Episode 30 on the 30th Devil's Night Special

                             JANET, LAUREN, TRACY

Day 3 - @Lauren's

It's the night before Halloween.  A wrap yourself up tight in a warm blanket night.  Stars light up the sky and the winds are cool and strong, normal for this time of the year.  The red digital numbers on the clock radio reads 11:39.  Forces of winds breaks the silence in the house and whatever the wind can carry beats up against the home, but not on purpose.  In some parts of the country, this is called Devil's Night.

Tracy, a light sleeper, sleeps but is often trying to find comfort on the couch that he choose to sleep on; wakes up and walks over to the window.  He hears the wind wrestling with debris and giving the house a whipping.  He knows he isn't gonna get much rest tonight so he decided to watch television.  He turns on the television and scans the programming channel.  "I don't wanna watch anything scary, I could tell you that", he says to himself.  Tracy goes into the kitchen, pours a glass of pomegranate juice, and goes back into the living room.  He sees the back of Janet's head.  He really don't want any company at this time.  He just wants to watch TV and fall asleep and let the TV watch him.  He takes a deep breath and walk to the front of the sofa and sits, "Hey couldn't sleep?"

"No, do you mind if I watch with you?" Janet asked.

"Umm, yeah I actually do.  No offense," Tracy said looking at Janet curious about her reaction.

"None taken, (baby cries in the distant) awe man.  The baby is crying," Janet said.

Tracy sits staring at the TV nonchalantly.  Janet goes to the noisy baby, picks him up, "you hungry huh?" she says as she rocks the baby in her arm walking into the kitchen.

"Tracy, can you help me out?  Can you heat up his bottle?" Janet asked.

"Janet. That is your responsibility.  Your baby…figure it out.  You are going to have to learn to do things by yourself.  We are doing enough by letting you stay here," Tracy said.

"Just this one time, please?" Janet begged.

Tracy took a deep breath and rose up off the couch.  By his body language, you can tell he was highly annoyed.  Tracy moves both sets of fingers to signal Janet to give him the baby boy while she heats his bottles.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Tracy said sarcastically.

Lauren walks into the bright kitchen sheltering her eyes from the shock of the light, "good morning, it don't seem like I slept at all."  Lauren plugs in the coffee maker and grabs her mug out the covert.

"Well that's because you just went to bed like an hour ago," Tracy said.

Lauren looks at the clock on the kitchen wall, "well that explains it.  What's going on then?"  Lauren looks at Tracy and Janet.

"Nothing.  Just up with the baby (sigh)," Tracy said.

"Well excuse me…I am going back to bed.  I have a long day tomorrow.  Jon and I will be in meetings all day and I need to be bright eyed and bushy tail, good night," Lauren said and went to bed.

Janet holds and feed her baby while Tracy tries to watch TV in peace. 

Janet walks over to the couch where Tracy sits and sits down, "you remember when we used to go out to lunch and had some of the best conversations and talked about our plans and dreams.  You are going to be a big shot lawyer and dedicate your life to help the LGBT community and I was going to climb up the corporate ladder.  I know I have put you through hell.  When I was in that hospital I thought about those times a lot.  I looked at myself and I didn't like what I saw.  Tracy you are, well, was my only friend.  You put up with stuff that no body else would and I thank you, and I'm sorry.  We had good times too, and we had bad ones, thanks to me.  I think he is sleep, well it was nice talking to you, Trace," Janet said getting up to put the baby back in his crib.

"Wait; come back when you put him in his crib."

Janet takes the baby boy to the bedroom and carefully places him in his crib, "slept tight little baby" she whispered.

Janet grabs a pair of scissors off the dresser and put them in her robe pocket.  She walks towards Lauren's room and peeks inside the dark room.  Lauren is sound asleep and the only like is from the red numbers on the clock radio.  Janet slowly puts one foot inside the room and the other followed.

(15 minutes later)

- the door bell rings -

Inside of the house, you hear the baby boy crying.  Outside the home, you hear sirens and see flashes of emergency lights.  "Shhhh, shhhhh, quiet baby," Tracy said while rocking the baby and answering the door in a bloody robe.

"Sir is the baby harmed in any way," a police officer asked.

"No, no I don't think so.  Come in," Tracy said.

Two officers and four EMT workers enter Lauren's home.  "Where's the body?"

Tracy points in the direction of Lauren's room.  Tracy and the baby are now crying.  An EMT worker asked to hold the baby to be checked-out.  Tracy hands the baby boy to the EMT worker and goes to the kitchen to wash the blood off his hands.

"We need a statement.  Can you tell us what happened?" the detective asked.

"It was Janet, Janet Capt…"

_________________________________________________

                        FRANCESCA

Francesca is in her security room looking at her first captured "part" on a security monitor.  She is eating her favorite meal, her guilty pleasure, Popeyes Chicken.  She rarely ate this meal because she is fixated on keeping her perfect figure and keeping her skin glowing like a bronzed beauty.  Francesca is not much of a meat eater except when she is stressed; she always is weakened by the smell of Popeyes Chicken.

