by Styles, T
“Harmony, who told you about a kidnapped girl?”
“Uh…Some police came to my house today. And asked me if I knew anything about a kidnapping. I think they investigating you or something. They wouldn’t tell me more though. What’s going on?”
I tried to look into his eyes but he was wearing a pair of dark Versace shades. "What did you say?”
“Nothing…Because I don’t know nothing.”
“Look, if they visit you again, call me. I’ma be at your house later on to pick you up. I gotta handle some shit right now though.”
"Jace, is it over?" I asked when we got to my house.
We both glanced over to see Kali standing by my door, waiting. It was so normal to see him at my house, that I don’t think Jace thought too much of it. Kali and me were cool before Jace even became my boyfriend. But there was something in Jace’s eyes that told me that today something was different. I figured it involved the kidnapping.
“How close are you two?”
“Who…Me and Kali?”
“Who you think I’m talkin’ ‘bout?”
“We pretty cool, but ain’t nothin’ going on if that’s what you mean.”
“I don’t know if I’m all the way good with you keepin’ time with one of my friends.”
I loved his jealousy. “You want me to stop talkin’ to him or something?”
As I was talking to him, he was looking at Kali. Eventually he walked over to the driver’s side window and said, “What up, Jace. Everything cool?”
“Harmony, let me rap to him for a minute.”
“Okay. I love you.” I said.
When I walked to the house I walked slowly. I wanted to hear as much as I could before he pulled off.
“Did you mention anything to anybody?” Jace asked him.
“Naw. Why?”
Both of them looked at me and he said, “We’ll rap about that later. But don’t forget to meet them people I asked you to meet later. Page me when you’re done and I’ll scoop you up.”
“Bet.” Kali said backing away from the car.
"And you betta be ready in a couple of hours." He told me.
I hoped Jace didn’t mention me knowing about the kidnapping to Paco because he would go completely off. How could I be so fucking stupid?
When I walked toward my house, Kali walked with me and we watched Jace pull off, before he gave us one last look. Kali and me had a weird relationship because he was like a bodyguard to me. But his heart and soul belonged to Cherry. Even he got cuter over the years but he was still an average dude. Kali lost most of his baby fat and he had a honey colored complexion with really dark eyes. They resembled black marbles.
"What you and Jace talkin’ about?” He asked out of nowhere.
“What?” His question was weird.
“Was he talkin’ about me? Or blaming me for somethin like he always do?”
His eyes got wild like Rodger’s. “Kali, you tripping now. I’m ‘bout to go inside.”
Like a light switched off he said, “Well you need anything before I leave?"
He always asked me the same question and there were plenty of times I ran him all around town when I had the munchies.
"Can you buy me a bottle of vodka from A&B?”
"Yeah…But before you go in, I gotta ask you something.”
“What?”
“If something were to happen to Jace, would you be cool?”
Nervous Energy
Jace Sherrod
It had been four days since the kidnapping and between the heat, which was unbearable, and Kali’s recklessness I wanted to blow. I talked to my cousin about the matter and he told me I had to kill them both, the girl and Bam. But before I made a move, I had to be sure there wasn’t another way.
Girls were outside in less than nothing and all Kali talked about was how they were setting themselves up while we drove in my car. All I wanted to talk about was the girl who was still tied up in my basement with her father.
Kali took his hatchet off his back and set it on the floor to get comfortable.
“I’m tellin’ you, nigga, that’s why bitches be gettin’ raped and shit. Look at half of the shit they be wearin’.” He pointed to a shawty with a pair of purple tight ass shorts on.
“Fuck is you talkin’ ‘bout, young?” I frowned.
“You heard me. Bitches be comin’ outside in less than nothin’ and then they wonder why niggas be plottin’ on takin’ that pussy. If you wear shit like that, you deserve everything you got comin’. A stiff dick.” He laughed grabbing his.
“Nigga, fire that shit up. I ain’t tryin’ to hear all that other shit you spittin’.”
Silence.
“Hey, J,” he paused inhaling the bob, “let me ask you somethin’.”
“Shoot.”
“Why you let Herb D talk reckless to me the other day? I heard the shit he said. Now I’da been wrong if I sliced him wouldn’tve I?”
“What are you talkin’ about?”
“So you gonna say you didn’t hear him say you should get rid of me?”
“I heard it but I also think you took shit too far by kidnapping that kid. Now Herb talked a little off beat, I’ll give you that, but you had some of that shit comin’.”
“You always takin’ Herb and Sick’s side when we be beefin’. That’s fucked up.”
“Nigga, you fucked up.” I said looking at him seriously. “What are you, my bitch or somethin’?” I said accepting the bob. “I ain’t ‘bout to sooth your feelings and shit.”
He laughed, and said, “So what you gonna do? You want me to handle that situation in your basement? ‘Cause you know I ain’t got no problem with it.”
“I don’t know what I’ma do yet. Tony at my crib, and I’ma rap to him ‘bout it when we get there. But you makin’ a move without thinkin’ put me in a bind.”
