We Lead by Night

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Demeatrie L. Funderburk

May 3, 2013

Master Work

Literary Technique & Story Development


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We Lead By Night

What do you mean youre going to let her go, he says as he slams his balled

fists on the desk in front of him. Travis Reed paces across the nearly vacant room,

besides the presence of two plain-clothes police officers, before slamming his two scarred

hands down once again. This startles the younger officer who is sitting off to the right in

a corner. The kid slowly rises as if heading over. The other officer motions to him to sit

back down.

Listen sir, I know youre upset, butthere isnt really anything we can do. Travis

un-balls his fists, sucks his teeth then places his body squarely in front of the officer.

OfficerJames is it? Youre telling me someone can break out of a facility,

break their restraining order and theres absolutely nothing you can do about it? Officer

James shakes his head.

I wish I could tell you more but this is out of our hands. Youre going to have to

wait until your commander gets here and theyll take it from there, but given your

history.

What about my history? Travis snaps.

Whoa, calm down sir, Im just saying given the circumstances, it might not be

such an easy situation for you. He walks over to the window and stares at the young

lady sitting on the other side of the glass. Her body slumps lifelessly in the chair as she

blankly stares straight at him. He knew she couldnt see him but it almost looked like

there was a sneer on her face. Not just any sneer at that. It was more of a triumphant one

like she knew she had won. She was taunting him like she always did. Pushing him

further and further. He could feel the boil in the back of his throat and instantly became


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furious. He raises his right fist into the air and punches the glass as hard as he can. A loud

crack echoes throughout the small room but he keeps punching harder and harder. The

young officer jumps up and tries to restrain him. The door opens in the room where the

girl was sitting. Officer James motions for her detainment officer to come over.

Were ummm, handling a situation right now. I need you to keep her busy but

importantly, keep her as alert as possible, he saysbefore leaving the room. I love how

theyre talking about me like I cant even hear them. Youd think people in this place

knew how to use an inside voice. My escort nods then begins speaking to me.

Melissa, I think were going to be here a bit longer sohow about we get to know

each other, she says.

I dont want to know you.

Well, Im interested in you, she says, So talk to me.

I dont want to talk to you.

How about Ellis? Does Ellis want to talk to me?

Ellis talks to everybody.

Okay, then tell Ellis that I want to get to know him.

I dont feel like getting him.

You know its snowing outside Melissa, she says.

So?

That means well be here all day if we get snowed in. Do you want Ellis to talk

to me now or when were snowed in and trapped?Hmm, she does have a point. Ellis

tends to get out of my control when snow is involved.


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Fine, what do you want to know? She looks at me with big gray eyes. They

almost look innocent. Too bad I hate her already. Ellis seems to like her though. Hesjust

like Travis -- always grasping on to a pretty face. If he werentsuch a good bodyguard,

Id get rid of him already.

Is Ellis ready to talk yet?she asks. I nod my head.

So, tell me why you dont like snow Ellis.There is silence. So much silence.

Finally, he opens his mouth.

Its too powerful, he says. She raises her eyebrows in a perplexed fashion. This

is the reason I never let him talk to people. They automatically judge and he doesnt like

that at all. He never has.

There was a snowstorm when he left us. He would have comeback if it wasnt

snowing. Great, hes about to tell this story again. Im sick of him always making us

look like typical traumatized children. Plus, I knew he wasnt coming back. No person in

his or her right mind gets dressed up like its a 1950s gala to go to the grocery story in a

beginning snowstorm. Our father left us in the middle of the night cause he didnt know

what to do with responsibilityjust like his father. I just know it, Ellis continues, He

would have come back.

Tell me what happened the night of your storm, she says to him.

Melissa was driving and I was sitting in the back. She should tell you but I know

she doesnt like you. Youre damn right kid. I dont like her. At least he got that part

right. There was a major storm that night and I was sick of dealing with Ellis, tired of

having to meet with lawyers in reference to my marriage to Travis and just sick of

everything as a whole. The only thing I wanted to do was get out of this shit and be with


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my son on his final days. Ellis didnt agree though so I made sure to hide the pills from

him for a week or so that way he couldnt interfere with what needed to be done.

Breaking out was the easiest part; everything else that followed was the mess. I slammed

my foot down on the brakes of the semi painted 86 Thunderbirdour father had left in his

will. It was the only thing of that was worth much so I kept it for myself. There was a

cabin less than a mile from my old house that I would park it by. No one went up there

and I only found it one day when I was going to clear my head. I heard the motor turn

over in the background as I plowed my way through the snow piling up in front of me. It

was all scaring the hell out of Ellis. I remember laughing to myself.

I cant breathe in here, he said.I leaned over to roll down the window of the

passenger side door. The crisp, fresh chill of 20-degree winds erased the tension between

us for a second. My mind was loosely plastered together with vanilla, honey and the

underlying flavor of iron. The last time I tasted iron was when Ellis began deteriorating

faster than I in our abandoned house. I rubbed my fingers over the small plastic band

around my right wrist. I was there too long. My hands tightened around the leather

wheel. The jagged pieces of metal that poked from underneath the dilapidated wheel

covering bore into the spongy portion of my hands. Funny how I hadntseen that earlier.