Francesca knows that she locked the door behind her.  She would never let anyone witness her eating Popeyes Chicken.  She hears the lock rattling and she starts to get a bit nervous and wonders why her security team hasn't called her.  She tosses the food in the trash and calls out, "who's there!?"  She doesn't get a response.  She grabs her gun and points it in the direction of the door.  "Who ever is playing fucking games with me I got something for you.  So come on in my sweets.  Let me penetrate you with lead if you please!"  Francesca stands up against the wall not knowing what to expect.  The door burst opens and she lays her eyes on what she thought was burnt or buried, he smiles as if he is happy to see his best friend, Francesca on the other hand looks as if she sees a ghost.

"Hello there, old friend?  Wow, don't you look stunning?" he says grinning with rotten teeth.

"You bastard, you are supposed to be dead.  How did you get in here?" Francesca says digging deep to keep her cool.

He starts to walk closer to her.  Her backed is up against the wall.  She lift her arm fires her gun at the assailant.  The bullet hitting his shoulder does not faze him.  He runs and puts his swollen hands around her skinny neck and squeeze.  She grabs his wrists to pull his hands from around her but she doesn't equal or dominate his strength.  She gasps for air, coughing and feels weak.  He speaks with a deep old voice; "you are no match pretty lady" thick drops of saliva lands on her face and this totally disgust her.  Francesca lifts her right knee and hits him between his legs.  "Sorry bitch, but I didn't get that," he says as he tosses her around the small room.

"Aw, fuck.  This isn't a fair match.  This is no fun," he says and lets her go.

"You are a brave but (coughing) a stupid son of a bitch," Francesca says while grabbing her neck from relief.

"Aw, c'mon Fran, let's see what your daddy taught you."

Francesca breathing is heavy but she finds the will to get pass him and runs out the door.  While in motion, she kicks off her Louboutin heels.  Francesca passes the lab notices Sahralonda is not in the lab anymore and now no one is chasing her.  She slows down, "WHERE ARE YOU?  COME AND SHOW YOUR FACE.  COME OUT YOU LITTLE BITCHES.  YOU FUCKED WITH THE WRONG BITCH!"

She stands in the long hallway and the building is completely silent except for a few drops of water from leaking pipes.  She feels warm air on her neck and a chain gripped by small hands and wrapped tightly around her neck.  Francesca fights hard but not hard enough.  She falls lifelessly to the floor.

"Thanks Charles," Sahralonda says as she stands over Francesca.

"You welcome (echoed in the building)," Charles Romaine the Third responded.

                                  JON

Jon lays in his king sized bed; eyes wide open, listening to the wind gusting outside his window.  He reflects on his life over the last couple of years.  He remembers when he first got married to Janet and how happy he was to have someone in his life.  Jon never imagined that on October 30, 2012 he would be laying in his bed alone and not sharing stories with someone he love.  He thought about Tracy and the baby that he could have been raising and at that very moment, he could have been standing over him or her watching them sleep.  He thought about how he was fooled not to long ago by a woman who said she was pregnant by him and wasn't, she was just out to get money.  Jon also thought of how success has changed him.  He has good days and he has bad ones.  He thought about Lauren and his secret crush on her.  He thought to call her to see how she was doing but he knew it would be strange especially at 11:40 at night.

Jon decided to take a night stroll because it don't seem as if he would be getting any sleep tonight.  He dressed in layers because of the chill and wind but he knows the fresh air would do him some good. 

After getting dressed, he locked up his home, and he walked a couple blocks to a park.  It’s a beautiful park tastefully decorated for Halloween.  Jon find a bench to sit on and gaze at the sky until he was interrupted by a homeless man, "Hello sir, I don't mean any harm, but do you have any spare change so that it could help me get a meal?" the homeless man said shivering from the cold.

"How about we both get a warm meal?  There is a diner a block from here.  Do you have time?" Jon kindly said.

Jon didn't seem nervous about the homeless guy approaching him.  In fact, Jon seemed as if he really needed the company. 

Jon stood and extended his hand out, "I'm Jon, by the way."

Accepting Jon extended hand the homeless man seems reluctant.  He normally don't get this treatment from people, they normally just give him loose change and go about their business.  Jon was different so took a chance, what does he have to loose?  "I'm Hector," the homeless man introduced himself.

All you can hear is the buzzing noise that the light bulbs make when the energy surge through them.  Jon and Hector found a booth and sat.  Jon pierced into Hector's eyes while Hector look away.  Hector felt weird, this isn't something that he is used too.

The silence was interrupted by the 50 year old something waitress who probably work their since she had her first born in the 9th grade.  "What can I get you two?"  She looked at a decent dressed Jon and then her eyes turned to Hector, who of course fit the profile of a homeless man.  She looks back at Jon, "Sir, I'm sorry…is he bothering you?"

"No, he is my welcomed guess.  Two coffees (he looks at her name tag) Shirley," Jon told the waitress. 

"You do want coffee?" Jon asked Hector.

"Coffees find, thank you," Hector answered.

The two patrons exchanged small talk, Shirley stood at the counter looking at the two men wandering what they are doing with each other.

"Shirley, that coffee should be ready by now!  It's been a few minutes!" Jon yelled aggravated that she is being so rude.

Shirley jumped from the shock of Jon's tone and went behind the counter to grab the coffee pot.  She walks to the table and pours the coffee with a puzzled look on her face.

"What do you want to eat?" Jon asked Hector.

Hector told Shirley his meal choices and she leaves to fulfill her duties.

"So what happened?" Jon asked.

