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.

there in the middle of the living room looking completely thunderstruck. She, much like Lynnette was breathing

now!" Lynnette hollered. "That's all you and daddy need to know!

Shaking her head 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

know." Lynnette adamantly remarked. "Like I said,

Pacing the partially lit living room, her mother kept pointing her finger at Lynnette saying, "You're just

bitches is worth a damn!

She relented. For what seemed like countless minutes, both women stood in the living room while the rain outside sounded as

strength to turn and walk towards the stairs only to

wish someone would tell me just what in the hell has been going on around here these past few days!" She desperately yelled. "I just

you in? Mama, how can I let you in when I

few months you've been in and out of this house like an alley cat! Now look at you! You look like you were torn apart by

over again, but she reserved herself while staring into her mother's pain-stricken eyes that looked as though

drugs these past few months." Lynnette exhaled all the air out of

the rag that she had pressed against her forehead to the floor

what I've been hiding from you all these months. Your daughter is a

son up the stairs, leaving her already lonely mother in an even more claustrophobic state than she

the rain kept

In the warm bathroom, and 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

her hands all over Isaiah and she didn't even flinch. It had been months since she had been so tender to him that the sudden revelation just crashed upon her like a sledgehammer

a vehicles loud engine outside rip by the house, thinking it was something she had just escaped on her way to come and get her.From time to

you miss your daddy?" she

just looked up for a moment

"Your daddy," Lynnette's mind wandered. "Do you know that I can't even go back to our old house anymore? I'm too

splashing in the water but Lynnette gave his frivolity no attention whatsoever. She just kept on babbling to