Slop tiiiime~!
"This heat just don't give up," Qiana complained to herself quietly while wiping sweat from her forehead.
She had been mixing some dough out to make bread for the week. For the most part, all the Gatlin kids seem self-sufficient enough. They managed to grow corn to feed all 4 of themselves and even got one of the family wells to work again. Malachai and the other two boys, Michael and Ian, would take trips now and then travel far out of town to siphon gas as well as steal whatever they could get their hands on, like a generator at one point. But everyone had to pitch in their work, and it seemed like work was never-ending. Qiana recalled her living on the farm back home wasn't this brutal, but it also wasn't this desolate. Regardless of how much she hated her situation, she hated even more being left alone with Rachel when the boys left the house. She was insufferable, hiding things from Qiana that would make work difficult and even a few punches they threw at each other any time Rachel would instigate an argument. At first, Kianna would feel scared, trying to do her best to make things work in fear of Germs, Caz, or her family being punished if she disobeyed the council orders. But she couldn't take Rachel's harassment any longer.
Pouring the mixture in a loaf pan she heard Rachel enter the kitchen.
Qiana was going to try her best to not let her get a rise out of her. "Great, here we go, just ignore her. She's just mad Malachai likes to pay attention to you. Think of folks back home."
"Well, glory be His name, you finally got the wood-burning stove to work all by yourself!" Rachel said patronizingly. Knowing it would always be one of the boys helping her strike the fire with pieces of flint to help her.
"She has a jealousy problem and wants all men's acceptance. Don't let her get to you."
Gianna shrugged but couldn't help herself, "I guess some girls just have all the luck." Qiana said confidently with one of the best smiles she could muster up. This made Rachel glare back at her in rage before giving a quick smirk.
"Well, I think you've been needing a little more help with your cooking lately," Rachel said, making her way to the bucket of water in the sink, grabbing it, and pouring water into the pans, destroying the set batter.
She gave a smug smile before Qiana balled up her fist and made quick contact with Rachel's eye. Stumbling backward in shock, Qiana went all in, lunging at Rachel and bringing her to the ground. Punching while Rachel tried to kick and get up, she knew she was shorter than the teen but still gave it her all, pulling hair and clawing skin.
Malachai walked in with more pails of water and rushed over to the violent scene, breaking up the fight.
"Oh, come on now, you two gotta quit it already!" He yelled as both girls got up, staring menacingly at each other.
"The sow started it!" Rachel screamed face red with anger.
"Oh, look who's talking, filthy bitch!" Qiana yelled back before Malachai turned to her to calm her down.
"You know what? Rachel, you take care of kitchen duties today. Qiana, you go upstairs and do clothes repair."
"Are you kidding me, Malachai?!" Rachel shouted, walking up to the redhead, "This girl is nothing but trouble every time I try to get things done around here, she just stirs the pot, gets in my face, and wants to fight!"
Shaking his head, Malachi simply didn't care about the girl's rivalry. he knew Rachel felt some type of way about Qiana since day one. wanting her to sleep outside, tied to a tree, before having her sleep in the spare room next to hers.
"I don't care it's done and over with. You! Come on now!" With that, Malachi yanked Qiana by the arm and marched her upstairs into her spare room. He did his best to ignore the problem for weeks until now; he wanted to try to talk some things out. throwing her on her bed, & slamming the door, Qiana started to weep into her blankets. She was furious at the belittling she had to endure by Rachel while being far away from home.
Malachi crossed his arms and leaned against the door, watching the angelic girl cry. He hated that he had to be rough and stern with her at times but knew order above feelings was how things got done around here. He had to solve this problem now before the fighting got worse.
"Just please tell me what the deal is between you and Rachel." He spoke quietly as Qiana began to calm down. Sniffling, she gave her best answer.
Angry turquoise eyes met him as she replied, "She's mad for not being me."
Malachi scoffed before walking over and sitting next to Qiana. He swore he could never understand girls and their weird behaviors.
"She's mad for not being you? All she does is talk trash about how much of a demon you are. Would hardly call that jealousy."
Qiana was sick of it; she knew this boy was not that dumb. She thought he probably was so enamored with her at this point that she couldn't even bother to notice Rachel's jealousy or Michael and Ian's uneasiness with Malachai's willingness to help Qiana with nearly every task.
She sat in silence as both sat on the bed facing each other before Qiana gave a depleted smile, "I know you like me..."
Malachai's face immediately went beet red at her words before looking away, "You're crazy." He scoffed
"Am I? Look at me then; don't turn away." Qiana almost commanded, which caught the boy off guard, stunned, he turned to face her again with a furrowed brow.
