The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Chapter 31

Lynnette opened the door and ever so sluggishly heaved her carcass out of the stall in which she had confined herself for the past hour or so. She hadn't been using the bathroom that long; it took her only a minute and a half for her to do her business. Rather, she kept to herself for as much and as long as she could.

With as little energy as she could assemble the young woman pulled herself towards the sink and washed her hands. She lathered her hands in the soapy, warm water seemingly forever until the water began going cold on her. She then rested her wet hands on top of the sink and watched with lazy eyes as the sudsy water gradually dissolved into the drain.

Lynnette did everything she could not to lift her head, but the restraint was evaporating with every passing second. Fighting against her own neck muscles, the woman gradually raised her head. Her eyes soon then connected with the mirror, a gesture that caused her stomach to tumble.There before her stood a foreigner, someone she didn't recognize. Glassy, red eyes, matted down, uncombed hair, black dirt marks layered on both cheeks. Every feature disgusted her to the point where all she could do was wobble back and forth as if she had no control over her own body.

Lynnette then began scanning her surroundings, from the all-white tile, to the seven stalls, all the way to the five sinks where one was layered in dried up, pink soap solution. The putrid stench of period blood hung lightly in the bathroom like a soft whiff of air that lingered about in a warm breeze.The song, 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' by John Denver started to play on the intercom outside the bathroom.

Lynnette couldn't help but to stand still at that moment while the tune that she had heard some times in the past but paid no attention to caused her mind to drift off into a daze.All she did was stand at the mirror and stare at her reflection while allowing images of her child to flood her brain. No matter where in Cypress she ran, there Isaiah was. Lynnette could hardly stand to be around the boy for more than thirty minutes at best, and yet she couldn't get him out of her throbbing head.

Abruptly, through the door rushed a young, black woman who was wearing a pair of shades, two afro puffs that were wrapped up in a green scarf, a silk turquoise blouse and a pair of tight, green polyester pants.

Immediately, Lynnette composed herself before pretending to wash her hands in the sink before her.Huffing and puffing as if she had been running from something or someone, the woman went for the very first sink.

"You won't believe de night I've been having." She said in a Jamaican accent.

Lynnette only smirked before shutting off the water and reaching over and snatching several sheets to dry her hands with.

"Dese men today, dey are animals." The woman continued on. "I swear, all a woman has to do is dress a certain way and dey act like dey just escaped from de zoo or someting."

Tossing the wet rags into the dumpster, Lynnette turned and began for the door. "Yeah, I know what you mean." She nonchalantly replied.

"Would ya happen to have a smoke?" The woman jumped right into Lynnette's face.

Feeling inconvenienced, Lynnette reached into her back pocket and took out a cigarette before reluctantly handing it to her.

"I'm sorry for asking, but I need to calm my nerves before I hit de block again."

Lynnette then took her lighter and lit the tip of the cigarette before saying, "I know what you mean."

Taking a long drag, the woman asked, "You work, too?"

Appearing stunned, Lynnette said, "No, no, I'm just saying, I know how it feels to do what you gotta do."

Tapping one of her open-toed shoes on the floor, the woman sighed, "Yeah, I've been doing dis now for fourteen years, and it still doesn't get any easier."

"For fourteen years?" Lynnette's eyes blew up. "But you look so young."

Smiling, the woman said, "Don't let my looks fool you, sweetheart, dese streets will age a girl real quick." The woman then extended her free right hand. "My name is Karyn."

Lynnette shook Karyn's hand right back. "Lynn." She replied in a dry pitch.

Taking another soothing drag, Karyn said, "I tink I'll stay in here for a while. It takes a moment or two before my...man, comes looking for me."

"Girl, you'd better get you a gun for his ass."

Karyn inhaled another puff of smoke. "I have other ways of keeping him in line." She then stared hard at Lynnette. "You have very lovely hair. Did anyone ever tell you dat you could be a model?"

Blushing, Lynnette responded, "Those days are far behind me."

Karyn took her hand and lightly brushed it across Lynnette's unkempt hair. It not only unsettled the young lady to have a total stranger touching her, but not being able to see Karyn's eyes through the large lenses of her shades only caused her to step back an inch or two.

features." Karyn smiled before turning around and looking at herself in one of

"What?" Lynnette found herself asking for no

fell for de wrong man. Soon after dat, I could see everyting come at me like a

doesn't mean I knew what was going to come my way." Lynnette turned her head

Karyn then turned around, tossed her butt to the floor and said, "Everyting dat I never imagined would happen,

"Just how

carried on in a woeful manner. "Children being slaughtered inside of schools of all places. "I've even

the woman's sayings Lynnette could hear something that she had never heard before from another human being. There was an uncanny desperation in her voice that sounded so familiar, almost as if Lynnette had heard it all before. There was something in Karyn's character, in her every movement that caused Lynnette to tremble right there before her. And she felt that if she had even attempted to put a finger

right in front of the mirror and peered straight at her own reflection asking, "Have you ever been

shut her eyes at that second. Just hearing the question float off of

answer." Karyn said. "Dere was a time when I was

first?" Lynnette balled up

replied, "Yes, dey are. But dis one was one of a kind. He showed me so many tings and wonders I had never experienced before. He promised dat

"Honey, all men make those silly promises, just

then approached Lynnette face to face. "He was so tender in his speech. So thoughtful in ways I never imagined a man

Lynnette could do was just listen. Inside, she wanted to tear out of the bathroom as fast as possible. Just hearing the words come out of Karyn's mouth was like feeling a thousand bees bite at her all at once. But for the strangest reason the woman couldn't budge. The last thing she wanted was to have Isaac's image boil up insider her mind. But Lynnette could not

dat is until I met his family." Karyn's voice, without warning, dropped. "I had known his family for years, but I never had de chance to meet dem, especially his sister. Once she stepped in, dat was when de

want to identify with Karyn any longer; she

tink I am high on

"I...I don't know." Lynnette

grabbed Lynnette's hands and held them as tight as she could. Lynnette tried to

"I am in my right mind, my love. Maybe tomorrow you will understand better.

let go of Lynnette's hands before taking off her sunglasses to reveal a pair of hazel eyes that were

but also from the terrifying fact that she still could not move a single muscle in her body. It felt like she

here." Karyn's voice began to plunge into

the snap of a finger Lynnette abruptly opened her eyes to find herself lying on the same bench that she had been occupying for the

up and coughed before glancing behind her at the women's bathroom. She stared on at the door for nearly an entire minute

people either walking around or standing at the ticket

10:25, bus 304 will be departing for Atlanta, and at 12:40, bus 202 will be departing for Phoenix! Thank

the woman as if her words meant life and death to her. She then immediately jumped

an illusion, and yet Lynnette realized that it was much more.

lady said out loud

and approached the window where

Lynnette said,

that'll be one hundred and

that moment. She continued to root about in her pockets as if she were trying to give off the impression that she had the

began to perspire the longer she searched until she at last found some money. Then, like she had just stumbled upon gold, Lynnette yanked out a wad of bills and some

The woman took the money and counted. When she was done counting she gave Lynnette a blasé expression, as to say the young lady

the bills,

"Is it? I could've sworn that

amount or else I cannot give you

jeans while keeping an eye on the women's bathroom

you the rest of the money?" She desperately entreated. "I'll give

"Ma'am, I cannot give you a ticket without the proper funds. That's the

Lynnette pulled her hands out of her pockets and drew closer to

Lynnette implored, "You don't understand, I have to get out of this state. Someone

the case then you

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