Chapter 15
NORAH
"What's wrong Nory? Please you have to tell me. I hate seeing you like this." Mama stared at Norah who looked pensive.
"You know I hate hiding things from you. I'm so sorry." Norah finally looked over to Mama ready to finally confess. Tears began building in her eyes as she swallowed hard. Mama didn't say a word but she had that gut feeling what Norah was about to say.
"The night of the New Year’s Eve, Dallas and I had nowhere to go so we went…
ummmm…." Again, Norah swallowed hard. "We…
went to the Dynasty." she finally released, making Mama's heart sink and sigh all in one breath.
Mama closed her eyes for a brief processing as her head shook slightly side to side.
The room was silent, neither of the two spoke a single word.
Norah knew she was in a world of trouble and Mama wanted to put her foot in Norah's ass.
They both needed time because this was a bomb shell she didn't expect to be dropped on her.
For months Mama had this eerie gut feeling that Norah and Dallas had gone, but she couldn't believe it.
Right now, Mama was gonna hear her out and finally the truth of her past could actually be brought to light.
"Dallas?" was all Mama asked in a slight whisper praying that she would deny it. Norah began nodding her head yes and this made Mama shake her head again.
Again, the room fell silent because Mama had some shit to say. After a brief moment of recollecting her thoughts, Mama looked at Norah with a chilling look.
"I warned you ladies to stay away from there.
It's not because of the rumors or some myth Norah, it's because I've experienced that place first hand.
That place ruins girls like you. Them people had me doing everything from sex trafficking to strung out on drugs.
They held me captive for years. That man had me in a room, pure seduction.
He let multiple men come inside and have their way with me.
" Mama stopped for a moment, staring into the air.
"Diana. Diana Kingly." Mama remembered her being young and them molding her to be just like them.
"Dirty Diana is what they called her. She was the wife of the third Kingly man.
She resembles Tasim a lot. " Mama confessed now knowing exactly where she knew that child's face.
"So do you think that's his mother?"
"I'm assuming yes because the last Kingly man is the one running the Dynasty. It's Diana's husband." Mama nodded piecing the puzzle together.
"So how did you find your way there?" Norah asked fearfully but with curiosity. As creepy as the story was, it was interesting; especially knowing she had stepped foot in a place like that.
"The same way everyone else does." Mama's eyes locked onto Norah's, her voice barely above a whisper. "Slot winner." she confessed and Norah's heart now fell into the sole of her sneakers.
"The first owner, the senior of the Kingly's, is the one who started that damn devils pit.
He would lure women into that place with promises of fortune and shelter.
Once they stepped foot inside, it's like they'd vanish into thin air.
Some say he was a demon in disguise, collecting souls for the underworld.
I say he was definitely a demon and the wrong mothafucka to give power to.
They found strange symbols etched into the walls, and the sound of whispers echoed through the halls, even when no one was there. "
"So, what happened to the place back in that time?"
"Burned. Someone burned it down and that's when they opened the casino.
Those sons of bitches and I mean that literally, came up with the bright idea of using winners as a come up and soliciting their children.
" I'm more than sure she's there. If she's not dead.
" Mama couldn't hold back. She knew the words would hurt Norah but this was the reality of being a part of that damn world. "
Mama's eyes seemed to cloud over, her gaze drifting into the past as she continued the tale. It was killing her to be so truthful, but Norah and Dallas had brought it upon themselves.
"Rumors say they keep them locked away in the basement or rooms that's like dungeons.
"You stay away from that place, child. That place is evil incarnate.
" Mama's eyes welled up with tears, but a twisted smile crept onto her face as she relished the horrific memories.
Her voice cracked as she continued to speak, "I've lived with the memories of The Dynasty for decades, and still, the thought of it brings me pain.
I laugh to keep from crying and I pray that God freed me and I'm still here.
" Her eyes locked onto Norah's as they both cried.
"You want to know the truth, child? The darkness that lurks within those walls.
..it's intoxicating. I can't promise that Dallas is alive but if so, we may never know.
You can't go looking Norah because if they know what you're there for you may not make it out alive.