God Our Father

“Mira,” a weak voice croaked. No sounds were heard. “Mira!”

The soft padding of bare feet on tile rang through the weak man’s ears. A petite girl sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the dark curls out of his face, “What’s wrong, Oliver?”

He coughed some and looked up at her, his eyes were bloodshot and pupils were dilated. “Babe, can you help me with the bath, please?”

Recently Oliver had been sick, no one really knew what was wrong with him, just out of nowhere he became very ill. The doctors were prescribing him medicines to treat the symptoms, but nothing for the cure, they didn’t know what it was. The medicine Oliver was taking was very pricey and he needed it all the time, Mira had tried getting another job, but soon found a much faster way to get cash.

“Sure, of course.”

Mira loved Oliver more then life itself, she feared that without him she wouldn’t ever be her. She was who she was because of him. He was the reason for the sparkle in her chestnut eyes. She didn’t have a family, Oliver was her family. Mira couldn’t bear to lose him.

Oliver was now fully bathed and asleep. Mira had laid down with him for a while, but she knew she had work to be done. She’d be home before he even woke up.

Eddie Romano was a business man, a very good one at that. He went to school for it. His family hired him to go corporate with the restaurants, so he did. Thanks to him business was better then it ever had been before. But, like any other good story, this restaurant had its problems. It was run on dirty, blood money, given most graciously by the mafia. Now, Eddie wasn’t the kind of guy to get his ascot dirty, that’s what Mira was for.

She’d known Eddie since she was a little girl, he was always at family dinners, birthday parties, and any holiday event. She used to call him ‘Uncle Eddie’. He used to be one of her heroes. When Mira learned how exactly he handled business, she didn’t want anything to do with him or any member of her family. But Oliver was sick, he needed her. She’d be willing to do anything for him.

Mira sat in her car and took a deep breath, she repeated the name and face in her head, knowing exactly what was going to happen and what she’d need. She got out of her car, her very new and very expensive leopard print bag was slung on her shoulder. Tonight she wasn’t Mira De Luca, she was Tammy Hightower, casual English bartender. Her natural dark hair was hidden beneath a very convincing auburn wig.

Looking around the empty bar Tammy called out, “’Ello? Is Mistah Moretteh ‘ere?”

She could hear someone coughing, it sounded like they’d been smoking Camels since they were a boy. “In here miss Hightower.”

Tammy followed the gruff voice to the back room. It was an older man with dark hair peppered with grays. He had stubble going on and seemed very tired. “Ah, Tammy. Good to see you again. Mind making me something quick?”

She smiled politely, “Not a problem Mistah Moretteh.”

Tammy went behind the bar and grabbed a few glass bottles, one of them certainly stood out to her. Her ‘uncle’s’ words repeated in her head, “Make sure the tag is purple. Don’t fuck this up.”

Mr. Moretti owed Eddie cash, more then what the average person made a year. His deadline was two weeks ago, but nothing had happened to him so far, he though a celebratory drink should be held in his case. In his opinion Romano was just full of it, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him.

“’Ow’s your wife, Mistah Moretteh?”

She set a glass down in front of him, instantly he knocked it back and coughed, “Damn that’s strong,” he muttered. He coughed again, fucking hating the burn Vodka always gave him.

“You know her, she’s a crazy bitch.” His laugh was wheezy and almost sent him into another coughing fit. Another drink would make the feeling go away. “’Nother one, Tams.”

Tammy made him three more drinks until his hand was clutching at his throat. Everything from his uvula to his heart felt like it as burning, as if there was someone inside of him holding a cigar to it. Now he was choking, he couldn’t breath and was choking on his own saliva.

“He – Help,” he choked out.

Mira watched with a stony expression on her delicate face. The outside of his throat matched the color of his tie, crimson. His esophagus was melting and so was his chest. It was burning from the inside out.

Mirabella’s night had just begun.



Ray was another man that owed Eddie money, not nearly as much as Mr. Moretti, but he’d been stirring lots of trouble for Eddie. Ray had been trying to get rid of Eddie for good, he wasn’t gonna let him get away with that. The sick bastard killed his daughter’s dog! That was the last straw for Eddie. Nobody ever fucked with his family and got away with it. Ray was gonna fucking pay.

Tammy Hightower was in the trunk of Mira’s car, now she was Caroline Maroni, very religious Catholic girl. Ray was sick in his home, his kids were at sleepovers and his wife was at work. He called the church and asked if someone could come over and pray with him, he didn’t want to be vulnerable. He was hoping to have God on his side tonight.

Caroline knocked on the door, “Ray? My name’s Caroline, I’m with the St. Roman’s, may I come in?”

