…Two sparing-committed contestants (of another age) thrust their swords at the other. In a minute, they dropped their arms, desiring peace. A cloud opens… and their attention is snared by a near-criminal family (of the 2000’s) surely needing aid from upper powers or the rightful party on earth.

… In the suburban section of the “Windy-City” of Chicago, flanking Lake Michigan, FLO STEWARD INHERITED RABID TEENS FROM, JOB, HER FOXY-HUSBAND—AND HIS BAD HABITS TREATING OTHERS PUTRID.

RATTY-COUSIN, KIERAN STEWARD AWOKE EARLY TO TORMENT HIS COUSIN. HE-SNUCK IN HER ROOM HOLLERING: “GET UP!” He yanked the bottom of Emmy Braggart’s precious bed quilt, goading her. “IT’S ‘YOUR DUTY’ THIS MORNING TO TAKE THE DOG OUT. YOU’VE ‘BEEN A PAIN IN THE BUTT’ SINCE YOU WERE DROPPED HER YEARS AGO.”

“WHAT ‘BUSINESS’ IS IT OF YOUR? I DON’T ‘HARASS YOU’ WHEN YOU HAVE ‘DOG-DUTY,’ YOU MONSTER!” Why oh why did her parents leave her at Aunt Flo’s that gloomy secretive-night!!! She—an isolated child never hurting a soul—thrown into a house of creepy-cousins—dominated by an immoral father’s aim to outcast his wife’s deserted niece, Emmy.

Pesky-cousin, Kieran reminded her of her lonesome-bearings. AUNT FLO HAD ALLOTED A ROOM, ALL TO HERSELF. She loved her more than anyone in the whole wide world! What would she ever have done without her love and support? Now, the-ogre pinched her toes! “OUCH!” She threw a pillow at him, as he turned; it hit him on his noodle brain. He was a pain in the rump, and it was super to be a tough-tomboy? He’d drive her out someway-just give him time?

—She’d been-dubbed “the outsider-cousin” by the other children in the Stuart family; as far back as she could remember. She’d learned of Jesus at home from Aunt Flo, and in school. She’d let him guide her through the trouble if he’d excuse her temper at the: get-back at Emmy house.

In-the garage by the kitchen door, Emmy grabbed the leash off the hook for

Cherie, the house poodle. She found… about every bush to lift her leg to wet it like morning dew. Emmy now a fifth grader felt more like a grown-teenager with a life so full of skill. When-she thought of being alone with her taunting cousins, she cringed. Years ago (in the middle of the night) she’s hustled out of her bedroom into their car. Her dad drove the half-hour trip to his sister’s house?

…“We’ll be back for you… in a week’s time.” Her mother bent to kiss her, and than hurried her into her husband’s kin house. She’s thrust into the extra room that became her prison. Going-home-in-a-week, never came—her mother kissing her goodnight and reading-children stories to her? Her dad would wave smiling, as he watched the news-or a western movie. 

—All at once… she’s forced into this home of packed-wolves standing for cousins. Joyce was the only cousin that cared for her. She’d had sympathized with her plight when she first came for the visit that turned into a lifetime. She’s kept ignorant what happened to her parents’ (that ominous night) when she was only an unaware child. Somehow her aunt must not know or certainly, she would tell her, now just sad memories? Close-to bedtime during those few years, she had questioned her Aunt Flo many times after that day burned into her memory.

Cherie was finished ruining the neighbor’s bushes, not far from humongous Oak Park. She neared the garage with her reflections. She hung his leash on her special-hook, and entered the kitchen eying her aunt (her refuge) at the stove. What a horror-house. Someday Aunt Flo or she would erase their ignorant faces.

…“Hey-Cousin Em, so John Block, ‘your buddy playmate,’ wants you for his girl.” Cousin Kieran teased her, laughing. Eugene scratched him in the ribs likes a wild-dog. She stuck her tongue out at Kieran… She sat down firmly to concentrate on consuming: maple syrup pancakes, pork sausage, and orange juice. She had toughened-up to their smart-aleck attacks. The two girls, Janice and Grace, both older (not especially pretty) enjoyed playing naughty tricks and blaming them on her? They glowered at her smartly any chance to humiliate her.

THEIR MOTHER EYED THEM LIKE A HAWK—QUICKLY MOVING TO THE TABLE, AND POINTEDLY NUDGING THEM. Flo had to keep on the ball with her trying girls and boys? She glared at them now. What a trial like Job, they cursed by him or his kin? She never would have expected breeding inconsiderate kids with an uncaring husband ever since she took her niece in. Gruffly, she elbowed them.

“HURRY UP! You’ve school and discipline coming up-by your teachers if you are naughty, and don’t learn to treat others better?” Aunt Flo always could tell who was lying and telling the truth so, they always got caught. Their crimes did-not-pay, Emmy thought, triumphant for once.

