by Linette King
I punched her as hard as I could then opened my jar of honey and dumped it on her. It took me forever because it was sliding out in slow motion. I had to dig my hand in the jar to scoop it out and spread it all over her. She started breathing real fast as I sat on my knees in front of her. “Taste like Candy,” I said, licking the honey off my fingers. I reached in my bag for a baby wipe, so I could get the rest of the honey off my hand. She continued to breathe heavy as I began scooping the ant bed up and dumping the dirt on her quickly. I didn’t stop until I began getting bit as well. I poured water on my arms to get the dirt and ants off me as I sat next to Rashard on the picnic table.
“Damn Candy, you heartless,” he said as he watched Nikki scream out in pain. We got up and walked away heading back to my house. We didn’t find out until the next morning that Nikki died because she was allergic to honey. I didn’t care though because that was one less bully on the face of this earth.
“So, check this out. It’s one guy over Twan and Dre right and supposedly this nigga is like a ghost or some shit, so we gone have to do some shit to bring Casper out to play,” some guy said, which snapped me out of my thoughts of the past.
“What you got in mind?” the guy sitting at the table with him asked. I glanced back several times but couldn’t get a good look at them. When I heard the first guy say Twan and Dre’s names, I was on alert so imagine my amount of alertness when they spoke about Casper. Being that Rashard tells me almost everything, I know he’s the one in charge. Nobody knows but me and I need to make sure I warn him. I just needed one of them to call the other by name, so I knew it. Unfortunately, neither one of them uttered the other’s name.
“Can I help you?” the first guy asked. If they were paying any attention, then they know I was listening to their whole conversation. These two dummies weren’t though and once I realized they didn’t notice me, I threw on the thirst just to throw them off.
“Well, now that I have your attention, would you like a dance?” I asked seductively. I pouted a little once he waved his hand like I was nothing. I walked off, putting extra bounce in my step as I made my way to Rafael’s office.
Before I could walk all the way in, Twan grabbed my arm roughly and pushed me inside. “We need to talk!” he snapped before he sat in the chair with his back against the door.
“Yea, you’re right, guess what?” I said, ready to spill the tea so we could handle these niggas and end the threat before it became a real one.
“Fuck all that, you running around with that nigga Deuce now?!” he asked clearly pissed off.
“The fuck Twan?! I’m trying to tell you some import-”
“What about us?” Twan asked, pissed off. “That nigga ain’t shit, forreal! He works for me!” Twan exclaimed and stood up.
“You gone be working for the casket if you don’t listen to me! Two niggas out there right now plotting on ya’ll and you in here bitching!” I snapped.
“What?” Twan asked and turned around.
“Who?” he asked, which caused me to look and I saw they were gone!
“Fuck! Hold on,” I said as I pressed the code so the arsenal of weapons Rashard installed would raise from the floor. “Two niggas been following you and Dre, now they about to start robbing every trap house they see,” I said as I handed him a handheld machine gun with an extended clip.
“Send the troops asap! Like before ya’ll get hit! I’ll explain later,” I said as soon as Rashard answered his phone.
“Yo, who was that?” Twan asked.
“Man, shut up, let’s go,” I said and led the way outside. As soon as I made it out the door, I saw one of the guys heading to a truck. I did a quick sweep of the parking lot with my eyes but didn’t see the other guy. “That’s one of them right there,” I said as I pointe at the guy.
“AYE!” Twan yelled in my damn ear. I looked at him sideways wanting to slap him but it’s not the time or the place. I watched the dummy roll his window down. “You like following me huh? You tryna rob me nigga?” Twan yelled in my ear again, which caused me to step away from him. Before giving the guy a chance to respond, he started shooting.
This nigga was shooting like fuck innocent people that could be fucking in their cars or something. The guy peeled off like a bat out of hell. A few minutes later, four vans pulled up and I silently thanked Rashard for coming through without asking questions. Hell, I didn’t even tell him where I was.
“Aye, it’s an all-black Cadillac Escalade truck. More than likely speeding. Find it and we will block it in,” I said to the drivers of the van as Twan and I took over one of them. We drove around aimlessly for about ten minutes before I noticed the truck stopped at a red light. I think everyone noticed it because they began to surround it. “Pull in front of it,” I said to Twan while pointing.
“Man, I know what the fuck to do. I ain’t Deuce,” he snapped and pulled in front of the truck with an attitude.
I rolled the window down smiling seductively at the driver. It was hard because he was actually pretty good looking. I winked at him before waving goodbye, signaling the people in the other vans to open fire. It wasn’t until he rotated his body that I saw the little girl sitting in the back seat. “Noooo!” I screamed but my voice was drowned out by the eruptions of all of the guns around me.
“Take me back to the club,” I said with tears streaming down my face.
“The fuck you crying for? You fucking him too?!” Twan asked and pissed me off. Without responding, I punched him hard twice in the face.
“I should have never given you the pussy! Bitch ass nigga couldn’t handle it,” I said and shook my head. “Take me back to the club,” I said and looked straight ahead. The tears continued to stream down my face as I thought about the child whose blood was on my hands. I may not have pulled the trigger but I was the reason the trigger was pulled to begin with.
