Skies of Grey Part One: The Place in the Mist

By Julian Kindred

The world outside has been replaced by black trees and mist. No electricity, the water’s running out, and there is something hungry is lurking. But the monsters lurking in the mist aren’t nearly so terrifying as the people who’ve been trapped by it.

T-bird was top dog in Texas State Women’s Correctional Facility. After a betrayal rips her prison family apart, nothing is going to stop her from getting her and her crew home safe so she can hold her grandson. Not even the giant carnivorous worms and the graveyard that just appeared outside the prison.

Winter was the number one attraction at South Pole Gentlemen’s club, just trying to put herself through MIT. It was only supposed to be temporary, but she caught the eye of mafia capo Pit Bull Primo’s men. Now she’s on the run through the mist, and mobsters are the least of her worries.

Reem was not only the singular nonwhite girl at Blanco Christian Private High School, but also the only Muslim, and her position as the fencing team’s captain hasn’t earned her any reprieve from the bullies. She didn’t think things could possibly get worse. And then she arrived here..

All of them will need to change if they want to live, but will they be able to live with themselves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julian Kindred
• Release date: Feb 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311636027

Book preview

The Place in the Mist

Skies of Grey

Part One

Julian Kindred

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by Julian Kindred

All Rights Reserved.

Acknowledgements

I went into a dark place when I started writing this series. My grandmother passed on and none of my usual creativity would come to me. But I HAD to write something. Skies of Grey was born.

I want to apologize to everyone in my critique circles who were used to my more upbeat, whimsical works at the time for the complete change in tone and direction. And thank everyone profusely for their support, encouragement, and criticism through it all.

I want to express how proud of my family I am, for pulling together and supporting one another. I also want to give a special thanks to my grandfather. This man is a rock.

Dedicated to my grandmother, Carol Jensen.

The world is a greyer place without you.

CHAPTER ONE

T’TWAN

The prison stank of blood and shit. T-bird didn’t know how the riot started, just that it began when the power went out. Mercifully, it was over quick. Butterfly and her family had been aching to tear into the guards since Shithead Sam knocked up Matches in the stairwell two months ago. A clothes hanger spared her the humiliation of an official inquiry, but all the girls in Texas State Women’s Correctional Facility knew about the rape.

Shithead Sam’s head crunched like wet wood when T-bird brained him with her slock, a tube sock with a padlock inside. She’d stolen his utility belt but never got the chance to trade her weapon for the dead guard’s baton before the chaos was over. The sock was ruined, drenched in blood; it stank like rust and rotten meat.

T-bird dropped it as she entered her cell and grabbed her pillow, stripping off the case. Flies buzzed over from the garbage to hover around the bloody sock. On the built-in desk rested two pictures of her family. The first was six years old and showed her three daughters. The other was four and showed her oldest, Lateia, holding her newborn son. All the kids shared her mahogany complexion and flat nose, despite having different fathers. Lateia would be twenty two now, Ginger eighteen and Lashona fifteen.

T-bird said a quick prayer that her youngest were still in school before putting their photos in the pillowcase, followed by a half empty carton of cigarettes. She didn’t smoke, but never wasted anything that could be traded. The cigarettes had paid for the padlock. A small radio, contraband lipstick, and notebook followed. Lots of girls courted T-bird before she married Mirka, and she kept all their gifts. With a quick twist, she tied the pillowcase closed and hooked it into the stolen belt next to the can of pepper spray.

Footsteps sounded down the hall from her cell, barely discernible over the buzz of flies and shouting cons. The baton flew to her hand as she whirled around, only to breathe a sigh of relief as Tears entered.

Tears was twenty one, almost Lateia’s age, but acted like she was twelve. One of the few white girls in TSWCF, she was pale and skeletally thin, making her look older than she was, but that’s what happened when you’d been hooked on heroine since you were eight. Her bright eyes, at odds with their sunken quality, took in the baton and T-bird’s bloody face and flinched. Still a square by anyone’s standards, she would’ve become a store whore if T-bird and Mirka hadn’t adopted her.

You forgot to knock, T-bird reprimanded, sliding the baton back into its loop.

Sorry, Daddy. Tears looked pointedly at the floor, voice contrite.

