Laying in her bed, Zeniqua stares at the ceiling. She had tried plenty of times to get some sleep but the fact that she escaped her father without any issues. It plagued her. She hated losing sleep over things she knows she can’t control but on this note, she knows she has to keep moving if she is ever found out. She turns over and looks at the clock, not for time but just to stare at something else other than the ceiling or the wall. She then goes back to laying on her back and rubs her forehead.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEUiNTpYwr
“What if they do find me? What am I going to do? I can’t run off because they will catch me.” She thinks to herself out loud Her forehead wrinkles a little, “I will just have to be extra careful, I refuse to go back there. I refuse to be forced to be violent.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPn4zGJxAPU
Since Zeniqua was 10 years old, her father taught her how to shoot a gun. They would go out to a desert and use humans that had crossed him. Zeniqua was reluctant to shoot people who were still alive, her father knelt down to her and placed his hands on top of hers. Suddenly, he turned the gun on her, “You either shoot them or you get shot.” He warned. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsFnaTT0x1
Zeniqua couldn’t believe how heartless he was when he said that, but that struck a chord in her. He stood up and moved back. The first person Zeniqua aimed at was a young man about in his early 20’s, he was blindfolded and sweating. Zeniqua looked up at her father as she aimed, he nodded with a disgusting smirk on his face. Zeniqua pulled the trigger missing her target, the young man whimpered and flinched. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuDfoV3W8x
Her father kneeled down to her again, “Take it easy. Breathe. Try again.” He stood up again and moves back. “Eyes on the target, Zeniqua. Focus.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshgJDArfvX
Zeniqua breathes easily and pulls the trigger again, shooting the man in his head. Her father cheered along with his two right-hands. “My girl.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKOEX3nkhM
“Dad, when is it my turn?” Vante whines off to the side. He’d been kicking rocks since they’d been out there. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wCxS2FA0p
“Son, hush up. You already know how to do this. Your sister needs to learn.”
“But, I wanna kill one of them!” His fist clenched. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWLUH2XCVw
Their father walked over to Vante and snatched him up so quick by his shirt, “What’d I say?” He lifts him off the ground to his eye level.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEFyj9tYlx
Vante stammers, “she needs to learn.” he stares with his pupils dilated. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlecLOsYzGA
“Right.” He puts his son down and fixes his shirt. “Besides, you go on more errands for me than Zeniqua does. So, stop bitchin’.” He walked back over to Zeniqua. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2IZQSjk8H
A rough knock on the door causes Zeniqua’s muscles to tighten, she snatches the covers off and goes to the door. She opens it to see, Gracine. She invites her in and closes the door. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1vnUp2E9g
“What’s wrong, Gracine?” Zeniqua asks. The last time she saw Gracine was the day of the funeral. Her mother had gotten her out of there in time. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8ww8vqGDZ
“Nothing. I was just wondering what you were really doing here.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQ6RrQU9Mp
Zeniqua turns to finally look at the clock, “At 7 in the morning?” she arches her brow. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltkMXTRm7u
“Yeah. I mean I know I said it yesterday but what’s your reason?” She sits on the bed in her pink pajamas and crosses her legs. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7r2kibCdL
Zeniqua sighs, “I don't know. I…” Zeniqua looks at the floor. “Well...You know my father and all that. I had to get away from him. But, I am scared.” Her eyes shift from side to side. She begins to pace the floor then stops in front of her cousin, “I think he knows I wanted to escape.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQoPfZUQns
“He doesn’t know you’re here though, does he?” Gracine asks.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWdSBvbJ3h
“I don’t know. I don’t think he thinks I would have made it this far. He probably thinks I am still in Illinois, but he isn’t stupid.” Zeniqua sighs and rubs her face. “I was just thinking what to do if he finds me.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0kCBwqPtB
“We are going to try our best to hide you, Zeniqua. Mama won’t let anything happen to you.” Gracine assures. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUER3mE84GV
“He just...was so violent and thought everyone was out to get him.” Zeniqua squints her eyes at the carpet. “Then I overheard a conversation with him and his right hand. His right hand wanted me killed because I am too soft for that lifestyle.” She looks up, “I didn’t ask to be born into that bullshit.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33OZf1Kz20
“I know, Zeniqua.” Gracine stands up, “But, right now, we just have to keep you under wraps. Have you finished high school?”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fo9SebqN1
“Yes, thankfully. I graduated early in plans to get out.” She blinks at herself and her plan to leave. But she didn’t think it would be like this, she thought she would just go to college and never have to see her father again. But, no. Because the situation was so dire, she had to make an escape now. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGkwKHID1H
“Okay. I can talk to my mom to see if you can get a job somewhere with her.” She puts her hands on her cousin’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to worry but I know you have to.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSYv4oNvWw
Zeniqua nods, “I know. I don’t want to continue to look over my shoulder all the time.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsz8B9m3v2
“I can understand that.” She drops her hands and walks around the room. “If he hasn’t found you by now, then I don’t think he ever will.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JGfWdamiG
“How are you so sure?”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwdudIaGvG
She shrugs and turns to her, “Call it an institution. Now,” she ambles over to Zeniqua’s duffle bag. “Is this all you brought with you?” she points to it.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJR3nPubxd
“Yes. I didn’t have enough time to pack all the other things I wanted to take with me. So, I just packed what I thought I would need and I wanted my bag to be light since I was going to be running down the street.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg99H02nemB
Gracine nods. “Okay. I will talk to mom for you about that job unless you wanted to go to college instead?” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BV7z2PSbk
“I would love to go to college.” Zeni beams. College has always been a dream of her’s since her mother told her about it. She remembers her mother saying that college is a place of privilege and exploration, but the education obtained must be used for mental purposes. Whatever that meant. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e9yN5tX5N
