When You Were Young

Isabelle leads her out the front doors and along the driveway as Wendelle had seen her last night. At the gate, Isabelle stops her and gives her a purse of money. "This is all I can spare. It should be enough to get you away from here."

"I can't take your money-"

"Please, you must take it. You have been a friend to me these past two years." She leans forward to kiss Wendelle on the lips. The organ between Wendelle's legs hardens against her skirt. Her face flushes with shame as she remembers Mother's words. She pulls away from Isabelle. "I am sorry."

"No, it's my fault," Wendelle says. She looks into Isabelle's watering brown eyes. She wants to kiss her again, but can't bring herself to do it. "I have to go."

She opens the gate and then rushes away into night.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Pryde said. He patted Wendell on the cheek. "I'll be back for you later."

Once Pryde and his animal left, Wendell dropped to the ground, covering his face with the hem of his skirt. He wished now Pryde would come back to kill him so that Prudence couldn't see him this way and be as ashamed of him as his mother.