Muse

“Weak” by SWV is playing on JBL speakers that are placed in someone's window across the street as teens chat around the stoop laughing and giggling with each other. A girl runs in the middle of the street as the water from the fire hydrant sprays behind her and she sings “Your love is so sweet, it knocks me right off of my feet...can’t explain why your love, it makes me weak.” Victoria, sitting on her stoop alone, watches the girl in the yellow and blue striped shirt with her jean shorts singing in the water. The other teens laugh and cheer her on, although her singing voice isn’t that great. In fact, Victoria thought of her voice to be quite of an annoyance. However, she notices the girl’s undeniable beauty behind the sprinkles of the water. Unlike Victoria, the girl’s lips were soft and plumped, her hair was a loose curl pattern, her skin is a mocha complexion, and she could wear anything she wanted without someone telling her she looked fat. Victoria’s skin tone is darker, some people would call her “midnight” or “turd,” her hair is usually in two frizzy puffs, and she wears hand-me-down clothes that are way too big for her size. Mama Pea, Victoria’s grandmother, watches all of the children frolic around. The scorching dry air of the summer itches everyone’s skin. “Go play in the water. I see you sweatin’ in dem clothes.” Mama Pea says.

Victoria side eyes and says “Mama Pea, I’m fine.”

Before Mama Pea could respond, a group of boys ran over to Victoria shooting water at her from their Nerf water guns. Victoria’s clothes were so thin, that her pink bra showed through her large white t-shirt. One of the boys, who is way too excited, says “Yo, look at her chest. They’re mad big.” The other children began to laugh, the girls across the street chuckled amongst each other, and one girl in a purple shirt covered her chest with her forearms. Then, a girl yells from across the street “She’s ugly!” Victoria runs in the house as the water flies from her body, splashing onto the scorching stoop, getting sucked into the cracks of the concrete. Mama Pea inches her head out of the window and says “I know your parents boy! Don’t let me catch you downstairs. Go on with that mess!”

Victoria slams her bedroom door and plops on her bed sobbing. Mama Pea opens the door slightly, watching her granddaughter in pain. Victoria’s back faces Mama Pea as she enters the room. She sits on the edge of the bed. “Sweetie,” Mama Pea says patting her back, “Don’t believe a damn thing that they say. They’re all foolish.” Her sobbing softens, she turns her head slightly, and says “But Mama Pea, what if I really am ugly?” Mama Pea places her hand on Victoria’s arm and says “Vicky, you’re beautiful and have always been beautiful to me and your parents.” Mama Pea closes her eyes and mumbles “May God bless their souls.” She continues “You are a God sent beauty.” Mama Pea kisses Victoria on the cheek, gets up from the bed, and stands in the doorway. With a hand on her hip, Mama Pea says “How about tomorrow you come with me to a free paint and sip. We’re painting a rainbow, I think you might like it.” Victoria turns around and says “Sure. I don’t know about the painting but I’d love to drink!”

Mama Pea bats an eye to her and says “Your sixteen year old butt can leave the drinking to me. I’ll buy some Capri Suns for you.” Victoria cries “Ewwwww!” Mama Pea smiles and closes the door behind her. The next evening, Mama Pea and Victoria are sitting by their canvases waiting for the instructor. Across from them, there is a Hispanic boy and a white girl, most likely best friends, and behind them is an older interracial couple. An Indian man and a Korean woman. Victoria’s eyes bounce around the multi-color splashed walls plastered with different paintings from previous painters eventually setting her eyes on something she thinks is a masterpiece. This particular canvas was slightly hidden in the corner of the room, it was a black and white sketch of a woman’s naked body, her mid-section looked like someone gently grabbed both ends of her body, and twisted it as far as they could. Her upper half, she laid on a half sketched out couch with her chin tilted up and her fuzzy hair spread along the edge. Then, her lower half, her feet were crisscrossed like an “X” dangling in white space. This interested Victoria, she turned her head to Mama Pea who already started on her scotch drink, which she said repeatedly to herself “That man has good taste!” Victoria wanted to talk to her about the portrait but an average height man, with oily black hair, and a trimmed beard walks down the aisle.

“How’s the drink?” The man says looking at Mama Pea with a sincere smile. Mama Pea just smiles back and waves the little glass cup at him. He nods his head and does a small clap.

