“Listen,” King Louie began, “The boy is only asking for a chance at making it in the real world. As a people we should learn to embrace change whenever its aim is to embrace positivity.”
Anteyvion became elated as King Louie gave him a hug and said to them all, “You have my blessings to walk away and live in peace. May God grant you that and all that you desire, young brother. Let this young man stand as the first symbol of many changes to come!”
With tears of joy Anteyvion and Byron made their way off of the stage and
headed through the crowd towards the exit.
Still in awe, Byron felt the animosity, as they made their way outside. It took courage for Anteyvion to do what he’d done, a courage in which Byron had never known for himself but wished to discover.
“Can you believe that bullshit?” Tracey questioned.
“Man, I done seen it all!” Kimbo chimed in.
Nigeria looked over at his leader for the word. Jemarkus downed one last shot of Ciroc and stood to his feet.
“I ain’t feelin’ this bitch made shit at all. My niggas died for this shit and went to the pen for this Purple Heart in which I trust. Prison time made Louie soft, that nigga ain’t no fuckin’ king, I’m a king nigga!” Jemarkus exclaimed, through slurred words. The trio followed Jemarkus to the exit as the next group to leave.
King Louie took notice as the younger generation of Murda Gang members all left the party in unison. He recognized the opposition clearly but hoped for a better tomorrow. With a carefree smirk, he cracked open his 48 Laws of Power and continued to enjoy his welcome back bash.
Chapter 4
Screams of agony alarmed Diane to signify a major problem in her home. Scrambling from her late night slumber, she raced into the living room in order to give her wailing daughter immediate attention. To her amazement, Nafeesa lay sprawled across the floor in crucial pain.
“Baby what’s wrong?” Diane inquired, while rushing to her side.
“Oh my God, mama, my water broke!” Nafeesa admitted. Diane’s eyes grew huge, as she realized Nafeesa was going into labor.
Carefully, helping the child up onto the sofa, Diane raced to get dressed and grabbed her car keys. In less than five minutes, Nafeesa was in the backseat of her mother’s car, huffing and puffing while Diane was in the front mashing the gas pedal.
“Everything is going to be okay,” Diane assured. “Just keep breathing in and out,” she comforted her daughter. Nafeesa had sweat pouring from her forehead, as she tried to maintain even breaths. It felt as though the baby was tearing her internal organs apart while preparing for its introduction to the world.
Diane carefully drove down the street retrieving her cell. Within seconds, she had informed Byron that they were headed to the hospital and Nafeesa was going into labor. Hearing the zeal in the boy’s voice said that he was definitely on his way.
Diane was happy, scared, and excited all at the same time. Happy, because she was about to become a new grandmother, scared wondering would she be good at the new responsibility, and excited because a new life was quickly on its way.
On the other hand , Nafeesa lay across the back seat huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf with only one thought, God, I will be so glad when this is over!
“Hang in there baby, we’re almost there! Just about ten more minutes!” Diane admitted, while pausing for a stop sign.
In the blink of an eye, the violence of Chi-Town predators had arrived changing the course of the night’s enthusiasm drastically. All Diane heard was the sound of glass shattering before she felt the burning sensation of heat alongside her face.
Completely enthralled in pain, Nafeesa was totally oblivious to the car-jacking that was taking place. Unlocking the door with his gun in hand, the vicious robber snatched Diane head first onto the concrete.
Pleading for him to stop, Diane never noticed his accomplice lurking in the midnight shadows until it was too late. Taking the butt of his gun, the man quickly ran up behind Diane and cracked her in the head. With blood trickling from the wound, unconscious, Diane lay in the middle of the street with a huge gash in her forehead and several fragments of broken glass lodged in her face.
Both men hopped inside the stolen vehicle and prepared themselves for a smooth getaway. Viewing the shimmering jewelry around her neck, the driver decided to hop back out and snatch it.
“Nigga, let’s go!” the passenger demanded. Swiftly going through her pockets, the coward returned and mashed the gas.
