The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

And behold, it stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rise up out of the sea:

She wore an all blue one-piece bathing suit as she treaded in the three foot high, crystal blue ocean water. Lynnette's hair was wrapped in a halo of lilies, and the tranquil smile that she wore upon her face was reminiscent of that to someone who had just happened across the threshold of life and eternity above the clouds. She allowed her hands to skim across the soft, warm water as she carried on deeper.

For as far as her eyes would allow all she could see before her was wide, open and blue water. There were no clouds to speak of in the sky, nor was there a boat or person anywhere to be found. She was absolutely alone in the expanse; even her breath felt effervescent, like she had just tasted the greatest sip of refreshing water that lingered inside her mouth unceasingly.

There were the events of the past weeks and days that somehow, someway were nowhere present inside her being. The woman was a picture of isolation and rest. Even when her smile vanished there was still a relaxed warmness melting inside her belly that caused it to tickle with every movement. She looked down at the shimmering water to see goldfish swimming back and forth around her feet and ankles.

The further out she ventured that was all the more clearer the air became. She breathed it all inside her lungs until she couldn't inhale any more. Behind her was a sound. She could feel the waves nudge her bottom half forward. She turned only her head around to see none other than a naked Arthur Bushard coming towards her with a gentile grin gracing his handsome face.

Lynnette didn't cringe or even budge for that matter, she just turned her head back aroundwhile the man came up behind her and fondled her chest and neck with his soft, strong hands.

The young lady closed her eyes and allowed the man's actions to carry her further away into the blissful abyss. Soon enough, his lips met with her neck. She moaned in ecstasy as Arthur's luscious mouth kissed all over her warm, goose-pimpled skin.

Lynnette took Arthur's hands off of her before turning around and clasping his face. Her eyes were still shut as she pressed her lips against his in one passionate, tongue-induced kiss while the burning sun's rays caressed their beautiful, black bodies.

Lynnette's eyes then opened. Lying beside her was Isaiah. She gawked all around to find herself lying in her own bed inside her room. The woman, somewhat confused, continued to scan around before catching her mother sitting in her rocking chair against the wall.

Her mother was wearing the most idyllic look on her face as she sat in her bathrobe staring at her. It unsettled Lynnette more than she already was.

"I haven't watched you sleep since you were a little girl." Her mother quietly stated.

Lynnette ignored the comment before listening to water outside the window tap in a chorus. "Is it still raining?" Lynnette rubbed her aching forehead.

"A little bit." Her mother sat up. "I think the flash flood warnings are all over with. I got tired of all those beeping alarms on the TV, so I ended up turning the darn thing off after a while."

Lynnette managed to catch a glimpse of her blue pajamas that she was wearing underneath the covers. She then glanced back over at the baby who was steadily snoring right beside her.

"I don't even remember getting cleaned up last night." Lynnette attempted to sit up on the bed, only to realize that her entire body was nearly immobilized from head to toe.

"I found you outside last night on the front lawn." Her mother began rocking back and forth. "You were just kneeling there. I don't think you were even hardly awake when I brought you inside. And, child, your breath sure was stinking, too." She giggled.

Lynnette cracked a grin while still struggling to get up. But when she came to the realization that her body just wasn't in any condition to act, she instead resigned to her fate and lied back down on the bed underneath the old blanket that her grandmother made for her when she was still a little girl.

her mom seemed normal for the first time in years, and that thought alone caused her heart to race with anticipation as to what could have been around the corner

restless of a sleeper you are." Her mother said. "At first I thought you were going to hurt Isaiah with

was dreaming of Jaws." Lynnette feebly

only grinned before saying, "That eclipse yesterday was something to see; if you could see, that is. We all thought

Lynnette rested upon her uncomfortable pillow while wondering in her head why she didn't happen

funny." Her mother

Lynnette lifted her weary head and looked dead at her mom in the most curious

a single thing that's been going on these past few days, and yet, here you and I are, right where we started back in

Lynnette recalled the event with perfect clarity, except rather than sitting in the chair, her mother was seated at the foot of her bed. But she got

"Mama, why didn't we

eyes away for a moment and kept them locked on the

sisters, and then we both got complacent in our lives to where going to church was such a burden. It didn't mean that we didn't believe in or love God, we just felt that we worked so hard that we deserved at least one day to ourselves. But I look back now and realize

it's just that...I didn't know how to." Her voice cracked. "I didn't know how

Wilma sat and looked so fondly at her child as though it were the

that I've caused

look on at Lynnette before asking, "Why did you stop

her pillow and sighed, "Mama, I

gave you the opportunity to express yourself in ways that you couldn't say out loud. I never once said that you had to tell me every

looked back at her mother with a baffled grimace, as to say her words had cut

child, you've been through something recently, too. I can see it not only in your body, but also in your soul. I have a feeling that what you went through back in February, and last night for that matter, shook you

far beyond that man. When I say evil, I don't just mean something bad, this was something from hell. It

us to make it leave." Her mother said in a stern, yet

blink in and out. At first she thought she was going blind, but once

Her mother stated. "There's a motivation about you that they don't have. And that same motivation is what has caused you to survive all this

Lynnette lifted her body up from off the bed before sitting on the edge. Her mother's words didn't have to sink inside, they hit with such ferocity and suddenness that thinking about it was only a waste of

"Where's daddy at?" She

Exhaling, her mother replied, "He's in the room. I guess something happened to him, too. He doesn't want to talk about

exert her already damaged body any further, got up from off the bed and went for the door with her mother right

"You should've heard the baby last night; he was singing 'Jesus

two doors down before she came to her parents' room. The door was wide open. She looked inside to see