"Well I will make a long story short, Jon.  I was married for 14 years to the most beautiful woman you could lay eyes on.  She was so humble when we meet, but when I finished college, got my MBA, started to work in the corporate world and giving her the finer things in life, she changed.  She started with plastic surgery, that she didn't need, and her attitude was really repulsive.  Well she had it all planned out, she beat her self and made this whole story up about abuse.  I went to jail; she filed for divorce and got my stocks, and money.  HOWEVER, I know that God has a plan for me and I don't let it get me down.  I here people say 'get a job' or 'we all are struggling' but they don't know is that I have hired people like them.  I can't walk into an office building flashing my MBA with these clothes on.  They never see passed the criminal record, that is false, or the outer appearance.  They don't know my story.  It can happen to anyone.  So here I am, alone, no kids, waiting for a miracle," Hector told Jon.

Jon told him his story and the two really hit it off.  Jon offered Hector a position at Unigrow and Hector accepted and in the meantime, Hector will be living with Jon until he gets on his feet.

Jon sees an image in the diner window and it looks like Janet.  He jumps up and runs outside the diner.

"JANET?" Jon yelled.  The image has now disappeared in the distant.

Hector walks outside the diner, "did you know her?"

"I think that was my ex-wife I was just telling you about," Jon said a bit startled.

"That's was a bit creepy," Hector said.

"I knew y'alls was crooks!  Come back here or I'm gonna call the police!" Shirley demanded.

Hector and Jon looks at Shirley and shakes their head.  "We weren't leaving, we just thought we seen someone," Jon said.

"C'mon lets get out of here," Jon said and paid bill.

Episode29

                                      SHY

Inside of the modern, but comfortable office, you only hear tic-tock, tic-tock in-between silence.  Only 20 minutes left for this session and Shy feels that this might be his last since he hadn't cut himself in awhile.  

"So since you become more comfortable in your skin you don't feel you need to cut yourself to numbness, well that's great.  In addition, it's great that you have a good support system and those feelings that you felt about your family not accepting you isn't true.  Your family loves you and want the best for you.  Shy I want you to know that you will have people that is not comfortable and will try to make you feel bad about being you, so remember that you have to be strong and stay confident," the therapist, Dr. Emma said.

"Well I did what you told me and reached out.  I found a support group online and I have what they call a cutting buddy.  He is an older guy and he haven't cut himself for 12 years now.  My parent's don't know about him, but Itt and Percy Jr, saw him one day after I left his house.  I didn't want to tell them about him because they probably wouldn't understand.  But when I feel the "need" I can go by his house and we talk and I forget about cutting," Shy informed Dr. Emma.

"Why wouldn't you share with your family the extra support you are getting?" Dr. Emma said and bites on the arm of her eyeglasses.

"I told you about Itt, he is very jealous of any male that I talk too and the fact that the guy is older, I don't want to give my parents the wrong idea," Shy said relieved that he told her.

"I think you should explain to them what's going on.  You need to be more open to sharing with all of your supporters.  I think they would understand.  Now Itt, do you feel you have a healthy relationship with him?" Dr. Emma asked.

"No."

"Why."

"He has a lot of baggage and he pulls me into it which makes me call my cutting buddy often.  I like Itt, I like Itt a lot, but since my moms was in her coma it made me think more about my life and realize how short it is, I wanna be happy.  Itt doesn't make me happy all the time.  But I love him and I know he can change.  He will be going back to New York tomorrow to stay with his aunt."

"Will that allow him to be completely out of your life?  Is that something you want?" Dr. Emma asked.

"I don't want him out of my life…so I made these rumors up about girls in the neighborhood just to see if he would confess to cheating on me…" Shy looks up at the doctor ashamed.

"Wait (she puts one finger up), cheating on you?  You said you weren't in a committed relationship?" Dr. Emma said puzzled.

"It's not clear, but, I mean, I really don't know.  We had sex only once and he lived with us for the whole summer," Shy said.

"So you think because you had sex you are in a relationship?  But lets back up to the rumors…" Dr. Emma said while shifting in her chair.

"I wanted to see if he would confess to having feelings for someone else, especially girls, he like girls when he lived in New York.  He didn't really react when I made the comments."

"Because he knows there isn't any truth to them," Dr. Emma said and the 1-hour alarm rung and she glances at the clock.  

"I guess so.  Was that the alarm?" Shy said looking at the clock, and getting up out of his seat.

"Yes, that was the alarm.  Shy, have a seat (she points at the couch); I don't have another appointment until another hour.  This time will be on the house, that is if you aren't in a hurry," Dr. Emma said.

"Thank you. I know that I said this would be my last session, but I think I may need more time.  Not because of the cutting, so much, but because of Itt."

"Shy, in order for you to heal you have to get any toxics out of your body, out of your system.  You say that you don't feel Itt is healthy for you.  Why do you have the need to keep him in your life?"

"I love him, and I know he loves me.  He came here to protect me and know one has ever done anything that big for me.  I want to go to New York and be with him.  Maybe he needs to sit down to talk to someone.  He didn't have the best upbringing.  His mother was on drugs, his dad was some big time Mafia guy, so he has issues, but so do I."

"Well you said that he is in New York, do you plan to move there?"

"Jordan, my cutting buddy, is rich.  He owns his own software company and I told him I would like to help kids who have been through the same thing I have in school, the bullying and sexuality acceptance.  He said that he would help me.  I want to find some way to help those kids, they can have some place to go and learn to stand up for themselves and I want Itt in on it too.  I never told you this but Itt was a bully in his school and what turned him around is when he witnessed me being bullied.  That's why he came to Minnesota, well also to get away from his mom."

