~~Young~~

Chapter Twelve

   And sadly that was life on the streets. Mama had never tried to placate Vanessa into believing that wouldn’t happen, she told her as long on she was here she would be a target. Told Sera the same thing, that she was risking her own life and body coming to see them. But Mama also told them not to fight back should it ever happen, because Mama knew from experience it only made it worse.

   Didn’t stop Sera from protecting herself either though, her own weapons concealed beneath the lining of her coat.

   With a nod she reached for the backpack and unzipped the front most pocket, pulling out the gun and handed the revolver over.

   “I was told it was clean, never fired,” she opened the chamber and dumped the bullets out in her hand, “they’re the most common shell you can find too.”

   And to Sera’s relief, when Billy took the gun and bullets from her there wasn’t a smile on his face, more like…determination.

   “Thanks Sera, you’re right up there with Mama you know that?”

   She held up her hands and stepped back, “not even close,” she laughed, “please don’t insult her by comparing her to me.”

   Mama was what Sera strived for and never would be.

   They caught up on a few more things before Mama excused them, knowing Sera had one more thing to take care of before she could rest. Though really, she was starting to get used to her perpetual state of exhaustion even though physical rest she wasn’t what she was trying to achieve.

   “Who is he?” Mama asked once they were out on the landing again.

   “What? Who?” Sera scanned her surroundings, only to realize Mama was staring at her.

   “Him,” Mama reached to Sera’s collar, “I’ve never seen you wear men’s clothing before.”

   See, she didn’t miss a thing. Sera had her coat zipped only inches away from her neck, leaving only the collar of Gage’s shirt visible.

   “I don’t know yet,” Sera turned and began pacing slowly, “friend, foe…he could be either really.”

   “You think he may be after you?”

   “Maybe…”

   “Yet you wear his clothes…leaving me to wonder where yours are,” she looked seriously to Sera, “on his bedroom floor maybe?”

   “No, no, nothing like that,” Sera was quick to dismiss that. Yeah it certainly crossed her mind, but, yeah, no, that would have been a mistake.

   “Good,” Mama said sternly, “because had that been then case I might tempted to ask you what sort of self destructive path you were on.”

   Sera pulled her head back sharply, Mama’s words ringing inside her mind. Was that what she was doing, trying to sabotage her own self? She hadn’t thought of it that way, but she had been so very close to giving up lately…but she still felt like herself. She couldn’t feel any of the usual deadness that accompanied her darkness…but cozying up to Gage, if he was sent by her Uncle, would be exactly that.

   “It’s kind of a long story,” she shook that off.

   And by the way Mama crossed her arms over her chest she wasn’t letting Sera get away until she told said story. So she did, she reiterated everything for her since Gage showed up in her life a few days ago and that is was the timing that made her suspicious. She earned a few troubled glances from Mama when she explained her near fatal allergy attack, and that it was his help that had her giving up her reservations. But otherwise she stayed quiet, listening to Sera’s whole story.