Revelation **** Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

With plans to meet Nathaniel and leave New Orleans, I pondered over where to leave Pooh's truck. I'd damaged it when I drove away with the gas pump nozzle still in the tank door but was willing to pay for it and hoped nothing would stem from the incident. The woman on the curb was more of a threat than the thought of being prosecuted for damage to a gas pump, her words fragmented in my mind as if she had warned me in some way. My child would be just fine and I could love him alone. Troy hadn't made any sense nor had he given me any logical reasoning for his decision to abandon us. Cliche'.

I'd missed something behind the bookcases.

Nathaniel had expressed sentiment regarding the trees being in season and was stupefied by the fact I saw them glow. He referred to the Prophecy with great zeal and what I'd come to realize hadn't been what disturbed me, perhaps he would lack pigmentation but with certitude, they knew he would. Troy had been all for the conception, until he'd found out what he had fathered. So had Trenton.

Ayden's body had to have been salient in addition to the child I carried. Exceedingly, my belly grew, I could only contain the grapes and they now lacked flavor, my taste was gone.

Where Kerri had once been enthralled by what she had become, she now strode about feckless; enraptured in melancholy and unmindful of the undertaking that had transpired. I wondered if she had willingly gone with them. Daddy may have fucked her up as he had me but he'd stopped molesting her, I thought back to the night he had run from the room, his shirt only buttoned at the collar, he'd come out holding his unfastened suit pants at the waist. I also recalled the smell in the room, Kerri seemed unruffled when I finally entered inside from the living room where I waited for their talk to be over.

Vigilantly I prepared to leave the home and could hear Martin's voice traveling throughout, I hadn't seen Dario since the evening before but his presence could be strongly felt. With Troy out of the picture I no longer felt disenfranchised and could move about freely, he would need me sooner than later. I had never been dumped---let alone by a nigga in jail. We could be great without him. Trenton was another story so I stayed on my P's and Q's.

Martin descended the stairs, and stood in the 90 degree angle that faced the kitchen, I'd come from the bedroom barefoot. The thought of him castrating himself made the hair stand on the back of my neck, had it been ritualistic? She hadn't disclosed the reason. I saw his perfect grin as he continued to the bottom floor and stood at the banister. " I knew of an old man once, died digging a grave. The ground was inviolable; heart stopped---just like that." The snap of his fingers echoed throughout the foyer chilling me further.

"We have guests," Martin said.

"With heedless negligence, they not only produced giants---it clearly states, ALL FLESH corrupted the Earth before the flood---and why did they call Noah perfect? Perhaps he wasn't a hybrid, and everything else that had been created was killed off, blah, blah, blah---and all."

Was he speaking about the great flood in Genesis?

I knew he referred to the Nephilim, as a child I read the passages and not at free will. Also Daddy had spake a good doctrine but it wasn't relevant. The waters had ceased but were returning, the voice warned me of destruction. He walked across the marble in his smoking attire with a cigar cutter around his thumb and index finger. "Join me, " he demanded but invited, I knew he meant in the smoking room. The art inside was magnificent, probably worth millions. I followed behind careful not to slip and fall. "Kie will handle the caller. Please sit down, your feet needs resting,"he said upon our arrival to the large Poker themed room. I began to pay attention to things I hadn't before.

He continued, "The book of Enoch, mentions Noah---the grandson of Methusala, son of Lamech being born without pigmentation. "The flesh of which was as white as snow, and red as a rose; the hair of whose head was white like wool and long; and whose eyes were beautiful. When he opened them he illuminated all the house like the sun; the whole house abounded with light," he quoted from the memorized passage, I wondered what the fuck did that have to do with the hole I had dug myself into.

"'His own father fled when he laid eyes upon him and said he resembled the Sons of God in Heaven...they that were fallen, of course. He even said his nature was different, his eyes were like rays of the sun! He knew he was not like him!"

