“Baby, I haven’t seen this man in a mighty long time. If things go right you’ll meet him,” she informed her nephew.
“He ain’t comin’ up in here,” Byron admonished, while shaking his head.
Charlene couldn’t believe her ears and the audacity of the boy. Shutting her pocket mirror, she firmly walked over to Byron and began setting the record straight.
“There has been a lot of things going on around here that I haven’t addressed, simply because I felt I wasn’t worthy of addressing them. I gave my heart and soul to my addiction and along with that, my respect and integrity. Well, I’ve fought hard to get that monkey off of my back and I will no longer under-value my worth because of my wrong-doings. I am your auntie and you are my nephew! I am the adult and you are the child! Regardless of what we have gone through in the past, as of the present, things will change. I will be respected, and you will live by my rules or get the hell out of my house!” She finished while placing her earrings on.
Byron stood in utter amazement. “How in the hell you gonna threaten to put me out when you know I got a baby on the way? What type of person would do that to their family?” he angrily retorted.
Placing both hands upon her wide hips Charlene began to give the boy a reality check.
“You chose to lay down with that girl and create another life when you didn’t even have your own life together! Running around with guns and your silly little gang-banging friends like Jemarkus! Thinking you smarter than the last teen who was murdered in cold blood in these streets does not prove anything but how foolish you are! Yeah, you have a baby on the way, which means you need to start making wiser decisions! Change your company, give up that gang-banging, and live long enough to raise your seed!”
Byron remained silent as his aunt’s words took his mind back to Ms. Diane’s question….. do you even have a plan child? He looked Charlene in her eyes and spoke.
“Honestly, I know I need to get it together and I will. My play cousin Anteyvion is on his way over, he said he wanted to discuss some serious issues with me,” he informed his aunt.
“You talking about Anteyvion that moved down south to Atlanta?”
“Yes auntie.”
“How old is he now?” she asked. “Anteyvion just turned twenty,” he answered.
“Well, what is he doing for himself?” she probed him further.
“Auntie, I don’t know everything about the man. I know he a good dude though, so that’s all I care about,” Byron admitted.
Aunt Charlene smoothed out her outfit and gave herself one last look-over in the mirror. “Okay, I am ready to go,” she said.
“You look wonderful,” Byron said. Charlene beamed as bright as the sun at his compliment.
“Thank you baby, so what you and Anteyvion got planned for today?”
“Oh, we have a little event goin’ on which is the actual reason he came back to the Chi.”
“What event is that?” she wondered aloud.
“Just a little get together,” he replied.
Aunt Charlene smirked before saying, “Now who’s being secretive?”
The pair smiled and she gave him a loving kiss on his cheek. Caught off guard by her display of affection, Byron blushed.
“Have fun!” she exclaimed, opening the front door to leave.
Startled, once again, Anteyvion was standing right in her face as the door swung open.
“Is Byron home?”' he questioned. Catching her breath, she replied, “I swear you kids are gonna be the death of me.” Anteyvion was lost as she moved by him swiftly on her way out.
Byron instantly rushed over to give his big homie a friendly embrace.
“Man, what’s been goin’ on with you in Atlanta?”
“I’ll tell you on the way to the mall,” Anteyvion replied, while flashing his car keys.
As the two drove down the Chicago strip, Anteyvion couldn’t help but view the terrible scene. Homeless bums, crack-heads, prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, gang-bangers and trash were scattered abroad at every corner they turned.
Breaking Anteyvion’s concentration on the poverty in which he was witnessing, Byron let out his excitement. “I can't believe the man that started it all is finally coming home! This is gonna be one of the most turnt-up playa balls ever in the city!” he said.
“Yeah, King Louie is a legend. As the founder of the Murda Gang he definitely made shit happen,” Anteyvion agreed. “I heard everybody fallin’ through tonight man; R. Kelly, Snoop, and you know the Bishop gotta bless the ceremony.”
Byron laughed. In unison, both boys said the Bishop Magic Don Juan’s famous phrase, “Green is for the money and gold is for the honey!”
