- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji9ZR5KBS4g [Embed]
- >God, it felt like forever
- >The rich get richer, the poor get-- children
- >at least from your circumstance it was children
- >children
- >you loved her unconditionally "Anna"
- >your cream shirt stuck damply against your skin..pressing your feathers tight against your back
- >your suit added to the discomfort...silver matte, slightly pinstriped...."heavy and hot"
- >Anna would be out of school soon... your daughter
- >you shifted your position against the wall you were leaning on, the thin paint job scraping your suit ever so much to detour you
- >you snapped, tarnished and out of place
- Son of a bitch.. peice of sh-erhhh!
- >you turned about, trying to rub paint flakes off your back with a claw
- >you removed the suit coat and swung it over a shoulder
- Guess I'll do without
- >you glanced up, parents.. also waiting
- >one was staring you down...the world plastered nasty on his face..
- >the thought of his words never came to fruition
- >you glared on haughtily, guessing, making up a story, a comeback, anything really
- >The bell rang
- >the tension released, old man whipped forward with a smile
- >screams of delight and youth filled the sticky air
- >you watch the monotonous filing system of grades...A teacher or two braving the sea of adolescence
- >you scan for a bit, trying to spot Anna, but to no avail
- Must be in the back of a line
- >you wait
- >Parents come and go, grabbing there kids and running off
- >Thoughts trace your mind...none of importance, some worth noting
- Davison would have that list by morning
- Morning
- >nothing made sense, a ringing, a--
- Daddy!
- >she jumped, spreading her wings for a brief second
- >she found your stomach, pressing her beak against you
- >you caught her and embarrassed her
- Hows daddys little girl doin'?
- "goood"
- How was school?
- "oh, it was- it's fun!"
- what was so fun about it?
- "James is in my class from last year! remember him Daddy?"
- I do..I do
- She went on talking, but you found yourself distracted again...
- you'd work on that
- >She never stopped talking, but you didn't mind...
- >you loved her
- >she was your daughter
- >the walk home was about as cliche as you could make it
- >you thought again, your scheduled finding place
- coffee shop, 8am, uh docket...spreadsheet the--the report, the-
- "what coffee shop daddy?"
- oh... nothing Anna, just business stuff-don't worry about it
- >you tried to change the subject
- >you knew she felt excluded..she'd always complained about it
- >it was empirical, she was a trouble maker
- >like father, like daughter
- >you were glad she behaved today
- say! why don't we grab some ice cream
- "*gasp* you mean it!!"
- yep, we can stop by Jerseys in a bit
- "oh daddy! you're the best!"
- you weren't trying to buy her off, but since the opportunity reared its ugly head, you decided to go with it
- Ice cream, at Jerseys it is
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3FHpSbKC4 [Embed]
- >You ate, you left.. Anna was happy
- >5pm...
- We should really get home Anna, It's getting late
- "ok daddy"
- >with that you left, the feeling still stale and petrified in your chest
- >you got home to your place- a small apartment left side of 8th and Jefferson
- >good, good enough for your family in the mean time
- >Anna leaped through the door, stumbling through yesterdays mess
- "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"
- "Yes Anna!" "how was your first day of school?"
- "oh Mommy! Daddy took me to ice cream! it was sooooo good! and-and jamess! he's in way class too! and-"
- >you hadn't stepped through the door yet and she was off
- >you wish you were all young like that still,
- >all the energy in the world, none of the cares or challenges you'd ever hope to scale
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfRSZ2kYvXs [Embed]
- >you wait by the doorway
- >oh god, you were in for it now
- "Mike! what, did, I, say?"
- No sweets before din-
- "no sweets before dinner, and what did you do?
- listen, sugar...I-I'm havin' a rough day aright? she wanted ice cr-
- "rough, heh..your day was rough? DPS wouldn't renew my-"
- I told you-
- >you got closer to her, ignoring the door and everything but, Sara
- To wait
- >you ran a claw down her check, frustration nailed her eyes closed in an attempt to soothe the blossoming anger
- I-I..look, a'hm sorry sugar...It's just Franson's bringing the spreadsheet tomorrow and if it ain't good news-
- >you spoke faster, finding your words ever so ineffable
- "I understand"
- >You glanced back at the door, you looked back at Sara
- >your touch had gone into a embrace, one you wished to never separate..
- >a cool breeze had blown through and despite your inflictions, you stayed there...
- >call it what you want, she loved it
- >she knew she meant the world to you, and she would abuse it...within her own abide
- "Now...would you be a dear and wash the dishes before supper"
- >you whispered, fearing Anna being near
- gh, damn..looks like I might need... payment afterwards
- >you gave a warm smile, malice-free, fully aware of the demand
- >she returned the expression
- "oh, only if insist Mr. Watson... I'll be *expecting* you...