His laugh now disturbed me, he spake on what my father hadn't taught me and asked why I thought he was found dead in the river? He wanted to know if I thought it was suicide. The doorbell startled me from thinking about setting that old muthafucka on fire, I could hear footsteps above my head in Kie's room. I needed Kerri to just snap out of it so we could leave! I loved her regardless to what she had done and knew she had been coerced. I couldn't even call Mama to try to talk sense into her. The sorrow I housed for her son was so intense but where was her sorrow for Boogie? She had just abandoned my son!

"The attorney that represented u, an old colleague of mine said u were brilliant. Hadn't expected to find someone so subservient given the circumstances. My son had overstayed his welcome he'd gotten out of control, had too much privilege so some considered his murder a good deed rather than something unjustifiable. I've never been keen on emotional connections."

He lit the tip of the cigar after cutting it and blew the first smoke directly in my area, I fanned defensively. I was due to meet Nathaniel at the Orchard, he had convinced me to leave for Florida with him after he tended to some unfinished business. I wondered if he knew I had the bonds and my patience had grown thin with Martin. Mama insisted she had an explanation for everything and to call her immediately, I had ignored the voicemail. Nathaniel called shortly after.

I heard Kie emerging toward the smoking room hastily, the police were looking for Kerri and said she'd called them to report a missing child but didn't remember when or where she had last seen him. From out of nowhere she had fallen to the marble floor hysterically blaming Kie and Martin for drugging her and taking her son. Martin denied her claims reminding the younger officers of who he was. I slid to the edge of the sofa in an attempt to stand knowing my sister had fucked up but I believed her. The two of the three officers that had come questioned the housekeeper of the claim. I was afraid for Kerri and knew we needed to get out of dodge as I listened to her ramble on and on about her baby and how she changed her mind after he had been born. I wondered what the fuck she meant, changed her mind about what? I needed to talk to Ayden's father immediately. The officers listened to Martin but took note of what Kerri was accusing them of, she said Kie had taken her son from her arms. I wasn't too sure of it, she had given him away. I knew where he was but reconsidered the outcome; the tree would not produce but how had he been essential?

They asked Kie to come with them for questioning, Dario had appeared in the doorway. Martin addressed him as son before asking him to direct the fine officers to the front door, they advised him a police matter was being tended to before asking him his name once more. It infuriated him, the anger in Kie's eyes was sharp and non negotiable, he knew he had better do something. I silenced Troy's call as I had done all day, he would soon get the picture. The atmosphere had become heated, "U are making a mistake, surely this can be reconciled," Martin said in aid of Kie's defense. Kerri had lost her damn mind, we all would be questioned about the child, his untimely disappearance was unfathomable.

I only knew one person who could rescue Kerri and I, we would hide out until she arrived at the Metairie home. I texted Nathaniel and said I would meet him later. Martin tried to maintain his composure while instructing Dario to go to the police station with his mother, he left, I could not breathe as if someone was drawing the breath from my lungs while I walked from the smoking room. My sister yet pleaded for her son as the third officer instructed her to come give a statement. Christmas was only a few days away, the home had shown no sign. Helplessly Kerri agreed to accompany them, unsturdy she stood and faced the sunset that shone through the opened door refusing the Sperry I pointed toward. She had insisted on rebuying them over and over since high school, that said a lot about her character. I knew what she had done to Pooh and knew it wasn't because she needed money, she had only done as instructed. Martin watched my reaction, and mentioned the night of Severance. I remembered, I acted a damn fool. According to him Procell had indulged in gaining my acquaintance even though I hadn't even spoken to him. The older man he referred to was revered by many, the Albino who had come, I didn't even notice when he had arrived nor knew how he had departed. "He wants to be present for the birth of the child. I remember when the two was born, he'd given them the blessing before they were snatched away. I have good reason to believe they have always fared well. My daughter on the other hand, she was too in depth emotionally. She'd been rescued when she conceived and I realized the Prophecy must continue regardless. They are now 15 years old and resemble my own mother. I must be groomed so I can handle the situation at hand if u will excuse me."

