Chapter 15


    "As you can see here, in this once sparkling, blue sea, ckness has taken over. This gtinous filth


    has managed to wash ashore on this glorious ind. An ind known for its lush beauty and serene


    beaches, now...polluted beyond recognition.


    Could it be an environmental mistake? Some sort of oil leak? Or something even more sinister? Just


    last evening, one of the police stations went up in mes. Could the tumultuous elections here be just


    an ominous sign of the unsettling cmities that have taken control of this setting? Just what exactly is


    taking ce here on this once peaceful and—


    "Uh, Ss, you''ve got someone making faces behind you." Reba made an X with her arms.


    Taken off guard, Ss spun around to see two, young white men waving at the camera in front of them


    as though they wanted to be stars.


    "Buzz off, ya braggards!" Ss shooed both of the annoying men away in the other direction before


    turning back to Reba and Robbie and dropping his shoulders, "Are we ever gonna get through this


    nightmare or am I gonna have to get drunk each and every day here?"


    Lyte, who was standing with her bike, along with some others, was steadily watching with sullen


    eyes as the waves brought more and more of the ck sludge onshore from out of the sea. The ooze


    didn''t saturate the entire beach, but it was prominent enough to where a sixty yard proximity had to be


    closed off in order to figure out what was happening.


    Lyte looked on as the always burdened Ss and his crew carried on down a more isted portion


    of the beach while others just examined. The Millers, who Lyte had just met the day before, stood


    at the foot of the waves hand in hand and just looked on in silent dismay before eventually turning and


    strolling away. For Lyte, deep down, she probably could have figured out what on earth was taking


    shape, but it just wasn''t in her to do so. She honestly could have cared less at that point about


    anything, let alone some nastiness that was washing ashore.


    The more people began to sift away from the scene that morning the more Lyte herself wanted to


    put more distance between her and the world. She sat down on the seat of her bike and trudged


    through the sand until her tires met with the road. She had to be at The Kabal in three hours, but that


    wasn''t registering in her lethargic brain. Ever since first arriving in Jamaica she wanted to go back


    home, but after the events of the day before, the longing to leave was within arm''s reach.


    Ever since leaving work the day before Lyte just wandered about the beach either staring out at


    the water or simply resting underneath a palm tree. She even managed to spend the night at the


    beach, allowing the waves to put her to a restful slumber. The woman tooled down the always busy


    street until she made it to her dwelling. Lyte ced her bike against the steps before slowly


    marching up. Her entire body felt like jelly; her hands didn''t even touch the railings as she plodded up


    the steps with the emptiest look on her sunburnt face.


    The very instant she approached the door she pushed it open only to have a hard object knock her to


    the ground. Lyte''s once sluggish body came to stunning life right then as she looked up to see a


    wild-eyed Cusha standing above her with a shaking, balled up right fist.


    "Where ya been, girl?" Cusha hollered as she continued to press towards Lyte.


    Lyte struggled to get to her feet but Cusha, with herrge girth, kept shoving her back to the floor.


    "Waa gwaan," the angry woman questioned.


    "What do you mean?" Lyte screamed back.


    "Look around ya, girl!"


    Lyte stopped scooting backwards long enough to take a view at the hovel that appeared even


    more unkempt than usual. The cooking pot, as well as the dining table and other pots and pans were


    strewn all over the floor. The curtains that concealed both bedrooms were torn down.


    "Where was yast night, girl?" Cusha continued to yell.


    "What happened here?"


    "Dey came in and tore me ce down, dat''s what!"


    "Who, dammit," Lyte said aloud.


    "Who knows?" Cusha tossed her arms all around. "But all dese years no onee in here and rob me


    until now!"


    Pointing at herself, Lyte asked, "You''re ming me?"


    "Dey ask for you, girl!"


    "Who," Lyte attempted to get up.


    But Cusha was too wound up to answer another question. The woman reached to the floor and picked


    up a sharp knife before pouncing on top of Lyte and pointing the utensil at her throat. The only


    thing Lyte could possibly do at that juncture was sweat.