After a moment of hearty laughter, Anteyvion looked back into the city streets and was reminded of the horror in which his beloved city had become. Taking a sigh, he changed the entire mood as he posed one question, “What you plan on doin’ once the baby gets here?”
Byron’s smile instantly became a frown. “Honestly,” he began, “It’s like a nigga stuck in limbo. I have no idea and don’t know which way to go.”
“Take a look out of your window. Look at this filth you surrounded by,” Anteyvion examined. Byron observed kids on the corner fighting and pimps beating down their whores in broad daylight.
“Look at this bullshit! You got a church right here with three liquor stores surrounding it. Who wanna raise a kid in Satan’s backyard?” Anteyvion asked.
Byron’s mind began racing over multiple thoughts, without a clue as to what to do. Anteyvion could see the blank expression shown across his friend’s face.
“Listen, I gotta way for you to get away from all of the bullshit, but it’s up to you to seize this opportunity,” he informed his friend. Byron grew alert, more anxious than ever to hear what Anteyvion had to say next.
“When my dad passed, he left me a nice little sum of money to make something out of myself with. I used some of it to get me a nice house on the outskirts of Atlanta and put the rest away for rainy days,” Anteyvion informed.
Byron began stroking his chin in interest as his friend continued.
“Finding out I could get paid to go to school, I signed up and started taking classes. Before long, I snatched up my CDL License and got an $85,000 a year trucking job!” Byron was thoroughly impressed.
“The thing is.......I sometimes stay on the road three to six months straight! I’m never home, and I need people there that I can trust to keep it maintained. I figured you and Nafeesa would be the perfect couple being y’all about to start a fam and all,” Anteyvion said.
Byron couldn’t
believe his ears. The answers he had been searching for had all come at once.
“Out on the road you get to clear your mind and meet people from all walks of life, which makes you view things differently. You’ll understand what being a man is and it ain’t saggin’ skinny jeans or totin’ pistols with the same color rags hangin’ out of your pocket.”
Byron was instantly taken aback by Anteyvion’s last comment, but he remained attentive in silence, as the pair pulled into the mall’s parking lot.
“All I’m sayin’ is…. we can get you and Nafeesa hooked up with the schooling, so y’all both can get paid as you learn. You take night class and she stays home with the baby, and vice versa. She can take day class while you take care of the little one. I take care of the big bills and y’all just handle the utilities. It’s a win-win for us all. Think about it. No need to answer anything right away. Just talk to Nafeesa and get back with me. The offer is always good.”
Anteyvion smiled as the two exited the vehicle. Two hours had passed by, as Byron and Anteyvion searched North Riverside’s shops in hopes to find the perfect gift. Settling on purchases in which Anteyvion deemed suitable, Byron was displeased but too tired to disagree.
“Honestly, I think these gifts are some bullshit,” Byron chuckled.
Anteyvion smirked and replied, “If King Louie is as wise of a man as I
believe him to be, then he’ll cherish these choices, but if he’s a fool, then I’ll accept full responsibility on both of our ends.”
Satisfied, Byron happily agreed and left it at that. As the moon appeared in full bloom, the brisk air of Chicago’s nightlife danced through the atmosphere, delivering chills up the spines of the patrons who had grown all too accustomed to its touch.
Jemarkus pulled up across the street from the vibrant nightclub with his prospects all smiles. Nigeria, Kimbo and Tracey each sat overly excited about tonight’s event. Cutting off the engine, Jemarkus commenced to enlightening the boys about the significance of the man they were all out to celebrate.
“Listen, you niggas better not go in here embarrassin’ me and shit. We’re about to partake in some hellafied festivities, with the biggest ballers and shot-callers,” he began. All three boys listened close as he continued.
“King Louie started this shit ya’ hear me?” Nigga started making too many major moves and them crackas couldn’t handle it, they trumped up some bogus ass conspiracy charges on him and hid his ass for twenty years! Now the Kings back home with the Murda Gang fam, and we about to do it bigger than ever baby!” Jemarkus enthusiastically assured.