All of the chatter dissipates, he takes a seat on a stool, and smiles at everyone. He says “My name is Kyle and I will be your instructor. Today, we are going to paint a rainbow, but not just any rainbow, a rainbow that represents us. Now, to your right or left, there is a plate with many colors, feel free to mix it however you like, I’ll guide you along with the shape of the rainbow, but please, please let the imagination run free.” Kyle takes out his smartphone, taps a couple of buttons, and a warm sound of ambiance music plays from the speakers at the back of the room. Kyle says “First, we’re going to paint the canvas white, use as much as you can, do not stop until you have covered everything.” Victoria takes a long wide yellow brush, swirls it in the white paint, and begins stroking her hand left to right on the canvas. Mama Pea’s strokes were a little more wobbly as she struggled to hold the paintbrush steady.

Thirty minutes later, the canvas is painted white, and the painters have gotten to work on their personal rainbows. The older couple in the back were painting a rainbow of different children’s names. Earlier, Victoria overheard their conversation with Kyle that they were unable to have children, then the best friends, they each painted something different. The boy painted a rainbow using only different shades of pink because pink is his favorite color, but he kept reminding Kyle that he’s “straight.” Kyle kindly told him “Colors are just colors.” The girl painted a rainbow of books because she loved to read and for twenty minutes she talked Kyle’s ear off about this new novel that recently came out.

Kyle goes over to Mama Pea who had a very disoriented rainbow. She was stuck between painting only hearts or only angels, so she decided to do both, but from afar it looks like a first grader’s drawing, but up close one could see the vision. Kyle gave her a pat of encouragement and now he was finally onto Victoria’s piece. She was painting the word beauty in each row. Each word had a different font, a different stroke, and at the bottom, she drew herself pretty well. Kyle was intrigued by her painting, held a finger to his chin, leaning in and out as if his eyes were an adjustable camera lens. He says “I don’t want to impose, but may I ask why you decided to paint beauty over and over?” Victoria’s throat thickens, she nervously looks over to Kyle whose eyes are still fixed on the painting. “Um,” She says, “Sometimes, I don’t feel pretty.” Kyle’s eyebrows shoot to the roof and he says “You’re the most beautiful young lady I’ve seen in my entire life. You remind me so much of an old friend of mine. Ya’ know what lemme show you!” Kyle goes grab a painting from the corner of the room and returns to Victoria’s side.

It’s the painting of the naked woman. The masterpiece, Victoria thought.

Kyle points to all of the angles, the brush strokes, explains in great detail how he came up with the concept, and even mentioned that he showed this painting at an art gallery which he received a lot of praise. Victoria remains quiet but says after a few moments she says “She’s really beautiful. Could you do my portrait?” Victoria looks over to Mama Pea who’s leaned over to the wall sleeping. She faces Kyle again and says “I think she’ll let me do it.” Kyle chuckles but responds firmly “I need proper permission. Meaning, she has to be present while you’re here. Here are the details, we’ll all be in this studio, you come with your favorite outfit, and after an hour or two, we should be done. Also, I’ll do your portrait free of charge. I can’t have my beautiful muse paying for anything.”

Victoria liked everything he said up until the last comment. It made her feel like a charity case because she assumed Kyle analyzed their outfits which were very worn and outdated. After all, they only came to the paint and sip because it was something free. After that exchange, everyone grabbed their paintings, talked amongst themselves as they exited the room, and Mama Pea followed behind them as if she was gliding on clouds. Victoria is putting both their paintings into a blue plastic bag and Kyle walks up to her. He grabs her chin, Victoria freezes because this isn’t a male gesture she was used to, and he says “Such a doll!” He walks away and begins clearing off the tables. She finishes waves goodbye to Kyle and rushes out of the room. Her nerves were vibrating with excitement like a race car getting ready to speed off. She was trying to think but her brain felt like it’s being stretched inside the vacuum of a black hole. Mama Pea is outside sitting down on the steps, letting the cool breeze pat her skin as she hums to herself, and Victoria sits down next to her.

“Mama Pea, we have to go home now. It’s late.” Victoria says nudging at her arm.