Her fingers played with the end of her French braid. Tears was good with hair. She’d done the tight cornrows on the side of T-bird’s head that wasn’t shaved bald.

T-bird sighed and eyed the fly covered slock. It’s alright. We all a little uptight today.

Butterfly wants to talk to you. Tears’ fingers clenched down on the braid.

T-bird scowled. The riot alone would explain why Tears was nervous, but Butterfly was psychotic. At least the girl didn’t cry no more.

She’s in the warden’s office. Momma’s with her.

Ice froze along T-bird’s ribcage. She’s got Mirka?

Tears nodded. Momma’s gonna be okay, right?

That’s right. Grab the girls. Meet me there. She started for the door but Tears reached out and grabbed her arm.

T-bird froze. Forgetting to knock was a small thing. This weren’t no small thing. She looked down at the tiny, pale hand clutching her bicep.

Don’t go. Tears shivered, never looking up from the floor. It’s gonna be bad. Butterfly’s got her girls there. Don’t know how long it’ll take me to find everyone….

Understanding dawned. T-bird put her much larger, calloused hand on Tears’. Butterfly’s crazy but she ain’t stupid. What y’all do to her if she hurts me or Momma?

Tears went rigid. Her bony grasp tightened on T-bird’s arm. I’ll kill her.

T-bird nodded. You and the other girls. You think she don’t know that? Don’t know I’ll rip her head off if she looks at Mirka funny? She got her girls holed up in there ‘cause she’s scared o’ me. Always has been.

Tears nodded. Her fingers slipped away. I’ll get the others.

Good, T-bird nodded. Now get!

She hurried out the cell door. T-bird hadn’t lied. Butterfly was afraid of her, but that only made the psychopath more dangerous. At least Tears’ hadn’t asked why she was packing. Fingering the baton, she hurried from her cell.

Not running to the warden’s office was a challenge. Her legs seemed to scream at her to hurry up, and she clenched her fists to keep herself under control. Every second she took to get there was another second Mirka was with Butterfly, but the more worried she looked, the stronger Butterfly’s position. Bitch could smell fear.

She stopped at the door to the warden’s office, gritting her teeth at the muffled sounds of a woman in pain, and knocked. Butterfly liked courtesies even more than she did. The noises lessened but didn’t stop.

Matches’ round face, set off by warm skin and framed with dark curly hair, appeared in the doorway. The rolled up sleeves of her jumpsuit bared the henna-like burn scars decorating her fingers, hands, and forearms. She looked up at T-bird and grinned, showing all her teeth. Her canines were slightly crooked.

We been waitin’ for ya, she stepped back and opened the door wide enough for T-bird to step in. The stink of blood and sex hit her nose as the door closed behind her.

Butterfly had pulled the warden’s chair around to the front of the desk. She lounged in it, head lolled back, revealing the tattoo on her neck that earned her nickname. Her orange jumpsuit was down around her ankles, leaving her jiggling belly and small breasts on display. Warden Maxine Harrison was naked on her knees, a con sitting on each foot, bent over with her arms trapped beneath Butterfly’s bulk. The inmate’s grip on her iron hair held Harrison’s face between her legs.

The warden’s pale wrinkled skin was painted with red, swollen welts and bleeding cuts. One of the cons on her feet manipulated a broom, shoving the handle up inside her. T-bird caught glimpses of red on every quick withdrawal.

T-bird had always thought the matronly warden looked more like a grandmother than herself. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and scanned the rest of the room. Big Baby, the fattest woman in the prison, held Mirka’s arms behind her back in the far corner. T-bird’s fists clenched. A bruise marred her wife’s pale cheek.

Only a quick headcount kept her from pulling out the baton. Matches behind her, Big Baby on Mirka, Bitch and Noodles tormenting the warden, Butterfly’s wife of the week Rocket in the corner with a shiv, and Butterfly herself; six total. And Mirka weren’t a fighter.

Four of them were occupied, but Matches was behind her and by the time she’d handled her and Rocket, the other four would be on her. She grit her teeth and wished Tears would hurry up with the girls.

Butterfly pulled her head up to look at T-bird, dark eyes bright beneath heavy lids. T-bird! Welcome to my office!She sniggered. So did Rocket.