"That sounds like an excellent idea Shy, but if you bring Itt in on it you have to tell him about Jordan.  This Jordan, do you trust him?"

"Yes."

"Is he a gay man?"

"Yes he is, and he is a really good guy.  It not like that with him."

"Sometimes people want something in return when they help you and you have to be prepared to face that disappointment.  I'm not saying that your friend is one of these people.  Will it be okay if I spoke with him someday?" Dr. Emma asked.

"I'll ask him," Shy said and he started to stand and stretch.  "I have to go now, and thanks for the extra time."

"No problem…same time next week?" Dr. Emma asked standing and reaching out to shake Shy's hand.

"Yes," Shy said.

"Okay, well take care and call me if you need to," Dr. Emma said with a smile.

______________________________________

                            STACY, JACKIE

…Suddenly they all was startled at the loud banging at the door.  The phone continues to play the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, 'you can take a nothing day and certainly make it feel worthwhile…'

Tom tells Stacy to go to the kid's room to keep them calm.  "Honey, I'm gonna answer the door," Tom tells Jackie.

Tom walks down the stairs and he hears chattering on the other side of his front door.  He hears a rattling noise in the kitchen; he looks in the direction of the kitchen and sees a little boy.  The door bell rings and all the lights in the house comes on at the same time; Tom hears the microwave beeping, a blender blending, random electronics operating, and the unknown people at the front door chattering.  He looks in the kitchen and sees the little boy run and then vanished followed by hearing the basement door slamming.

"Hello! Is everything okay?" the concerned visitors asked through the door.

Tom opens the door and it's his neighbors, a couple from across the street dressed in their night clothes.  "Hi, yes everything is fine.  Thank you!" Tom yells over all the noise.

Tom didn't want to startled the neighbors with the darkness he feels that is going on inside his house.  He really wanted to close the door on their faces and get back to his wife and kids.

"TOM! Who's at the door?" Stacy yelled over other noise that is deafening in the house. "And what's all that noise?"

Tom smiles at the neighbors and notice an astonishing looks on their faces.  He turns around quickly and sees the little boy in the kitchen, looking about 7 years old, covered with red fluid.  He turns back to look at the neighbors and they ask again in a cool tone, "are you sure everything is okay?" Tom doesn't answer instead he runs towards the kitchen only to find things are normal.  The microwave stopped beeping; the blender was slowing down and then stopped, everything that was operating stopped. 

The neighbors walked into the house as Tom was checking the kitchen.  "Hi, Jackie! It's Rose and Peter from across the street.  We heard lots of noise, so we came to make sure everything was okay," Rose yelled.

Stacy was holding Jackie's mouth so that she wouldn't say anything, "everything is fine, thank you," Stacy answered.

"That wasn't Jackie," Rose whispered.

Tom came back in the living room, "didn't you see that little boy?"

"No, Tom," Rose said and grabbed Peters arm and pulled him out of the house, "well we have to go now, glad everything is okay."

Tom closed the door after Rose and Peter left and ran up the stairs to his kids and wife.  "Something is strange going on; I think we need to call a priest."

"Tom I thought you were an atheist?  You think there is paranormal activity in our house," Jackie asked.

Rose and Peter walked fast across the street led by Rose all the while looking back at Jackie and Tom's house.  "Peter, something is really dark in that house.  We should call the police," Rose said.

"You think so?" Peter asked and they both stopped.  (HORN BLOWS LOUDLY) "AGHHHHHHH!" Rose and Peter screamed as the tire squeals on the asphalt from a Ford Ram pick-up truck.  The couple lay crippled in the street with blood spilling out of their mouth; the Ford Ram pick-up stopped in the middle of the road.

Tom, Jackie, and Stacey hears the commotion and looks out the window and see their neighbors in house coats and night clothes coming to the rescue of their fellow neighbors laying in the street only to find death.

It has only been about 1 minute; one of the neighbors walks over to the truck to see if the driver needs help but no one was in the truck.  The truck had no key in the ignition and the neighbor, a big husky guy that looks as if he can pick up the truck, felt on the hood of the pick up and it was cold as if it has not been driven at all. 

Suddenly the neighbor hood suffers a blackout.

_________________________________________________

                               LAYLA

Layla sits in her small kitchen eating a TV dinner.  She looks at her watch and wonders what her next step will be.  When will she receive further instructions?  Her phone rings…

"Hello?"

"Hey Layla, did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, just eating dinner.  How are you?"

"Just a little stressed but I will be alright.  I really enjoyed having dinner with you the other night.  I can't wait till we hang out again outside of the store, ya know?" Percy said.

Layla stands up, walks into her living room, and flops down on her couch.  "Yeah, I really enjoyed talking to you.  And it was good to catch up."

Layla's phone signaled a call waiting and she sees on the caller ID that it's the call she was waiting for.  "Hold on a sec…I have another call," Layla told Percy and pressed the 'flash' button.

" Ha, I got that sucker on the phone right now.  The plan has worked.  He so stupid; he is gonna be putty on my hand," Layla said.

"Layla?" a male voice spoke.

"Yes?" Layla said smiling and laughing.

"It's still me, Percy, you didn't click over." Percy hangs up the phone.