"What?" he shrugged as he continued, knowing the facade was up, "So what? yeah, I like you. But I'm not letting you get away with shit around here, either. Do you really think that's why Rachel's acting the way she is? Because of jealousy? Please."
"Yes," she responded firmly, "That's exactly what I'm saying. All she does is vie for your attention. She notices when you notice me, and that drives her to punish me for it. All I ask is for her to leave me alone. You think you could do that, from one cult follower to another?"
She knew she snapped angrily at that last part of her sentence. Knowing what little history about the Gatlin kids having to escape their old town of cult followers, she could see Malachai's eyes turn from embarrassed to ice cold before grabbing Qiana by her shoulders and shaking her.
"You don't speak of that! You have no idea what we've had to escape! All for a benevolent god to turn malevolent!" He almost growled out, dropping the blonde to the floor as she scurried her back against the wall, fear washing over her face.
Malachai stepped up towards her, doubling down, "I don't care what happens with you or anyone in this house, but if you so much as speak of Gatlin-" shouting while banging his palm into the wall next to Qiana's head before the old and brittle wood gave way and a large indent was made from the slamming hand.
The room fell silent after Qiana gasped. Malachai, surprised at his strength, withdrew his hand before turning away, slamming the door shut behind him.
Qiana slid down and began to cry in her life, she could only do one thing that came to mind.
"Dear Father, who art thou in heaven..."
Malachai stormed outside, dismissing Ian and Michael, storing away food preserves, and paused their task to shout what was wrong, only for Malachai to continue to stomp off without a word. He didn't want to think about the past anymore, what was done was done and over it. The other kids don't even ask about Gatlin anymore or what would happen to their souls. It was all in the past, and the best they could do to move on.
Malachai headed towards the back of the Hewitt's large home. There, at least, he hoped he could be far away enough from the others for a little while when suddenly he wasn't the only one sulking in the back.
W.E. aimed his gun in the tree line, pretending to fire it off while Darla and Vilmer bickered intensely. As soon as they noticed Malachai nearby, Vilmer flashed a wide smile, waving him over.
"Woah, what's got you heated bud?" Vilmer asked with both hands on his hips. "You bout as red as a sore ass."
Malachi sighed and put his hands on his head, "These girls just keep fighting and it's driving me crazy. The blonde demon we're keeping is getting to be a smart mouth too."
Vilmer laughed aloud and put a hand on his shoulder, "That's all? Why do you gotta learn the ways of a man, little buddy no woman listens to reason! Gotta put a lady in a lady's place once they get slick in the mouth." Darla rolled her eyes at her lover, knowing their situation was different.
"Oh, shut up, you old cripple." She said while Vilmer started mocking her childishly, even getting W.E. to join in on the teasing. She paid no mind while drawing her attention to Malachi. "What happened? how come are they not getting along no good?"
"Agh, it doesn't matter," Malachai quickly dismissed, having not to explain what happened in Qiana's room.
W.E. chuckled resting his chin on the barrel of his long hunting rifle, "You gotta give 'em an old southern beating. Young girls like that need to be broken into and trained just like any other dog or bitch."
"Yeah, that's why W.E. got a lot of home training!" Darla's laughed as Vilmer joined in.
W.E. raked his greasy hair with a hand before continuing, "Just keep laughing, harpy, you know it's true. Vilmer got you home-trained good."
"You and I both know the reason why I've stuck around with you two," Darla replied venomously, "And I'll have both of you know once this deal with Rothman is done I'm straight outta here. To the wind!"
"What do you mean?" Malachai asked quizzically, "You able to get outta the killing deal with Rothman after all?"
Vilmer then swiped the side of Darla's face, "Now see what your blabbering does! Can't keep it shut no how."
"Would that mean these beasts would go away too?" He couldn't believe that there may be a way out of this arrangement put on the entire family.
Glaring at Vilmer, he gestured for her to tell the kid more. Wiping her mouth after holding her cheek, she answered, "I'm not sure. Still news to me: Rothman is involved with a pack of animals, it isn't too far-fetched...the three of us are gonna have a secret meeting with him soon to see if we at least can be spared in this deal. He'll most likely either move us or kill us. Not sure yet. But don't go telling them Sawyers or Hewitts, you hear? We can't guarantee nothing."
Malachai nodded before Vilmer resumed teasing Darla with more insults and beratement. He thought it best to turn away now and see what the rest of the family was up to than to be wrapped up in their lover's quarrel.
"H-hey! Malachai! Boy, come here! W-we need your help!" Nubbins waved his hands out the open hole in the wall that used to be the kitchen window. Chop top and Thomas were busied with refinishing the wood and foundation to place a new window panel into.
Malachai came over seeing they were almost done, "What ya'll need help with? Seems like you already done."
