Authors Notes: I am really sorry that I keep deleting the chapter, but every time I read it, I find an error, or don't like how it played out.

To the people who reviewed and add this story to alert….THANK YOU! :-P

I like writing, though some time I feel I am no good as it, so thanks for the stuff. This is the Second Chapter Redone…again. Lol

Enjoy:

Chapter Two

Ruby walked the short distance to the diner, dressed in light colored jeans, one knee ripped because of an accident in the kitchen that she had been banned from in the first place after a few accidents, though she couldn't find it in her to throw the ripped jeans out, they were her favorites. She wore heavy duty brown ankle boots, though they were more like workers boots, and a black undershirt that was mostly covered by the dark gray and black flannel shirt.

It was hot as hell out here, but the flannel was to keep the sun from burning her skin, which she has learned from many times before, is not a pleasant thing.

Ruby was still a bit shaken from this morning, but she would soon get over it, or so she told herself, but that shaken up feeling in the back of her mind and rattling down her back was also accompanied by the feeling of slightly dread at something that she couldn't even place.

The slight crunching sound as her feet hit the gravely ground that looked more like sand than anything else. The sun was heating up her head and body, and if she wasn't SOME WHAT accustomed to the tortures heat, she probably would be sweating like she just got out of the shower, but all that came was a slight sheen over her back and neck, damping her hair just a bit.

She had showered the night before, after this morning's event, she just couldn't find the will to do it, especially not be left alone today, so she brushed her hair through it up in a bun like every other day, put her empty coffee cup in the sink, got dressed and left, not even bothering to lock the door, because the change of getting robbed out here…..that was like a tsunami in the Sahara desert in the middle of drought

Ruby walked around the side of the familiar building as saw Charlie, the pregnant waitress smoking a cigarette and Ruby had to scoff at the image. Charlie and Ruby weren't best friends, not hardly, and they butted heads most the time, but most of the time they tried small talk or just plainly ignoring each other and staying out of the others way.

Ruby didn't say anything to Charlie but passed her a look of disappointment which she just got a raised eyebrow in return and stayed quiet and kept walking until she walked into the slightly air conditioned air of Pleasure Falls.

Charlie may not care for her health, but she should at least consider the baby, or stop smoking till the baby got to the new family.

She spotted two older people probably in there early forties or so it seems, the woman wearing a fur coat, and the thoughts of ''What the hell is a woman like that doing in a place like this?'' came to Ruby and she just pulled a face and looked over seeing a girl dressed in a barely anything black clothing, probably the couple's daughter. Well, she didn't see a stranger car outside in the lot, so Jeep must be working on it.

He was a mechanic, especially since Bob, or more like Bob's body decided he couldn't do that kind of work, so he sticks to this, running the diner, cooking sometimes, fixing simple broken things, and just being around.

Ruby walked over and sat that counter just noticing Bob smacking at the old dinosaur of a TV and suddenly a plate of steaming eggs and bacon set in front of her and she look up at Percy to see him smiling at her and he turned back around busying himself back at the grill placing his bible down on the counter far enough that the black materiel covering the pages to Percy's favorite book didn't get burned.

"Thank you Percy." Ruby reached over the counter as Percy hummed a welcome and kept cooking with his good hand, the other hand replaced by a hook in a gun accident when Percy was in the army, rest on his hip slightly. His dog tags hung around his neck, always reminding him, he rarely took them off, unless they would either get lost or broken.

Ruby jumped slightly when a loud smack close to her sounded and she looked over to see Bob again whacking the only brown TV not even shacking a bit. Bob needed cable, and on many occasions that was mentioned by both Ruby and Percy together, but again and again that idea was shot down by Bob.

"You know bob, one of these days that things going to hit you back." Ruby had to laugh at Percy's comment and looked back at her food shoveling some eggs into her mouth but made a face and reached over grabbing the salt and sprinkling some on, and Percy just shook his head at her. Putting salt on things was again a common thing.

"What are you talking 'bout Percy, we got a special relationship here.'' Bob retorted back at Percy and the rest Ruby just couldn't keep track of as her mind wandered to other places. She heard the words around her, but she couldn't really understand a word that was being said or uttered to each other, even if the words were directed at her. Ruby's mind seemed to wonder seemingly a lot lately, more than usual though any memory of when she was five and younger she couldn't remember one single image or voice, though everything from the age of 6 to 9 was fuzzy, and after that it didn't really matter anymore.

After losing her real parents, Ruby wanted to live life as it came, because with her own eyes, she saw that life was short, and she didn't want it to end without having a life that she saw had been worth living, no regrets, though the no regrets thing had been busted many times, though every life has mistakes, small or big.