Layla stands up, looks at her phone, "Aw, shit!"  She clicks the 'flash' button.

"Hello?" Layla said extremely nervous.

"What took you so long to answer?" Francesca said.

Layla just held the phone searching for an answer.

"Never mind.  So you have the boy twisted around your finger huh?" Francesca said in her most seductive voice.

"Well we will see…" a now nervous Layla answered.

"What do you mean?  Why the sudden change in attitude?  Do you have him or not, girl?" Francesca said confused.

"I clicked over and I thought I was talking to you and…"

(THE PHONE GOES DEAD)

"Hello, hello, hello…" Layla said bursting in tears and rushing to lock her doors and window.  Layla is panicked with fear as she sits in a corner in her apartment.

TO BE CONTINUED… 

Episode 28

                                FRANCESCA

Inside the brightly lit room a petrified expression rest on her face. She couldn't do anything but lay there helpless hoping that someone would just walk into the room to save her.

A nurse walks in with the usual pills and water.  She wonders why the nurse have a surgical mask on, and thinks 'am I contagious?'  That couldn't be the case or the assailant in the room would also be masked, and she is clearly not.  She could see that face clear as a summer sky.  "How's your reunion?" The nurse asked Francesca.

"When can I roll her big ass out of here?" Francesca asked.

         "Well we have to keep a watch on her for a while, just to make sure she is okay."

"I paid you good money to let me know when I could obtain Ms. Piggy.  Why did you even bother to call if I couldn't retrieve her?"

"I'm sorry, I thought you would like an update.  I mean…just to know that she woke up," the nurse answered.

         "I will give you 12 hours and I would be back.  (She hears Roberts voice in the hall) Did somebody call her husband?" Francesca yelled.   

"Probably another nurse or the doctor," the nurse answered afraid to witness what Francesca would do.

Francesca hurries into the bathroom to hide.  The nurse shots Carla with a sedative so that she wouldn't be able to speak.

"How is she?" Robert ask the nurse while grabbing Carla's arm.  "Honey, can you hear me?"

         "She resting," the nurse said.

"When can she come home?" Robert asked.

"I just spoke with the doctor and we have to keep her here for another 36 hours for observation, but It's very promising," the nurse informs him (smiling).

"Well I'm sure you are doing all you can.  I need to used the rest room, would you excuse me?" Robert said.

The nurse steps in front of him, "NO! Please use the one in the lobby, I just called to have that one cleaned (she pinches her nose)."

Robert looks at her and wonders why she has the surgical mask on her face, "Sure no problem.  I have to leave now but I would be back tomorrow to talk with the doctor," he leaves the room and Francesca comes out of the bathroom.

"I'll be back tomorrow.  Make sure everything is in order," Francesca threatens the nurse.  Looks at Carla, "she lost weight, I see". 

"Yeah, she was on liquids," the nurse responded.

A doctor walks into the room, "how's our patient?  Oh, hello (he looked at Francesca with hungry eye's, stunned by her beauty) I'm Dr. Scott, are you a relative or friend?"

"Yes." Francesca said vaguely and of course without introducing herself, and she just leaves.

Doctor Scott looks at the masked nurse, squints his eyes, and puts his hand up to his mouth, gesturing that she must be mistaken to have the mask on.  The nurse looks at Carla to make sure she was still sedated and took the mask off, "Oh I forgot I had it on."

"Who was that lady?" Doctor Scott asked.

"I don't know, I just walked in before you did, doctor," the nurse lied.

_________________________________

A disappointed Francesca arrives at her mansion greeted by the staff to fulfill whatever need she has at that moment.  "I just want to be left alone.  I don't need a damn thing right now."

Francesca goes into her bedroom and closes the door.  She lights some rose scented candles, turns on her vintage record player and places Chris Isaak's Wicked Game album on the turntable http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOxCqSxRD0 .  It plays on repeat as she lays across her bed and starts to undress out of her Alexander McQueen gown.  She grabs her cigarette case out of her bag and lights a cigarette.  After only two puffs, she puts the cigarette out.  She is extremely frustrated and she needs a rapid relief.  She grabs a remote off a table and a large flat screen TV rises up out of a console.  She presses 'play'. 

"Welcome to the Othello Show!  We have two special guess today…" the sound blasts from the screen.  Francesca fast-forwards until she sees a close up on Robert, she presses 'pause'.

"Yes. Yes, big boy.  That's it.  Keep it going.  I know you made a mistake.  Yes.  Yes.  (moans continues) She can't do it like this, can she?  Oh Robert, my big teddy bear.  Yes, Oh yes, feed me those cakes, big daddy.  Know one knows loving like my big muffin," Francesca goes on and on, pleasing herself.

Francesca bedroom door abruptly opens.  She is surprised at what appears and is happy.  Robert slams the door behind him and strips off his Brook Brother suit.  "Oh Francesca, I couldn't wait to get meet up with you.  I'm so glad you found me," Robert goes over to Francesca's welcoming arms.

______________________________________________

                          PERCY (THUNDER)

"…and know one has heard anything?" Percy asked.

"Nothing, dad.  Could you call the police station and find out who bailed her out?" Percy Jr. asked.

Percy sits on the edge of his bed.  He is tired from working so hard at the bakery and managing his club from long distant.  "Yeah, give me the number and I will get to the bottom of this."

