The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

The warm, spewing rain persisted all the way to Lynnette's neighborhood. The woman's slothful stride had remained the same ever since clearing Hollis Estates over two hours earlier.

The brightness of the day that had unexpectedly come back seemingly after hours of inactivity was once again progressively making its descent back into darkness the natural way. But Lynnette knew the way home by the various communities that she had passed along the way.The street lamps all began flickering on simultaneously causing a glossy glare to shine upon the slick sidewalk upon which she treaded and splashed.

Her entire face was soaking wet. Isaiah was snoring away in her arms and that was exactly the way she wanted it. Lynnette couldn't bear to see her son's face, not after all that they had endured over the course of the past few hours, or even the past few months for that matter. She was no longer skittish of Isaiah, but that didn't mean she had happened upon the courage to face the boy. There would always and forever be a dark, looming cloud hanging above them both for as long as they dared to breathe, and sooner or much later, Lynnette knew that she would have to answer for the storm.

The young lady kept on a few more paces before turning into a yard via the saturated lawn and stomping up onto the porch. She didn't reach into her pockets for her key, instead, she simply pushed open the surprisingly already unlocked front door and let herself inside.

Before she could even shut the door behind her Lynnette stood and exhaled as deep as she could. Once she was through she pulled a soaking wet Isaiah away from her chest just as her mother, dressed in her bathrobe, came rushing into the living room from the kitchen.

With the most stunned look on her face, the woman squealed out, "Where the fuck have you been?"

Lynnette was dripping rain from just about every portion of her body. The floor beneath her sneakers was a soppy mess. Just staring on at her fuming mother's red face caused Lynnette to realize that whatever spell the woman had possibly been under for the past few days had all but worn off. She was no longer afraid of her mother; she went back to being weary and agitated of the woman.

"I've been calling the police ever since last night!" Her mother raged on. "And every time I call them and tell them that Isaiah is missing they hang up on me! And here you show up, out of nowhere, looking like a wet possum!"

Still, Lynnette had nothing to say. She could speak, but words had no meaning at that juncture. All she wanted to do was stand and drip.

"I asked you a question, dammit! Where have you been?" Her mother advanced towards her.

Lynnette stood her ground until her mother attempted to grab her by the shoulder; that was when Lynnette yanked herself away screaming, "Don't you touch me!"

Her mother stood back but only for a brief moment before trying to take hold of her daughter all over again.

"Where have you been with that baby?" She yelled.

But Lynnette only wrestled both herself and Isaiah away from her mother before grabbing her mother's right wrist and restraining it.

"I said don't touch me!" She tossed the woman's hand back down.

middle of the living room looking completely thunderstruck.

all you and daddy need to know! My boy and I are

in utter disbelief, her mother pulled a rag from out of her robe pocket and pressed it against her forehead before sighing, "I don't know what's been going on

know." Lynnette adamantly

her finger at Lynnette saying, "You're just like your

them!" Lynnette angrily struggled to scream. "Not one of those bitches is worth a damn! Not one of them! You, daddy and my

living room while the rain outside sounded as

Lynnette soon found the strength to turn and walk towards the stairs only to have her mother attempt

in the hell has been going on around here these past few

let you

you've been in and out of this

Lynnette wanted to cry all over again, but she reserved herself while staring into her mother's pain-stricken eyes that looked as though they wanted to break down.

been hooked on drugs these past few months." Lynnette exhaled all the air out of her

dropped the rag that she had pressed against her forehead to the floor before paleness took control of her once blushing

hiding from you all these months. Your daughter

And with that, Lynnette carried both herself and her son up the stairs, leaving her already lonely mother in an even

And the rain kept

on her sore knees, Lynnette washed Isaiah from head to filthy toe in the bathtub. She herself was still a brazen mess of cuts and bruises, but her well-being was the furthest thing from her mind. All she could do was stare at the child who appeared completely drained and disoriented more than anything else. With her own grimy fingernails she washed the boy's hair with soap. With every scrub she

since she had been so tender to him that the sudden revelation just crashed upon her like

bleary eyes every so often would recall the events back at the Estates, from watching Akoni transform to racing like a scared mouse through a haunted building. Her stomach would drop every time she would hear a vehicles loud engine outside rip by the house, thinking it

your daddy?" she asked in

up for a moment and

can't

Isaiah began splashing in the water but Lynnette gave his frivolity no attention whatsoever. She just kept