Mama Pea’s eyes are slightly open and fixated on the stars above her. She says “I hear you child but feel the breeze. Isn’t it lovely tonight? Let’s just sit for a moment...just a moment.” All Victoria could think about was how Kyle touched her chin. His soft hands caring for her acne chin, his comments on her beauty that she thought she never had, and his cool demeanor excitedly tingled her body in sensitive parts. Randomly, she thought of her parents who at the time before their passing, were always touching her face the way adults do when they see cute babies. When she was younger, her mother used to put a flower barrette on each neat afro puff in her hair. Then, she would step back, take her fingers to create a box, and said “Cheese!” After that, she’d squeeze Victoria’s cheeks and said “My sweet Vicky!” She also thought of her father, a very talkative man, always trying to discuss the neighborhood affairs with Victoria who didn’t understand half of what he mentioned. He’d usually start off with “Vicky baby, look over there. Do you see that building? It’s been abandoned for over 25 years. Imagine watching a neighborhood getting gentrified, but the city somehow keeps this decaying building behind the beautiful complexes. What’s the point of that? Why don’t they touch it? You know why? It’s because they know it belongs to someone. I heard the owner was going to turn it into a supermarket or something.” Victoria didn’t understand much of what he talked about but her father would squeeze her cheek and said: “When you get older you’ll understand.”

Victoria lays her head on Mama Pea’s shoulders. A security guard comes out and tells them to leave. Kyle trots down the stairs and sees Victoria trying to lift up Mama Pea. Kyle grabs a hold of Mama Pea’s other arm lifting her to her feet. He asks “Would you ladies like a ride home? My car is just across the street.” Victoria hesitates to answer because she knew Mama Pea would not have liked that stranger-not-a-stranger-but-a-stranger driving them home, but it was very late and Mama Pea looked strangely tired. Victoria says “We live in Newark but that’s a long drive from here. We could just take the train.” Kyle laughs and says “Take the train at this time of night? No, you ladies are coming with me. I can’t have you two traveling alone. Come on, it’s on me.”

Mama Pea enters the car, unaware of what’s happening, and leans her head back. Victoria was going to sit in the back, but Kyle stops her and says “You could sit in the front if you want. It’s been a while since I had company in my car.” Victoria’s hands tremble as she closes the back door, Mama Pea’s sound asleep, and she slides into the passenger seat like butter on a hot skillet. Kyle turns on the radio, “Drunk in Love” by Beyonce is playing, and Victoria mouths the words, and he catches her in the act. “You’re too young to be listening to this. When I was your age, I was still singing the theme songs of my favorite cartoons.” Victoria chuckles, they reach a red light, and then Victoria says “Sheesh, how old are you? 100!” Kyle smiles, then he responds “Do I look that old to you? Maybe it’s the beard. If I cut this thing off, I’d look like a baby. Guess my age.” Victoria's side eyes him and she says “85.” Kyle laughs hysterically. “You have jokes I see.

A little lower than that.”

“Um, I don’t know.” Victoria says defeatedly. They reach a stop light and Kyle reaches for her shoulder. “Come on, keep trying.” Victoria focuses her attention on the cars ahead of them, not paying attention to his tender touch on her thick shoulder, and she says “28?” Kyle removes his hand, gives a smirk, and says “Close.” Victoria flails her arms.

“I don’t know,” she says, “I hate guessing things.”

“I’m 30.” Kyle responds calmly as if the words escaped his mouth through a soft wave in the ocean.

“Well, I’m sixteen, but I guess you already knew that.”

“No, I didn’t. You seem much older than that.”

“I do?”

“Yeah, I thought you were like 100.”

Kyle flashes a smile that makes Victoria’s insides flutter with excitement. They reach the front of the brownstone apartment, Kyle and Victoria walk Mama Pea to their apartment door, and Mama Pea slowly wobbles inside in the darkness. Victoria stands in the doorway, her face shying away in the darkness of her apartment, and Kyle stands by the door looking very radiant. He says “Have a good night.” Kyle leaves out of the building, the metal door makes an unbearable screeching sound as it closes. His car starts and he drives off down the street. Victoria closes the door and the turning of the three locks descend in order. Victoria couldn’t help but to feel the uncontrollable excitement, it felt like her heart was in her stomach, and she was standing 10 feet tall. Before she went to sleep, she made a mental note to convince Mama Pea the next morning to have Kyle do her portrait. If she says no, then she will find another way…

During breakfast, Mama Pea was halfway falling asleep at the table. Her head was tilted down, the fork was stuck between her fingers, and kept sliding back and forth whenever she caught herself getting too deep into her sleep. “Mama Pea,” Victoria says, “Can we go to the paint and sip place again today? Kyle said he’ll do my painting for free.” Mama Pea did not say a word. After five minutes, she says “I’m sorry baby, but I’m very tired. It was a long night.” Victoria was getting frustrated, so she asks “Kyle says I just need to be accompanied for a few hours. Probably, an hour honestly.” Mama Pea yells “I’m tired Victoria! Instead of worrying about getting ya’ face painted, you need to start worrying about a summer job. It ain’t easy taking care of you.” Victoria leaves the table and runs into her room. Tears roll down her face onto her pillow as she stares at her bumpy ceiling. Then, she wipes her face, goes to her closet, and pulls out a cute red top she hasn’t worn in years.