Percy Jr. gives his dad the number and asks when he can come to New York.  "Son, this is just temporary and I don't have the room where I'm staying.  I will be back there once we are confident that the managers can handle it without us.  You know the bakery is still new and so are the people," Percy said.

Percy gets off the phone with his son and starts to pace in the small bedroom.  'I have enough stress as it is, I really don't need to deal with Londa.  DAMN!"

The phone rings and Percy looks at it and rolls his eyes.  He is afraid to hear any news at this point.  He realizes that there is no answering machine to answer the annoying ring so he gives in and answers.

"Hello!"

"Hey Percy, it's me.  Carla came out of her coma," Robert said.

"Ah man, that's great.  How is she doing?"

"Well I have not spoken with her yet.  She will be release in about 3 days, they have to keep her for observation," Robert said sounding tired.

"So does that mean that you would be there for a little longer?" Percy asked.

"Yes, how is Layla?  Does she have the hang of things?" Robert asked.

"Yes, I have no complaints," Percy told Robert and told him about Sahralonda being missing.

"Well do you trust her enough to think that she can handle the store on her own for a little while?" Robert asked.

"I think so, Robert.  She seems solid," Percy said with confidence.

Percy calls Layla once he was done speaking with Robert. "So what do you think, Layla?"

"Of course, you go and take care of your business and I will handle everything from here," Layla anwered.

"I really enjoyed our time together," Percy said smiling.

"I have to go, Percy, I'm sorry," Layla said and immediately hung up the phone.

Percy looked at the phone confused.  "I hope I didn't make a mistake." He lays across the bed on his back and day dream about him and Layla, a possibility or not.

_________________________________

"We got them right where we need them.  Talk to you later Fran." Layla said smiling as she hangs up the phone.

To Be Continue…..

Episode 27

                         JACKIE, STACY

"Wha..wha..what happen?  Oh my head is killing me," Jackie says while coming out of a strange stance.

You can hear her children crying in the distant muffled by a closed door and see the shock on Stacy and Tom's face.  The house lights flickered and the rooms got cold.  Suddenly they hear glass shattering on the first level of the house.  Tom looks at his wife with extreme concern, "Honey are you okay?  Do you remember anything?"

"I'm gonna check downstairs, Tom," Stacy said as she carefully raises herself off the hallway floor. 

"No, I don't remember anything.  The last thing I remember was getting the kids some cake.  Everything else is a blank.  Tom, I'm scared.  What happened to me?" Jackie said fearfully.

"Everything will be okay honey," Tom answered scared and trying to figure out what do they do from there?  He is concerned if the children would be safe and should he fear for his life.

"THE FRONT WINDOW IS BROKEN! TOM THE WINDOW LOOKS LIKE IT WAS BROKEN FROM THE INSIDE!" Stacy yelled.

Tom is visibly shaking but trying to hold it together for the sake of his children and his wife.  "Honey go to the bedroom and lay down, I'm going to check on the kids.  I'll be in there real soon, baby, real soon."

Tom helps Jackie to the bedroom, "I'll be right back, I'll be right back, okay?"

"Tom please hurry back," Jackie cries and wraps herself with a blanket to fight off the coldness in the house.

Tom hurries to the room where the children are, embrace them, looks at their faces, and ensure them that everything is okay and not to worry.  "I'm gonna take care of everything.  Mommie is okay now, she just was feeling a little weird, but she is okay."

"Mommie sounded like a grumpy old man, dad.  Is she a transvestite?" Jody said, their 5 year old son.

"No," Tom said looking at his son with shock.  "What do you know about that word?"

"Jerry Springer," Jody said simply.

"No! (Tom grabs Jody's head) No, she is not that, she is still your mom, she just not feeling well.  Stay put, I'm gonna check on your aunt Stacy."

Tom closes the bedroom door, walk downstairs and sees Stacy with a broom sweeping the glass off the floor.  "Stacy, how do you know that the window was shattered from the inside?" Tom asked.

"Because, most of the glass is outside.  I watch CSI," Stacy said almost proudly.

"So that means that someone was in the house?" Tom said.

"You think we should call the police?" Stacy asked.

"No, let me just check around the house."  Tom goes to the back where the patio door is broken and all you hear is crickets. 

"TOM! TOM!" Jackie screamed.

Tom stops and runs up the stairs followed by Stacy and burst into the bedroom.  He sees on the wall in bold red markings reading 'GET ITT BACK'.  Tom grabs Jackie. "Who did this?" She shrugs her shoulder, "Tom I don't know.  Stacy grabs Jackie's finger and notices blood.  "Jackie, you wrote that?" Stacy said almost whispering.

"No, I promise, I didn't write that.  I don't know…" Jackie cried.

"Honey we need to get you to a hospital, get her some bandages," Tom said.

Stacy grabs Tom and asks him to come to the hallway with her. "Tom I'm not sure if that is a good idea.  You know they may put her away.  Maybe we should wait and see if it happens again."

Tom grabs Stacy's shoulders, shaking them a little.  "Are you fucking crazy?  Something is wrong.  She had the strength of five bodybuilders.  What's gonna be next?  Somebody gets killed?  We have to call the police and take her to the hospital.  Maybe she needs to be away for awhile".  Tom sees his children out of his peripheral vision and let go of Stacys' shoulder to not scare them any further.

"Go pack up your toothbrushes and clean undies.  You are staying the night at gramps," Tom told the children.