“At least you have a plan.” Gracine says walking to the door. “Unlike my stupid brother.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdotpRtnwL
“I heard that, Gracine.” Varrien yells from his bedroom. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAbaYagh8X
“What’s with all the yelling in here?” Their mother yells from her own bedroom.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BPB7VZ2wL
Zeniqua’s eyes widen and Gracine looks to Zeniqua, “Nothing. Just having a little conversation.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HGyCOCYFt
Gracine gets her brother out of a lot of trouble, while keeping herself out of trouble as well. Zeniqua wonders how she does it, because her mother isn’t one to play. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O46o4iMVm
“Don’t make me get up outta my bed.” Their mother warns them. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZwaIZe10l
Gracine scrunches up her face and leaves Zeniqua’s room. A little later in the morning, Taiquana is making breakfast while Varrien is throwing the ball in the air. Gracine is talking to Zeniqua, “So, have you thought about what program you would want to go into when you get into college?”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhsPlgnD0N
Taiquana puts two pancakes on Zeniqua’s plate and two on Gracine’s plate. Zeniqua pours a little syrup on them and digs in. “I am not so sure. I mean...I have thought about it, but very little on the programming part.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EIXjH4Kt0
“College, huh?” Taiquana hums. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bfCfRB2t2
“Yes, I would like to go, Auntie. But, I am scared that father will find me and come back for me.” Zeniqua hangs her head. “I worked too hard on this for it to just blow up in my face.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtg1YiPVuS
“Don’t worry, Zeni. He won’t find you and if he does, we will be one step ahead of him.” She assures her niece.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9l5YDmOaB
She looks up at her auntie, “Okay.” She turns to Gracine, “I have always thought about going into something dealing with computer designs or computer programmer.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBZRbdWIIu
“Well, mom works at Webworks and that’s all they do is deal with computers. They have programmers there, designers, specialist. Basically it can be a way for you to get your foot in the door for anything dealing with computers.” Gracine nods putting a slice of a pancake in her mouth. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcfAi3fOHA
“I wish you were this passionate about school, Gracine as you are talking about my job.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEOTPsDLgA
“Oh, mom. You know I do excellent in school. I am just trying to help, Zeniqua here.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4e882JjgF
Taiquana smiles, “I know, dear.” She turns to turn the stove off, she eyes Varrien, “Stop throwing the ball in the house and come eat your breakfast.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0TWOw02Pi
“Mom…” He whines.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYdvbu7pyy
“No, sir. Sit and eat. I am sure your friends will be at the court when you get there.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFwkdur0ig
Varrien slings himself in the chair and begins eating. “They aren’t who I am waiting for, mama.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOROBTtroZU
“If you are waiting for your father to come by, then you can keep waiting until the end of time. You know that man isn’t able to keep a promise.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEIpxnrR3G
“But, he said for real this time. He is coming to play ball with me and my boys this evening.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GBJKv8Tyw
Taiquana shakes her head and begins doing the dishes. “Neari will surely play with you once he gets up.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWqp6iPBUV
Zeniqua arches her brow to Gracine. Gracine looks at Zeniqua, “Neari is mama’s new husband of five years now. He is freaking awesome. But, Varrien isn’t buying it though. He is still stuck on daddy.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhgchhvStQ
Zeniqua nods and finishes up her breakfast. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhTfC70PhU
“I am not stuck on daddy. I just want to see him.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnq3d5jP2W
Gracine rolls her eyes, “Oh please, Varrien. Get real. Ever since he left, you have been up his butt about him coming over and stuff.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfB29jHEJSu
“It’s not my fault you don’t care about daddy.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsaeoL1Ckl
“It’s not that I don’t care. I just know better than you do. I stopped believing his lies and crap. One day you will understand it too.” She takes her empty plate to the sink and puts it in. “But, until that day, you can continue being heartbroken and disappointed. I rather not. I rather get on with my life and move on from him. If he comes around, okay that’s fine. If not, then there is always Neari that is here.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHbe2SZplh
“Alright you two. Chill out, now. We have had this conversation before hand. If your brother wants to wait for his father, then let him.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡep4l3V93Qs
“Yes, mama.” Gracine sighs defeated. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYo9nWrxs5m
“Zeniqua, if you want, I can take you to my work tomorrow so you can see what it’s like there. Today is going to be really hectic and we have a few people from upstate coming to inspect us and our products.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa34mhAzsby
“I understand.” 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6i6SWEpMLz
“Great. Gracine, why don’t you introduce her to some of your friends and yall go shopping or something?”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOArMYIoJOH
“Can I take the Mazda?” Gracine squeals as she bounces up and down. “Please?”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRdGc1rP4Q
“You are still supposed to be grounded. But, since it’s for a good reason.” She tosses the keys to her daughter and she catches them. 746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOBKp8ktnx
“Yes, yes. My baby.” Gracine squeals. “Thank you, mama.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT3sVWySNh
“Yeah, yeah. Just be careful and don’t let me catch you out of the radius again.” She warns pointing her finger at her daughter.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfEEXA1MPv
“Okay, I promise, mama.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu816QDeF8q
“When can I get a car, mama?” Varrien whines as he pokes his bottom lip out.746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5e8EDpe0k
“When you pull your grades up along with your pants.”746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfWad47lWa
Gracine sticks her tongue out at her brother and pulls Zeniqua along to the car.
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