Dragon

Chapter Ten

This wasn't the first time I smelt burning flesh, but I hoped it would be the last. The concrete outside of the shed had everyone around thinking it was a smoke shed, but it had never been used as one, the wood that we used inside made it like a kinder box inside. All we had to do later is spray it down with sulfuric acid and let that get all the blood out while what is left body gets buried by the lake three feet under a deer carcass.
I watch the prospects as they clean out the building, all the instruments are but in concentrated bleach to get the ash and soot off, another begins to spray the wall with the acid. I walk out, being the only one without a mask.
I see Mom and Dad walking down the path to the shed. I see Mom's face, see the pain she knows I am feeling deep inside. I take a deep breath, I murdered someone I fucking knew. She may have been a whore, but she gave me life. Mom walks straight to me, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. I wrap my arms around her and my face find my way to her neck, a few tears slip out.
I feel Dad pats my back then joins the hug. I haven't been hugged like this for a long time. Mom's vanilla cinnamon perfume reminds me of all the hugs She ever gave me. She would probably look at me different now. I killer the women that gave birth to me. She probably thinking that if I could do that what is stopping me from killing the woman that raised me.
I feel someone else join the hug. I look up and see that Maria had someway wiggled her way passed Dad and to my side. I unwrap an arm from Mom and pull Maria closer into our hug. I finally pull away from Mom a few minutes later, pressing my lips to her cheek, " Thank, Mom I just want to."
"I know what you are going to say, Ro." Mom wipes away the few tears that escaped, " I am not afraid of you. You did what you had to do to protect the family. I know you are hurting, an that makes me hurt. I love you, Sweetheart, the same as when the first time you called me Momma, and I'll love you no matter what to my dying day. Now go put Maria to bed, then I want you in the kitchen to help me and your Grandma."
I hug her tight one last time before pulling Maria away from the small group and to the house. Dad would take charge of the clean-up.
I let Maria go up the stairs first, she ate and was probably ready for another nap. If I was lucky she will not he tired tonight and we can do more then cuddle tonight.
I watch Maria push open the bedroom door and freeze, as do I. My heart freezes at the sight, a gun pointed at Maria's her stomach. A man about five foot nine and a shaved head stands in front of me. I never seen him at club meetings, or he wasn't part of any rival clubs. The bottom up shirt and slacks gave me the impression he wasn't a biker.
He looks at me, " Move the fuck away from the door an tell me where Jessica is?"
It dawns on me then as I step back until I am two doors back from my bedroom. This is the man that helped set the cabin ablaze. This must have been the man that Jessica made believe she loved. She had a way with making men obsessed with her. She promised them the world with just a few favors. The look in his eyes made me sure that if I told him what really happened Maria would be dead seconds later.
I glance around and try to stall until help could get here, but I knew no one would bother us right now. Maria takes a step back towards me, but freezes as he lifts the gun to the center if her head.
"Where the fuck is Jessica. I tracked her phone to here, until the signal went dead about thirty minutes ago. Now answer me or this bitch is dead."
I take a deep breath and stand up straight, "She stopped by here about an hour ago, asked for some money. I gave her what I got an she left. She probably let her phone die." I say with as much confidence I could muster.
I see a shadow flash under the door beside me room, I freeze and pray that they don't open the door. Then a finger comes in an out if my view from under the door. I watch out of my peripheral vision, realizing quickly that it was moving with morse code. I made a note to thank Dad later for forcing me to participate in the boys scouts when I was ten to the age of thirteen.
The finger repeated the same thing two times, "Distract Him"
The guy moves his feet wider apart, " I want a answer to where she is in ten seconds or she fucking dies. Jessica would have told you where she was going, just in case she got into a pickle. She said she could come to you for anything and you would give it to her. Now where is she?" His eyes look dead.
I lick my lips, " She wrote it down, it's on my desk. I can't remember what it was." He grabs Maria's arm, pulling her against his body and pressing the barrel of the gun to her temple.
  I watch as he pulls Maria into the room with him, until the both disappear behind the door. I take a step towards the door, when the one before me creaks open. Uncle Mark slithers out the small opening of the door. He points to the spot I had just been standing at, silently telling me to move back.
  I take a step back as Uncle Mark silently shuts the door behind him, " Where the fuck on this desk is the fucking address Roman?" The guy bellows.
  I freeze as Uncle Mark quickly walks to beside the door of my bedroom, plastering himself to the wall. He motions me to talk, pointing to his pocket. "I might have stuck it into my pocket by accident." I speak loudly.
  "Well fuckin give it to me or this little whore gets a new hole. Are you sure the kids even yours?" He comes into sight, pushing Maria in front of him. I keep my eyes on him, not wanting to give Uncle Mark away.
  As soon as Maria passes the threshold Uncle Mark pushes her to the side and come face to face with the guy, Uncle Mark tackling him, before he is rolled over onto the floor. I move towards them when the bang of the gun echos through the house, both bodies still.