Charleston Past Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page B

you two in school today? It’s ten in the morning on a Tuesday. What are you doing out and about?”
    I watch my brother almost sigh with relief. “Ah, we, um missed the bus, sir. Had to stay home. Ma can’t drive us in all this snow.”
    The man sighs. “You tell that mother of yours that if I see you two around here again during school hours I’m gonna have to call the sheriff on her, understood?”
    “Yes. Yes, sir. We understand.”
    Suddenly the man’s eyes land on the bulge in my chest. I watch his face as my eyes fill with tears. I clutch my hand against my coat, not wanting him to see how dirty my fingernails are, but I’m afraid that he’ll take our food away, which would be worse. I watch as something changes in his face, he looks at me like one would a hurt dog, pitifully, before tilting his head to say, “You kids go on now, go on home. There’s a bad storm comin’ ” The tall man’s voice is hoarse, different, as we race into the whiteout.
    We are well away when Brant looks at me. “Man, that was a close one, Calla!”
    I struggle to keep up with him as he clutches my cold hand, nearly dragging me along. He grumbles, “Ma ain’t been to the store in like ten days. Daddy sent money weeks ago. I saw the envelope and I’ve taken the trailer apart looking everywhere for it. She must have spent it or somethin’.”
    I don’t understand why she sits at that old table all day, hand wrapped around the bottle of clear liquid. It smells bad, and I’ve made myself a promise that when I get grown I’m not gonna go near that bad stuff with the red label.
    “When do you think Daddy’s coming home, Brant?” I look up at my brother, who seems focused on reaching the trailer as quickly as possible.
    “Calla, you ask me that every day. I don’t know. He’s been gone longer than normal this time and I’m startin’ to wonder if he’s ever coming back.”
    Tears streak my face as we turn down the lane to our trailer park. Brant maneuvers us around icy potholes as we race for the safety of shelter.
    The snarling of the large black and brown dog straining against the rusty chain has me clinging to my brother. “Brant, he smells the meat. He’s gonna get me!”
    He glares at the scary dog as we rush past it. He’s little too but always tries to protect me from bad things.
    That huge dog’s angry barking never seems to stop ….
    * * *
    A blaring car horn outside on the street has me springing upright in an instant. My hand flies up to flatten against my sweat-soaked camisole. Shit! I suck in air and try to shut out the distant memory, knowing that no matter what lies ahead, I’ll never have to go back to that disaster. Never.
    A light knock on my bedroom door is followed up with, “Mornin’, sunshine, you alone in there?”
    “Yeah, come in.” I glance down at my watch. Ten thirty. I never sleep this late.
    “Thought you might have gotten some action last night. Your car was gone and all.”
    “Verrrry funny, Kiana.” I sit all the way up and toss a teal colored pillow across the room at my gorgeous roommate. She’s African American with long, wavy hair that’s dark chestnut brown. The caramel streaks running through it perfectly match her unusual eyes. As a former high school track star, she’s toned and petite. Guys of all races drool over her looks, but she is always lighthearted and playful, never looking for anything serious. Like myself, she’s focused on entering med school this coming fall with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician.
    “Mind if I bum a ride to my car? I’m parked down on Chalmers—most likely have thirty bucks in tickets on the heap by now.”
    “Sure, but I have to be on time for my shift. We gotta leave in fifteen minutes, max. Hop up, sleeping beauty, saved you some hot water!”
    “How kind of you. And no worries, we’ll make it in time.”
    I grin at her as she heads out of my small bedroom. We’ve shared this second story apartment for two years