Beyond Blood & War

"Hey, you are alright in here?"

He looked up, his gaze caught for a moment in hers. "Yeah, I am good. Did you enjoy your shower?"

"Yeah, I did. That peppermint soap you gave me works wonders; I love it. Welp, anyways I guess I'll see you sometime soon, dear. Let me get dressed and I will walk you out."

"Oh, no no no. No walking out needed, baby. My girlfriend just only lives three blocks away. I can walk over to her house and stay for the rest of the day, until I have to go back and help run the shop." He turned to her with a devilish smirk, and open arms. "Come here, baby, and give me a hug."

"But, I am all wet."

Despite her protest, he began walking toward her. The moment he reached her, the peppermint fragrance plagued his senses. It took him everything in him to keep from pawing her like an animal. "I don't care. A wet hug from you is better than no hug from you."

She gave him a bashful look, and rolled her eyes. "Alright, hot stuff. There I hope it helps you." The moment she placed her arms around he went into pure heaven, and accidentally let down his guard. "Fuck!"

Within a split second she tensed up, pulling away from him. "Junior, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Umm nothing, Lil. Nothing at all."

"Are you sure? I know I promised not to read you, but I cannot help but to feel this overwhelming mixture of emotions coming from you. In fact, I don't think I can get a good read on them because there are so many, and all over the place. Are you sure everything is fine?"

He looked at her with his best nonchalant, blank expression. "Yeah, I am fine." He said with a shrug. "Hey, look, it's about for me to leave, and I know you lots of things to do, so let me just see myself out. Bye, Lil. Chat with you later."

"Alright, dear."

As soon as he closed the door, Lillie dropped her head down, letting out a deep sigh. She looked back at the door, with mixed emotions. Eventually she grew tired of standing in the same spot, and moved toward her bedroom. "Let me get ready for work, and stop worrying about this man. There are young girls I need to save."

)*(

He walked briskly down the street, hoping to shake off the emotions. "Damn. Damn. Damn. I hope she didn't catch me." As he walked, guilt, envy, and frustration poured out like wildfire.

When he finally reached his girlfriend's house, he took a moment to rest on her front porch, and think.

)*(

The stench of death and rot was overpowering. But that did not bother her in the least. She was here to do her duty, and that duty was to get young girls, women, and boys, off the streets and safely into nice, warm beds. She walked with a slow, hippy gait, as if she was a hooker, scoping out her targets. She was no fool. Not everyone wanted to be saved, but of the ones that did, she paid extra attention.

Continuing on her slow journey, she came across overriding feelings of despair and hopelessness. Sure ... all of these young women felt this way; but this one was different. This was one of her targets that she needed to save. Glancing around, eyes landed on a woman across the way, smoking a cigarette. She was tall, taller than Lillie's 5'1'' frame. Her colorful, box-braided hair, extremely short shorts, six-inch heels, and tube top showing off a belly piercing. She had a tattoo ... or maybe a brand. Lillie could not it make out from this distance.

The girl threw down her cigarette. Looking back up she gazed in Lillie's direction and they made eye contact. In the young girl's eyes Lillie saw nothing but sickness. She looked healthy, outwardly, but for some reason the moment they made eye contact, something seemed off. Her eyes screamed out for help. They stood there for what seemed like forever. Lillie finally got tired of waiting, and walked over to her.

Lillie had expected the girl to run away or curse her out. Instead, she was shocked to hear her say, "Finally your ass paid some attention to me. I was getting worried."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I saw you out here last week, picking up young women, but your ass by-passed me. I was hoping whenever you do come back out here, you would notice me."

"Are you sure you were out here? 'Cause I walked up and down this street two times out a week. Maybe even three when I am feeling really motivated, and I have not once seen you, the way you claim to saw me. But no worries. I am here, and the feel of it, and the looks of it, you really do need help. I am here to only help the ones that actually want my help. I can't save everyone, on earth but I can save a good portion of them. Come on let's see if we can find others."

>~< Lillie was somewhat disappointed; she had not found as many to save as she usually did, but it did bring a smile to her face knowing she had at least gotten two girls off the street: Janelle, and Suzy.

"So, tell me a little about yourself, Janelle?"

"Well, where do I start? I, um ... I am a Chicago native, I am a Leo, I just turned 22 yesterday, and my favorite color is purple."

"Um hm. Go on, please? Is there a reason why you want to get help? I mean I am not turning you away or anything I have to a legitimate reason, dear. Plus, I like to bond with my people."

The girl laughed, and shrugged. "Well, I have been on the streets for a very long time now. I got put out of my mom's home when I would not get rid of my boyfriend that I was seeing at the time."

Lillie gave her a quizzical look "Are you serious? She kicked you out because of your boyfriend?"

"Ha, don't look at me like that." She shrugged again. "But yeah she did. My boyfriend was the love of my life, or so I thought. He was everything I wanted in a man. He was tall, had sexy smooth dark skin, great body, wonderful tats, and to top it all off he had that bad boy swagger. He was just dreamy. The sex was great, his tongue game was on point, but his life was a mess. That's how I ennded up on the streets."

"Go on."