She could hear wheezy breathing and heavy footsteps behind the door. Ray opened the door and raised an eyebrow. He looked down at the girl on his doorstep. She was a tiny thing with long dark hair and big brown eyes. She wore a loose floral print dress and beat up sneakers, carrying a container filled with some sort of soup and a bible in the other hand, a white flower was pinned into her hair. He could spot a rosary hanging around her thin neck, so far he approved.

“Come in, it’s cold out there,” he croaked.

He watched as she shuffled into the house, “Goodness, you have a beautiful home, sir.”

Ray smiled, yes he did, “Thank you.”

Caroline smiled brightly and set her bible down on an end table, “I brought you some Pasta Fazul, my mother made it from scratch.”

She sat on the couch and smoothed her dress down and picked up her bible, “I’d like to start with a prayer, if you don’t mind.”

Seeing as he didn’t disagree, Caroline held onto her rosary and closed her eyes, “Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever,
Amen.”

Caroline opened her eyes and found that Ray wasn’t anywhere in sight, “Ray?” She’d heard him walk into the kitchen while she was praying, “In here,” he called out to her.

He walked back out and sat down, the bowl of her soup was now heated, the old man was shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth. Caroline watched him closely, her gloved hands folded neatly in her lap. He didn’t seem to notice her much. The man was a true porker, he didn’t care that there was such a lovely young lady in front of him. He didn’t even pray before he ate.

Caroline stood up and cleared her throat, “I’d like to say another prayer, if you don’t mind.”

He simply shrugged his shoulders and kept eating. She walked around and stood behind him, her hand held onto her rosary tightly as the other one snuck into her pocket, she grasped onto the cold item and murmured under her breath, “Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying.”

Before Ray could comprehend what she said he was choking on his own blood. She had stabbed him in the throat with a knife. She shoved it deep in there while blood splattered onto her delicate face and pretty white gloves. She wrapped a thin arm around his fat neck to hold him still. His chubby face was turning red, his heart was racing, he could never imagine such pain. She dragged the blade from one side of his neck, cut through his jugular and sliced right through all the muscle and flesh. They were both covered in a nice layer of crimson blood.

The only sound was Ray choking and gagging on his own blood. Caroline repeated Hail Mary’s in her mind as she dug it deeper and deeper into his skin. Finally the struggling stopped, he was dead. His neck was carved up like a Thanksgiving Turkey.

Panting, Caroline stepped away from his body, her face held the stony expression from when Tammy had killed Mr. Moretti. She needed to get the hell out of there and fast. She jumped into her car and drove into a secluded parking lot where she got changed back into Mira. Mira had to now dispose of the evidence.

She cried the entire time she burnt everything. The wig, rosary, bible, dresses, expensive purse… All of it.



Oliver woke up in the middle of the night, he didn’t notice Mira wasn’t next to him, he was too busy rushing to the bathroom to empty his stomach’s contents. He felt a hand rubbing his back as he vomited. But the hand wasn’t small and frail, it was large.

He panted and looked over his shoulder, startling blue eyes met confused green orbs. “Wha.. Who are you?”

The man smiled sympathetically, “I’m Eddie, Mira’s Uncle. She had to go out and get medicine, she asked that someone stay with you while she was gone.” He handed him a bottle of water which Oliver gratefully took. He’d only ever heard of Eddie once. “Will she be back soon?”

The man nodded his head, “Any minute now, need help getting back to bed?”

Oliver shook his head, “I think I’ll wait for her,” he said in a shaky voice.

Eddie nodded his head and stood up, brushing dirt off his nice black slacks. He walked casually out of the bathroom, it seemed as if he knew this house, as if he lived in the house. Eddie crawled back into his bed and got comfortable, within a few minutes he’d fallen asleep.

Mira walked inside the house and cowered from Eddie’s strong gaze. She handed him a small plastic bag, he smiled brightly when he saw it. “Good girl,” he took the bag from her and examined the items in it. Two fingers were in there, both had one ring on them. “Were the tasks I gave you difficult?” Again, she shook her head. Eddie frowned and clicked his tongue, “Minnie, don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.” He spoke to her as if she were a child worried they’d done something wrong, “Look what I’ve got you.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, orange, plastic bottle. “Doctor’s say this should help with the nausea and pains.”

Mira gently took the bottle from him, a small wad of cash was placed in her other hand. He closed it and patted her head, “Things are gonna work out kiddo.”

Eddie stood up straight, “Now I have to get home before my wife wakes up,” he chuckled, Mira was quiet. He sighed, “I’ll see you later Minnie.”

Mira locked the door behind him and quietly padded into her bedroom. She smiled at Oliver’s sleeping form and slipped in beside him. He shuffled a bit but didn’t wake. Mira bit her trembling lower lip and rested her head on his chest, she’d do anything for Oliver.