AFTER (30 page)
A moment later, the closet door was wrenched open. Joan had forgotten to bolt the door from the inside, or perhaps had thought it unnecessary for this final trip. Mike and Bristol stood there, angry eyes glaring at her.
"What the hell's the matter?" growled Mike.
"It's Mama," cried Grace. "She won't wake up!"
Mike knelt down and laid a hand on the side of the woman's throat. He frowned and shook his head. "She's dead. Must've OD'd. I told her to stay away from that shit." He stood up and scowled. "Damn shame. She was good piece of ass."
"We'd better get moving," Bristol told him. "Word on the street is that the T&D's will be sweeping this area in a couple hours, and we don't wanna tangle with them." He stared at Grace and licked his lips. "Let's take the girl with us, Mike. She might come in handy."
"Yeah, I know what you want, you sick bastard," Mike said in disgust. "She's staying behind. I've got no time for babysitting." He regarded the girl coldly. "Sorry, kid, but you're on your own now."
"But that's such a damn waste…" protested Bristol.
The lanky man turned and glared at him. "I made her mother a promise… regarding you. All I can do for her now is keep it. Now move your ass!"
Bristol stared back at the man he had run with for years, a dark expression in his eyes. "Okay. No sweat. Let's split."
Mike closed the door behind him, leaving Grace to deal with her grief alone.
The child sat in the darkness and cried, holding her mother's hand tightly, refusing to let go. In the gloom, she studied Joan's face. There was a gentle smile upon her lips, as though she now possessed a peace that she had not known for a very long time.
Outside came the drumming of rain and the roar of water rushing through the city streets. Then, somewhere in the building, a staccato report of gunfire sounded. She recognized it as Bristol's M-16.
A moment later, his voice called out to her.
"Oh, Gracie! Uncle Bristol is ready to play."
She knew then what she must do. She released her mother's fingers and felt something drop into the cradle of her palm. Five tiny purple pills.
"I'm coming, Mama," whispered Grace.
Then, lifting her hand, she swallowed her fistful of Paradise.
Novels:
Cumberland Furnace & Other Fear Forged Fables
Dark Dixie II : Tales of Southern Horror
Twilight Hankerings - Things That Go Bite in the Night
Unhinged - Tales of Darkness & Depravity
Novellas:
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