Evil in Hockley by William Buckel

and
French.
    Karma had let her mind wander trying to
delay the moment when she’d have to knock on her mother’s door. She
was standing in front of it when it opened and, her mother, Marie
stared into her eyes.
    “Well, come in child. Don’t stand out
there with your mouth open catching flies.”
    Marie turned and walked into the house.
Karma followed.
    Karma sat at the same kitchen table she
had almost ten years ago while her mother fussed with the tea pot.
She looked around the room with its furnishings her mother had
inherited: and her mother before her. Dried leaves hung from one
wall beside animal bones. Or were they human souvenirs? With mom
one never knew.
    Marie brought two cups of tea to the
table. Karma switched them. Marie laughed.
    “I knew you were going to do that
child. That’s why I put the poison in mine.”
    Karma knew there was no sense in adding
sugar or cream. The tea mom made was so strong it would never be
tasted.
    “You’re not here to visit your old mom,
are you?”
    “Yes and no.”
    “Hah. Same Karma, evasive as always.
With your mom anyway. So tell why you’re here. I know it has
something to do with my talents.”
    “I did want to see you again. And
you’re right there is an another reason as well. Have you talked to
Lenea?”
    “What does that have to do with
anything? I have a relationship with you and another with your
sister. I keep them separate because you two never got
along.”
    “Lenea and I are still at odds. I’m
trying to save someone and she’s trying to kill her.”
    Without a second’s hesitation Marie
said,
    “Thanks for reminding me, I raised two
girls, one a whore, the other an assassin.”
    That comment brought cause for a moment
of silence. Finally Karma said,
    “I have a woman that Lenea put in a
trance. I brought her out of it but she’s still sinking as though
she were in quicksand. Can you help her?”
    “Can I? Possibly. Will I.
No.”
    “Why? You can save a life.”
    “If I do I take your side against
Lenea.”
    Karma stared into her mother’s
eyes.
    “Is that it child? If so I have work to
do.”
    “Please mom. Just look at her. Tell me
how to help her. I’ll do it.”
    “Same thing. I choose you over
Lenea.”
    “But she’s wrong. She wants to destroy
and I want to save a life.”
    “Lenea obviously has a reason for what
she’s doing. Maybe she’s right.”
    “Her reason is money.”
    “Is that why you’re a whore, for money?
What makes you so high and mighty? You’re both no good. You want me
to choose which one of you is worse. Fine decision to have a mother
make.”
    “Who is John Dean?”
    That question set Marie back in her
chair. Her face turned red and Karma could almost see the smoke
rise from her mom’s hair.
    “That’s none of your business. Now get
out of here.”
    “All right I’ll go but I want to see
you again tomorrow. I’ll bring Shelley here and you can tell her
you won’t help her, to her face.”
    “Go on now or in a minute Lenea will be
the only daughter I have. Life will be simple.”
    Karma broke into tears and ran out the
door. What a disaster she thought.
    She raced along the street. People
stopped and stared but she didn’t care.
    Someone grabbed her as she passed an
alleyway.
    “What’s wrong?”
    It was Harry.
    Sobbing she said,
    “I told you to stay out of
this.”
    He had a hold of both her
arms.
    “After what you said do you think I’d
let you do this alone, for me?”
    She broke free, shook her head, and
stroked his cheek. What a friend. He had no idea what or who he was
dealing with.
    It was totally unexpected as both Harry
and Karma were tossed into the alley like a pair of dolls. Karma
saw the face of John Dean, eyes non blinking and a cold icy stare.
He grabbed Harry and slammed him into a wall then proceeded to
choke the life out of him. Karma realized immediately that he was
what the movie makers called a Zombie. Not quite as invincible as
they made out on the late night shows but