She takes off her dingy white t-shirt and puts on the red t-shirt. It fitted her like a crop top. She patted her flabby stomach, grabbed a pair of jean shorts, and put those on. The outfit didn’t come out too bad, she thought to herself, even though she didn’t have a mirror to confirm this. Victoria put on her white converse sneakers and heads outside. Before she left, Mama Pea was still at the table, but this time, she was leaning back in her chair snoring loudly. Victoria grabbed Mama Pea’s wallet and keys on the counter and left. Victoria glances at some of the other teens playing in the street or chilling on their stoops talking with each other as she’s walking down the stairs. Out of nowhere, a big curly-haired girl stopped in front of her abruptly.

It was the pretty girl from the sprinklers the other day.

“Yo, that red shirt is cute on you where’d you get it?” The pretty girl said. Victoria ponders for a moment and says “I don’t know. I had this for years.” The pretty girl’s face becomes sour, then she asks “It’s cool, but hey, I’m sorry about the other day. My brother is bad as hell. I promise you I told my Mama everything and he got the butt whooping of the century.” Victoria was confused because she didn’t know what the pretty girl was talking about. “Remember,” the pretty girl says, “my brother and his stupid friends sprayed you with water.” Victoria shook her head. She continued down the steps and the pretty girl stood there. Hesitation seemed to be handcuffed on her lips. Victoria was a few feet from her stoop. The pretty girl says “Where are you going?”

Victoria turns around and says “I’m getting a painting done in New York.” The pretty girl’s eyes become two bowling balls and she says “You’re going to New York by yourself? Your grandmother ain’t going with you?” Victoria shakes her head no. “I've been to New York a few times,” she says. “Can I tag along? I know a place where they have some good ass pizza.” Victoria slightly smiles because she never had friends like that and it would nice to have some company that’s her age. Traveling with Mama Pea to New York was fun too, but sometimes the fun will dissipate because Mama Pea hated sightseeing. Maybe today she can finally explore.

The girls stop at Vincent’s Pizzeria. Inside the joint, it looked like an old classic wild western saloon. They went up to the counter, there was a young man, pale in the skin, and his hair thick with gel and oils. It was as if his hair was made of tar. He says “What can I get for you ladies?” His smile was very warm and he leaned on the counter chest out to the girls. His little muscles protrude the tight white t-shirt and he continues to flash his warm smile. Is he showing off? Victoria thought. “A pie!” Chrissy says excitedly. The man turns around and says “One pie for the ladies! That’ll be twelve dollars beautiful.” Victoria and Chrissy put down their splits. Then, Victoria stuffs Mama Pea’s wallet in her back pocket.

“This is cool,” Chrissy says as they sit down by a window looking out to the busy streets of New York. “It is cool,” Victoria says, “I have never been anywhere alone. Not like, I’m alone with you, I mean, like, without Mama Pea.” Chrissy chuckles and says “I get it. Me neither. My mother would always take me and my brother everywhere. So, annoying!” The girls smile at each other for a moment. Chrissy, then says “Do you have a crush?” Victoria’s face flush with redness. Does she have a crush? Maybe. Kyle’s name darts across her mind. “Kinda,” Victoria says. Chrissy’s eyebrows drop and she says “ kinda? Girl, tell me!” Victoria visibly becomes nervous. Her fingers were tapping on the Vincent Pizzeria printed napkin.

“Do I know him?” Chrissy says.

“No, he’s not from the neighborhood,” Victoria responds softly. “He’s different.”

Chrissy leans back in her chair. She says “Okay, what does he look like?”

“He’s tall, cute, nice to be around, and he’s...a little older than me,” Victoria says as she stares out the window.

