LASHAMPA HALL - SILENT BILL

LaShampa Hall is a Customer Service Representative at TruGreen, where she is consistent and exceptional in her work. Hall is studying at Full Sail University, learning to perfect her craft in creative writing. She is currently working towards her bachelor’s in fine arts in hopes of a career in narrative story writing, copy editing, and teaching. Hall first noticed her gift for writing when she achieved her very first academic recognition for writing short stories in high school. Hall’s most recent work can be found in the Scarlet Leaf Review, and wordpress.com/capturedinamiracledaze. Before entering school, and working with TruGreen, Hall was employed as a Registered Pharmacy Technician by the state of Florida and holds an update registration. She has also served as a substitute teacher for the orange county publice school system. Throughout the years she has earned a Degree of Pharmacy Technician and plans on getting her master’s in creative Writing. Hall loves giving back to her community and always looking for a way to help like in 2018 when she volunteered at the International Christian Film and Music festival, and Ms. Lemon’s Neighborhood daycare where she tutor elementary students in reading, phonics, and math.
 

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​Silent bill

​ “Damn, there he is.”
“Excuse me, sir, could I take just a few moments of your time?”
“For what?”
“Are you registered to vote?” 
“Yes, I have got to go now.”
She finally got to look the bastard in the face. Long days and longer nights had led to this moment. As he continued down 13th street, the distance between the two grew in greater numbers.  She clenched her fist and bit down hard on her lips. The reflection from the hood of the car revealed her brown eyes in plain view.
“You let him walkaway,” she said, slamming the car door. “I could kill him dead on the street, right now!” she said to herself.
Peeling off the black leather jacket, her shirt was sopping wet, she had sweat through dark grey, double breast sports bra. Walking towards the window, she watched as a mother and her child came up the sidewalk around 18th Ave. The mother was wearing a green dress, sunglasses and white hat. The child was consumed by a shiny red race car in the display window.  The woman had not noticed the presence of her child missing. She turned the corner without ever looking back.  
 In many ways she felt like the child. Consumed with mere displays with shiny objects, only to be left behind, as the world passes by. The need to linger near the window felt comfortable. The tip of her big toe tapped on the window ceil and the floor opened, revealing a spiraling staircase.
 The cherry wood floor panel opened up just enough to see the first three steps. “woo these steps are cool,” said aloud.  When the staircase was first installed she wanted it to go up, but she could only go down. You had to pass three spider webs, five dead lizards, and two flatten lifeless frog bodies, but it was worth the sight. 
 Down in the basement is where she studied him, found what he takes delight in and those in which he detests. “Barry, come down.” 
Out of the shadows appeared a man of steel, frosted rose gold arms. Barry is highly intelligent and often comes to aide Billy in her work. “Yes, Madam Daze, how was your day?” he asked.
“It could have gone better, I choked when I saw him. My palms were clam, but my heart a leapt off the deep end, and I froze faster than a popsicle in an igloo.”
“Seems like you were a bit preoccupied.”
“Seems so, Barry, seem so.”
“What is the matter, Billy?” Barry asked. 
“I can’t seem to wrap my head around the idea of actually killing him. I mean I saw it in my dreams, I have thought about it, but when the time came, I could not.”
“Why do you think that is so?” asked Barry
“Promise not to tell anyone?” she asked. 
“I am bound by the law of my code to never betray you,” Barry replied. 
“I believe I may grown to feel something for him,” sheShe said putting her face in hands.
“Your emotion must not become a distraction,” Barry said. 
“The only distraction here is me,” she replied. 
End