Since Bob had taken her in, life had been weird, but all patrons close to her had gotten use it, weird shit just seems to become an average thing to her, no longer making things seem strange or abnormal.

Ruby remembered when she had fallen and smashed her face on the medal stove of the diner, and cut a gash on the right side of her forehead, though the scar was smaller now, it was still very much visible. Though after burning herself not long after that, Percy and Bob had banned her from the kitchen, having Percy make her food, unless it was instant stuff, though even then, they would watch her. She would always have fun and fake like she was going to fall or something, and that just makes her giggle every time.

"Ruby!" Ruby started as her name was called, rather loudly she might say, being startled like that made Ruby drop her fork and she looked down at the plate. The fork had been raised to her mouth, though it had nothing on. Ruby looked over at Percy, but he just raised his eyebrows offering that he wasn't the one that sounded her name so she looked over at Bob who had a little of irritation on his face, though that emotion on his face wasn't really an uncommon thing.

Things seem to irritate Bob all the time, just random things too, not just stuff that would irritate an everyday person.

He was now standing on the ground instead of in the chair and I looked up to see the TV was working someone what, though there was still static and the sound was on low, because the static would probably teeth grinding to listen to after a while.

Ruby looked over to see Charlie tending to one of the table, hunching over slightly as she wiped it down. 'Must have REALLY deep in thought' Ruby thought to herself. Letting her mind wonder around for a while, though some of the thoughts and memories weren't good, but she couldn't help it.

The daughter of the couple, though their names she couldn't place, was sitting at the last booth looking out the window, poking at her food that was probably just recently cooked. Ruby frowned and looked over at Bob, and a dark skinned man, whose name she didn't know or couple place, nor his face which she had never seen. She cocked her head and looked over at Percy, scrunching her eyebrows in to a deep V, in question and he just shrugged his shoulders at her. Ruby just shrugged at him as well not really knowing what to say, and looked over only catching the last few words of the man asking Bob for his phone, and he holding out a bill of money, though she don't particularly know how much he was, but Bob grabbed it and pointed with his thumb towards the back.

"Back in the office''

Bob had a towel hung over his shoulder and he pulled it off and started wiping stuff off, almost like he was trying to do something.

"Where did you go off to rube?" Ruby again looked over at Percy who was standing behind the counter; her voice didn't seem to be working the slightly bit, because all she did was looked more confused than before. He sighed but had to laugh at her though that just made her sneer a bit, just making him laugh hard. Ruby just sighed at him like a parent sighing at child, exasperated, but tired of trying to explain about something that he just wasn't getting.

Ruby rubbed her forehead and chuckled not being able to help herself.

"You looked deep in thought, Bob called your name, few times actually before you even moved and inch.'' Percy offered as he got his laughing under control somewhat, though random chuckles still sound ever few seconds, his belly rumbling as he looked back at the stove, reaching up and wiping is sweating forehead on his flannel shirt sleeve.

She heard a slightly damaged sound as the TV made a gargle and she looked up, the TV fully going out, the static admitting from the dinosaur of a TV was a hurtful whine that made her ears sting a bit, like if putting a high pitched sound next to your ears, and it makes your ear drums hum, and when that happens headaches come on, and that diffidently is not something that Ruby wanted right now.

"What now…" Bob muttered to himself and reached over grabbing the chair he had been standing on earlier and pulled it over toward the TV, so he was be next to it, and not under it. He check to make sure it wouldn't fall and then put one foot on it pushing himself to a standing position and proceeded to whack at the TV…again.

Ruby shook her head and sighed, but looked over as Charlie said something she didn't get, something she probably didn't want to hear. Charlie was a bit snippy with her words some times.

"What's your beef today?'' Though answering obviously wasn't needed as a higher pitched sound came on, and the screen on the TV, was crystal clear, though the image was far from comforting. The screen said ''this not a test'' though there was nothing more, and again the uneasy feeling came back to her chest.

"What is that?'' Percy asked but Ruby didn't look at him, more stuck at watching the screen, almost hoping there would be more on what to do or just less of what was already on."Its...just one of them tests thingy's." Ruby finally pulled her gaze away and looked incredulously at the man that was like a father.

"That don't look like no test." Charlie said before Ruby could fully even get her mouth open. She nodded her head in agreement.

"If its and emergency, shouldn't they be giving us instructions on what to do?" The older woman in the booths said aloud."Percy, why don't you see what they are saying on that old radio of yours?'' Ruby offered getting something in, and Percy turned and reached over flicking it on, and started turning to different stations, and all that got was more static. Ruby's body seem to still for a moment, waiting, though she didn't know what, but just shook it off as paranoid thoughts and stupid shit.

