The Forsaken Read Online Free

had they done the night before? He wanted the flavor in his mouth, his teeth, his nostrils. He wanted the drug living inside his veins. He opened the bag and used his pinky to draw some of it to his lips and rubbed it across the surface of his teeth. The feeling was nearly electric. He then poured the powder onto the nearest countertop and divided the drug into thin lines. Seconds later, every line lived in his bloodstream. He’d gotten the cravings to settle him down. Shortly after, Kevin stuffed the tiny bag back into Crystal’s purse and wiped his nose. Then he heard a knock on his door.
    He was sure Crystal would wake up. To his surprise, she only tossed a bit then dragged a pillow over her head. Kevin walked toward the door and opened it slightly.
    “I told you I’d have the money—”
    “It’s not your bookie,” came Jude’s stern voice. “Got something to hide, baby brother?” “Oh, it’s just you.”
    “Yeah, it’s me. Let me in, scarecrow.”
    Kevin hesitated. “There’s this rule about inviting the damned into your apartment, so I think I’ll pass,” he said.
    “C’mon, I’m here to see how you’re doing. Just wanna catch up.”
    Kevin sighed. In a matter of seconds, he removed the locks and let Jude come inside, twitching his nose about a hundred times. “What do you want?” he asked.
    “I told you, just wanna talk.”
    “You look like hell.”
    “Yeah, well, when you’ve been around it long enough….” Jude’s voice trailed off.
    Kevin tried to keep his focus off the bedroom mattress, but it was hard, near impossible. He scanned the room, knowing his brother would have his opinions, especially when he noticed there was a woman wrapped in his sheets, again.
    “Love what you’ve done with the place,” Jude said. “You’ve really spruced it up.”
    “You know me.” The sarcasm was difficult to hide. “Listen, Jude, I’m not really in the mood to play reality-T.V. family right now.”
    “Your hospitality never gets old.” Jude opened the refrigerator, only to slam it closed again because of the putrid smell.
    Kevin stood with arms crossed.
    “You only get defensive when you’re hiding something.” Jude noticed the red bra hanging off the chair. “Real classy. What’s this one’s name?”
    “Crystal,” a voice called out from the mattress in the other room. “Morning, stranger.” It didn’t take long for her half-naked body to come out of the sheets to claim her brassiere. “Try not to stare,” she said in a low voice.
    Jude turned away while she put it back on. “What are you doing here?”
    “Kevin’s real nice,” she replied, lighting a cigarette.
    “Crystal, don’t—”
    “What’s the matter, Kev? Can’t stand up to your big brother?” Crystal blew a ring of smoke into Jude’s face. “Just ’cause you got a badge doesn’t make you any better than us.”
    “You know, I thought this place smelled funny,” he seethed.
    “Drop dead.”
    “Talk nice to all your clients?” Jude replied, unflinching.
    She bit down hard, frustrated, before escaping into the bathroom to take a shower.
    “That’s cute, Kevin. Now she’s bathing here? Do you like it when people take you for a sucker?”
    “You would know.”
    “That’s not fair.”
    “Yes, it is,” Kevin said, reaching for a smoke. “Newsflash, Jude, you don’t run my life. That stopped when Dad died.”
    “This is classic. You have strange women sleeping in your bed and taking showers in your apartment. Man, really carved a solid path for yourself. You know, it’s like, just when I thought you’ve done everything in the book to surprise me, you prove me wrong.”
    “Happy I didn’t disappoint you,” Kevin scoffed, finally lighting up.
    “What are you doing with trash like that, man?” Jude asked, sounding concerned all of a sudden.
    Kevin, a few inches shorter than his brother, looked up with disdain. “Shut up. You think you can come in here and call her trash? What do you know