When we made it to the club, I hopped in Tamia’s car and headed home. When I saw the police cars and ambulances on my road, my heart stopped thinking it was at my house. When I got closer, I breathed a breath of relief as I realized they were at Ms. Ruby’s house. I pulled in my yard and my heart dropped again because my front door was wide open. I grabbed my .45 from under the seat and made my way cautiously through the front door. My coffee table was broken and it was vomit on my floor.
I don’t know why but I took off running to Ms. Ruby’s house. When I got there, one of the ambulances were driving away and I could see Ms. Ruby being loaded into the back of the other. I walked in her direction but was halted by an officer. “That’s my neighbor, what happened to her?” I asked as calm as I could be, given the circumstances.
“Some lady broke in her house and tried to stab her. We took her down just in time,” he boasted.
“What hospital are they taking Ms. Ruby to?” I asked with tears streaming down my face again.
“Detroit Medical,” he said and I took off running.
Grabbing my phone, I called Rashard back. “You good?” he asked as he answered the phone.
“No, Tamia is on her way to Detroit Medical Center right now. Meet me there,” I said before I disconnected the call. I needed to get to Tamia, so I could protect her. For some reason, I don’t believe anything the officer said.
Rashard
I drove to my safe house and quickly grabbed the money to drop off for my runners. I sat patiently and waited at each drop and like always, it was a success. I decided to go home and get some much needed studying done because it was time for finals. I managed to get all of my finals scheduled earlier, so I’d be finished with class sooner and I’d just have to wait for my graduation. As soon as I got home, I wanted to call Tamia but every time I got ready to, I’d think about Chardae. Now, under no circumstances do I want to be with Chardae, but if she’s having my baby, then I don’t really know what to do.
I’d fallen in love with everything about Tamia but we weren’t in a relationship. Now Chardae’s pregnant and I don’t plan on telling Tamia becaus
e I don’t want her to leave me alone. I checked my phone and realized she hadn’t hit me up either, which is cool because I could just call somebody else.
Grabbing my phone, I made a call. “Hello,” she answered, sounding as sexy as she looked the night I met her at Carte Blanche.
“How you doing?” I asked.
“I’m well and yourself?” she asked.
“I’d be better if I was in your presence,” I said to her.
“Let’s go have dinner,” she suggested.
“Alright, I’ll come scoop ya. Text me your address,” I said before disconnecting the call. When I heard my phone chime, I knew she sent me her address.
I hopped in the shower then headed to pick up Natashia. I was turning on her street when my phone started ringing. “Yea?” I said.
“Send the troops asap! Like before ya’ll get hit! I’ll explain later,” Candy said before she hung up. Her retarded ass hadn’t even told me where to send the troops. I pulled up the find my phone app and discovered she was at work. Picking up my phone, I called Tre so he could rally everyone up and head over to the club. I know Tre and Deuce are close like Twan and Dre, so I know Deuce would come running at the drop of Candy’s name. I told Tre exactly what Candy told me and their location before disconnecting the call.
I pulled up to the house Natashia lived in and hit the horn twice. About five minutes later, she came strutting her ass towards my car. “Hey babe,” she said before leaning over to give me a hug.
“What’s good?” I asked.
“Hopefully, this food because I’m starving,” she said, which made me laugh.
We pulled off and headed to a nice restaurant by Candy’s house. It was not in walking distance from her house but it’s on that side of town. I was so lost in thought about what I was about to order that I didn’t hear my phone ringing until Natashia put it in my face. “You good?” I said as I answered the phone. I could hear Natashia sucking her teeth, more than likely because she saw Candy’s name flashing on my phone.
“No, Tamia is on her way to Detroit Medical Center right now. Meet me there,” Candy said then hung up the phone.
“Fuck!” I yelled as I punched the steering wheel before making a U-turn.
I hope Tamia’s ok because I can’t lose her right now. I should have had my ass with her knowing somebody was after her and now she’s on her way to the hospital. “What happened babe? What’s wrong?” Natashia asked as she rubbed my arm. I snatched away from her and continued driving until we made it to the hospital. I parked and ran in the ER doors looking around frantically until I spotted Candy.
“What happened?” I asked as I rushed over to Candy.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Candy answered and looked over my shoulder before rolling her eyes. It was then that I realized the mistake I just made bringing Natashia here with me to check on Tamia. If Tamia got wind of the bullshit I’m on right now, she’d never speak to me again.
“Go sit over there,” I told Natashia before I pointed at empty chairs on the other side of the ER.
“TRAUMA TEAM ACTIVATION! TRAUMA TEAM ACTIVATION” I heard a voice say over the intercom.
“Fuck! That’s not Tamia, is it?” I asked and grabbed Candy by her shoulders. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she shook her.
“I don’t know. I need to go talk to Ms. Ruby,” she said.
“Ms. Ruby? Your neighbor? What does she have to do with it?” I asked confused. Candy ignored me as she stepped to the receptionist desk before being let to the back.
I began to pace the floor waiting on Candy to come back. “Boy, what you doing here?” someone asked as I turned around.