“You know I ain’t mean for shit to get this heavy right?”
Silence.
“Kali, are you sure you didn’t tell nobody about that shit?”
He was silent for a moment and said, “Why would I do that? If I say somethin’ I’m the one they gonna come lookin’ for.” He paused. “Naw, I ain’t say shit to nobody.”
Something was off with Kali and people told me he was borderline Bi Polar but I didn’t wanna believe them until now. I also knew telling him about the cops visiting Harmony could put her in danger. So for now, I was gonna keep that information to myself.
“J, don’t worry about shit. For real, I got you.” He paused pulling on the bob. “And I wouldn’t jeopardize the operation.
You always jeopardize the operation. I thought.
“If they come lookin’ for me, I’m takin’ the rap.” He said. “And as far as I’m concerned, none of ya’ll niggas were involved.”
When my father called on me to build his operation in D.C., I couldn’t be more ready. Finally I would be making that serious paper. But wherever there was money, there were risks. And one of my risks was having Kali on my team.
But I hated living the way we were before my pops asked me to open up a shop in DC. Don’t get me wrong, my aunt Karen was good to me but before the call we were living regular. The money Rick sent her she used on mortgage and private schools. I could’ve called him and asked him for a little more dough, but I didn’t want her thinking I didn’t appreciate her putting it all on the line for me. But I always had a strong desire to hustle, just like my father. Although, unlike my father, murder was not my thing and I don’t think it would ever be. That’s where niggas like Kali came in but taming him was out of the question.
“I want you to lay low for a while.” I told him. My pager went off and I saw it was Paco. The code was ‘287’ which meant to meet him at his house. I figured he had some info on Star so I wanted to hurry. “Outside of the niggas in the room that day,” I said looking at him again, “don’t talk about the situation to no one. You got me?”
“I got you.”
We pulled up at m
y house and I saw Tony’s Forerunner, which meant he was already inside my house. But my aunt Karen wasn’t home. I’ll be glad when I get my own crib to keep this drama out her house.
“Go in and get Tony for me. Hurry up ‘cause Paco just hit me and wants us to meet him at his crib. I’ma be out here waitin’.”
“Aight. But I left my bag in your house the other day. I’ma have to scoop it before we leave.” He said before dipping into the house.
The street was wet and my cousin’s car was shiny so I figured he had just washed it. I waited for fifteen minutes before my cousin Tony Wop walked outside without Kali. By the look on his face, I could tell he was shocked to see me out front.
“What you doin’ here?” He said walking up to my car. “I just got a page from Paco, he got some info on Star. I was just grabbin’ somethin’ out my truck real quick before I hit you.”
My heart raced because I already knew what was going on. Kali was in my house alone, with Bam and his daughter. “You ain’t see Kali?”
“Naw.” He paused. “Where he at?”
“In the house, man.”
“I must’ve been in the bathroom when he came in.”
I got out of the car and approached my house. Before I reached the door, Kali bolted out of it with a crazed look on his face and his green bag in his hand. Tony and me approached him and I couldn’t ask what I already knew.
“Kali, please tell me you didn’t do nothin’ stupid.” I asked.
“I told you, I got you? So it’s done.”
Crazed Homies
Jace
Right before I walked into my house, Nut walked up on us. The three of us looked at her and I’m sure guilt was written all over our faces.
“Why ya’ll lookin’ all crazy and shit?” She said.
“Fuck you want?” I asked. I needed to get back in the house to see the mess Kali left for me. I also wondered how much of our conversation she overheard. “How long you been right there?”
“I just walked up. I came for Kali.” She said, her body covered in dry blood. I figured she was here to tell Kali about Cherry. So much shit had happened, that I forgot to tell him myself and I wondered did Harmony tell him either.
“What you want?” Kali asked.
“Some nigga cut Cherry. She’s at the hospital and the doctor saying she might not make it. She could be bleeding to death right now!”
“What?” Kali said walking closer toward her putting his bag down next to him. I could tell just like that, he’d already forgotten about the two corpses he left in my basement. “When this shit happen?”
“Earlier today, Harmony was there. She ain’t tell you?”
“Naw,” He paused. “Look, Jace, I’ma get up with you later. I gotta see what’s up with my peoples.”
I started to say fuck his people and that he needed to help me clean up the mess I know he made in my basement but the look Tony gave me told me to let him go ahead.
“Aight…But hit me the moment you get back. We got a lot to rap about.”
After he left, Tony and me went into the house and went downstairs. All I can say is I couldn’t believe the mess he had made in a matter of minutes. Bam’s face was smashed in partially with my aunt Karen’s old typewriter and a broken pool stick was lodged in his neck. Blood was everywhere and it looked like a horror movie.
I went into the corner over top of the tin Redskins trash can and threw up. When I thought I was done I threw up some more. My stomach tugged and pulled against itself as I released all of my meal for that day.
“Yo, this kid is sick, Jace. This don’t make no fuckin’ sense. He killed this nigga without makin’ sure we had all the information we needed first. Kali ain’t playin’ smart, man.”