Making their way inside the smoke filled venue was like stepping inside of a whole new universe for the boys. There were playas, pimps, certified gangstas and wall to wall gorgeous women who seemed surreal in their flesh.
Approaching the quartet, a half-naked woman strolled up to escort the boys to their table in the back.
Getting comfortable, Tracey opened up the convo while the rest continued to marvel the larger than life sights.
“I can’t believe how cool this is! Damn, is that T.I. and Too Short?” Jemarkus laughed.
“Hell yeah, that’s them niggas,” Kimbo said, sounding like a male groupie. Waving for a waitress to bring a round of alcoholic beverages, Jemarkus kicked back and lit up a pre-rolled blunt. As the effects of loud kush and Remy VSOP began to combine and take control, Jemarkus spotted his boys as they were being shown to the table.
Hopping to his feet, lovingly he graciously embraced Byron and Anteyvion like brothers. After introducing everyone to one another, Jemarkus dived right into old war stories that he and Anteyvion shared before the latter relocated out of the city.
In an intoxicated stupor, he even began bragging about his new proteges and the most recent rape and murder in which the trio had committed. Anteyvion was mortified and disgusted, as he looked at Byron’s similar expression of disbelief.
After bringing more liquor, the waitress smiled at Jemarkus, after he palmed her jiggly backside.
Anteyvion studied his surroundings and was in utter discomfort. He and Byron were the only sober people in the entire place. Trays of cocaine were being passed around, free liquor kept flowing all night, and all different types of smoke filled the atmosphere completely. Viewing Jemarkus turn up another straight shot of Patron made him worry about his old friend.
“You might wanna let that one be the last one for the night fam,” Anteyvion suggested.
“Fuck that, I’m turnin’ up and doin’ it big for King Louie tonight!” Jemarkus drunkenly proclaimed. Shaking his head in amazement, Anteyvion rose up to make his way to the restroom.
Noticing Anteyvion’s disposition as he left, Nigeria leaned over and asked Jemarkus, “What’s his problem?”
Responding, Jemarkus replied, as he burst in to a hearty laughter, “I guess that nigga moved down bottom and became a bottom-bitch!”
At that moment the Bishop Magic Don Juan took center stage and retrieved the microphone. All the music stopped, as an assorted flavor of women came down the aisle unrolling a purple suede carpet from the door to the stage’s staircase.
Instantly, two exotic looking women appeared draped in a laced green bra and panties, with shimmering golden tassels dangling around the panty line. Holding firmly onto a two way diamond encrusted leash, the Brazilian bombshells carefully ushered a well-poised black panther into view.
Gasps and sighs could be heard all throughout the attendees, as the mammoth sized cat led the curvaceous women down the center aisle. The Bishop turned up his bedazzled pimp-cup and smiled, once King Louie appeared in all of his elegance.
The crowd broke
out into a monstrous applause, as he made his way up to Bishop Don Juan, who graciously embraced his brother from another mother and introduced the infamous King Louie to the audience.
Jemarkus, Byron and everyone in the room sat galvanized in anticipation to hear the king speak. Smoothing out any wrinkles that may have caused a blemish upon his purple and black pin-striped, double-breasted, Michael Kors suit, King Louie cleared his throat and prepared to speak.
“Twenty years ago, I stood a snotty nosed revel with dreams of sticking it to the white man, by creating a unified front of black people who would rival their prowess and power. Contemplating my method of how to achieve such a righteous feat led me to learn and emulate the ways of brothers like Huey Newton, Larry Hoover, and Marcus Garvey; men that never bowed down in the face of adversity. To be an effective leader you have to be a good follower, and I followed men like these to a tee. The only problem was….. ...the only ones who wanted to follow my rebellious ass were the outcasts, black sheep and dregs of society; the have-nots, if you will!”