Call me unfocused I guess. I was always the aloof one though so I suppose it made sense.

Fuck!!

Youre never gonna make it now, he said as the car jerked from side to side. I

felt the small droplets of blood run from my hands down to my knees. Great, look at this

mess. The car swayed violently and I could barely see a thing so I told Ellis to keep a

look out. He was good at that.


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.

There was a jerk, followed by a snap, loud crunch and then nothing as the car rolled to a

stop in the middle of the bridge. Perfect, just freaking perfect. He yelled something in the

background to me but I chose to tune him out. It was much easier for me to figure things

out that way. I shook my head. Okay girl, get it together. I had a job to do that night, just

like I had a job to do years ago. This time Ellis was not getting in the way. That snow

though, it was relentless. The wind forced me back into the car every time I tried to get

out. That only meant I had to be subjected to Ellis pleading which was something else I

didnt want to deal with. It reminded me too much of when we were younger. He would

sit at the door waiting for our father to return. The food ran out, the electricity finally

died, no one came for weeks and he would wait by the door and plead to me why he

knew father was coming back. Stupid, optimistic Ellis. He always saw the bright side to

the most horrible scenarios. When Travis returned from the war, Ellis was convinced that

we could heal him back to normalcy. I knew better, but there was Elliscooking,

cleaning and pampering Travis. And where did it get us? Bruised in a corner of the room

like a wounded fawn. I didnt work this hard to be this strong to get beat by my husband

on the daily. Travis came into house that final evening to find me dragging my body

down the hallway. I was wearing my usual white gown, but this time it was drenched in

deep crimson splotches. The trail of our sins, painted conjoined blood, followed me that

night. Travis stood in awe above me, yelling to me that I should drop the 10 inch blade

in my hand. I could hear Ellis screaming the same thing. I repositioned the tip of the

knife toward my body and lunged it deep into my protruding belly button before letting

out a shrill of sheer agony and exuberance. We were free or at least we would have been


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if Travis hadnt of called the police. I pulled at the sides of my gray coat as I trudged

through the lofty street corners. After what felt like a mile or so, my vision shifted from

black and white to borderline Technicolor. Traviss car was gone, just as I knew it would

be. Approaching the door, my heart sped up then contracted within the confines of my

malnourished rib cage.

I just want one more thing to eat, Ellis said to me his final night.I had spent

majority of the evening trying to find whatever I could but there was nothing else. The

starvation ate his body much faster than mine and I didnt know what else to do. All he

would do was cry and sit by the door waiting for father. I tried to tell him. He just would

never listen. Ever! I didnt want to see him that way. I definitely didnt want him to die

that way.

What am I supposed to say? I say aloud. There is silence, followed by a long

sigh then the sound of a lighter opening.

Just get to the damn door, he said. I stopped walking. Ellis didnt curse or

smoke for that matter. This was weird.

Wait, you still didnt tell me.

There's another sigh followed by a billowing puff of white in my peripheral. Ill take

care of it when we get there; we know you cant do this right.I had to clasp my hand

over my mouth to stop from laughing out loud hysterically. He was trying to get some

balls. How cute! I made it my mission to annoy him as I began sliding my feet across the

pavement.


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Pick up your feet! he scoldedme.

Sorry, I saidas I pulled my knees up to my chest in an exaggerated motion.

Not that much.

We stopped directly in front of the door. I rapped softly two times on the oak entrance

before me. Silence. I hated silence. We both did honestly. I rapped again a bit louder this

time. A young girl opened the door. She appeared to be in her early teens with soft brown

curls that framed her face down to her thin lips that turned upward before she even says a

word.

Yeah? she said to me. I adjusted my posture.

Im here for Dominic, I said.

Yeah, so am I. Who are you?

I heard the small patter of footsteps coming up behind her. She was in my way. I had

work to do. Dominic slid his plump tan hand around the front of her left leg as he rested

his right side up against her. The girl looked down at him as the curls fell in front of her

eyes. Something about this intrigued Ellis.

Do you know her? he asked me.

He doesnt know you. I dont know you. Guess thats your answer, she said to

me as she began to close the door.

I stood there waiting for an answer. Another long sigh filled the silence in the

background. My mouth started forming words that I didnt quite understand.

Travis sent me to take over for the rest of the night. He said you had work to

do so Im your relief. She lookedme over for a bit. Hell, I looked me over for a bit. I


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was just as wary of my actions as she was at this point, but we both decided to go with it.

The last thing I needed I was for Ellis newfound assertivenessto get in the way.

Okay, thats fine. Ill just get my things, she said as she took Dominics hand

off her leg, Come on, follow me and the nice lady inside. Whats your name by the

way? I walk in, close the door behind me and walk behind them into the foyer.

Melissa, I replied. The girl packed up her things before stopping at the door to tell me

she was about to put him to bed with his favorite book. I simply nodded before tossing

my knapsack in the chair closest to the fireplace. Dominic stared at the both of us as she

left him in my possession. He walked up to me and began rubbing his fingers across the

thin plastic bracelet around my wrist, Whats this? I quickly snatched my arm away

from him.