I stood up straight threw my fist in my left hip for support and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Then my arms dropped loosely beside me.
“Where’s the girl?” I asked calmly.
He looked at the scene and ran around the pool table. Then he looked in the closet and then under the pool table again.
“What the fuck he do to her?” Tony asked.
“He took her out of here. In that bag.” I said not even realizing I knew the answer to my own question.
“But the nigga said he not even goin’ home first. What he gonna do, run around the hospital with a dead body in a green army bag?”
I looked at him. Although he hadn’t been around him more than me, he already knew what type dude he was.
“FUCK! THIS NIGGA GONNA GET US LATE!”
“You tellin’ me somethin’ I already know.” I said pacing the floor with my hand over my head. I wanted this shit to be over, all the way over. And I knew had I just had the strength to give the order, not even necessarily pull the trigger, we woulda had a chance to clean up our own mess. Now this nigga was running around town with a dead girl in his bag like he was Freddy Krueger or something. Or alive girl, with him you could never tell. “Get the crew on the phone and tell them to get over here.”
Tony made a few calls and when he was done, we sat in silence for a minute and looked at the work Kali put in.
“I know this is too late to ask, but where you get this dude from?” He paused. “Because the more I think about it, the more I think he may need to stay the fuck from around us, cousin.”
I sat down in a chair in the room and said, "Since we was younger I knew Kali was a killer. But he ain’t start out like nobody you know.” I paused.
“Well how did he start? By butchering old ladies?”
“I’m serious. Back in the day, on the block, it seemed like every other month our neighbor’s pets kept comin’ up missin’. Like, somebody would walk their dogs one day, and the next day they'd be gone." I paused, trying not to look at the body.
"One day, I saw Kali lookin’ at Dingo, my girl Harmony's dog from across the street.” I paused. “That dog use to bark her ass in the house every other day. I’m talkin’ about vicious ass barkin’ like if it got off the leash or somethin’, it would kill her.”
I could tell Tony wanted me to rush the story but I needed to take my time. It was like I finally understood something I already knew, that this nigga was off. Way off.
“That night I was outside, sneakin’ one of Karen’s beers, I saw Kali grab Dingo the dog by its neck and pick it up in the air.” I demonstrated the way he had Dingo with my hand. “Now I don’t know how tightly he had this dog’s throat, but it wasn’t barkin’ no more, cuz. Just whimpering loud enough for me to know it was scared.”
“What happened to the dog?”
“Fuck you think, nigga?” I said. “I ain’t never see that dog again.”
“Stop fuckin’ around.”
“Nigga, I’m tellin’ you the truth. Look around us.”
We both looked at the blood and Bam’s body.
“Well what happened after that? What he say he did to the dog?” Tony said like a child listening to scary story.
“I stepped to him about it a little while after that. At first he ain’t wanna tell me, and even tried lyin’, but I told him I’d seen him already. Eventually he kept it real and told me he killed it."
"Where was his peoples while he was killin’ animals and shit?"
"He lived with his grandparents. They were old as shit and died a few months after that. Then he moved with his moms who was on that shit, and we kinda lost contact after that. But he moved back in the house that his grandparents lived in now. ‘Cept for he don’t like to be there alone, so he’ll stay over here, or over his cousin Vaughn’s.”
“How many dogs did this bitch ass nigga kill?”
“Can’t be sure…But at least ten.”
“Why in the fuck would he kill a dog, man? That’s some bullshit.”
“I’m just tellin’ you what I know. He heartless and I don’t know a nigga on earth like him, not even Russ, Rick's muscle." I paused. “Think of the place you’d have to be mentally to do some shit like that. Or to do some shit like this?”<
br />
We looked at Bam’s body again.
“Whatever happened to the old fashioned days of just bustin’ a nigga in the head?” I said feeling my stomach churning again. “Naw…He gotta go all Jason Voorhees and shit.”
“Whoa.”
“At the time when I asked him why he killed all them dogs he said, 'Would you rather it be some mutt or some nigga you know instead?' I never forgot that shit."
We both looked at the dead body before us and swallowed hard.
“What’s up with his cousin Vaughn? Why you don’t like him?”
“’Cause he listen to anything that nigga tell him to do. And even though he said it was his idea to grab that girl outta school, I got five hundred that say the nigga Vaughn told him to do that shit.”
“But Kali do anything you tell him to do, too.”
“I know, but I ain’t gonna lead him astray.” I said. “The nigga Vaughn like to turn him against me. Like trying to get my own dog to bite me or somethin’.”
“Damn, I feel you.”
A second later, Paco, Herb Dayo, Sick Sense and Kreshon came in and walked down the stairs.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Kreshon said.
“THIS NIGGA SICK!” Sick Sense added.
“You tellin’ me?” I said.
“What made him kirk out like this?” Paco asked.
“I don’t know…Before he did this shit we were in the car talkin’. I sent him in the house to get Wop, and the next thing I know, all this shit happen.”