"Ah-nah nah," Chop Top responded while scratching at his plate, "The winda spare they got is made of solid iron and heavy glass, real antique and all that grooviness, heh heh... my brother Bubba can lift it, but you need to help him set it place."
Shrugging Malachai did the task he was told, after nubbins asked, "What ya doin' over here anyways? Chores all done over there?"
Malachai spared a second, not wanting to rehash the arguments earlier, "Yeah. Just coming by to see all the repairs being done. Boy, it sure is nice having all your family here in one place to help." The twins started to giggle when Luda Mae came over to admire the "new" window. Opening it up by handing the small crank on the bottom, it opened up like a small door.
"Thanks for all yer help, sweet boys." She cheerily said.
"How's your sleep been? Any better?" Malachai asked, standing outside the window. He knew that the old lady wasn't adjusting well, aware that the creatures in the trees existed.
Raising her eyebrows with a side shrug, she said, "A little better. The boys all healed up; Tex managed to get himself around over to the old watering pool out yonder. These days, I tire myself out drinking chamomile and playing card games with Henrietta. That baby's been growing! She gets to sprinting and asking about this and that non-stop!" She finished, giving a small chuckle.
"Speaking of which, come on inside for some afternoon tea, I felt like We haven't spoken much since that night." Luda Mae huffed in an offer.
Malachai nodded knowing damn well it was a continuing ploy to get him to do extra work around their house. Still, he would rather not go back to the Gatlin house for the time being.
Julibee noticed how this strange family looked at her funny as a human that night but paid it no mind. she decided it best to stay as a bird since their stares made her feel uneasy. However, it had been a while since taking the post, and with enough time, she and her sister Freddy decided to take a walk off the premises and deep into the fields. Freddy mentioned spotting a watering hole the first few nights they were stationed and wanted to see if they could take a quick dip. Julibee being the only sister willing enough to go and explore.
"You think it's not that fahr?" Freddy squeaked out. Her voice always got a higher pitch whenever she became anxious. Julibee shrugged as they walked across the plain field of overgrown tall grass.
"You spotted this place; if it isn't theah we'll just go back ahround. Can't leave our watch fawr too long. So, let's make this quick."
The two naked figures continued to walk side by side in the hot afternoon sun. To anyone on the outside looking in, it would been a shocking sight to see the two feral-looking women being admonished by the sun above.
Some distance down farther stood a two-story house's old abandoned remains. In the backyard were the debilitated byres once kept a few cows and a couple feet next to it a large watering pool kept filled.
"God damn bandages." Hissed Tex taking off the last few gauzes as he leaned off in the side of the pool. He needed to get out of bed and out of the house for a while and thought it be a good idea to hobble over the watering hole. It was a journey using Monty's old crutches to aid him & was relieved to see the beginning of scar tissue forming around his pelvis region.
"Sure am a lucky sumbitch" He thought to himself as he let the cool water wash over his head. Suddenly, he heard rustling in the field coming closer before stopping just out of sight.
Tex whipped his head around panicked that those demons could be around him while his clothes and gun he borrowed were out of reach.
"If you dirt devils wanna try and kill me nekkid in this here pool at least face me in my eyes like a man!" He yelled out as intimidating as he could before a silent pause stretched for a few minutes. Standing up tall from the crouching position in the tall grass Freddy got up forcing a reluctant Julibee to follow with her.
Tex noticed her long and light brown hair, how it draped around the nude curves of her body and contrasted her sharp jawline and dimpled chin. He immediately blushed to see her naked form in broad daylight rather than an amorphous figure in the trees at night. Beside her stood the woman his family couldn't get over the stark similarity she shared with their deceased family, Vera. She stood at an average height as her sister but had the same short black hairstyle Vera had, round eyes, and Sawyer nose, rounded at the tip. Her body was bare as well, with a slight muscular build.
Freddy held eye contact with the blonde stranger. She was not one to be intimidated by a human; she would be getting into this pool. And he would learn she would be one not to be dominated. She and her siblings were above this family, and in the animal kingdom, that fact would stay true. Walking towards the lower side of the pool, both women entered through the shallow end and settled in.
Tex never took his eyes off the brunettes; one held just an intense stare that gave Tex severe flashbacks of their panther forms from that dreadful night. How they stalk him and his family like prey and the feeling of their teeth sinking into his flesh. He stood his ground, holding their glower as they eased into the water.
Knowing he was all alone in a pool with predators that wanted him dead, he thought of just playing the role he was used to playing when strangers came into town at the old gas station: play a little sweet on them so they wouldn't suspect a thing.
"I guess we all had the same good idea, huh? A good way to beat the heat. The name's Tex." He introduced himself while eyes continued to stare back.
