Poor Begger…

CHAPTER ONE

Darius hurried down the streets of Louisville, his heart pumping wildly in his ribcage. His hair, dark brown locks, was rough and tousled nearly covering his wide blue eyes.

“Hang in there,” he whispered to himself as he turned a corner. The scent of roasted turkeys filled the air, tickling his nose and his stomach growled. It was Thanksgiving Thursday. And while everyone in Louisville was tucked in their homes, sipping on hot piping soup and peeling at the flesh of turkeys, his wife and daughter were in the hospital, sitting by his mother as her condition deteriorated every minute.

Hissing a curse, he marched faster towards a suburban home surrounded by little white fences at the end of the street. Pushing the small gate aside, he raced towards the door and gave a sharp knock.

“Dad?” He called out when there was no reply. “Hello?... Ah hell, fuck this.”

Pushing the door open, he stormed into the building. The warm rich scent that had prevailed in the air outside was much stronger and he froze in horror, watching his father sit on a recliner in the living room, surrounded by piles of gifts and shoving lobsters down his throat. “Dad!”

Benjamin, Darius’ father paused chewing to look at his son. He was a stout man, with a rather round figure, salt and pepper hair, and brown eyes that glared darkly.

“What do you want?” He asked simply and resumed sucking the lobster in his hands.

Darius closed his eyes briefly to control himself. His mother was sick, battling cancer and there his father was, opening gifts and sucking on a lobster. Clenching his fist, he took a deep breath before speaking.

“Mom’s sick.”

At first, it seemed the older man barely heard him. Ben sucked harder on the lobster, sighed, and tossed the empty shell into the plate on a nearby stool. “And?”

“You seriously cannot be so cold-hearted,” Darius said, walking up to him. “The cancer is in its last stage. She’s dying!”

“Boy,” his father said sternly and Darius considered punching him in the face. He was twenty-five, not six! “What the hell do you want me to do about it? I’m definitely not a doctor.”

“I... We need money to take care of her dad,” He whispered, his face red with shame. If his mother wasn’t dying, there was no way he would have approached the old man for help.

Ever since his father had taken in his mistress and tossed him and his mother out on the streets twelve years ago, he had made sure to never ask for a dime. But now... Now he had no choice. If he couldn’t raise the money needed for her chemotherapy soon, he would lose the only real parent he had.

Forever.

“Please,” he begged. “I know she doesn’t mean anything to you, but I’m your son and I’m begging you. Please, I just need some money to pay for her treatment-“

“No way in hell!” The arid voice of his Stepmother reached his ears.

Shit, Darius thought, looking up from his father to see her approach them. She was a rather beautiful woman despite her age. Her blonde hair was curled and it fell in waves over her shoulder. She wore a rather tight red dress that hugged her slender figure. Any man could find her beautiful.

But not Darius.

Her eyes, he noted, looked wicked. Slant pools of green flashed with fire as she stared at him with disdain.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” He spat.

“Oh you will be,” she spat. “You have no right to be here. Right honey?”

“Hmm,” His father grunted, nodding shamelessly. Darius watched him pick up a gift to unwrap as if he simply did not care about him.

“And we definitely will not be giving you a dime to go spend on that mousy woman!” His Stepmother screeched.

“Don’t insult my mother!” Darius bellowed in return, his blue eyes wild with anger. “You have no right to speak or even think about her!”

“Oh you’re right,” the witch had the nerve to giggle. “I certainly do not give a shit about her. So get lost will you? You and your mother can both rot for all I care!”

“You’re crazy if you think I’m taking a step out of here without getting what I came for.” He gritted out, dropping to his knees so he could face his father instead. “Dad, if it has come to this, then I want my inheritance. Your wife, my mother is dying. I cannot lose her. Please, I just need to pay up and the doctors will take care of her-“

His Stepmother cackled wildly, shaking her head at the sight of him on his knees.

“Oh my goodness,” she said after managing to catch her breath. “You are adorable, are you not? Do you still think you have an inheritance? Here?!” Looking down at her husband, she slid her hands through his hair. “Darius has no place in your will, right Benny babe?”

“You know he doesn’t,” His father said, grinning up at his mistress much to Darius’ horror. “Everything I have is all for James.”

Darius’ shoulders weakened and slumped in defeat. His father had just disowned him, completely. He closed his eyes to rein in the tears as images of his fragile mother lying unconscious slipped through his mind. All hope was lost.

“You hear that, you sniveling thief?!” His father’s wife screamed. “It’s all for my James.”

Sniffing, he rose to his feet, nodding repeatedly as if to reassure himself that all would be fine.

“But I suppose,” The witch continued, strutting towards him. “I could give you what you want since you look so pathetic. On one condition.”

Dread filled Darius with her words. “What... What condition?” He forced out.

His Stepmother grinned wickedly and stuck out a leg. “Go on... Lick it like the beggar you are.”