I promise you Tara isn’t hurt.”“But...” she trailed off into silence and looked at the crumped picture in my hand.Then her arms wrapped around...me again and she buried her face into my neck, sobbing again – but this time with relief.We held each other for a short time – rocking slowly back and forth. Mum cried into my shoulder while I stared sightlessly over her head.Eventually, I pulled back and pushed the hair out of Mum’s face so I could see her eyes.“I think we should get you up to the house. “Don't worry, Cherise,” he said, pushing me back. “I'll protect you.”“Protect me?” I demanded, growing so angry at him. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? “What do I need protection from?”“The unicorn,” he snarled. “You don't have to worry. The beast won't hurt you again.”“Cherise,” neighed Willoweyes. She backed up, her head tossing back and forth. Anton was a man that had bedded a lot of girls in our village. Every girl, and even a few of the married women, had panted after Anton.Every girl. They sat down on the mattress next to me and Kathi asked, "Peter, do you want to smoke a little pot too? Melody and I are totally baked." The sisters laughed. Melody held out her hand and opened it. There was a huge doobie and a lighter. "Give her a nose Peter. You know what that always does to me Baby!"I lit the joint, placed the lit end in my mouth, pulled Kathi's face over to me and blew smoke into her nostrils. Kathi's eyes were closed as she inhaled. When I thought she had enough I. The cry echoed in the room but still he remained seated in the chair. The bottle toppled from its table and tumbled onto the worn carpet, spilling whiskey into the pool of blood. ‘Please,’ the man whispered, his voice scraping against the insides of his throat. ‘Please, Brian.’ Brian stood close enough to smell the man’s sour odor. The staleness of wasted years. His eyes had lost any indignation they had held and now Brian only saw a pathetic old man staring up at him. An old man ready to pay.