The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Like a frightened kitten Lynnette crept into the semi-busy police station where a light stream of disorderly traffic swept through the floor; from officers escorting pimps and prostitutes, to drug addicts and homeless people being processed at various points throughout the area.

In Lynnette's mind everyone that surrounded her were shadows that were caving in on her. She held her boney arms as though she were freezing cold while trying not to make physical contact with any of the other undesirables that resided in the station's front lobby.

Ahead of her was a long podium that stretched at least fifty feet wide. At the very center of the podium was an older black lady who was dressed in full police regalia and steadily writing away on a piece of paper while successfully ignoring the rest of the world around her.

"Excuse me." Lynnette meekly gawked at the woman.

The lady, who was still scribbling away on her piece of paper, didn't remove her eyes from her duty.

"Can I help you?" She mumbled.

"My...my son has been kidnapped." Lynnette stammered.

At the snap of a finger the lady stopped writing and looked straight at Lynnette asking with a suddenly concerned look, "How long ago was your son taken?"

"I...I don't know for sure. Maybe about an hour ago or something."

"Okay, just hold on, I'll be right back," the woman said while getting up from out of her seat and walking away.

Lynnette stood by and watched as the unnamed shadows passed by her in a simultaneous chorus of blundering chaos. She didn't know whether to remain at the podium or simply walk away altogether. She couldn't stop shaking, and the more she thought of Isaiah the more she just wanted to break down and bawl all over the floor. It had been months since she had control over her own being.

"Can I help you?" A middle-aged, black police officer approached Lynnette.

Lynnette looked at the man and tried to speak. "I...my son has been taken away."

"Okay, follow me and we'll see what we can do."

The man led Lynnette away from the open floor and to a series of desks that were located in an adjacent area. Within the area were other officers who were either heading home for the evening or just beginning their shifts.

The officer pulled out a chair for Lynnette to sit in. Seated just three feet beside her was another desk where a white man who was disguised as a mime was arguing with an officer.

"Okay, my name is Officer Barron." The man said as he sat down behind his desk. "And what is your name, ma'am?"

"Uh, Lynnette Glover," she timidly replied. Barron paused for a bit looking as if he were trapped inside a thought.

"Glover, Glover. Why does that name sound so familiar?" He tapped his fingers on his desk. "It doesn't matter. Miss Glover, can you describe your son for me, please?"

"He's two years old. He has...he has." Lynnette tried and tried so diligently but could not seem to conjure a mere picture of her son in her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not thinking very clearly right now.."

"That's okay, but we need some kind of description in order to get this search underway. Now, what was he wearing when you last saw him?"

"I...I don't know for sure."

Barron placed his pen down onto the desk before sitting and studying Lynnette very meticulously.

"Miss Glover, are you sure that your son is even missing?"

"Yes, yes he is!" Lynnette hurried to say. "You see, I haven't been home in a few days. I've been...working a lot."

Barron continued to hand the young woman the 'square eye' before he picked up his pen and began writing all over again.

"Can you possibly give me anything to go on? Something about your son that we could latch on to in order to make this easier," Barron persisted.

Lynnette bore down as hard as she could before blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "He has curly hair and a scar on his left hand that his...father gave him."

"Curly hair and a scar on his left hand," Barron recited to himself while writing. "Is it possible that his father—

Barron right there stopped himself before taking his pen and nibbling on the very tip while staring on at Lynnette. "Now I remember that name." He said in a low voice.

Lynnette only turned her head and blushed the longer Barron looked at her. "Miss Glover, where was your son when he was abducted?"

"He was with my parents at their house."

"Okay, and what's your parents' address?"

"2167 Anders Road."

"Would your parents be able to give an accurate description of your son? It would help."

Shaking her head in a futile manner, Lynnette said, "No, they were both attacked this evening, too."

"I'm taking that this was a burglary?"

"Yes."

"Did your parents happen to get a description of the intruder or intruders?"

"My mother said that there was—

Lynnette's brain came to a complete and abrupt stop at that very instant. All she could think of was what her mother had mentioned.

"Miss Glover, are you okay?" Barron waved his hand in front of her blank, pale face.

tremble all over again. "My...my mama said that

"Who were the other two?" She

Reaching his hand out, Barron said, "Okay, Miss Glover, I'm going to need

said there were three of them!"