Tom looks at Stacy, "Is this how you were brought up, thinking that the clouds will clear on their own?  I'm calling."

Tom picks up the phone and dials 9-1-1 but there is no dial tone.  He checks to see if the phone is plugged in but the cord is missing.  He walks downstairs to the kitchen phone, again no cord.  "Where are the cords to the phones?"  He hurries back up the stairs, sees the kids with their bags in hand standing in the hallway, pushes them back inside their room, walks in the room where Jackie is and sees Stacy comforting her.  He holds a phone up and looks at Stacy, "where are the cords?  Did you use them on your arms to pop a vein up to shot your dope?"

"Tom! Don't talk to her like that," Jackie said.

Tom walks over to Stacy and stands in her face, he is very angry, "I'll ask you again."

"Tom, I don't have any cords.  You are being crazy.  Get a hold of your self man," Stacy said surprised and angry.

"Tom, use your cell phone.  Who are you calling anyway?" Jackie asked.

"Honey (calming down) I'm sorry, but we have to get you some help," Tom said.

Tom picks up his cell phone and dials 9-1-1 and hears The Mary Tyler Moore theme song, 'you can turn the world on with your smile…' he throws the phone down and looks at his wife as if she was a complete stranger.  Suddenly they all was startled at the loud banging at the door.  The phone continues to play, 'you can take a nothing day and certainly make it feel worthwhile…'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBTWF1bDPn0&feature=player_detailpage

_______________________________________________

                                      JON CAPT/LAUREN 

'DING' the elevator door open.

Jon Capt walks out of the elevator and seemly in a good mood.  He greets everyone that passes with 'good morning, hello, and how are you doing?' in a very genuine way.  Everyone looks at him, as he passes, with amazement on their faces because Jon Capt has been a real ass-hole for some many months.  Jon walks to his receptionist desk, Becky, and ask could she 'please' get him some coffee.

"Sure, Jon, I bring it in with your messages," Becky said.

Becky walks into Jon's office with a mug of black coffee and message slips.  She sits the coffee on his desk and hands him the message slips.

"Oh, the hospital called," Jon mentioned as he looked as his messages.

"Yes, Jon, I tried to contact you.  They said it was an emergency but they wouldn't tell me what it was about," Becky said.

"Well, I'm sure it's about Janet, the raving lunatic, acting crazy.  I told them to not call me about everything that she does that is unruly, that's what they are their for.  If I could handle her we would still be married.  That makes sense for me." Jon said and tore up the message.  He continues to read the other messages to himself.

"Can you call Lauren to my office?" Jon asked.

"I didn't see her today, sir, I don't think she came in."

"Well, did she at least call," Jon asked.

Becky shakes her head no.

"I'll call her to make sure everything is okay, thanks Becky, that would be all for now," Jon said with a smile.

Jon dials Lauren's house number.

________________________________________

Lauren looks at her phone and reads the caller ID.

"Oh my God! It's Jon, should I answer?" Lauren asked nervously.

"Go ahead, but be calm Lauren.  Hurry, that's the forth ring," Tracy said.

"Hey Jon, I'm sorry, I had a serious family emergency," Lauren said.

"It's okay, Lauren, but you have to call the office so we don't worry," Jon said pleasantly.

"Worry…", Lauren said under her breath surprised to even hear that Jon gave a damn.  "Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry.  I just got so caught up…"

"Well is everything okay, is there anything I can do?" Jon asked.

"NO!" she yelled, "I mean no, Jon, but thanks.  I'll be in first thing.  Is that okay?"

"Sure, Lauren, well I hope everything is okay."

"It is now, I just haven't had much sleep.  Okay Jon, thank you," Lauren abruptly hangs up the phone.

Tracy slaps Lauren on her hand, "why did you hang up like that?"

"I don't know, I got nervous." Lauren said nervously.

"Look, I'm sorry for hiding in your storage closet, but I had no place else to go and I know I am the last person that you want to see."

                          (Last Night)

Tracy leaves out the house gets inside the car and parks it inside the garage.  He gets outside the car and turns off the garage light and he notices a light shining through a partially open door.  Tracy walks carefully to the door with his pepper spray in hand, opens the door, and was shocked at what appears in his eyesight.  His jaw dropped and his mouth was wide open at the images of a bloody Janet sitting on the floor of the storage room half-naked with a baby with the umbilical cord still attached.

"Janet?" Tracy says.

"Help me.  Help me please.  I'm not crazy.  It's the drugs they give you that makes you crazy.  My baby is still alive.  Tracy will you please help me?" Janet cries.

"Yeah, (reluctantly) yeah, Janet.  I'll will help you." Tracy says sympathetically.

Tracy carefully helps Janet stand.  He runs to the car and grabs some paper towel that Lauren keeps in the car and wraps the baby.

        "Be careful, we have to cut this cord," Janet said while having a hard time walking into the house. Tracy puts Janet and the baby boy in her bed and tells her to sit tight.

Tracy runs to the bathroom and runs a tub of warm water.  He looks in the medicine cabinet for a first aid kit and a pair of scissors.  He cleans the scissors with rubbing alcohol and returned to the bedroom.  With a warm damp towel, Tracy cleans the baby and 'snip' off the cord.  "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay.  I think the baby is hungry," Janet says and puts her breast in the babies mouth and the little baby boy feed.