- >she turned with a jolt and glazed your neck with her tail...
- >she retreated to the kitchen, where evidently, Anna was coloring
- "Mommy, Mommy! Look!
- >she proudly lifted the booklet, knocking a few crayons astray
- "oh, very nice! what is it Anna?"
- "Its ice cream! this ones got sprinkles and-
- >you bent down, picking the stray crayons from the ground
- >replacing them on the table you studied the kitchen a bit more
- >on the counter laid a small bowl of salad and a fairly large chunk of some de-thawing meat
- Ooh, nice
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bW75OwVXZI [Embed]
- >Diner came and past
- >your wife's solicitousness toned you down a good burden
- >the impression had you laid back...actually enjoying a diner for once
- >the mad scramble that usually solidified shortly there after, decompressed like out of a old novelty cinema
- >two more days to the weekend, but the thought never struck you legitimate...
- >Sara would work tomorrow again, you'd have to pick up Anna, would you..? yeah, you would
- Damn...
- >The snap of silence broke your thoughts, reality--clarifying
- >you got distracted again..
- "Mark!"
- whu-what?
- >Anna was fixated on you, her innocent eyes filling with questions, many demanding answers..
- >she tried to repeat you
- "Ann-..*sigh* Anna, please don't repeat what your father says, its a bad word
- >she gasped, as if a faint, quiet devil would snatch her tongue at any moment
- "I- I- didn't mean it! Mommy! I-
- Its ok sugar, daddy's got to watch his mouth more often..
- "Mark.."
- *sigh* I'm sorry
- >the little split in paradise ruined the mood..
- >just enough to make tension evident
- >and then..
- >the doorbell rang
- >you propped up in your chair, the doorbell rang again
- This late? really?
- >you stood up relatively the same time Sara stood
- I got it, I got it..
- >you flicked the porch lights and fumbled with the peep-hole
- >Franson, what the hell, what does he-
- >you close the bronze hatch
- >with the slightest bit of patients you jerk the door agape
- >Franson stood there like the big shit head he was
- >he'd always stood hunched and recluse
- >his suit, an Italian mix ball point blue two sizes too big, folded saccharine against his thin figure
- >you always laughed at the irony of it all
- >his temper always got the best of him, he was anything but sweet
- Franson! don't you know its-
- "I know! I know! Let me in! this is important!"
- oh jesus, what did you do this-
- >he barged in, not waiting a second longer
- >you two were friends, but you hated when he did shit like that
- Hey! the wife and I are eating dinner, whats so important?
- >he watched you as the door closed
- >he was in a world of shit again, you could see it in his face
- Franson, what did YOU do?
- >you notice blood on the cuff of his right pant leg, a few scratches here and there...
- >the light inside gave you a better understanding
- "I-I was d-down at the docks, right?"
- "y-you know..the zeracota delivery"
- >you looked at Sara, the look she knew all to well
- >she pulled Anna to her room and locked the door in a hurry (Daddy's doin' business)
- >Franson continued where he paused
- "S-so gad and a f-few fellas come to f-fuck us over...his c-crew, 5-6 dudes charge the place, stole-"
- Wait! WAIT! Gad!? That lousy fuck..HOW MUCH DID HE-
- "20 kilos..."
- TWENT- Fffuckkck
- WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?
- "I-I, I tried boss...I-
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am-20IeY5nQ [Embed]
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUAaDVmkQMc [Embed]
- >The window to the left of the door shattered, sending shards of glass inward
- somewhere in the commotion you heard Sara scream
- HOLY SHIT! FRANSON!
- "AH! I know!
- >who ever the little shits were, you could hear them run...
- Shit, Get to the closet
- >you leaped for the hall closet near your Bedroom
- >you flung it open, tossing junk about like a madman
- >A shoe box near the top shelve slid down between your talons
- >A few pistols, ammunition, and a fairly modified kitchen knife (you're gunna fuck shit up big time)
- Franson, catch..
- >you tossed him a gun and a few loose bullets
- >you jumped to Anna's room, practically smashing your face through the door
- IS EVERYONE OK?
- "yes! yes!"
- I'LL BE RIGHT BACK! STAY IN THE HOUSE! DO WHAT WE PLANNED!
- >you didn't have time for answers anymore
- >you shot out through the door after the bastards with Franson
- >It took a bit, but you caught up to them
- >A firefight ensues
- >you couldn't tell how many there were, more than three, less than five....
- Shit..
- FRANSON, YOU FUCKING LED THEM TO ME HOUSE! MY HOUSE FRANSON!
- >he didn't answer
- >he didn't want to

