Somnolent Strike

Bad News

When we got to her house I set her down and shushed her because she was singing loud heartbreak songs.

"They're not about heartbreak, but jealousy and violent acts of love and un-huh-hinged women." Mom stressed.

"Yes but be quiet. The kids are asleep."

"Which kids? I don't have none."

"Well you certainly don't have one of them anymore." I murmured. 

She looked up sharply.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." 

"Tell me!"

"Fine ... Sam is dead. He died earlier today... I'm sorry Mom. I know he was your faviorite." I tried to hug her, but she flinched and looked scared.

I let my arms drop limply instead and watched her as she began to cry, instantly sobered up.

"Where is he? Which hospital? My poor baby..." she turned and started running but I caught her.

"Cherry, please. You can't go out in this state. You'll make yourself ill. Come inside and I'll make you a cup of hot chocolate and you'll have a hot bath and we'll worry about all t-" The Slap across my mouth stunned me into silence. 

"Will you SHUT UP? My child is dead and it's all your fault for not looking after him properly!"

"My fault? Sam committed suicide, it was nobody's fault."

"If you hadn't run off and left us to fend for ourselves he wouldn't have committed anything and he'd still be happy."

"It was you that let the kids do drugs and get into weird gangs and run wild. Even Uni is taking drugs, you stupid bitch! You're such a useless mother! A five year old can take better care of them than you ever could!" 

We were fighting so loudly we didn't see the lights inside the house switching on and Travis and Unity standing at the door. 

Mom saw them suddenly and started shouting at them.

"Why didn't you stop your brother? Why did you let him hurt himself? You know you're supposed to sit on him if he tries to hurt himself. WHY did you let Sammy die? I loved him so much. He understood me and loved me and pleasured me and gave me everything no man has ever been able to give me ... now I haven't got anyone." She wept.

"You've still got us Mom." Unity said and tried to hug her.

Mom pushed her away as if she was some irritating fly and ran inside.

Unity and Travis stared at me accusingly. 

"You should have told her sooner. Why did you leave it at the last minute for us to deal with?" Travis snapped, snatched Unity and shut the door on me. 

I could hear the heart-rending sobs long after I'd got to my own apartment.