Harrison made a sound of protest and struggled. Noodles, the con on her left foot, jabbed hard with the broom. The sound became a muffled squeal. Noodles giggled.

Wanna tell me what the fuck you think you’re doing? T-bird gestured to Mirka.

I know I know, looks bad don’t it? But we never laid a hand on her, Butterfly ran her tongue over her teeth. Came like that fresh outa the box.

T-bird narrowed her eyes.

Swear! Butterfly held up her hands. Musta been one of the CO’s. But we caught her snoopin’ around up here when we came to say ‘hi’ to Maxi here. She twisted her grip on the warden’s hair. Bitch ain’t real good with her tongue yet, but she learning.

And you thought it a good idea to hold my wife here while you get back at Harrison?

Her name’s Harlot now, Maxi Harlot. Short for Maximum Harlot.

I don’t give a shit if you call her Cunny Mc’Lesbo. What the hell are you doin’ to my Mirka?

Butterfly groaned and jerked Harrison’s face away. She stood, pulling up her jumpsuit as she talked. We thankin’ you, that’s what. Matches was a little pissed first when she heard you killed Shithead Sam ‘cause she wanted to cut his balls off, but whatev, ya know? He’s dead and I figure you did us a favor. I repay favors. She ran a forefinger over her lower lip.

T-bird jerked her head towards Mirka. Not feelin’ like a favor.

Butterfly zipped up the jumpsuit halfway so that the insides of her breasts were completely displayed. She grabbed some envelopes from the desk and stepped around the weeping Harrison. Cause ya need to chill, girl. Gonna get age wrinkles, then you look like Granny Harlot here.

They squared off, only a foot out of fighting reach. Both were tall, though not the tallest in the prison, and possessed square jaws, but the similarities ended there. Butterfly’s weight all went down, giving her a pear shape with wide hips and thicker thighs while T-bird was ripcord lean with slim hips, broad shoulders, and impressive tits.

Butterfly held up the envelopes, already opened.

Maxi Harlot here’s been keepin’ our mail from us. She held out two envelopes. T-bird took them. Congratulations, Lashona popped you out a second grandkid a year ago. Guess she’s followin’ in yer footsteps. You were fourteen when you had your first, right?

The paper in T-bird’s hand crumpled in her fist.

First letter’s to let ya know what happened, Butterfly’s voice danced with glee. New music teacher taught her to play a flesh flute after school one day. Second’s to let ya know she named the little thing Angel and wants Mommy’s advice. Stay in school and let big sis take care of baby? Get a job? Oh Mommy what do I do?

T-bird glared at her, then slowly pulled her gaze around to Harrison. The warden looked up at her from the floor, face covered in tears, snot, blood, and Butterfly’s juices. Her eyes were flat and empty, but her lower lip quivered.

The kick went under Harrison and caught her in the lower stomach. She screamed and fell over, twisting her legs under Noodles and Bitch. T-bird kicked her again, this time in the ribs.

She whirled on Butterfly. Matches and Rocket started forward, but Butterfly held up a hand. It’s alright girls, Daddy’s got this.

What you’ve got is five seconds to tell me why you’ve kidnapped Mirka. T-bird almost didn’t recognize the bestial sound that replaced her voice.

Butterfly handed over a third envelope. "There’s more of these, but I liked this one best. Mirka’s darling fiancé can’t wait to be reunited with his stolen heart." Her voice dripped sweet venom.

T-bird’s stomach froze. Fiancé? The tension melted from her face and she looked at Mirka. Mirka wouldn’t meet her gaze.

Mirka?

Her wife didn’t say anything.

Mirka. Talk to me.

Big Baby let her go. Mirka stumbled forward, nearly falling to the floor beside the prone Harrison. Austin kept me from being deported when they arrested me. He brought me into this country. We were going to get married and then…I know he still loves me. I never got his notes, but I am still here, so he still wants to marry me. Even after….

T-bird walked up to her as she spoke. A slow, dead shuffle.

T’twan. Please, tears streamed down her cheeks. Please, you must understand.