Pulling down the block, the pair heard Nafeesa howl out in pain from the backseat and instantly looked back.
“Oh shit! It’s a pregnant chick back here!” the passenger acknowledged.
“You have got to be fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” the driver said, while looking in the rearview.
Nafeesa continuously cried out, as the baby worked its way forth. After careful deliberation, both of the carjackers decided kidnapping was a crime that they didn’t want to add to their charges, in case things went left.
Pulling the car to a screeching halt, the driver said, “Dump her!”
In a split second, Nafeesa found herself thrown out of the vehicle landing directly on her belly. In disbelief, she rolled over on her back and began coughing up blood.
“Oh my God! Somebody help!” A lady screamed after witnessing the entire scene. The carjackers shot the woman exiting the comer store a nasty glare before speeding off.
Racing over to Nafeesa and seeing that she was pregnant, the stranger continued to cry out for aid. Eventually, a few good guys help lift and usher her back to the woman’s vehicle. Without hesitation the woman threw her car in gear and dashed to the hospital.
Rushing to the desk, Byron and his aunt Charlene were frantic after receiving a second call from Diane. All of the nurses at the front desk attempted to calm the two down, as they both waited for answers.
Recognizing Byron’s voice, Diane exited a nearby office where the authorities were questioning her about the perpetrators.
“Byron!” she called out, with bandages on her head and face. Glad to see her in one piece, Byron raced into her arms, giving her a warm embrace.
Aunt Charlene was also so glad to see that she hadn’t been harmed too badly.
“Are you okay?” Charlene questioned, while examining the bandages.
“Yes, just minor cuts and abrasions. The most damage was done to my forehead, which had to receive twenty-seven stitches, but I’ll live.”
“What about Nafeesa and the baby?” Byron questioned.
A bright smile spread over Diane’s lips when she said, “Nafeesa suffered a busted lip, but other than that her and your beautiful daughter are extremely healthy.”
Aunt Charlene began to beam as bright as the sun.
Byron’s entire mood had changed upon hearing his daughter was finally here. “Where are they? I gotta see them,” Byron replied.
Within minutes, the nurse took them all in to see Nafeesa who lay cradling her newborn girl. Byron was in awe while marveling at his wonderful creation. After checking the beautiful child out a little more, Diane and Charlene decided to leave the trio to themselves.
Byron gently placed a loving kiss upon his baby girl’s forehead, and then lifted his head to passionately kiss his girl.
“I love you, baby,” she smiled.
“I love you two too.” He smirked. Giggling, Nafeesa smiled.
“See your handsome daddy, little Camari? Huh baby. You see Papa?” Byron smiled watching the two interact.
“Camari? I love that name.”
“Yep, since you weren’t around, I took the liberty of naming our baby Camari Nyajah Westbrook,” Nafeesa smiled.
“Sounds like magic to me, and I swear I’m gonna find them dudes that attacked you and Ms. Diane if it’s the last thing I do,” he vowed.
Nafeesa’s smile quickly vanished.
“Are you serious? At a special time like this, you still can afford to have your mind travel into negativity?�
��
“What? You think I’m just gonna sit back and allow this to blow by? Them cats disrespected in a major way!”
“So, what you gonna do since you so bad? You gonna catch them and kill them? Then they partners gone come catch you then kill you? Then a million mothers, girlfriends, and daughters gonna have to cry because of all these body counts stackin’ up? Use your brain Byron! If you trying to save the world go join the military!” Nafeesa offered him sound advice. I guess I do need to think about a better future and do what’s best for my daughter and my woman,” he finally admitted.
Jemarkus bit down on his bottom lip in fury. Diane and Charlene looked on from the background proud of Byron.
“I see you lettin’ that clown ass Anteyvion play you out of position with his holier-than-thou attitude, but remember, that nigga ain’t no Mother Theresa! We did plenty of dirt together and now he wanna bitch up and switch up. Nah, don’t let that nigga trick you down there with them country boys. Shit ain’t right,” Jemarkus pleaded.
