Hallows: Den of Serpents

Slipknot- Snuff Decarious Addams:  That night plays in the back of my head in a loop. I can still feel the phantom ache where I was injected. It was bruised for weeks after. I can taste the bitterness in my mouth still. My father hasn't left my side since then. He put all of his work aside to keep a close watch on me. No one comes too close. Not even in school. His presence lingers heavily. I don't mind the solitude right now. What happened still keeps me up.  I was nearly burned at the stake by a group of f*****g racist assholes.  I've had to deal with this s**t all my life. The insults, the stares, the disrespect. Especially in this part of Hellbourne. The eastside isn't for just anyone. We survive here. It's always been kill or be killed. Us against them.  "Dec," my father's voice sends chills down my back. We're not the type of family that talks. No, sir. But when this man says my name, he fully intends to speak and for me to give him my undivided attention. "Sir?" I look across the breakfast table to meet his hard gaze.  My father is a cold and proud black man. There is no doubt in my mind that he loves me. That I am the only thing he's ever cared about but his upbringing destroyed the part of him that was human. His form of affection is providing. Whatever I want, I get. We bond over scriptures and choir. Training and practice.  I f****d up.  We both know that. I let someone get the drop on me. I trusted someone I shouldn't have and I was almost killed for it. The look on his face when Dante Blackstone brought me home that night will forever be imprinted in the back of my head. I can't even think about what that means. Dante Blackstone who shot himself in the face brought me home. I have questions. I'm just not sure if I want to ask. "I want to talk about what happened, son," he begins gently. "Are you prepared?"  "Yes, sir," I push my eggs back and forth on the plate creating a low scratching sound. What kind of f*****g question is that? Am I prepared?  "What happened? From the start," he demands and takes a drink of orange juice. I lick my lips wondering where the start even begins. I think he sees my struggle because clears his throat and sets his glass down gently. "How did you end up in that clearing?"  "Jamal and I walked Shanese and her little sister home after choir practice. On our way back, he said he wanted to go the long way. You weren't home yet so I didn't find a reason to say no. When we hit Strathmore and Smythe, those biker assholes from Pharaohs surrounded us. We started fighting. Then I felt a stab in my neck. I woke up in a warehouse, bound," "What they do to you in that warehouse, Dec?" he grits out through clenched teeth. "A couple of them kicked me. We were there for a few hours and then they tossed me in the back of a truck,"  "How you end up with that white demon?" he growls. I sit back closing my eyes. The only reason I can go to bed is so that I can see her. The girl who saved me and I don't even know what the hell she is. A person or a demon. "I-" I swallow back the knot in my throat. He gets up and comes to sit next to me. He places his hand over mine but that blank expression never fades. "There was this stage. They had these big ass wooden things like they was bout to build a bonfire.  "When they grabbed me, I started kicking, moving. Anything to try and get them ropes off. They started hitting me to get me to stop moving and she came out of the dark," I rub my face hard trying to shake the memories. "She was pissed. As soon as their eyes landed on her they dropped me. She started telling em off. She looked like a demon. Her face was white as paper. Her eyes were pitch black.  "The man holding my shoulders pulled a shotgun on her. Trevor Davidson. Her crazy ass walked up to him her arms out and she taunted him. There were birds all over. They started pecking at people and the man hesitated. She snatched the shotty out his hand and blew his whole head off,"  "She?"  "Belladonna Blackstone," I look up at him.  "Then what happened?"  "She walked up to me and asked if I were okay as she cut me loose. She told me to run into the trees behind us and I did. They was waiting there,"  "Who?"  "Them Devils. One of them. The Asian one. He led me out to a car. Dante Blackstone was waiting for me there with that kid from the smoke shop on Main. They was all dressed in black. Some girls were there too. Lil redhead girl that likes kicking people,"  "Stacy Whittmore?" he asks, sitting back. I nod. "He brought you straight home?"  "Yeah,"  "He say anything to you?"  "He said to tell you, Until Death,"  "That's it?"  "Yes, sir,"  "I ain't mad at you, Dec. This wasn't on you. I want you to stay away from that lil white girl. She's trouble,"  "She saved my life,"  "And I'll be sure to thank her for it. You are not to go anywhere near those kids. That's an order, son. You hear me?"  "Yes, sir," I nod.  He places a box on the table. A new MacBook. As if a gift will solve everything. I take it knowing that this is the best I'm going to get out of him. He places his hand on my head and looks me over. Without another word, he gets up and goes back to his place to finish eating his breakfast.  "Come straight home today. I got things to do. You good?"  "Yes, sir. Thank you,"  I excuse myself. I wash my plate and walk back into the dining room to grab the laptop. I take it up to my room and set it down next to the shoes he got me last week with no intention of opening it up any time soon. I get ready for school and by the time I go downstairs, he's gone. My keys are in the bowl by the doorway. I take them looking back at the empty suburban house. I take my backpack glad that he's not going to be shadowing me all day today.  My civic hatchback roars to life when I start it up. I stand outside the driver's side carefully taking in my surroundings. I wait for a few minutes and get in the car. I lock the doors and check my weapons before pulling out of the driveway. As soon as I get to school, all eyes are on me. It's nothing new, but the murmurs do catch my attention. I don't know why I can hear as well as I do. I don't know why I can do a lot of the things I can. They started in seventh grade and they've only gotten worse over the years.  "Did you hear Jamal Harlem is missing?" one of the lil white girls asks her friends.  "I heard he tried something on Decarious and his daddy snuffed him. You know his dad isn't just the pastor at that weird church on Smythe right? I hear he's a killer," her friend responded.  "Ya'll need to quit talkin' 'bout him. He a weird one. Don't want to be next," a third voice shuts them up. The day went a lot like that. Most days do. Even before we moved to Hellbourne, I never really fit in. Among these white folk, among my own. We moved a lot when I was a kid. Between training and waiting for my dad, I told myself that it didn't matter if I made friends or not. But moving to Hellbourne was different. From the start.  My dad bought a house, signed me up for school, and he opened up the Fresh Start Baptist Church. He seemed almost human. This happened about the same time my abilities started up. The only problem we've ever had here is me. The fighting, the late-night episodes, and the girls. I get into s**t my dad has to get me out of because of a girl. Always a girl.  "Dec," someone called out my name from behind me as I made my way to my car.  I didn't stop until I had the back passenger open. I tossed my things inside, slammed the door shut, and turned to face Jamal's crew. Eight of them. If they had been as big as the men who took me that night, I wouldn't stand a chance.  "Where's J?" Miles, Jamal's boss demands. This guy runs the eastside. He works with the Mayor's son.  "I ain't seen him for a while," I answer him.  "Word is you was the last one to see him,"  "When?"  "Two nights ago,"  "I ain't spoken to J in weeks," I say truthfully. Jamal has been avoiding me since the night we were jumped. When I didn't see him with me in that warehouse, I thought for sure they had killed him, but there was not a single scratch on him. When I do see him, he's surrounded by his guys. I'm not afraid of them I just don't want my dad snooping around my business. His eyes hold mine and I smile. I've been itching for this. With my father looming over me, I couldn't do s**t. He has all these f*****g rules.  "He's in your church bullshit, ain't he?" he steps into my space so close I can feel his disgusting hot breath against my face.  "Hey," the sound of her voice sends a chill down my back. Miles steps back. We both turn to see Belladonna Blackstone leaning against a red classic. She's wearing the new Hellbourne Academy uniform.  "Hey," I greet her.  "Miles," some guy gets out of the driver's side. He's huge. Her eyes follow him as he makes his way over to Miles and his crew. "We got a problem?"  "Not with you, Shark," Miles averts his gaze.  "What do you need from the kid?" he asks.  "I'm missing a guy. He was the last one to see him,"  "Jamal?"  "Yeah,"  "Check the dumpster on One Eleven," he smirks. Miles's nose flares. Before he could move or speak the guy grabs him by the front of his t-shirt. "Give me a name and you won't find more of your little changos in dumpsters, Miles,"  "You know who I work for," Miles tries to push him but the guy doesn't budge.  "Shane works for me," Belladonna Blackstone pushes off the car to come over to me.  I shiver when her hand lands on my chest. She smiles liking my reaction. I almost groan when she pulls away. For years now, I've been burning up. One touch and I swear to god her ice-cold touch relieves the ache.  "A name," the guy demands.  "Come on, Vic," she takes his hand off of Miles and entwines her fingers with his. "Miles does good work for the Fallen. Forgive, him Miles. He's new," she smiles at Miles. His eyes are fighting the urge to look at the girl. "Jamal did something stupid to someone important to me. I want to know why. He didn't give me the answers I wanted but you're not that dumb, are you? There's no need to get Delilah involved, is there?"  "No," Miles shakes his head.  "Just a name," she encourages.  "How about an invitation?" Miles offers. She smiles.  "To?"  "A party,"  "I love parties," she muses. "I've never been to an Eastside party but I hear you guys like to get crazy all night long,"  "That's right," he swallows hard trying to play it off. She steps into him, pushing up on her tiptoes, and leans in.  "If you f**k with Decarious Addams again, it'll be you in that dumpster. I don't like anyone touching my things, Miles. I'd appreciate it if you spread the word. Diablo sends his regards," she takes a step back and holds out a card. Miles is practically shaking. He hesitates to reach out for the card she's holding. She sighs and takes his hand to put the card in it. "So, where's the party?"  "Dec will take there Friday," he answers shakily. She takes a few more steps back and turns to face me. "Yeah?" she asks. She's smiling like she didn't just threaten to kill him if he ever f****d with me again.  "I don't know if you'd like a party here in the eastside, lil mama," I answer.  "I'd like it if you're there, Dec," the way she says my name almost makes me smile.  "Aight," I agree.  "Tay-Tay will want to see you, Dec," Miles says. "Real soon,"  "Tay-Tay will wait," the guy interjects. "Now get the f**k out of here, Miles,"  The eight of them walk away. Neither of them moved until they were all out of the parking lot.  "I'm sorry we didn't let you have your fun with them," she finally turns to look at me. "After what happened when we met, I don't think I'll ever be able to see anyone try to hurt you,"  "I ain't supposed to be talking to you," I inform her.  "Yeah, Ray said that," she nods. "He said you're generally a good kid. Me too. Generally," she laughs. The guy shakes his head and starts to make his way back to his car. "You should get home. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble with your dad,"  "Are you cold?" I ask her.  "Why do you ask?"  "Your hands are freezing," "I'll see you later, Dec," she smiles. She has a pretty smile. She has a pretty everything.  Her baby blue hair is pulled back into a french braid. Her sharp features are on full display. She's not wearing a lot of makeup. A little blush on her cheeks, eyeliner, mascara, and a nude-tone lipstick slightly darker than her lips. She's tall, almost as tall as me in the shoes she's wearing. They make her thick legs look longer than they really are. I've never seen eyes like hers. The kind of yellow found in nurseries. A yellow meant to be gentle, yet it makes her look like a nightmare.  "Belladonna," I say her name.  "You can call me B.B. I like Lil mama too," she grins showing me her perfect teeth. I like that in a girl. Hygiene is one of my biggest concerns.  "I'll see you Friday, Lil mama," I nod.  "I'll see you tonight," she laughs. "Your room,"