The crowd hung closely to every word he spoke as he continued. “When dealing with a group of impoverished people, people who know not the lifestyle of poverty cringe at the sound of the wild, and we became that sound ....that voice,” King Louie said.
Everyone burst into applause, as he raised his hands in order to calm the noise so he could finish.
“Once our voice came it grew louder and louder, forcing people to hear our complaints, forcing them to take notice of our filthy ghettos, the lack of education our children received, and the police brutality that our innocent people faced. We became those of the nightlife, and that caused them to finally shine the high beams on the dehumanization of our culture and people as a whole in America…. ...and it had to be stopped!”
The room was so quiet, as everyone studiously watched the King you could most certainly hear a rat piss on cotton.
“The first way to stop a nation is to attack its relevance and credibility. You lie on it, spew hatred towards it, ignite fear and misrepresent it to those unfamiliar ….....you name it the Murda Gang! When all of that fails, you simply disconnect the head from the body, and leave the Murda Gang to really believe that’s all they were meant to be; young, wild, misled youth thirsting for
money and fame…..,” King Louie said in shame and hurt.
Jemarkus instantly took offense to his words and looked over at Nigeria who shrugged his shoulders.
“But, now that the King is back with a new mind and new order, we will be a better people and an example of real power!” the King vowed.
Anteyvion listened, as he went on to talk about cleaning up the neighborhoods, reaching out as big brothers, and more positive things to come.
To many, King had lost his mind. Money was their motive not unity. A lot of the old heads who sat in attendance and who were fortunate enough to make it to old age valued his words but the young thugs had their own visions; the vision the youngsters had excluded cleaning up bloodstained streets.
Coming to a close, King Louie blessed the ceremony and headed over to the V.I.P section. Jemarkus watched as people swarmed over to speak with the King personally. In a drunken frenzy, he attempted to beat the crowd, but it was to no avail.
Viewing his erratic behavior and intoxicated state, the huge bodyguards wouldn’t let him beyond the purple rope.
Pissed off to the highest level of passivity, Jemarkus watched as Anteyvion walked up to the bodyguards and handed off the gifts he and Byron had purchased earlier.
Before Anteyvion and Jemarkus could make it back to their seats a woman had grabbed the mic and asked for Byron and Anteyvion to approach the stage.
The venue
went silent as the two shocked boys did as they were both instructed. Alongside King Louie at the podium, the pair stood nervously as the King began to address the people once more.
Holding up Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power and Sun Tzu’s Art of War, King Louie spoke, “I called these young men up here to express my gratitude and appreciation for these two gifts they have given me. I would like thank everyone here for the gifts I’ve received, but these two stand out the most. While confined, I stumbled across both of these books and they hipped me to the game of life like never before. Now, what I would like for these two gents to do, is tell me what made them choose such profound gifts to begin with?” the King inquired while passing the microphone to Byron.
Looking out into the massive crowd of infamous and famous celebrities, Byron quickly spoke his peace while passing the mic.
“Keepin’ it real, I just went with my cousin’s decision,” he said.
Anteyvion retrieved the microphone and began spilling his emotional truths. “Honestly, I read these books and like King Louie said, they opened me up to a new life. I learned that the only way to actually claim victory in this world is to get out of the game,” Anteyvion began.
The audience gasped and even Byron shot his friend a stare of bewilderment.
“Throughout the history of humanity, in each and every culture all of the same rules of defeat have applied. Emperors, Kings and leaders, have all lost their empires, dynasties, kingdoms and jurisdictions to fate. God’s design is that no ruler but Him rules forever, so in the end, we competin’ and killin’ one another only to reach the top, which is the loneliest spot to be in. Who do you trust when you hold the position most coveted by everyone in the world? Man, these gifts were my way of askin’ for your blessings out of this lifestyle. My run with the Murda Gang has expired King and I want out.”
Anteyvion finished with tears forming in his eyes. On cue, all in attendance felt betrayed and began to boo. King Louie looked from the young man to the crowd and again raised his hands to calm their rage.
Chiraq Killinois (America's Nightmare) Page 3