"Well, we should just call and-"

"That's not gonna happen, phone signal is out. Cut off right in the middle of my conversation. I want my money back" The man that had handed bob the money earlier said as he walked out of the office from the back.

And uproar of voices, though none were exceedingly loud sounded around the whole diner.

"Alright settle down! Settle down. Sit down…" Ruby tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but her mind just wouldn't stop the wondering as thoughts invaded her mind. Almost like a blanket of something wrapped over her, thought the emotions in her gut, weren't exactly pleasant.

People look around at each other and just settle to a quiet theme of different conversations.

"What do you think it might be?" Ruby felt the need to be quiet; she couldn't help it, like her volume was stuck at low naturally. Percy looked over at her at her question and his face voiced that he was thoroughly thinking about it as he messed around with stuff around him.

He sighed at looked back at me shrugging, obliviously not coming up with an honest answer. Ruby looked down, almost disappointed at not knowing, but she sighed and laid her head on her arms, not knowing what to do next. Her gut clenched, though it wasn't painful, just unpleasant, and her scalp prickled like if getting that strange guilty feeling, though from what, she didn't know.

"What does your gut tell you?" Ruby looked up and Percy was staring directly at her, so she knew the question was hers to answer. She cleared her throat and cocked her head to the side, her gut was clenching with worry, and she was working herself, enough to diffidently send her into a panic attack, though she hadn't had one for two years.

"Nothing that I don't already know Percy." The would be classified as a lie to some, but she just couldn't find it in herself how she really felt. Though the thoughts of ''Nothing good Percy, nothing good at all" went through her mind. Ruby rubbed her eyes and rubbed her forehead has it began to throb.

Ruby heard a jingle pulling her out of her stupor, also the meaty hand on her shoulder as Bob patted it, making her raise her eyebrows, though whatever she was conveying, Bob ignored. Things must have been sorted out and calmed Ruby remembered the jingles looked over as a lady with a walker that had tennis balls on the end walked through. Charlie looked over at her just Jeep walked in the back door signaling his father. They mumbled something to each other and walked farther out of the room. Ruby felt almost like a sharp pain go through the weird marking on her chest. As long as she could remember, she had a black thin moon shaped mark on the top of her breast, though it sometimes spiked in sudden pain, it wasn't like this.

Ruby gasped quietly, sound more like just a deep quiet sigh in. Percy noticed right away though, used to the sudden changes, and his eyebrows creased with worry and walked closer.

"Just take a seat where ever you want.'' Charlie's voice was a bit muted, and the pain slowly throbbed, she looked down at the marking that was slightly visible from her tank top. She couldn't remember when she had undone all the buttons on her flannel shirt, but the buttons where undone, and the skin over the scar, or more like the scar its self, was and angry red color.

Ruby didn't want to touch the marking, thinking by the color, was going to burn her. She didn't want Percy to see or worry, so she bent her head, making as the hair that was down now, hid her chest and marking from sight.

"You okay Ruby?" Percy placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she nodded, that small piece of skin on her breast, suddenly felt tight like, putting on a pair of pants that where to tight., like she wasn't comfortable fitting in her own skin. Ruby didn't know what to say to him, though the thing that usually freaked guys came to mind, so she went for it.

''Yeah, just cramps, probably need some Midol." She felt her face scrunching at the lie. Percy just patted her shoulder and said apologies that held just a bit of awkwardness in them. She just waved her hand as if say 'I'm fine, no worries, just go away' and he patted her shoulder again walking back around the counter.

Ruby lightly pulled her flannel hiding the mark, which was now just a slightly pink, though it still hurt like a bitch. She buttoned at least two buttons hiding the mark out of sight, the fabric hurting a bit as it rubbed against irritated and sensitive skin. Almost like having a sun burn on your shoulders and putting a heavy and ruff T shirt over it.

"You okay?" Ruby looked over to see Charlie looking at her as she gave Percy the order for a rare steak, and she got back a 'coming right up'. She nodded her head at Charlie and sighed when Charlie nodded back at her and grabbed the glass of water.

"Hi, I'm Gladys, Gladys Foster." Ruby looked over at the sweet voice to see the old lady that had walked in. Just looking at her made Ruby's birth mark burn, but she tried ignoring it as best she could. Gladys foster looked sweet and wrinkled little old lady, but Ruby's stomach churned with fear but also a strange since of unease at the old lady.

Ruby smelled the great smell of steak, though looking over at it, made her almost want to gag, because it didn't look rare, it looked raw, almost like, it wasn't cooked at all, but Percy raised an eyebrow at her statement, which she thought she had said ONLY in her head, though she guessed not.

