One Blood

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Chapter Seventy-Eight

 

Angola, LA

 

Jhonnette broke out of unconsciousness and covered her ears. Music was everywhere. Completely disoriented, she opened her eyes. Moses leaned over her with concern.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

“I don’t know. This music just started.”

She tried to sit up. A blinding cramp tore through her abdomen.

Moses pushed down on her shoulder. “Stop trying to move.” 

Jhonnette remembered the taser and groaned. Moses shifted his wheelchair slightly and she heard an odd swishing sound, like water in a washing machine. She rolled onto her side and looked down at the floor.

Moses was sitting in water up to his calves.

How long have I been out? 

The music blared. The water rose.

Fresh panic jumped into her eyes.

How can Moses be so calm about this? 

  Moses touched her face as she cried uncontrollably. She wasn’t meant to die like this. This wasn’t part of the plan. She was supposed to be on her way back to New Orleans with her father in tow, a much richer and happier person.

Where are you, Father? I need you! 

The music stopped. A heartbeat later, the cell door sprung open. A bevy of dirty brown water rushed into the cell. Soon, Moses was covered up to his waist.

“Can you get up?” he asked, still calm.

Jhonnette didn’t think so, but the rising water gave her renewed motivation. She stood on top of the cot and looked to Moses for further instruction.

“You’re going to have to float me.” He extended his arms out to his sides and put his head back like he was being baptized.

“What?” Jhonnette’s face contorted in confusion.

“I can’t walk. I tried when the water first started trickling into the cell. You’re going to have to float me out.”

“I…I can’t,” Jhonnette moaned. There were a million shards of glass glimmering in the water, waiting for her to step in so they could slice her to shreds.

Calm down. You’re amplifying.