    "Now, who are ya, and why ya here?"


    "I told you who I was!"


    "Dey say ya lookin'' for somebody! Ya never tell me you was lookin'' for somebody when ya showed up!"


    Lyte held her breath against the seething, sharp de that desired so much to carry out its user''s


    wishes.


    "I...I''m here looking for Arthur Bushard!"


    Cusha reared back and strangely studied Lyte. "Yae all de way here for dat," Cusha''s arm


    shook.


    "He tried to kill me and my son! I''m here searching for him!"


    Cusha peered straight into Lyte''s petrified eyes at that moment before rising to her feet. She stood


    and gawked all over at her dwelling before saying, "Yae all de way here to find de devil."


    Lyte was still lying on the floor, seemingly too horrified to even make a single move. "Do you know


    him?" She stuttered.


    Cusha gave Lyte the most intense eye roll she could before replying in a deep tone, "You a damn


    fool, child. Dat man and his family eat ya alive!"


    "I know, that''s why I—


    "Shut ya mouth!" Cusha fired back. "Dat still not exin why dose mene here! Weh yuh a eh?"


    "I just told you what I was doing!"


    "But not de whole story," Cusha flung her de back to the floor.


    "My parents think I came all the way here for drug rehab! That''s why I''m able to be away for so long!


    They don''t even know what''s going on!"


    "Dey probably kick ya out of dere house, and den yae here to cause trouble for me!"


    "That''s not it!" Lyte leaned up against the wall. "All I''ve ever done since being here is work! I''ve


    never asked you or anyone else for anything! I never even asked to stay here! You invited me here!"


    "Dats ''cause ya was on de street! But now ya can go back to de streets! I have all dese headaches! I


    can''t sleep all dese nights, and now dis! Mi dun wit ya!"


    Exasperated both physically and mentally, Lyte couldn''t say another word. She attempted to head


    straight for her room only to have Cusha block her path.


    "No, ya go now! Ya be trouble for me!"


    Lyte just stood and stared at the old woman. With everything conjured within her she wanted more


    than anything to haul off and smack the woman to the floor. But Lyte withheld and simply


    sidestepped Cusha on her way out the door with a red face and two poked out lips. She stormed down


    the steps nearly tripping along the way before she made it to her bike and got on. Lyte had all but


    forgotten about what Cusha had said about someone looking for her. All she could see in front of her


    was endless degradation the likes she had never experienced before in her life. There was evil of all


    sorts and kinds surrounding her on a daily basis; her once blind eyes were atsting back to life.


    If an airne or boat couldn''t get her home, then swimming would be her final option.


    ***


    Lyte rode on until she could see the partially broken down fish stable straight ahead of her that sat


    along the other side of the beach. It, much like most of the other businesses on the ind, was a


    rundown shack-like ce of industry. Complete with rusted nks and six sturdy poles that supported


    it from just seven feet from off the sea water.


    Nearly crashing into the side of the building, Lyte hopped off of her bike before racing up the stairs,


    through the door and into the ce where the stench of seafood was nearly bludgeoning to the senses.


    There were several assembly lines: One for stripping fish, one for jellyfish, and another for shellfish and


    two others strictly for the detail of clubbing to death and mutting sea turtles. Ignoring each and every


    worker in the warm building Lyte carried on down one particr line until she could see her


    foreman who was speaking with two other employees.


    "Excuse me, Mr. Salva." Lyte tantly cut right in.


    Mr. Salva, an older, broad-shouldered man, turned to Lyte and smiled, "Ahh, one of my best. We


    still don''t have enough work for you to be here an entire week, Lynn."


    Shaking her head, Lyte remarked, "That''s not why I''m here. I just came to collect my final pay. I''m


    leaving."


    Mr. Salva lookedpletely taken aback by the sudden news. "How ya leave me? I still need you after


    de rainy season, Lynn." He pleaded.