Nothing.

Doesnt look like nothing.

Well, it is.

Wheres Daddy?

Hes coming later,I said, Im going to read to you tonight. Ill make you some

tea, bring some cookies and be there in a minute. But first, you have to be a good boy and

go to your room. A smile spread across Dominics face. I wish that smile meant

something to me, however, I knew one day it would fade into something more sinister

than he wasntprepared to handle without his approval. I didnt need him to follow in his

father or my fathers footsteps.

Can I have peanut butter? Daddy doesnt let me have them.I think he hides

them. I keptlooking forward and he continued to rub his fingers across my wristband.


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Sure, I said, Ill be there in a few minutes.

Dominic happily bounced down the hallway towards his room. I took a quick survey of

the objects around us. Besides the fact that there seemed to be an abundance of metals

and military accolades everything had remained in place during my absence. Guess he

had to make up for what he did to me somehow. Im sure his soul was still trapped in

ruin, if not, it was going to be after this. On top of the refrigerator sat two half eaten

sleeves of peanut butter cookies. I picked out the softest, placed them on a small saucer

with the large mug from my knapsack. It was now filled with a black tea, lemon juice,

honey and codeine mixture. A little bit over half of this eased Ellis hunger pains that

night so Im sure this is enough for Dominic.

Are you coming? calledDominic from his bedroom.

A few more minutes, I said, Well be there. Ellis interjected.

We cant do this, he said. Maybe he was right, but it was too late at that point

for any sort of his negotiating to matter. I knew one thing for certainI wasnt crazy and

Dominic was the seed of a rape I didnt fight off years ago. All I could see at that moment

was Travis, still in uniform, sauntering into the house after another long night of

meetings. He smelled of swill and venereal disease yet Ellis was convinced that if we

talked to him, he would calm down. As he pressed his whiskey infused 260-pound frame

against mine in the sienna colored loveseat in front of the fireplace, I knew that Ellis

way wasnt working anymore. I had tried to be the diligent wife. I had tried to save him

from the things I had never seen just like with Ellis but I realized in that moment that I

cant do everything and this had to stop. I had to do something. So I gave him a very

nasty gash above his right eyebrow with the cookie jar from the foyer coffee table.


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Dominic was the product of sin and he needed to be destroyed. If not, he would live a life

plagued by the bad choices of his father, just like I did. We didnt need another one

released upon the world only to be cursed by an inevitable fate. I loved him enough to

prevent that from happening. Even though he didnt agree with my methods, I knew deep

down Ellis understood this. Another deep sigh exited my body when I walked into

Dominics room, pulled up the small chair and placed the saucer on the nightstand. His

huge chestnut gray eyes stared into mine once again. I just loved him so much. He didnt

understand what would happen later. I didnt want him to end up like me.

What story do you want to hear this time? I asked. Dominic pointe to the far left

of the bookshelf.

I want to hear that one.

Its always been my favorite. I read this to him the entire time I was pregnant. I opened

the hard covered book to page 33. This was the very same page as the last time.

Follow me to the steps

We'll pray about the things that have added to our foreverin the city where its safe

and you'll never remember how you came across bells in the background

Nor the chimes in the front of this

Watch the kids play

For we only have one night

.

I dont like this one, Dominic saidas he stretched his hands above him before

slouching further in the bed. He grabbed one of the cookies and dunked it into the tea

Youre not going to like everything you hear, I said.

Youre mean, saidDominic, I dont like meanpeople.

Dont worry, I said, You will never have to deal with them. Dominics body


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slumped forward a bit more. He took a few more huge gulps out of his mug before

sitting it back on the nightstand. I just kept reading until I heard him snoring softly in the

background. Travis should be home soon. I needed to beat him this time. I placed the

book down on the floor, then leaned over Dominic in the bed.

Im going to make sure you never have to suffer, I saidas I rubbed my fingers

through his thick brown hair. The sticky substance on the backside of my bracelet got

caught on a few loose strands. I swear that was Ellis doing. I struggled for a few

moments as I tried to pull it out of his hair without alarming him. I walked back over to

the bookshelf; slid my hands along the second rack until I can feel the small wooden door

on the bottom. I remove two books that are sitting on top. The cold steel against my

clammy hand sent a rush through my body and a smile across my face.

I took out the blade and walked over to the bed. He was resting there peacefully. I

stared down at this life that I had brought into the world. For the past 4 years, I had paid

for the choices his father made. For all my life, I had paid for the choices my father made,

but not anymore. Neither of us would have to pay. Neither of us would have to carry

around the curse. I took a deep breath before lunging the blade deep into the barely

developed chest cavity of my now 5-year-old son.

The chair shifts to the left in the room. I hear her cough across the table from me.

Ellis?? Ellis??, she says.I look over to the side window, the snow is coming

down quite heavy outside yet she insists on asking questions, Tell me what happened

right before you tried to kill yourself.Theres a long sigh, then silence.Were going to

be here for a while. I can feel it already.

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We Lead by Night