Mischiefmakers: Dark Macabre by Maasi Smith Page A

the ground by a powerful force. Then Melissa sees her nude
body lying amongst trash with her mouth frozen open and her eyes
fixed into a terrified gaze. Melissa blinks away the hidden memory
and buries it once more. The visions disappear, and Melissa cannot
remember them, but she feels terror course through her body. Her
heart races, then quickly subsides. Everything is normal.
“We haven’t heard anything about it. We’ve been too busy
enjoying the crib we’re crashing at,” replies Sarah.
“That’s right, so you said this old man just hooked y’all up for
no reason?” says Sissy excitedly.
“That’s what it seems. He said we could stay there as long as
we wanted and get rested. He said get rested like I got somethin’
important to do. I guess he don’t realize I have nothin’ planned no
time soon,” says Melissa.
“Well, I find the whole thing kinda strange,” says Sarah.
“What?” asks Sissy.
“The old man, he just come outta nowhere, I’ve never seen him
in the hood before. The way he stared at Missy, like he wanted
more. He didn’t even look at me one time when we first met, not
once. All he did was flash his gold and rotten teeth and offer her
a place to live. When we got there, he acted like he was mad that I
was there.”
“Maybe he wanted some ass!” Sissy laughs.
“Well, he wasn’t goin’ to get none, the little freak,” Sarah says
quickly.
“Sarah, stop being so damn mean. I thought he was kinda nice,
like a granddaddy. Anyway, he didn’t try to make no moves, he just
gave us the key and left,” says Melissa.
“Did y’all pawn some of that stuff?” says Sissy.
“No, we didn’t. I mean, if he was nice enough to give us a great
place to stay, I’m not goin’ to rip him off. Plus, he probably got
the neighbors watchin’ us.”
“So, who you got for neighbors?”
“That’s a good question. We haven’t heard or seen anyone since
we’ve been there. There’s only a couple of apartments with people,
and I figured someone would have at least come by or somethin’.”
“You invite your boyfriend up?”
“Who?” Melissa asks.
“Who? Harry, that’s who. From what I remember, you and the
skinny boy were a hot item.”
“Well, you remember wrong. Me and him were just friends, and
I haven’t seen him in a while. Anyway, he’s not even my type.”
“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to make ya’ll mad.”
“Don’t worry about it. He just turned out to be a typical man,
an asshole. He was so full of himself, I could never get a word in,
so I just asked him to stop comin’ around.”
“Yeah right, and maybe one day you’ll get the balls to tell me
and Sissy the truth,” says Sarah.
“I’m tellin’ the truth.”
“No, you’re not,” says Sarah. “All you did was talk about how
sweet he was and how he listened to you, then you stop talkin’ about
him, so somethin’ must have happened that you’re not tellin’.”
“So, Sissy, when are you leavin’?” asks Melissa, purposefully
changing the subject.
“Tomorrow morning, Greyhound,” responds Sissy.
“Damn, so that means you won’t be here for the get-together
me and Sarah were planning.”
“Y’all plannin’ a party and you didn’t invite me?”
“We looked for you at the shelter, and Tibbs told us where you
were. I guess we got so caught up in talkin’, we just forgot.”
“That’s awright, but even though I can’t go to the party, that
don’t mean you guys will forget me, does it?”
“How can we forget your country ass? Don’t worry, we’ll keep
in touch,” says Sarah.
“It’s gettin’ late, do you mind if we crash with you tonight?”
says Melissa.
“Naw! Missy, y’all go ahead and get some sleep. Y’all could also
help yourselves to them free towels.”
“That’s okay. We have a closet filled with them at the place.”
Sarah yawns.
The women quickly quiet down as the long day’s activities catch
up with them.
The next morning, Melissa and Sarah wave good-bye