're not the same style as she used to wear but she likes it regardless. The shoes are going to be a hassle and getting her hair to stay the way she wants it to has been a burden. 

"I'm sure she is. Helena is a cute kid. She's been through a lot these past few weeks. Your mom has that thing," he scoffed. 

"What thing?" 

"That nice thing. That shit people have that makes others like them," he laughed. 

"Oh, that thing," Carter looked back at him with a glare. "What are you doing?" 

"Ironing," she said holding up her dress. 

"Is this a costume? Who are you supposed to be Wednesday Addams? Seriously, tell me what's happening," she sighed motioning him to sit down. 

"There's a new clique coming up," she started sitting in front of the vanity so she can begin to apply her makeup. "Jared said they call themselves the Winchester High Street. I looked it up and all that comes up is one name. A man named Charles Cooke. 

"Back in the eighties, Cooke was part of this biker gang named The Winchester Army. He was the vice president and his brother was the top dog. Somewhere along the way, they started having trouble over who should be in charge. To prevent a war they kicked Charlie out and sent him away. 

"A year later, all these murders started popping up in the New York Subways. Mexican kids, Asians, Blacks, anyone who wasn't white. They would set up these alters and they would sacrifice these kids in satanic rituals. Guess what it was named?" 

"Winchester High Street," he sighed. "You think it's the same guy?" 

"No. He was executed in Utah in ninety-six. However, he was married in ninety-two to a Marilynn Taylor. Shortly after she had a son. Charles Lee Cooke. Guess who just graduated from Missouri State?" 

"Charles Lee Cooke. How do you know he's the same guy?" she picked up her iPad from the floor and handed it to him. 

"I saw him this morning dressed like a fucking skinhead. The girl he was with invited me to this," she handed him a laminated flyer. 

It's black with a genuine satanic cross. The words Winchester High Street blasted in red with two colts decorating the sides. A time and place just below. He looked up at her and shook his head. 

Carter has a way of finding things that can get her hurt. She attracts danger like nothing he had ever seen before. It was what kept him at her side. The first time they had met she stood by as the Crips tried to rob him. She was wearing tight black jeans, a dark blue crop top that read Diamond Girl shaped by crystal rhinestones. Her hair was pulled back in a braid meant to make her hair look like she had a mohawk. But what kept his attention was the way the right side of her satin black lips pulled up in a smirk. 

She pulled the fishnets up her smooth legs clipping them to her black booty shorts before slipping the dress on. It barely covered her ass and when she turned around to look at him he swears he was back on the sidewalk looking up at the girl he had fallen in love with at seventeen. 

Carter smirked at the way he looked at her. Derrick couldn't fight the grin that crossed his features. The only thing that has changed is that she's taller now. Fuller in all the right places. But she's every bit of trouble she had been all those years ago. 

"Have something to say Seargent?" she asked. "Zip me up?" 

He got up just as she turned around. She's covered in tattoos now. One caught his attention on her right forearm. He pulled her arm to get a better look at it. It's an ace of diamonds. Under it both their initials and the date of the day they met when she first moved in. He looked up at her as she pulled away.