Rebel Blaze by A. R. Shaw

Author:A. R. Shaw [Shaw, A. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Apocalyptic Ventures, LLC

28

Kim

“I heard you!” Kim shouted as she thrust her arm to the right, knocking Jasmine into her brother and instantly causing her daughter to cry out. “But Momma, we’re here. They want us to get off the bus now.”

Kim looked around at the empty seats. The last few passengers were making their way down the aisle loaded with oversized baggage. The bus driver stood nearby, saying things like, “Have a good evening. Take care now. Watch your step there,” between shooting concerned looks in Kim’s direction.

Looking out the windows, Kim saw that it was now well past nightfall. Preparing for this trip, she hadn’t slept much in the last few weeks. No one understood the problems she faced. They didn’t get it. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep so long, Jasmine. I told you.”

Trying to stifle her own cries, Jasmine said, “I tried, Momma. I did.”

“Stop that now. We gotta get on our way. Your granny will be surprised to see us. And get your thumb outta your mouth, Jasmine. You’re a big girl now. That’s the last time I’m gonna tell you,” she said as she grabbed her son, their bag, and pushed the back of Jasmine’s head out ahead of her down the aisle. Her daughter stumbled, still in an effort to restrain the repetitive sobs.

Under the driver’s hard stare, Kim completely ignored him and said, “I’ll have to chop that off. I’ve told you more than once.”

Outside the bus, the familiar Chicago wind threatened to take their breaths away.

“Something’s on fire, Mama,” Jasmine said with a hiccup.

“Yep, I smell it, too. That’s a lot of smoke. Let’s go.”

As they waited at the busy crosswalk, Kim looked back and forth. The traffic wasn’t usually this bad at night. Seemed people were getting out of the city. She was running to what remained.

Jasmine said, “Does Granny know we’re coming, Mama? She wasn’t happy about our visit last time.”

“No…she doesn’t know but only you two are stayin’ this time. Mama’s got work to do. I’ll visit another time.”

They crossed the street quickly, before the signs changed again, and cars threatened to run them over even though it was their right of way.

“You’re leaving us there again?” Jasmine yelled and threatened to stop right in the middle of the street.

“Stop asking questions you don’t want to the answer to, girl. I have work to do. You know that.”

The child’s whining was getting on her nerves. “Get moving, Jasmine,” Kim yelled and had to turn back into traffic to prod her despondent daughter on as cars honked. Loaded down with her son and baggage, Kim had to grab her daughter by the hair again with her free hand to pull her out of the street. “I’ll just leave you there next time, girl!”

Jasmine followed her mother out of arm’s reach just behind her as Kim marched on the last few blocks.

She cast a few glances back the first two blocks to see if her daughter still followed. “Doesn’t matter…she knows the way to her granny’s house.

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