Honey Stone

Three Angry Men

'What the fuck are you doing here?' Danny bellowed at her as she walked through the door.

'I got sent home early.' Honey mumbled as she tried to make her way to her room.

'The fuck you did!' Danny hissed as he stumbled drunkenly after her 'Why?'

'I had an accident at school.' she answered as she tried to shut the door to her room in his face but he shoved his way in.

'Accident? Are you pregnant? ANGELA!' he bellowed again, summoning her mother who staggered from the bathroom. 'This bitch has gone and got herself knocked up.'

'You've done what?' Angela shrieked and launched herself at her daughter. A stinging slap landed across her daughters shocked face. But then came another and another as Honey fell back on her bed under the force of the mothers attack.

'STOP! MOM STOP!' Honey cried and her mother kept raining blows down on her, teeth bared and eyes wild. 'I'm not pregnant.'

Angela, breathing hard, stopped dead and leaned back onto her haunches. 'Why does Danny think you are? Have you been fucking my man?'

Honey was aghast but Danny smiled showing a distinct lack of teeth. What was it with these two and jumping to wild conclusions? 'ANSWER ME!' Angela screeched and Honey skittered away from her unhinged mother.

'Course not Mom. I haven't ever, not with anyone.' Honey rushed out. Her mother nodded in satisfaction and started to walk unsteadily away in search of more drink no doubt. Danny remained though. His grin twisted and his gaze raked her up and down as he licked his dry cracked lips.

'Maybe, you and me can get together sometime. I'll show you the ropes and who knows, you might even be able to make me some money.' he sneered at her as he made to step further into her room.

'The fuck I will.' she snapped and launched herself forward and pushed him back out of her room. She turned the lock and looked around breathing heavily. A heavy pounding on the door had her jumping out of her skin. He was raging outside the door and Honey was terrified of what he would do. She turned and knew her only escape from him was out the window.

She forced the window open and it creaked in its rotten frame. She prayed it would open a touch wider and just as her door began to give way, the glass shifted and she was half through the gap before Danny broke through. He was wild with fury and frustration as Honey slammed to the ground and pushed herself up and running.

There was no-where to run. The town was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by desert and rock. Danny would chase her and catch her. She forced herself to keep her legs pumping, jumping fences to cut through yards.

Suddenly she was caught by a pair of strong arms that stopped her in her tracks. Honey screamed and bucked as she fought to break free of the hold and her auburn hair tangled across her face blocking her view.

'Quit fighting me girl.' A hard voice commanded. Honey stopped, it wasn't Danny and the voice was vaguely familiar. 'Take a breath, girl and tell me whats going on with you. You'd think the devil himself was after you the way you tore through my yard.'

Honey pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked at the old man in front of her. still breathing hard she tried to answer him. 'I'm sorry Clay but I just need to get away from.... from...'

'Danny still hanging about huh? or is it some other loser?' Clay answered knowingly and sparing Honey further details. The old man had known Honey all her life and seen Angela's decent into the bottom of a bottle. Clay liked Honey, he didn't see her much, he was a bit of a loner but he liked the little girl all the same.