Emmy-hoarded friendships with the neighbor boys and girls like she was gathering an army. She felt like ganging-up on them sometimes, but the way her

Aunt Flo felt for her, stopped her urge. Those brats of hers must take after her husband’s family, she figured as she matured. Job made it clear; he just abided her as a boarder or less. Her Aunt Flo owned the house. She knew about religion, and mused if this house was her sacrifice in life. If so she hardly did well at it.

… She hurriedly preparing for the first-day of school. Joyce (the same age) waited at the door to walk the few blocks to elementary school. “Don’t ‘worry about’ your appearance—you’re a beauty. That’s why my elder sisters are jealous of you? Let’s go meet John; he’s a gentle-soul that you beat-yesterday hoisting yourself up to the tree house?” She took her arm and they flew-out the door and across the yard to John’s house. Carl and Thomas Nelson across the street followed behind them. Slim, and tall, dark-haired Thomas always liked-to climbs the tree house with Emmy.

John feeling restless—waved and moved along side. More neighbors came out of their houses along the way, waving, and anxious all going the same path to the Catholic grade-school through the sixth grade. The crowds waited outside to enter the building, boys standing together, and the girls giggling.

Emmy felt like-thirteen, but was supposed to be-nine? Her body changed-in the last few months. She than found her aunt and told her what happened? She had replied not to worry; she’d take care of the issue. She had matured ahead of Joyce, Norah Path, friend Ginny Mossy. John shyly smiled at Emmy.

Finally… the doors opened…and the school kids entered like racing-cattle until they were told to halt, to receive their classrooms? Emmy waited with the others—glad school commenced… on a hot-sweaty fly-swatting summer day…

Flo sipped coffee with her friend, Marcy Nelson (both blondes) her sociable neighbor from across the street. Marcy had birthed Carl and Thomas from a teen marriage of two years, and a girl from Hattie— now all teenagers. She kept this early embarrassing matter a secret. They relished coffee relaxing with vacation finally over. At the end of August, you felt like pulling your hair out….

— “Before we talk each day, let’s hold hands and bow our heads to pray. Oh Lord, we pray for these teens… we ended up with…and we hope someday they will repent. Amen.”

“That’s good-of you Flo!”

“I’m ‘so happy’ school inaugurated! I-wish they’d treat my niece better instead of this ‘constant bickering.’ Say Job changed his bias attitude, it would help?”

“It-seems ‘looking at her,’ she can take care of herself. It’s heartbreaking ‘that hitch’ in life. You said what ‘a fine-job your brother and wife did’.”

“She-has ‘stopped asking questions’ about her parents. I-don’t have the answers, even though, we reported they're missing? I hired a Private Detective using cash; I saved. Job never cared when they dumped their daughter on us. He let me aware how explosive, he was for Emmy, and my kin?”

…“They fool us ‘now and then’? We had no idea what we were-in-for…?”

“The teens-are devils except for Joyce? The damage is done! All we can do is hope for the best—how long the-torturing went on in their minds.”

“They-have selfish ways. I don’t recognize what to do. We try patience, love, and pray for them. Pour me another cup if you’re having-one, and then we both must get-to our housework?” They relished this early-morning time together praying, sneaking coffee, and relaxing.

Emmy, Joyce and John, was assigned to the same homeroom and today was told by the staff they only had a half-day of school. He neared Emmy to walk the blocks to the house. Joyce tagged along behind—happy for Emmy. She had allays there, and one was she. She’d help beat the crap out of Kieran for the years of anguish. Say it wouldn’t have been for his mother (being a Beacon in a storm).

—Joyce worried at times that her-cousin might run away. She’d miss her Tomboy-ways and engaging-smile. After school, she stopped at a small candy store, hankering for her favorite hardball candy. Coming out on her way home, she eyed her dad leave his mistress’s house, and she quickly found cover behind a large yew bush. He strutted pass her…. What a dud for a dad, why’s he not happy with Mother and them.

John approached…. “There’s your dad leaving that bad person’s house,” he taunted? Joyce hurried ahead…John caught up with her and kept up the pace.

“I just— J-John, you surprised me. I wanted candy… at the store.” She liked John sometimes, and other times, he suddenly pried. Why should she admit anything to him? It was none of his business—what went on. It burned her up about nosy-people. “HE’S A RAT, ‘RIGHT’ GIRL!” John stared at her for an answer. He noticed how angry her face became…. He has a nerve, she thought. In front of his home, she pushed him down on the lawn, and sat on him—ready to do war.

“I HATE HIM. HE’S ‘A TOAD’ OF A DAD—GIVING MY MOTHER A HARD TIME.” John nodded, and wrestled out from under her, brushing his clothes off? Emmy came outdoors peering at them, were they wrestling?

… “What-can we do for the rest of the day?” John glanced around….

“Joyce what do you think? Emmy neared her? Do you have an idea like take food, and sit in the tree house? Do our parents have jobs for us?” They-idled outside John’s house, “go in John, Emmy said, and find out if you have jobs? We’ll wait here?” Joyce watched him dash inside ready to please Emmy. 

“Let’s first: see the frogs by the pond? After, we sit in the tree-house watching the earthlings below.” It made them feel great sitting high above the world.