Stone Angels

Chapter One- Tatiana's Graveyard

Tatiana snuggled a little deeper into the long grass surrounding her mother's tombstone. The air hung heavily around it, and the silence would have made most people feel like they were suffocating. Not Tatiana. She actually felt at home here in the cemetary, and often times she wondered if anyone but her ever came here. The grass hadn't been mowed for ages. The few plants that still stood on neighboring graves had long since died, leaving the wilted grey flowers to rot. Sometimes, when she was feeling generous, she watered these neglected cases. But most of the time, the cemetary was hers alone.

Tatiana looked up at the sky. It was sapphire blue, a welcome change in the usually grey city. Tatiana flipped over onto her back, and she found her mothers monument obstructing her view of the sky. A large stone angel, slender grey hands clutching a rose to her chest. Her graven linen robe hung off her cherub like body, flowing down around the grave towards the faded words that had been entered upon the stone twelve years ago.

Mary Joanne Bedesca
1950~1990
May she rest in peace.

Tatiana ran her finger over the words, forming them in her mouth. She could hardly remember her mother, she had died when Tatiana was three. But for some unexplainable reason, Tatiana liked this place. It was even better than Georgie's basement! She let out a little snort at what they did in Georgie's basement. The parties were always so wild, Tatiana loved them.

But she knew her mother wouldn't. And everytime Georgie held one of his wild parties, Tatiana felt bad. But she still went to them. But only because she loved Georgie. As a friend, anyway.

Tatiana got up off the ground and stretched. She had to meet her "Clan" at the corner of Fraymont in fifteen minutes. This "Clan" was just a group of street people, all quite young. Nothing glorious. They all had their jobs to help each other survive. Everyone knew who they were. Everyone called them "Stone Angels". Tatiana never really knew why. They weren't made of stone, and they certainly weren't angels. But Tatiana thought it had something to do with AnnaBeth's mother, the very first Stone Angel. That is what AnnaBeth said.

For the first time since she had been coming to the cemetary, Tatiana felt a chill sweep through her body. Maybe it was the early onset of fall this year. Whatever it was, Tatiana wished she had a sweater to wrap around her skinny arms.

Tatiana threw her head high and stalked out of the cemetary, closing the wrought iron gate behind her. It creaked, cutting like a blade through the silence. It didn't bother her. It was better than hearing gunshots in the middle of the night, like she often did.

The walk to the corner of Fraymont was a short one. It took her about five minutes. AnnaBeth stood right on the curb, her boyfriend's arm looped around her tiny waist. She looked wistfully down the street at a shiny new Camaro cruised by. She whispered something to him, and he kissed her on the top of the head.

AnnaBeth's boyfriend was tall. He was from Jamaica and had a million little braids on his head. He always wore blue board shorts and a white muscle shirt. He somehow found a way to clean it.

AnnaBeth saw Tatiana and shouted "Hey girl! We thought you weren't comin'!" A smile crossed her slim face. "We were actually lookin' out for Georgie. You see