“Girl,” Chrissy says, “I didn’t know you get down like that! The oldest I ever dated was three years. My mother was so pissed because I was fifteen at the time and he was eighteen. It ended because he was slightly controlling. I couldn’t get down with that.” Victoria nods her head. Then, Chrissy continues “Dating older dudes seemed like it was cute, but girl, that relationship taught me that if an older dude is interested in a young girl, nine times outta ten, they only want one thing. Ya’ know? Plus, we girls can’t be giving our coochie to these dusty dudes. We gotta protect each other.” Victoria didn’t know what to say to that. She agreed with her sentiments, but little did she know that Victoria was talking about Kyle who’s way older than what was assumed. Someone from the kitchen brought their pizza to the table. Each girl takes a bite of their pizza and the table fills with satisfying silence.

The girls walk into the studio wiping their faces off and tomato sauce, cheese, and crumbs glide onto the small square napkins. Kyle wasn’t in the studio yet and the pretty girl, who introduced herself officially as Chrissy, walked around the room touching every painting she found interesting. “Wow, what’s this?” Victoria sits down at a table. “What’s what?” she says.

Chrissy brings the painting to the front. It’s the masterpiece again. “This picture right here. Why is she twisted up like that? Her organs are all ripped and splattered. It looks kind of demonic don’t ya’ think?”

Kyle wouldn’t have called it demonic. The people at the art gallery didn’t think so either.

“It’s a beautiful portrait. Kyle, the guy who’s doing my portrait, did that. The woman in the painting was a close friend of his.” Victoria says as if letting her know that it was Chrissy’s first and last time using the word demonic.

Chrissy's lips tighten and she puts the painting back. Then, she says “Welp, art is art I guess.” Victoria remained quiet in her obvious defensive posture. Chrissy proceeds to break the silence. “How long are we going to be here? Hopefully, not too long because my mother will be back around evening time with my brother.” Victoria says without making eye contact “About an hour or two. We’ll be home in time.” Chrissy started to get a little uneasy. At first, the studio to her seemed like a fun art museum, but as time passed waiting for Kyle, it started to feel like a colorful claustrophobic cage. Her gut was telling her that something was wrong. Kyle walks in smiling already at the sight of Victoria but it slowly drops when he sees Chrissy instead of Mama Pea.

“Hello, Victoria. Where’s your grandmother?” He says as he finds a stool to sit on.

“Mama Pea couldn’t make it because she was tired. So she sent my cousin with me, Chrissy right here.” Chrissy’s insides were becoming entangled like rusty barb wires at the sight of watching Victoria lie in front of this odd-looking man. He didn’t even have his paint stuff set up, Chrissy thought, and he just sat down on a stool as if they were all friends just hanging out. Kyle says “Well, if your grandmother was fine with it, then I’m fine with it. That’s a beautiful top you got on. It really accentuates your figure.” There was a moment of silence. Victoria was sitting with her legs crossed and her arms locked together on her stomach. She murmurs “Thank you.” Kyle gets off of the stool and says “You could thank me later after I’m done with you.” He squeezes her left cheek and walks towards the front of the room. The uncomfortable in the air was sickening Chrissy in the stomach. While Kyle was grabbing his supplies, Victoria turns to Chrissy and says “I like him. He’s cool.” Chrissy’s brows dropped so low that it looked like she had a thick black unibrow.

“He seems like a weirdo,” Chrissy whispers, “he touched your face.”

Victoria leans in and whispers “Why are you so paranoid. He’s just really nice. He dropped me and Mama Pea home last night. I’m sure if he was some bad guy he would've done something then. Just relax.”

Kyle takes out his phone, presses a few buttons, and the speakers at the back of the room start playing “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley.

Chrissy leans even closer and says “I’m not relaxing! Something ain’t right. You lied about me being your cousin. Clearly, you ain’t supposed to be here by yourself and I know Mama Pea would have your tail right now if she knew where you were at.”

“It’s just a painting, Chrissy. As I said he’s a cool dude.” Victoria whispers, but it was in a tone as if she was a mother telling her child to stay quiet.

Kyle comes to a table, the girls watch him put a black bag on the table, and he opens it slowly. “I think I’ll do a family portrait instead. I think that’ll look nice.” Victoria didn’t want a family portrait, she only wanted one of herself. “I don’t want you to paint me,” Chrissy says. Kyle, less smiley, and more serious says “I didn’t ask. Besides, after this, I won’t need your permission.” The black bag inside was finally exposed. With her eyes, Victoria tried to scan the bag for paint tubes, brushes, and other utensils that painters use. Nothing. All there were knives of different sizes and colors, scissors, a small glass bottle with some liquid inside, and a few beige cloths. “What’s that?” Victoria asks naively. Chrissy has started to get up but Kyle picks up a knife, pointed towards her, and she lowers back onto the stool.