I noticed the shadowy beard that appeared, I panted while walking toward the Babylonian themed room. I thought back to what Trenton had said about Nathaniel bringing Sabrina from Mississippi and knew Martin was her father as well as Brown's. Nathaniel had impregnated her and her twin's birth had been prophesied. He had taken the girls long before Twan was killed. Surely Martin knew I would leave. "I hope u have enjoyed your stay, How does it feel to conceive life after u have destroyed life, do u feel deserving?" He said while standing at the island sharpening blades on a leather strap. Good question. His antics had an uneasy effect, and I was tired of the bullshit. I wanted to cut his throat. The more he talked the weaker I was becoming, I made it to the doorway and asked him about my father, what he was like when he was younger. "The old man cut him off, he sought out what was rightfully his and needed a little help doing so. People soon tend to forget when they needed u. He'd ran back to a penniless father afterward, didn't hold up to his end of the bargain, wasn't strong at all. I'd warned Sharon, however she conceived and he couldn't rid himself. He didn't know what had come over him! I'd only done right by him, granted his desires---nothing is free! Your conception was memorable, your mother hid the pregnancy in fear of how u would turn out. U seemed to be just fine! She had simply asked for my blessing and THERE U WERE!"

As he stated, nothing was free. "I was born right on that land, underneath a tree. I've heard it's beautiful when in season, don't know anyone who has seen it---no one special enough to see its stunning branches and beguiling leaves. The old man hadn't taken heed to the warning and broke the ground---he would have lost the orchard he believed, no one holds up to their end of the bargain! He should have known not just anyone can dig into the ground."

I had been so wrong.

Whatever had happened to Trena was yet a mystery but I knew the old man wasn't supposed to dig under the tree to bury her. He'd tried to make a sacrifice, Trenton knew to leave her inside and he couldn't go to the police but she wasn't dead. He'd gone back, I was almost certain; he knew the code. Afterward he'd gone to work for Martin, and could not return for a year but it was now his land. Unattended for years, after a while the trees began to produce again. Lawrence may not have known what had taken place but he had been in charge of tending the grounds. What did my nephew have to do with it all? I remembered the context on the walls. Had she sacrificed the child for riches and who had put him there, who was worthy to dig? I'd seen the ground broken!

I knew Trenton had gotten himself into some deep shit but we had some sort of connection. Had I betrayed him for Troy? He'd wanted me dead hadn't he?

He had had Christy killed supposedly, Lamont had been so distraught and had married Veronica during his marriage to Christy, why?

I knew where to find his mother and looked forward to visiting Bossier City to see Christy's mother at the retirement home. I believed she was hiding. If so why had Troy lied about killing her? Lawrence was adamant about her being pregnant and Mya had mentioned her after she had disappeared. Yvonne's mother had been involved with Martin long ago, she'd had two children. I thought about the basement and Nikki's body, had no one been inside? I wanted to know. I also knew there was an age difference between Brown and Sabrina, Yvonne and Nakia were born in between, why had their mother gone back to Martin? I went down the list and considered Pam's twins, they were identical almost an anomaly as Netta and Shan was. I heard Martin ascend the stairs while making a phone call to Denard before cursing because he hadn't answered. How well did he trust Kie?

Nate had returned the message, he stated he would still meet me at the Orchard and said time was moving fast. I'd messaged Shonda, she had agreed to come to my aid but I couldn't leave my sister, she wasn't strong enough to stay behind and I regretted leaving her before. While Martin was upstairs I left out, taking the book. I looked up at the upstairs window to see him looking outside. How had Daddy got the book? Also how had Martin gotten it back? I headed toward the Orchard while texting Nathaniel and Shonda. It would be nightfall by the time I arrived I suspected, perfect timing but as I had I could see the police surrounding the gate, for some reason I became livid! I could not allow them to destroy my property! I jumped out of the truck warning them not to dig! Had Kie given them the details? She sat handcuffed in a patrol car and watched me wobble through the gate in distress! The trees would not produce if they removed the body as Lawrence had said. "DO NOT DIG ON MY PROPERTY!" I yelled.

They informed me it was a police matter and threatened to arrest me, I looked toward the gate to see an unfamiliar truck, soon Nathaniel stepped out. My child was disturbed, the police lights shined against the trees. They had begun to dig.