"Did I hear a baby crying?" Lauren said while barely walking to Tracy's room.  "WTF, OMG, LMAO!"

"WHAT!" Tracy said, "Lauren, this isn't facebook."

"Well, what the fuck?  Janet, what are you doing here?  Who's baby?  Oh my God, is that your baby?  I must be more drunk than I thought," Lauren said.

"Hi, Lauren.  I'm so sorry, I was really scared and this was the closest place.  I can't stay there anymore, ironically enough, it's making me crazy."

"Yeah bitch, well you are.  Heeeelllo! That's why yo ass was in there.  What did you do, escape?" Lauren said.

"Yeah."

"Oh shit, really?"

Tracy continues to wipe blood from Janet.  Lauren looks in the direction of the bathroom, "Do I hear water?"

"Yeah, I almost forgot.  Janet come and sit in the tub and then we are gonna take you and the baby to get checked out," Tracy says.

"No, I can't go to no more hospitals.  They probably would know.  I think he is okay, he seems okay, doesn't he?" Janet pleaded and she grabs the scissors and stab Lauren in the eye, (it was a sudden flash that appeared in her head) and as the flash passed, she looked at Lauren and said, "Please help me."

Lauren felt sorry for Janet, "Okay, a few days.  Tracy, please clean her up.  My head is killing me.  Promise not to let me drink so much next time."

Tracy escorts Janet and the baby boy, still attached to her breast, to the bathroom.  After everyone was cleaned and the sheets was changed, Janet and her baby slept in Tracy's room.  Tracy slept on the living room couch. 

Lauren wakes up realizing that she is definitely missing work today and decided to make pancakes.  She notices baby milk and diapers on the living room floor, and suspects that Tracy must have gotten them last night.  Lauren popped 2 aspirin in her mouth to ease the headache.  She opens the refrigerator door to grab milk off the shelf and upon closing it her vision was interrupted by the sight of Janet.

"JANET! You scared me," Lauren said with her hand on her chest.

"Quiet, you are going to wake the baby.  Sorry for scaring you and I am also sorry for all that you had to put up with regarding me," Janet said and hold her arms out for a hug.

"Well, I accept your apology, but I don't think we are on hugging terms.  But I do want to know what is going on," Lauren said while offering Janet a seat at the table.

Janet started to explain herself the best she could with still cloudiness in her mind.  Tracy is standing in the doorway listening to Janet's explanation but it is not making any sense to him.  He understands that the drugs and the environment is not always the best in those hospitals, but what about all the time before is the thoughts that is running through his mind.  Suddenly the phone rings.  Everyone jumps as if they have committed a crime.  The caller ID reads 'Jon Capt'.

"Lauren answer it, he probably wants to know why you aren't at work," Tracy says.

The baby wakes up crying and Janet runs into the bedroom and closes the door until Lauren finishes the call.

Janet snatches the phone out of Lauren hand and hits her and knocks her out cold (the second mind flash she has had since leaving the hospital) She comes out of the flash and she is holding the baby and starts to breast feed.  She is frightened about the violent flashes and hope that they stop coming.  If not, she wonders 'what should she do to stop them?'

____________________________________________________

                           PERCY JR. / SHY / ITT

Percy sits in Shy's room on the end of the bed.  He is worried about his mom being missing.  He spoke with his aunt and she informed him that she went to see Sharalonda and they told her she was bailed out.  They didn't want to tell her who bailed her out.  Percy had been to his other relatives home to see if they have heard or saw his mom, but no one has. 

"They say it has been almost a week that she was released.  I have to call my dad to see if he has heard from her," Percy Jr. said. 

"Have she ever went missing before?" Shy asked.

"No."

"Weird…Why wouldn't the cops tell your aunt?" Itt asked.

"Good question, Itt.  I don't know.  But I wish I was going to New York to see my dad," Percy Jr. said.

"Call him, maybe he will get you a ticket.  You can tell him that your momma is missing," Itt said not wanting to leave Percy Jr. alone with Shy.

"Shy, you have a phone call!" Brandy yelled up the stairs.

Shy picks up the phone in his room, "Hello?"

"Hey, I was wondering when I will see you again," the caller said.

"I can't talk right now. (whispering in the phone) I thought I told you not to call here." Shy said trying not to look at Itt.

"Who is it?" Itt said.

Shy walks out of the room taking the phone with him into the hall.  "I'll call you later, okay?"

Itt walks to the hall and looks at Shy curiously.  "Shy are you gonna tell me what's going on?"

"No.  How about you mind your own fucking business?" Shy yelled.

"You are my fucking business.  I want to know who was on the fucking phone.  Is it someone you fucking?  I have the right to know that!"

"Really?  Do you really have the right to know?  Did I have the right to know about Christy or Michelle, oh and how about the girl around the corner that is now two months pregnant?" Shy said.

Percy Jr. had a shocked look on his face as he made his way down the stairs passing Brandy on the way up.  "What's with all the yelling?" Brandy asked and the phone rings again.

"Let me, I'll answer it," Itt snatched the phone from Shy.  "Who the fuck is this and what do you and Shy have going on?" Itt asked.

"Robert, and I gave him life.  Why are you answering my phone so hostile? Never mind, put Shy on the phone," Robert said aggravated.

Itt hands Shy the phone.  "Son, your mother woke up.  She's gonna be fine." Robert informs Shy with the good news.

To Be Continued….