He continued while closing some distance between them. "Guess y'all ain't much of a chatterbox, rare for girls. No worries, I don't mind speaking for us both, I like the shy types."
Julibee then swam in front of Freddy, "We don't wish ta speak ta ya. Ya 'n yah kin. Ya lot can stay silent awr howlin', ya'ah still garn ta be trapped as wahrds ta our clan."
Tex blinked back after hearing her thick Australian accent breaking out a small laugh before responding, "Heh, ha, yall not from these parts, ain't ya? Never heard that twang before."
The women went silent again, slightly unsure if they should even entertain the conversation more than they should. But Tex continued.
"Nawww never heard your type around here... say you mean wards to your clan whodya mean by that? Ol Miss Chiquita is about as Texas and black as its oil, but y'all, y'all don't even seem to belong to these parts. So where exactly y'all from?"
"Down undah," Julibee responded before getting a shoulder check from Freddy. "Well, root if he knows? I bet he can't even read, let ahlone know geography." She said slyly.
Full on laughing now, Tex glided over to the sisters, knowing they were gonna be all bark and no bite, "Ohhhh, you wanna talk book learning! Well, don't mind me Tex from Texas knows a thing or two. I know you and the other demons in them trees are trapped here just as much as me and my family are. That killing machine of a man that almost got into it the other night with my cousins showed his ass then."
"We do what we please" Freddy snapped, getting into Tex's face, he then lowered into the water childishly, enjoying how he could tease them both.
"You sure about that?" He asked, arching a brow, "Or you do what you're told? I wouldn't be on that black bitch's bad side or the hundreds of others she got riding for her too. You included."
That last part took the girls by slight surprise, just what was he on about?
Tex suddenly got serious his tone getting lower, "Now just what the hell are we and you commanded to do exactly? Just watch us for the rest of our lives, making sure we don't go nowhere? I'll be fine, I love my family and got enough room to fit us all under one roof. But just where does that leave y'all? Stuck in the branches at night? Or would you rather be back to the land where your funny little accents are heard more?"
Freddy crossed her arms before making up her mind on the spot - they were stuck there with them. And it would most likely be a very long time of time forced to spend with each other.
Fuck it, might as well.
"There's no place ta go back ta." Freddy stated firmly, "Texas is our home, 'n the bloody clan is our family now. Weah stuck heah with ya 'n ya'ah stuck heah with us. Indefinitely."
Tex cocked a sly smirk looking into the eyes of the beautiful young woman that stood defiant in the pool before him. If it had been under any other circumstance, he would've taken her by force just right on the embankment. How he would have loved hearing her scream as Tex would get his fill of her. However, he knew the danger when he saw it. She could easily transform back into the same black panther and finish the job of crushing his bones to bits, killing him instantly.
"Well shoot, I'm sorry to hear that. My family and I have been split apart too throughout Texas due to...well, due to our shared behaviors. So, I can somewhat understand ya." Tex responded with some sincerity in his voice before continuing, "Maybe one day we can see each other as family, I mean they already do with you miss Vera!"
Julibee saw this directed at her, "What ahah ya talkin' about? My name is Julibee."
"Oh well, a pleasure to meet ya, but that's not what they're calling you back at home. See, you look a lot like my uncle Drayton's late wife and my aunt Vera. Had two boys on her. Well, whenever you wanna come around, just know your new name might be Vera." The blonde man smiled, being as friendly as can be.
"That's wy they give me those stahres, huh? Alrighchoo, names not fuckin' Verah, but ta fawr the context, mate.". Julibee responded nonchalantly before getting her sister Freddy's attention.
"Come on I've 'ad enough of this shit plus we been gone too long. Let's fly." Julibee said standing up and marching out of the watering hole.
Freddy turned her head back at Tex, knowing in her soul it was wrong to show any weakness but knew being here indefinitely meant there had to be some bridge to be made if these humans were really meant to be in the Texas clan.
"My name is Freddy. Sawrry about yah family but ya couldn't begin ta understand ours." She said, making her way out before Tex's words made her stop in her tracks.
"And if I wanted to? would that make me a sucker of a guy?"
Freddy turned to face him, "What?"
He shrugged, hands clasped together, "I dunno, I kinda have the hots for ya." He admitted causing Freddy to stare around awkwardly. She could smell it on him, he wasn't lying, but to be that straightforward about it?
"Listen, whenever ya wanna reach out 'n talk, I don't mind, I know family is family, but sometimes you just wanna yap with someone other than the same old. Ya know where to find me." Giving a charming smile and wink at Freddy, she said nothing but quickly walked off back into the field to catch up with her sister Julibee. Knowing fully well that meeting again wasn't a matter of if but when.