    "I know, but I have to go home, and now." She said in a rushed pant. "That''s it, in and simple. I need


    to go home."


    Mr. Salva stood and nodded his head. "Okay, I understand. I pay ya what I owed ya from dest two


    weeks. Wait here."


    "Thank you." Lyte said as she watched the man walk away.


    From one corner of the building to the other was nothing but busy workers all too enthralled in their


    duties to even give her a simple nce. That was exactly the way she wanted it. Lyte didn''t need


    any stares or bad looks pointed in her direction. She was already a ball of nerves and rage, one false


    look and she would have burned the ughterhouse down to the ground.


    "Lynn." Jose stepped up behind Lyte.


    Lyte jumped at that second before turning around to see Jose''s perturbed face staring at her. "Oh,


    hey, Jose," she mumbled.


    "Why are you leaving?"


    "You heard that?" She grinned slightly.


    "You could hear a pin drop in dis ce."


    Lyte was in no mood to exin herself. She wanted out of the country like a prisoner. Jose was


    just another distraction.


    "Jose...you''ve been such a good friend to me. I''m sorry that it had toe to this."


    "Okay, here you are." Mr. Salva said as he came and handed Lyte her final pay.


    The woman took her money and shook Salva''s hand before beginning for the door. But Jose was


    incredibly resilient as he followed her out.


    "Lynn, let me speak wit you."


    Both Lyte and Jose took off down the steps before they came to a stop at her bicycle. "I know your


    father has a truck. Would he be able to take me to the airport?"


    "I can ask him." Jose nodded his head. "But...I just need to know someting. Are you leaving because of


    me?"


    All Lyte could do was giggle at the man''s ever so innocent face and voice that appeared and


    sounded almost like a child''s.


    She took Jose''s hand into her own and said, "You''ve been the only person that I could actually believe


    in since I''ve been here. It''s just that...I came here searching for something. But I''m a fool. Point nk,


    Jose, I''m a damn fool who needs to go home and be a mother. This was all a big, dumb mistake."


    Jose took both of Lyte''s hands. "Come with me, please."


    "To where," Lyte resisted.


    "Just follow me." Joseughed as he pulled Lyte along to the other side of the building.


    Like frolicking teenagers they ran across the sand beforeing to the rear part of the ughterhouse.


    Jose then led Lyte up some old rusted stairs that dead-ended at an equally rusted, metal door.


    Lyte was in no ill mood for any more surprises, but she could always trust Jose, no matter how


    cock-eyed his ns appeared to be at times. She always knew that he had the best of intentions in


    mind.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Jose shoved open the door and allowed Lyte to enter before him. He then shut the door before


    running over to the middle of the floor. It was a medium sized type of room. Lyte could tell that it


    hadn''t been used in quite a while. The metal walls were nearly peeling away while the floor itself felt as


    if it would copse at any moment. The roof seemed to be the only thing that looked remotely stable,


    even though every time they moved rust particles would sprinkle down to the floor.


    "Where are we?" Lyte shook.


    "Do not be afraid." Jose said as he picked up a cloth bag from off the floor.


    Lyte watched in braced anticipation as the man opened the bag and took out a small object which


    he promptly handed to Lyte.


    Lyte examined the thing from all angles before turning up her nose and looking straight at Jose.


    "Uh...what is it?"


    "It is a toy to give to your son."


    Lyte studied the thing once more. "What kind of toy?" She began to snigger oddly.


    "When I was a boy, I used to be scared of de thunderstorms. My father gave dat to me one day to keep


    my mind upied wit other tings dan de storm. It''s a spinning top."


    What Lyte was holding in her hands was a little, ck top with three, painted ck stones at the


    tip. She marveled at its archaic simplicity to where she had to actuallyugh a bit.


    "What is so funny?" Jose asked with his own smile.


    "I...I don''t know what to say."


    "It is a sea heart top." Jose approached Lyte and exined as he took the top, ced it on the


    floor and demonstrated it for her.


