Turn The Page: Chapter Six, Bloody Knuckles

     Terry was confounded more than she had ever been. A sister, a nun, a pious lady, wanted her to find God in such a way, it felt like an initiation into something that was not yet known to her.
     Terry heavy footed down the stone steps onto the crevices of the sidewalk lining Union St. Back down Union to the corner where it intersects with West Columbus Ave. “My island,” Terry mumbled as she laid eyes on another girl standing at the end against the light post. And Terry recognized her immediately. “Thieving bitch,” Terry rose her voice.
      Erica. Severely underweight due to an opiod addiction, looked to Terry that she was scoring whatever she could for the next fix. Terry has had a problem with Erica since she ripped off Terry 80 dollars a few weeks back. Everyone thought Erica had skipped town forever. “Now you’re back, on my islamd, you little thieving cunt,” Terry whispered with a malicious smile while her eyes were chained to Erica.
      Terry clenched her fist wearing the brass. Eyes holding a blinkess stare at Erica. Then Terry squeezed her eyes shut and felt a rush of both fear and revenge. Terry would show her rage as God would on those whom he wants respect.
     “Fuck it,” Terry said aloud as she advanced toward the island, snaking between the standing traffic until her boots finally announced her presence to Erica.
     “Yeah?” Asked Erica with an attitude.
     Terry did not respond. Instead, she lit a cigarette as she pussyfooted over to Erica.
     “What the fuck do you want, Terry? I git the island right now, fuck off, bitch!”
     Terry kept blinkless eye contact and answered, “cig?”
     Erica had no other expression except deep confusion. “Um, sure.”
     Terry’s clench in the brass was hidden in her coat pocket, while Terry’s other hand pulled out a pack to which she waited until Erica reached for it.
     As Erica’s tremoring hand touched the pack, Terry snatched her wrist tightly, the cigarettes all dropped to the ground, Terry soit her cherried cigarette into Erica’s face, and Terry unleashed her brass into Erica’s face. And Erica crumpled to the ground, Terry kept unleashing her brass into Erica’s boney torso until Erica collapsed in tears.
     Some of the homeless watching from beneath the Union st. bridge, cheered. “Take what you want and run, girl!” One of them shouted to Terry.
     “No, thou shall not steal!” Terry whispered to Erica. Then off down Union st. Terry went back to the church, and I to the compassionate ar.s of Eve.
     After a shower and dinner, Terry asked Eve, “but Eve, how is all this just in the eyes of God?”
     “So, Terry, God’s laws have never changed, however, society has. You swear she stole from you – eye for an eye, girl.”
     “You want the brass knuckles back, Eve?”  
     “Nope! Terry you’re going back out tomorrow, and I will do my part and pray for you.”