“If I would’ve known you were bringing your cousin Victoria, I would’ve been more prepared,” Kyle says hauntingly.

“Whatever this is, we don’t like it,” Chrissy says. She continues “We want to leave!”

Victoria was in so much shock that she almost forgot she was still in the room. Her mind wanders through the last memories of her parents. It was a phone call to Mama Pea, who was braiding six-year-old Victoria’s hair at the time, and cries and loud wails emit from Mama Pea’s jiggling body. “No, no, no!” Mama Pea said. Her large thick body, pinned against the wall, vibrating on it as she tried to hold back the tears, “Not my baby! Why? Lord, why?” Later that evening, Victoria found out that they were followed by some deranged shopkeeper who thought they stole something out of their supermarket, and they were shot in the back of their heads. Victoria stared at the black bag with numbness in her body. She wished her parents were here to save her, but unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen. Chrissy was shaking Victoria, but she seemed to be stuck in an emotional trance. “Victoria, let’s go!”

Chrissy gets up to grab Victoria, but Kyle lunges across the table and pounces on Chrissy. Both of them fall to the floor, spooking Victoria out of her seat. She watches them tussle with each other and Chrissy screams for help until words no longer escape her mouth.

Kyle is choking her.

“Get off her!” Victoria yells and she kicks him in the back. His back felt like a hard lump of fat and her kick didn’t seem to affect him. She quickly goes to his black bag, she could hear behind her the little spurts of breath that Chrissy has left before he’s completely done with her, and she grabs a large knife. Victoria stabs him in the shoulder. Kyle lets go of Chrissy who’s gagging for air, he gets up, grabs the knife from behind as Victoria rushes to Chrissy who now has red marks on her neck. Kyle stumbles towards a table and Victoria lifts Chrissy to her feet. “We gotta go, we gotta go!” Victoria says as tears fly down her face. Chrissy gets up and the girls head towards the door. Kyle jumps on them both. All three of them crash to the floor, Chrissy is yelling, and Victoria follows behind with a piercing scream. Kyle takes a beige cloth and holds it over Chrissy’s mouth. Her scream becomes faint and now she’s silent. Still breathing, but silent as Victoria saw it.

Victoria felt helpless. She didn’t mean for any of this to happen and the only person that tried to tell her something Victoria ignored her. She sat there sobbing on the floor, not even looking at Chrissy’s body, and Kyle kneeled on the floor like a lost child. “Oh Victoria, Victoria, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s going to wake up soon. Both of you will, I promise. I just need to get you two in specific positions for the portrait.”

“Did you kill your friend in the portrait?” Victoria says. Kyle didn’t move but just stared at Victoria with empty eyes. She says, “I guess that’s why you ain’t hear from her. You did something to her and now you’re doing something to us. I have a feeling that’s why Mama Pea was so tired. You probably put something in her drink. I don’t want to be your muse anymore, I don’t want you touching me at all, and I promise you, your day is coming.”

Kyle grabs Victoria as she kicks and screams. He places the beige cloth on her mouth, she slowly quiets down, her eyes lower, and she falls asleep. The music had long stopped playing. Then, knocking on the door broke the silence. A woman, probably between the ages of 50-65, says in a shrill voice “Mr. Kyle Manor, there is a woman who you may know, she says she was here last night with her granddaughter...um, Kyle there are a few officers out here wanting to come in, and ask you some questions. I would let the whole party in, but the door is locked. Kyle?”

Kyle was flushed with redness, scratches, sweat, and blood. His eyes bulged out of his skull, eager to drop to the fall, and roll into the darkness forever. Kyle was still in pain from the stab wound on his shoulder that he tries to conceal by twitching by grabbing onto his thigh. He needed to escape but there was nowhere to go. A deep voice from a man is heard from outside the studio door. “Mr. Kyle Manor, I was told by Mama Pea that her granddaughter, a minor, may have come here to see you for a painting. I and my buddies just want to ask you a few questions. The sooner you open up, the sooner we can leave.” The officer outside of the door signals his partners to get into position. He draws out his gun and says “Alright, Mr. Kyle Manor. You’re giving us no choice. We’re going to have to come in.” The officer kicks in the door. Kyle tries to lunge at the officer with a knife.

He shot two times in the chest and one in the head.