“Auntie,” I said to my Aunt Jennifer. “I thought you stopped working nights,” I said to her.
“They called me in about three traumas they have down here. Why you here?” she asked.
“Man Auntie, my girl one of those traumas,” I said and watched her mouth drop.
“Your girl?” Aunt Jennifer asked. “Who?” she asked.
“Ms. Jennifer, they need you now,” a lady came to window and said.
“I’ll see you later baby,” she said before heading to the back.
“Fuck!” I yelled before throwing myself in one of the chairs.
“Are you ok, babe?” Natashia asked.
“Family emergency, catch a cab,” I said and handed her a knot of money out my pocket. I could tell she was about to snap until she saw how much money I gave her.
“Well, call me later,” she said before running out the door like she thought I was going to take the money back.
About thirty minutes later, Candy came walking from the back with her face and eyes red. She walked right into my arms and cried on my chest. “I shouldn’t have left her! I knew that man wasn’t trying to get me and I left her alone!” she cried harder. I let her cry until she calmed down enough for me to question her.
“What man Candy?” I asked as I stared at her with my blood boiling.
“The man that took her friend came back to take her, remember, but he grabbed me,” she said, which made me feel like shit. I should have been with her but I was putting everything before her, and this was where she ended up as a result. “The police thought she was trying to kill Ms. Ruby, so they shot her,” she said and looked at me. I had to sit down to keep from falling after she told me Tamia had been shot.
“What is the officer’s name that shot her?” I asked Candy.
“I don’t fucking know! I still don’t know everything that happened. Ms. Ruby said Tamia was hiding in her yard but the man came over there to get her, so she ran in the house and pulled Ms. Ruby inside. Ms. Ruby called the police but the man pushed her down and tried to take Tamia. Some kind of way Tamia got away and came back to help Ms. Ruby and that’s when the police shot her,” Candy said before crying again.
First, I’m going to find out what police officer shot my girl. Then I’m going to kill him. Right after that, I’m going to kill everybody that has hurt or want to hurt her. “This is all your fault,” Candy said and interrupted my thoughts.
“What?” I asked.
“You were supposed to be there protecting her. She should have been wherever you were but she couldn’t be there because you were with Chardae!” she snapped, which caused my mouth to drop.
“How do you know?” I asked confused.
“When we were at Doc’s house, Tamia was holding your phone. Chardae texted while she had it so we know where you were,” she explained.
“Is that all she knows? That I went to Chardae’s house?” I asked because I needed to make sure she didn’t know about the baby.
“Is there more?” Candy asked. I stood back up and paced the floor before approaching the receptionist.
“Can you let us know something about Tamia Anderson? She got shot,” I stated and looked at the receptionist. She looked at her computer before shaking her head, telling me no. “Well, can you send her doctor out or a nurse?” I asked as she continued to shake her head. “Listen bitch! Whatever story them pussy ass officers gave ya’ll is wrong! She was trying to help that damn lady and if you don’t believe me, go ask the lady! Now you need to get up and get somebody out here before I start randomly slapping people!” I snapped before Candy pulled me back to my seat.
“You catch more flies with sugar than shit,” she said and approached the receptionist.
About ten minutes later, they came out asking for family members for Tamia. We walked to the back to where the doctor gave us a brief run through of Tamia’s condition. The first bullet went through her left shoulder spinning her around and the second bullet went through her other shoulder knocking her out. The only thing I cared about was the fact that she would make a full recovery. They still wouldn’t let us in to see her but I paid an officer to sit outside her door because I had moves to make.
Michelle
I was sleeping soundly until the lab tech came in my room drawing blood. How she gone come in here sticki
ng me with needles without letting me know first? I promise I didn’t know they could do that. Then it wouldn’t have been so bad if she wouldn’t have missed the vein. Granted, I jumped, but what did she expect a sleeping person to do? She’s lucky I didn’t start swinging on her because I think when you scare normal people out of their sleep, they swing.
Anyway, Dr. Moore had me up all day yesterday because he kept running tests on me. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what they thought they would see. He sent a female name Dr. Brown in to ask me if I heard voices, which pissed me off! I told her “yep, I hear you loud and clear.” She rolled her eyes, which was very unprofessional might I add, and continued asking me questions. I wonder if those doctors know that when they’re asking you all those dumb questions, it pisses you off. Well, they can’t know because they will piss you off and then ask why you’re upset!
“Hey, I’m going down to help in the E.R. If you need me, just have them page me,” my nurse Susan said as she entered my room without knocking. I nodded my head and she left back out.
*Knock, Knock*
“C’mon!” I yelled and rolled my eyes because I just wanted to sleep, and I’m tired of people coming in and out of my room. When I heard the door open, I couldn’t believe my eyes! “Ray? What are you doing here?” I asked. I could feel my heart flutter as I waited on him to get closer.
“I heard about what happened to you and I needed to see if you were ok,” he said while he stood next to my bed.
“I’m better now. I miss you,” I said and looked deeply into his eyes.
“I miss you too. Let’s start over,” he suggested, which caused my eyes to get buck.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I tried not to jump to conclusions.
“Let’s wipe the slate clean and pick up like we never left off,” he said with eyes filled with love