"What, just sayin." Ruby muttered at him and grinned when he just gave a small smile at her innocent shrug.

Charlie walked over and wiped stuff as he cook the steak, though it won't take long seeing as it was already done….being raw an stuff.

"Well hello Gladys, my name is Sandra, and this my husband Howard, and daughter Aubrey." Ruby nodded at the couple finally being able to name them, instead of 'the couple and that girl with them'. Though the way she mentioned Aubrey seemed nonchalant, like if it wasn't even important, and for some reason that kind of pissed her off.

"Aw, what a nice looking couple, so what brings you up to these parts?" Ruby looked over at Percy and raised an eyebrow smirking. It seems to her that the old lady was a bit nosey, but she guessed she was just curious. Percy just raised an eyebrow and her pulled a clean plate out from under the cabinet and plated the steak, and she sighed and looked back at them.

Percy sounded Charlie over and she grabbed the porcelain plate and headed over placing it down on the table, and saw that the old lady pulled Charlie into a conversation.

Ruby looked at the ceiling and rubbed her mark on her chest, though made it gentler after nearly hissing aloud from the pain.

"Out of sight out of mind." Charlie's said answered to the old lady, and Ruby rolled her neck, getting out all the tension and cracking her back before looking back over. She took notice to how hot she really was and how she was beginning to sweat slightly, so Ruby opened the buttons to her flannel shirt and slipped it off her arms. Though the diner was air conditioned, it wasn't cool enough for that shirt, but Charlie seemed to be fairing nicely with her flannel still being on in this weather.

She looked back over to the two talking and a fully fledged feeling of unease slammed into her gut and she stared at the two.

"But what about the baby?" Gladys expression had changed to innocent worry, but something flickered in her eyes, and Ruby rubbed her eyes sitting up straighter looking at the two persons talking watching very closely. Her grip on the counter tightened though not enough to whiten her knuckles, not yet.

"I got it all covered" Charlie rubbed the top of her rounded belly as the other was placed on her back. The check for the lady was held in one hand, never being placed on the table.

"But it's going to burn." Gladys answer had Ruby on her feet, though when the old lady's eyes flickered over to her and Ruby couldn't stop her hand as it twitched with nervousness, making her tank slip down and reveal the whole slim moon that was her birth mark, something Gladys gaze held surprise, maybe even worry for herself, but she looked back at Charlie never losing that small smile. Ruby couldn't move, she didn't understand, didn't really want to understand.

"What did you say?" Ruby looked back at Percy as Charlie spoke to the old lady, her body tensed as Ruby's and when Ruby looked back she saw Percy was slightly tensed as well and watching the scene like the rest of the diner.

"I said your fucking baby's going to burn." Her voice was even more cheery, and she dug into her steak. Ruby wanted to go over and pull Charlie away, but Charlie slammed the ladies check on the table sound off a 'Go to Hell Lady' and stormed off, through the door way saying something as she passed Jeep and Bob on the way into the back.

Bob and Jeep walked slowly into the front area of the diner and looked at the old lady.

Her steak and she had several flies swarming around, as she shoveled another piece of steak into her mouth.

"All the little babies are gonna burn." The emotion behind her words was seemingly as if she was okay with her statement, like if every child died, it wouldn't matter to her, like it was just all the same as if the wind was blowing or the grass was just recently cut.

"Hey, Hey now." Percy stepped closer towards the counter and Ruby had backed into it, trying to get farther away from this lady. Percy was a religious man, he had been reading his bible when she walked in. Things like children dying made him a little upset, not to mention on edge.

"Gladys -"Sandra started but couldn't get much out before being cut off.

"Shut up you stupid fucking cunt, all you do is complain, complain, complain." Gladys face boomed over at the woman, who now held a stunned look, and the daughter seemed to scoff in laughter, but what made Ruby on edge was the voice its self, like two beings talking at the same time, one of the old lady's and another….something way more powerful than anyone in here could have naturally.

"What?" Howard's voice sounded as he started to stand up, though Sandra grabbed his hand trying to stop him. "What, what, what?" When Howard started walking toward the old lady, who had finished off her steak, after everything

"What did you say?" Howard had gotten up in the Gladys face an was leaning down. "I think you owe my wife an apolo-" Ruby nearly screamed when the old lady leaned up and bit into Howards neck, her body moving faster than ones should, and it was deadly. Ruby could see blood dripping down from Howard's neck and over the small old lady's face and onto the now bloodied table.

The scene of Gladys getting up and biting into the now blooded mutilated neck of the man's neck, was over as fast as it started, and when she locked eyes with 'it' her heart pounded, she couldn't move and the only thing that passed through her mind was

'Oh Shit'