    Lyte stood and watched in a cute wonder at the man spin the toy within its own circle. Just for the


    briefest of moments she actually felt a breath of relief from all of the anarchy that had overtaken her so


    recently.


    "That''s very sweet, Jose." Lyte beamed.


    Standing back up, Jose handed Lyte the toy once more and said, "I don''t know what de weather in


    Ohio is like, but hopefully dis will make your son feel better whenever he is afraid."


    Lyte held the toy tight in her hand while holding back tears in her eyes. "Well, to be honest, right


    now in Ohio its autumn, and starting to get chilly. But I truly do thank you for this, my friend."


    "I was always hoping dat you and I could have been more dan friends. " He said with watery eyes.


    Feeling the weight of his emotion radiate throughout the shack they were inside, Lyte knew she


    had to soothe the situation and quickly before she too became enthralled.


    "Jose, I don''t want to leave this country with you thinking that I don''t like you. You were never a burden


    to me. I was supposed to do something here, and I failed."


    "What was it you were supposed to do?"


    Lyte pondered for a spell. "I was supposed to make me and my son''s lives a lot safer. But I


    guess...I guess I''ll have to find another way." Her heart nearly stopped.


    "At first I thought you were going to say dat you had a boyfriend back home."


    Giggling, Lyte replied, "Oh no, none of that. But I did know a man like you once."


    "Really," Jose asked.


    "Yeah," Lyte said. "He was a strong, brave...and sweet guy." She caught her breath.


    "Where is he now, though?"


    Lyte meekly dropped her head and bashfully murmured, "He''s a long way from this world." She


    then looked back at Jose. "But he helped me in ways I can never repay."


    "Well, all I can say is that I''m d I got to know you, Lyte Glover." Jose smiled as he embraced


    Lyte.


    Lyte returned the gesture, only her hug was more aggressive, as though she almost didn''t want to


    let the man go.


    "Perhaps one day I cane to America and see you."


    Lyte began to weep as she replied, "That would be great, if you don''t mind putting up with my


    foolish family." She giggled. "Damn you, Isaac." She then whispered ever so softly away from Jose''s


    ear.


    "I did not hear you." Jose slightly pulled away.


    Lyte wiped her nose before suddenly noticing a ckened figure standing right behind Jose. Just


    like that, Jose was struck with a blunt object to the back of his head which in turn caused both he and


    Lyte to fall backwards to the floor. Lyte screamed at the sight of Philippe and two other men


    with machine guns before Livingston approached from behind them.


    Livingston''s attire was ragged,plete with a ball cap, sweaty undershirt and a pair of dirty jeans and


    boots. He walked towards Lyte with a baseball bat in hand and stood above Jose.


    Lyte then looked at Jose who for a few moments remained motionless on the floor before his entire


    body began to go into convulsions right there before her. She attempted to rescue the man, but one of


    the henchmen restrained her. "He''s dying!" She hollered.


    "He''s already dead, love." Livingston said in a dry tenor.


    They all watched as Jose''s body stopped jerking before it came to aplete rest. Livingston then


    went over to where a rusted lever was located on the wall and pulled it down. The lever operated a


    hatch in the floor that revealed the water below. Livingston dragged Jose''s body over before kicking it


    down the hatch.


    "What are you doing?" Lyte screamed.


    Livingston then turned back around and faced the woman pointing, "You''ve been a very naughty little


    bird, Miss. Glover."


    Livingston motioned to the other henchman. The two men grabbed the woman by the arms and held


    her. Lyte began to cry out loud before Philippe covered her mouth.


    Livingston stood in front of the woman and asked, "Do you remember me?"


    Lyte shook her head up and down as sweat blinded her eyesight. Livingston then nodded at his


    men. Immediately, they tossed Lyte to the floor before beating her within an inch of her life.


    Punching her in the face and kicking her in the gut. Somehow, someway, within the thralls of the


    thrashing, Lyte managed to keep hold of the toy that Jose had given her.


    It never once left the solid grip of her right hand.