Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
A dark rage welled inside of Kage.
“Kage, let me explain. See, I—”
“By keeping his killer secret, you deprived me of justice for my father! You deprived my mama justice for her first and only true love! You deprived his friends and family of closure. You should have killed my daddy’s murderer, but instead, you were rejoicing with him and for as long as I live, I will NEVER, ever forgive you for that.”
Grandpa’s lips parted, but no sound or words escaped. The notes of ‘Brave Awakening,’ by Terry Reid slipped around close to his ear, pulling at his heart and soul as he looked hell in the eyes.
“I didn’t kill yo’ daddy, Kage. That’s true. I’m glad you understand that. I didn’t set it up, either. I had found out who did it by mistake, you see, and it would have hurt your mama somethin’ awful, so actually I—”
“Shhhh… don’t get to lyin’, Grandpa. I know you’re about to spin a tale. I ran away from that door, and somehow dropped the drawing I had wanted to show you. I know you found that drawing, and you put two and two together as to why I was suddenly acting funny around you. It was at that point that I felt I had no choice. I realized that you were an evil man, and I decided I was going to kill you—avenge my daddy’s death. I was going to get rid of the cancer in this family!”
A tear fell down Kage’s cheek as his grip tightened on the old man’s neck. He plunged Grandpa back down into the water, cutting off his pleas and cries for mercy. Grandpa’s hair sprawled out like a silver octopus, the tentacles flowing and glistening beneath the current. Bubbles erupted from his nostrils and his wide open mouth. He jerked the fucker’s head up by the hair, tugging it hard from the scalp. Grandpa gasped for air, struggling to breathe, his chest rising and falling fast and hard.
“Then, one day when you came up to the hospital to see me, I asked you to tell me who killed my daddy. You told me that I was crazy, and you didn’t know who was responsible. But I could tell you were lying then, just like you’re lyin’ now. I heard it loud and clear. Whoever it was, my daddy trusted him. You didn’t want the truth gettin’ back to my mama. You KNEW and said nothing. You didn’t want her to believe me! So, you used the excuse of me tryna attack you to prove I was off my rocker, to have me locked up. Me trying to kill you was the least of your concerns. You were more worried about what I’d overheard.”
A strange darkness entered Grandpa’s eyes.
“Because of you and that hospital, I pulled away from the world. Because of you, I didn’t trust anyone anymore. Because of you, I sheltered myself away from the planet, and became sloth-like. You became a sloth, too! You never put in the work to find out what was going on in your head to make you think and behave like you do. It was too heavy a burden, too heavy to lift! You were lazy and indifferent to your own brand of evil. My sloth-like behavior was born of indifference. I tried to cocoon myself away from the world because I was done with this ol’ wicked place, but this ol’ wicked place wasn’t quite done with ME! I had more to do in this world. God literally dropped her off in my backyard. Like a present! I met someone… someone a lot like me, someone who saw me for me, and loved me all the more for it.”
Kage pushed his grandfather flat on his back and placed a gun squarely against his forehead. His entire body shook as he tried with everything in him to resist pulling the trigger! Grandpa lay there, exhausted and empty, and yet, his eyes were full of terror.
“Kage… please…” The bastard’s voice trembled.
“You’re afraid of dyin’ alone, old man. But I know what it’s like to be alone. I know what it’s like to be left for dead. Forgotten. Dirt thrown on you! You’re afraid of dyin’ alone, too, but you’re not alone right now, are you?” Kage sneered. “I’m here with you… and I WANNA BLOW YOU AWAY! I was set to kill you today, but then… then I found out not too long ago that I’m gonna be a daddy!”
Hot tears streamed down his face.
Grandpa’s eyes widened. His expression somewhat softened. “A baby?”
“Yes, one that you can’t claim, or taint! There’s a baby comin’ into this world, and she or he is mine. ALL MINE, YA HEAR ME?!” He pressed the gun harder into Grandpa’s forehead. The man swallowed hard and slowly closed his eyes. Then, he began to mumble the Lord’s Prayer.