T-bird’s mouth firmed into a harsh line. I’m filing for divorce. Her fist collided with Mirka’s chin. Her ex-wife fell backwards, crashed into Big Baby and the two of them tumbled to the floor.

Butterfly shrieked with laughter. T-bird stepped over Harrison on her way to the door. Butterfly cut her off. Now you’re not attached, wanna be my husband?

Rocket made a sound in the back of her throat and T-bird stopped. She glanced from Butterfly to Rocket, a question asked without words.

Butterfly waved a dismissive hand. Flavor of the week. But you and me, she ran her tongue over her full lips.

Why?

Only so many studs in the henhouse, T-bird, Butterfly said, trailing a finger over the tattoo on her neck then down between her small breasts. You put two studs like us together and think what we can do, yeah? Our girls all become stepsisters, we make the biggest family in any block. We unstoppable. Take anything we want, anyone we want. They be lining up to get with us.

T-bird didn’t bother to hide her revulsion. Get out of my way.

She stepped around Butterfly and opened the door. Tears stood outside, hand out about to turn the knob. Behind her were the rest of her girls. Were they still her girls? Tears’ eyes fell on Mirka, then glanced up to T-bird.

You don’t know what you walkin’ away from, Butterfly hissed, crossing her arms.

I think I do. She stepped out of the office, closed the door behind her and stormed down the hall. The girls followed her. Tears lingered at the door a moment, the hurried after her sisters.

What happened? Ink asked. Ink was black like T-bird, but with an out-of-Africa tangle of hair and complexion so dark it alone justified her nickname, though it came from the tribal and Celtic tats covering her entire body. At twenty eight, she was the oldest of T-birds girls, though she acted more like a son than daughter.

T-bird made a snarling sound, unable to bring herself to speak.

Papi? Espicia asked. The second oldest, with high cheekbones a delicate chin and an unfortunately hooked nose. What’s going on?

T-bird stopped and whirled around. They deserved the truth. Mirka betrayed us. The words cut free of her mouth and sliced the girls.

Tears welled up in Tears eyes. What? Not Momma—

Yes, Momma. She’s got a fiancé on the outside. Been usin’ us. Usin’ me. T-bird shook her head. I gotta get out of here. My little girls need me.

Tears stepped forward and through her arms around her. We need you!

T-bird stood still, caught between returning the embrace and ripping free. You can’t come with me. We all in enough trouble with the riot, you get caught out there, then what?

You gonna make a break for it? Nails, the last of her girls, asked. Latina like Espicia, Nails had been adopted for her mani-pedi skills, which she used liberally on her own sharpened, ghetto-fab talons. She was responsible for the contraband nail polish in T-bird’s pillowcase.

I am. T-bird gently pulled Tears off her and held her at arm’s length. Don’t hear sirens yet. Cops probably don’t know what’s happened yet. Gotta get outta here while I can.

Tears is right, we comin’ with ya, Ink said, crossing her arms and holding T-bird’s gaze.

No you not.

We so are, Tears piped up, pouting and putting stubborn fists on her hips.

The more of us go, the more likely we gonna get caught, T-bird hissed.

So you gonna abandon us, Papi? Espicia cocked her hip. Betray us, like Mamá? She shook her head. No. No I do not think so.

T-bird scowled at her. Invisible claws tore at her insides.

And if you don’t take us with you, Ink followed up, Then we’ll go get Momma and come right after you anyways.

T-bird stared at her girls.

We’re a family, Daddy, Tears said, struggling not to sniffle. Families stick together.

She pursed her lips. If she didn’t let them come, there’d be hell to pay. Either Butterfly’s girls would tear her girls up, or when they got out the police would. And if they did manage to catch up to her with Mirka, what then? Just thinking her name rammed an icicle through her heart.

Guards lockers already looted? she asked after a moment, and the tension melted from the girls. They knew she had a plan, knew she’d take care of them. T-bird hoped their confidence was well placed.

Yeah, a few fights breakin’ out down there when Tears found me, Nails said. But we take what we need, no prob. No one messes with us.

T-bird nodded. Then we’re making a quick shopping run. Quick mind, we only got minutes before the cops show up. We make a run through, grab what we can then head for the yard.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much left when they arrived. The vultures had picked