"Miss Glover, please

don't know who the other

have two sons of my own." Barron said. "But in order for us to find your child, I need for you to settle down and

her hands together as tight as possible. "I know one of them." She whimpered. "She had these brown eyes and afro puffs. She was dark skinned. The last time

Writing on his pad, Barron asked, "Okay,

"That's just it, I don't know of any other two." Lynnette tried to catch her breath. "My mother said that there were three of them, but I only know of

Barron inquired. "We have been seeing a spike in gang activity in the city as

and needed to say were right there on the very tip of her dry tongue, all

In a very calm voice, Lynnette explained, "I'm going to tell you something that you won't believe

to the young woman while not batting a single eyelash

you won't sound...real, but it's all I have. These animal killings

a loud commotion erupted from clear on the other side of the area. It was two men wrestling with several police officers

what they were doing and

as he shot up from out of

At once, numerous officers all descended upon the two unruly men in order to subdue the turmoil, while

lap as her teeth chattered. Lynnette was wrapped up in all sorts of misery, from the spurts of profanity-laced mayhem clear on the other side of the room, to her

he was gone. The same child that she hadn't seen in days was nowhere to be found, and just knowing that something beyond darkness had taken him to God knows where only made her want to throw

a man's voice suddenly

all around until her eyes connected with the man

She cleared her

tea." The young man in his mime disguise casually remarked from his chair. "Drinking a warm cup of tea will calm

to gather herself, Lynnette sat up in her seat and wiped

too. That is until a good friend told me about the

Appearing flabbergasted, Lynnette looked at the man and arrogantly said, "For you information, I am

the man to stare at Lynnette's scarred

kid is missing, but the last thing you need is to be in here of all places shaking like

the man, who with his makeup only appeared as a scary clown in her

at that mess over there." He nodded his

head to view the carnage that

"I'm actually here because I was harassing this elderly couple. They said they would give me five dollars for

in here and not out there." Lynnette found the

"Maybe you're right." The man

in the hopes that her shakes would end, Lynnette watched in silent comfort as the officers eventually brought the two

of us can do to kill it." Her voice faltered. "I've seen it before

you've actually seen this animal

devil looks like. He

"You sound like a

not, I just see people for

The man began to rub off the white paint from his face. "I've been cooped up inside this station for the past three hours, and in those three hours I've had the opportunity to see all sorts of characters besides myself." He indignantly stated. "You see that old, black lady over there?" He pointed. "She has a complaint about her neighbors' dogs that keep barking all night. Then you have that guy right there, the bald, white fellow. He's in here complaining that a hooker didn't give him the blowjob he paid for. Then there's that guy right over there in the cuffs. The black kid. This joker actually walked in here on his own volition a while ago. Apparently he's been running around town for the past few days harassing people. The cops have been searching for him ever since Henderson's speech the other day. Then suddenly he stumbles up in here looking for someone himself. What luck? Yep, the police station seems to bring out who we really are really quickly, especially when there's a full moon

until she came eye to eye with the aforementioned bearded, 'black kid' that the

sat cuffed to his chair staring right back at Lynnette in the most distressed manner possible, as if he wanted to

but the more she twisted and squirmed in her

least put me in a cell already." The mime grumbled. "I can't

more uncomfortable Lynnette became, until after so long she couldn't bear it any longer. She got up from out

what about your missing kid, lady?" The mime tossed up

blew him off as she carried on past one busy officer after another. At that point, and after so much anarchy her brain had been

Lynnette couldn't help but

to stop. When she gazed down all she could see was Cloyse

"Who...who are you?" She fumbled over

Scooting his chair closer to her,

he had a

as if he were about to cry. His face and clothes were saturated in sweat, while his bloodshot eyes gave the impression that he hadn't

Lynnette could only see a fraught, pathetic man before her who could have been high on the same kinds of drugs she had been indulging in for the past few months;

"Please...let me

know you." Lynnette turned up her nose before pulling away from

face

Lynnette once more stopped before turning back

head for a moment before looking back up and saying, "You have seen Arthur

"Who," Lynnette clinched

"The two with

Lynnette's left foot tapped so hard on the floor from fear

"Who are you and what

seen dem all of my life. Dey are here, in dis city. Dey have

She heard the words

don't know you!" She yelled. "Who's coming

for you." A male, white officer came up

"No, no, I need to speak with him!" Lynnette urged the

to get this guy to a cell, pronto." The officer began dragging Cloyse away.