10:00am
“Daddy.” Lilly walked sleepily out into the living room, stopping when she saw Roshawn.
“Go back to bed.” Darius warned her.
“But I’m not tired. Can you read to me?”
“No. Bedtime, now.”
“But Daddy-”
“I said NOW!!” Darius watched Lilly run off back to her room on the verge of tears. It ripped him apart on the inside.
“Your daughter?” Roshawn asked with a smirk.
“Just some kid. What were you saying?”
“Just some kid? You know, drug dealing is really dangerous. You get caught, she’ll end up in a foster home far away from here and you’ll have no visitation. Is that what you want Darius?”
Darius looked down at the floorboard, hands folded. He loved Lilly, but drug dealing was his life.
“Here, I’ll make you a deal. Either you get out of drug dealing and let this town be mine, or I tip child services and police will rip through this ‘lovely’ trailer of yours and take your little girl away forever. What’s it going to be?”
Darius remained silent. He didn’t know this guy for 10 minutes and already he was being made to choose between his daughter and his life.
“I’ll leave you alone to think. I want an answer by the end of tonight.” Roshawn left the trailer.
Darius buried his face into his hands. Maybe giving Lilly over to foster care would be better for her…. She’d be well fed, looked after. He needed help, an answer, a friend. All that he could get from molly. He called up Jake and ran out of the trailer.
1:00pm
Emma sat in the kitchen pouring discount candy into a cracked bowl. The trailer was all decorated with crafts made from orange and black pieces of paper. The only thing left was to finish sewing her costume together. Emma tried to make herself busy all day in hopes to take her mind off her missing mom. Sadly just the opposite happened. The long lonely hours only made her think more. What if the cops got her? What if she’d never see her again? As the time went on, Emma’s worries heightened. Sure she would be able to get on by herself, but the worry that her mother could be lying somewhere, anywhere, dead made her terrified.
4:00pm
Tyler hung orange lights around the trailer outside.
“You have to tell him!” Elijah whispered to his brother inside the trailer.
“You said it was no big deal!”
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a right to know. Now go tell him. Man up!” Elijah pushed his brother towards the door. “Go on. You have to at some point.”
Edward stepped out taking in a deep breath. As he approached his father he found it difficult to release the breath.
“Dad?”
“Yes son?”
“Can I talk to you?”
“Of course.” Tyler got down from the small ladder admiring his work. “What is it?” He looked at his son.
“Well…. um….”
“Are you ok? You look a little pale.” No response. “Edward, are you ok??”
Edward grabbed the hem of his shirt. He couldn’t find the words. Slowly, he lifted up his shirt and turned around baring his back to Tyler.
Tyler stared wide eyed at the tattoo. “Why didn’t you tell me…?”
“Because of the comments you always make about Robbie and Zach, and their ‘gayness’.” Edward lowered his shirt and looked at his father as Tyler thought for a moment. Tyler chuckled.
“You misunderstand. I was scoffing at how kids that young believe they know their sexuality when, in reality, they’re only starting to discover it.” Tyler, seeing how tense his son was, pulled Edward into a hug. “I’ll always love you no matter what. And I know your mother would too.”
7:00pm
Lilly happily ran from trailer to trailer holding her old dented halloween pumpkin basket. Her dollar store purple wings bounced behind her and her purple dress flowed in the wind like a pencil.
“Not too fast Lilly, don’t hurt yourself.” Jake warned as he followed smiling. It was times like this when the trailer park felt most alive. Everyone outside with candy and in costumes. It actually felt like this life was livable.
“Sorry.” Lilly ran back to Jake and reached for his hand but grasped only air. Jake chuckled and grabbed her hand.
“You ok? The doctor said you must have taken a nasty fall the other day.”
“Yep!”
They reached Andrew’s trailer and began to climb the steps up to it. Jake watched as Lilly did something she hadn’t done since she was learning to walk. Instead of just walking up the stairs, she put her hands out in front of her and felt each step before actually stepping on it. This wasn’t normal for Lilly at all.
“Hey Lilly, need any help?”
“Nope!” Lilly smiled as she straightened up at the top of the small set of stairs. She held her bucket out to Andrew smiling wide. “Trick or treat!”
“Look at you cutie.” Andrew smiled. “How old are you? Can you show me on your fingers?”
Lilly held up three fingers and Andrew copied her.
“No silly!” She giggled. “That’s not three! You’re holding up too many.”
Andrew just chuckled and gave her three big bars of candy.
“Thank you!” Before she had the chance to attempt going down the stairs Jake had already picked her up.
“Lilly, how many fingers am I holding up?”
She took a second to count the fingers in her head before declaring her answer. “Four!”
He was only holding up two.
11:00pm
Alexander, Robbie, Zach, and their new friend Brandon sat around Zach’s computer watching the newest horror movie and each holding a small bowl of popcorn.
“Don’t go in there!” Robbie commented. “Don’t go in!”
The four boys jumped as the door was open and the killer burst out.
Brandon smiled at his new friends a sad smile. They were nice boys, that much was true. But he knew that just like his other homes he’d be leaving here too. It was just a matter of time.
Lisa knocked on the door to Zach’s trailer and his mother answered. “I’m here to pick up Brandon. We have a busy day tomorrow and he needs his sleep.”
“Of course,” Zach’s mom said smiling, “Just one quick question. Look around. Other than one other trailer, everyone here is dirt poor. And then there’s you with your diamond earrings and fancy car. Why are you here? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Lisa sighed. She knew she’d get this question at some point. “My husband, he was very wealthy. We just got a divorce and stupid me signed a prenup before our marriage so I didn’t get a cent. Just my son and whatever I could fit in my car. Now may I please have my son?”
Zach’s mom nodded, shocked. “Brandon, your mother is here.” Brandon waved goodbye to his new friends and went over to his mother.
“Had fun?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Thank you.” Lisa waved to Zach’s mom as she walked back to her trailer with Brandon.
“Mom. When am I seeing dad again?”
“I don’t know.” Lisa sighed. “I honestly just don’t know.”
11:50pm
Darius stood out in the desert where he told Roshawn he’d meet him with his decision. Time ticked by and he had not made up his mind. He could not. Lilly or his career? Drugs or family? Out in the distance, a woman laid in the desert sand staring up at the stars. Darius thought he recognized her, but feared going over in case Roshawn came while he was gone. On the phone, the deal was for Darius to meet him right here between 11:30pm and midnight or Roshawn would make the decision for him. Darius impatiently tapped his foot; Roshawn was taking his sweet time.
‘What could it hurt?’Darius thought. ‘She’s just right over there. Not too far.’ Darius walked over. The woman’s face was just starting to come into view when he could hear the sound of a car. Turning around, Darius saw a car drive up, turn around in his meeting spot and quickly speed away.
“No!!” Darius yelled sprinting after the car but it was useless. Within seconds, the car was gone and so was Darius’s choice. In that very second, it occurred to Darius what choice he would have made.
‘Lilly.’ Darius sprinted back towards the trailer park hoping he could, by some miracle, make it there before the cops.
Thoughts?
What's wrong with Lilly?
Thoughts on Brandon and Lisa's past?
Who was the lady out in the desert?
Do you want a second season?
What's wrong with Lilly?Glasses?
Thoughts on Brandon and Lisa's past?Intresting
Who was the lady out in the desert?Emma's mom
Do you want a second season? Of Course!
loved it
again idfk
YES