Progressive Properties is aggressively taking over where small neighborhoods once flourished. Now Angelique's Shelter, St. Gabriel's, is under attack. Who shows up at her door to deliver the news? John McDougal, now a prominent property attorney, an...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Rebecca was staring at the clock. She was looking forward to going home today, knowing Angelique would be there. She never thought she'd learn to care for anyone, but Angelique had shown her such love that Rebecca began to believe maybe she could belong to a family. Mrs. Dolton certainly felt like family, and Angelique had never treated her with anything but kindness. She felt so safe with them.
It was now five o'clock. Time to lock up. Saint stayed close at hand, wagging his tail cheerfully at the prospect of going home. Rebecca smiled at Saint, scratching him behind his ear.
"Yeah, I'm with you, boy. I can't wait to get home too."
Deacon Michael would be by to pick her up soon. He always drove her home on his way back from the shelter. Rebecca went through her routine of closing up. It was now five after and she had just set the alarm. Locking the back door, she heard Saint give a low growl. The sound made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Holding on tight to the leash, she scanned the area but saw no one. Saint, however, did not let up.
"What is it, boy? What's there?" She could feel the sweat sliding down her back and her palms were getting clammy. Saint let out a short bark.
"Who's there?" she demanded.
"Becca?" she heard someone say.
Rebecca had looked over at the dumpsters that were lined up against the brick wall. There stood a small boy, about eleven years in age. He was extremely scrawny.
"Tommy?"
Rebecca recognized him to be her friend from the streets. Walking towards him with Saint in tow, she asked, "How many times have I told you not to do that?" He always had a way of sneaking up on her. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack or something? Come out of there!" Rebecca demanded, though smiling.
Tommy looked at Rebecca with fear in his eyes. "Sorry, Becca," he said, before taking off. He ran away from her, down the alley that stretched behind the stores.
Before Rebecca could wonder about Tommy's actions, the dumpster lids flew open and four boys from Bobby's gang were upon her before she could run. Saint was trying to fend off her attackers. When one lifted a billy club in the attempt to strike her, Saint lunged through the air. A shot rang out, and suddenly all was quiet. Rebecca was shaking. Tears streamed down her face as she looked helplessly at Saint's lifeless body.
Rebecca struggled against her captors to reach Saint but two of the four boys held her firmly in place. That's when she saw him. Their leader stepped out of the shadows with a shotgun in hand. He walked over to the dog, nudging it with his foot. When it didn't move, he proceeded forward to stand in front of Rebecca.
"Why?" she asked as she stared at the body. Slinging the gun over one shoulder-rubbing his left hand, she noticed a scar.
"I owed him one," the man answered right before he took one of the teen's clubs from him and her entire world went black.
