It’s justwhen.
The more relaxed I start to become, the more my skin starts to itch.I hate this bullshit.
Rolling onto my side, I curl into a tight ball and do my best to ignore the itching sensation as I close my eyes again.
Sleep will definitely get my mind off things for a little bit.
___
“Not like that!” Momma snaps as she smacks me in the back of the head.
The old, fat man sitting on the edge of the bed with his stubby dick out is staring at me expectantly. I’m trying to do my best and suck it the way Mom showed me, but I’m scared.
I don’t want to do this.
Not so she can get some money to get drunk and high. Not so she can eat while me and Tieran watch. Not so I have to do it all over again when another one of these old men comes by and asks for one of us instead of her.
I think she gets jealous when they don’t want to play with her like they do with us, but truth be told, Momma smells really bad sometimes.
She reaches down and grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back and squeezing my cheeks tightly with her fingers.
“Ouch, Momma!” I cry out as tears roll down my face.
“Open yer fucking mouth and do it the way I taught you, or you and yer brother don’t get any supper tonight!” she screams.
“I promise I will, Momma. Please, you’re hurting me!” I shout as I reach up for her fingers and try to pull them out of my hair.
“Stupid fucking whore,” she grumbles when she shoves me at the old man. “She’ll get it right. Either that or yer free to fuck her. Same price.”
He gives me a smirk, his eyes look a little crazy, and I shake.
I have to get this right or else Momma says he can do other things to me.
I reach for his stubby dick and hold it steady as I wrap my lips around it and begin to slowly run my mouth up and down his sweaty skin.
He lets out a grunt—like the pig he is—and I think that means I’m doing a good job.
“Leave her alone! Hensley!”
I close my eyes tighter than I ever have before as Tieran runs into the room and tugs at the back of my shirt. He always tries to be the big brother even though he’s not.
A loudsmackgreets my ears, followed by the sound of his body hitting the floor. I want to stop and help him, but I don’t want this man to put anything inside of me.
“Shut the fuck up or yer next,” Momma warns him in her ground, down tone. Too many years of hard drugs, booze, and other vices has turned her once soft voice into a fucking grinder.
Tieran reaches over and gives me a violent yank, defying Momma in front of one of her customers, gets to his feet, and pulls a rusted switchblade out of his pocket.
He points it toward the old man, “Get out or I’ll cut it off!” he hollers louder than he ever has before.
I turn around and hide my face in his chest as he holds me close, both of our bodies shaking. Mine from fear and his from rage.
“Is that right?” the old man asks as the bed creaks. “You know what, Gloria? Maybe I’ll fuck him instead.”
“No!” I scream as I swiftly take the knife from Tieran. I run blindly toward Momma’s customer, swinging the blade wildly until I can feel a warm rush over my hand. I keep stabbing in a frantic attempt to keep Tieran from being used up, too.
He puts his hands on my arms and tries to stop me but I’m much too feral.
No one touches my little brother.