"My mother tried to warn me. She did, she really did, I will give her credit for that, but my stupid ass was too damn blinded by love, and the sex, to see him for what he truly was. To make a long story short, I ended up contracting HIV from him."

To say Lillie was dumbfounded was an understatement. "And you are out here hooking? What the hell?"

"Ha, cool jets, lady. I am safe, and I am safe with all my customers. And besides, there are actually some men who get off on the idea of me HIV positive. It's weird, I know, but who am I to turn the down a good bareback sex."

Lillie gave her a look that spoke volumes. "Oh, wow, that sounds kind of cruel, and harsh."

"Yeah I know, but hey. I got to have some type of way to pay for my medication, and bills. I cannot be stuck in this shitty life penniless and miserable, forever. That's why I am here."

"Hm. Do you mind if I asked how your boyfriend contracted HIV?"

"He was on the DL[." She had a sad look in her eyes. "Yep. I was too oblivious to catch on that my man likes getting fucked by other men, until one day he came home with a monster that we could not get rid of. It's so funny. The moment I contracted the disease I called my mother to tell her I was sorry, and that I should have listened to her. Hmmmm. But she hung the phone up in my face. So now I am here, hoping to get your help."

Lillie sat in silence once the young girl had ended her story. It was heartbreaking, nonetheless, and from what she was sensing, the girl really wanted help and was desperate. Still, Lillie couldn't help the feeling that something was slightly off about her. She could not put her finger on it. Chalking it up as her own personal demons playing tricks, Lillie decided to let the girl inside the group home, and to think nothing else of it. "Alright, missy-poo. You are a very interesting character. That, I must say, I would like to get to know better. Welcome home." She extended her hand.

Janelle took her hand in one swift motion, and shook it earnestly. "I cannot wait to prove myself to you. I am so excited."

"Oh thank you, dear. Hmmm."

>~<

"Closing up shop?"

Lillie threw her head up to see Cindy standing in the doorway. "Yeah, I am heading home. I'm tired, and need to relax. Maybe take a hot bath." "Sounds nice. Maybe you get yourself a bit of some champagne while you are at it. Anyways be careful Lil, please. You know Deacon Ross stopped by, looking for you?"

Her eyes widened in fear. "He did? Why?"

"Apparently he does not like what we are doing, but for some reason he took a strange liking to you, and when I say that, I don't mean it in a good way."

"Of course you don't. He's an evil, sick, monster."

"That he is. Well Lillie, I wish I could help, but I have a two-year-old at home. I will not leave my child motherless. So, good luck. Avoid him as best as you can."

Turning away, Lillie gave Cindy a sarcastic look. "Gee, thanks a lot," she mumbled under her breath. She looked over at the clock. Just about seven. "Well, I cannot stay in here forever. But I can sneak out the back." Grabbing her keys and purse, she quickly made a beeline for the back door, praying to God that she would be safe.

>~<

She had just stepped out of the market, carrying bags of groceries, when an overwhelming sense of fear plagued her. She couldn't tell if it was fear for herself, or fear for someone else. She got her answer the moment she heard yelling, fussing, and scrabbling across the street. Quickly, she made her way to her car, but after only a few steps she heard gunshots. Two men who were tussling with a young fellow, had shot him dead at close range. They looked up to see her standing, frozen in place, her mouth gaping open.

When they began jogging toward her, she regained her senses and started to panic. She tried making it to her car as fast as she could, but when a bullet hit it, and they had gained ground so fast, she panicked and ran back toward the market.

Upon reaching the doors, she grabbed it jerking the handle quickly, but found it was locked. She looked inside to see an old Asian woman mouthing, 'Sorry' to her. "Oh, dear God, what am I going to do?" Panic and fear plagued her throat. She began running at full speed around the back of the store, hoping to avoid her killers, but when she glanced back they were right on her tail.

"Hey bitch, get back here, we got something to show you." They laughed as they shot bullets past her head.

Hot tears pricked her eyes, and her heart pound in her chest. "Oh God, why did this have to happen to—Ahhhh!" she screamed as a bullet whizzed past her head. She was so frightened that she fell, face-first, onto the hard pavement. "Ugh, oh, awwww ugh. Pleeeeease, I saw nothing. I am sorry, please don't do this," she cried. She continued to cry as the young men got closer into view.

They looked to be young, teenaged boys to be exact. Both were decked out, all in black. Seeing how young they were she thought she might be able to convince them not to kill her. "Please, I run a help center. If it's help you boys need, I can help you. I can take you off the streets. You don't have to kill me."

"Shut up. We know what you do for a living, Ms. Lillie Marie Bernard. We just don't chase helpless women for nothing. And no, we are not going to kill you."

"You're not?"

"No. Our boss will. Junior, if you will."

Her eyes opened wide as she heard the familiar footsteps of her friend. She looked up to see his face, but was greeted instead by a damp black cloth quickly making contact with her mouth. Then there was nothing but darkness.

"I am so sorry, Lil. I know you will never forgive me, but I just had to do this." He felt her body go slack against his. He looked up with tears in his eyes at the two young men.

They looked back at him with condescension. "Dude, you are such a bitch. Get her ass up, and carry her to the car. Hurry up. Deacon is waiting."