“Brother, I gotta go down there and seize this opportunity. I’ll come back to visit,” Byron assured, while placing his hand upon Jemarkus’ shoulder.
“Get your soft ass up off me nigga!” Jemarkus snapped, shrugging off his hand gesture. “You and ya’ punk ass homie, Anteyvion, got shit twisted thinkin’ you can just leave like this..... Don’t turn ya’ back on the hood and think you can just come back! Fuck you thought?”
“You threatenin’ me?” Byron questioned.
Aunt Charlene swiftly walked in between the boys and took her nephew by the arm.
“This conversation is over,” she said, pulling Byron away.
“Take it how you wanna and bring it how you feel,” Jemarkus chuckled. In laughter, all four boys walked away, while Diane and Charlene reinforced Byron’s need to leave and be a better person for his child.
At that moment, Byron was shocked to witness King Louie grab his aunt and say, “Is everything alright, baby? I got here as fast as I could?”
In awe, Byron couldn’t believe that the king was his Aunt Charlene’s secret man. Once their eyes met, King Louie formed an easy smile, telling Byron, “I think we need to go for a walk and have a talk.” Amazed, Charlene confirmed that all was well and watched the pair stroll off.
Overly excited, Byron began rambling instantly. “So, you and my aunt Charlene are a couple?”'
“Yes, but that’s irrelevant. Charlene told me about your situation, and I had already planned on speaking with you, but I didn’t know you would be the same kid from my welcome back ceremony,” King Louie admitted.
Byron allowed his nerves to calm and began to regain his composure. King Louie was like a star to the young man, and to be walking with a man of his caliber was a dream come true for Byron.
“I don’t believe in coincidences kid. I believe in God, what about you?”
“Yeah, I believe in God.”
“Good, ‘cause God brings people in each other’s lives for a purpose. I met you and called you up out of that jam packed venue ‘cause I was impressed. That was our initial meeting and tonight we meet again. It’s all for a purpose,” King Louie said.
“So, what do you think that purpose is King?”
King Louie paused and faced Byron giving him a stem facial expression. “The purpose was for me to tell you how this gang life sucked me up and spit me out and how I will always admire your friend Anteyvion for walking away from it.”
Byron couldn’t believe his ears. “But King, you started all of this?”
“No, I didn’t start any of this. My aim was never chaos and destruction through senseless violence.” He admitted in shame.
Byron studied his idol and listened closely to what he had to say.
“Byron, my vision was an organization that would help communities instead of destroying them. Chicago is not supposed to be like this. We possess so much promise, with unity, but we’d rather kill one another over what keeps us divided. The Murda Gang wasn’t what I wanted, but greed is what resulted from ignorance. Everything that came with fame altered my purpose. I became nothing more than a vicious animal, playing into the wretched hands of fate when it came to a young, ignorant, street nigga.”
Byron was digesting the King’s pain with every syllable in which he spoke.
“Now that I’m home again, I plan to do as much good as I possibly can before my time is up. My first good deed is to get you out of this lifestyle. Take it from me…....it’s a lose/lose situation. I became a slave to trying to reverse the havoc in which I had a hand in creating. Don’t be like me and fall into the mental captivity of the
gang life, instead, be a father to your child,” King Louie urged.
Byron took a deep breath and let out a hearty sigh before responding.
“King, I hear everything that you been sayin’, and the truth is hearing it come from you has really hit home. Nafeesa, Diane, Aunt Charlene and Anteyvion have all made it clear that a positive change must come, but when you say it, it’s the clearest!”
King Louie smiled, as the young man continued.
“Anteyvion wants me to move to Atlanta, go to school, and earn money for my family, and I had just told Nafeesa we were going,” he proudly stated this, more sure than ever before.
“Congrats! I wish you three nothing but the very best!” King Louie exclaimed. It brought his heart joy to know the kid was thinking straight and preparing to break the vicious cycle, which plagued the lives of so many African American youth in this city.
After meeting Nafeesa and Camari, King Louie bid everyone a farewell and kissed Charlene goodnight.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, baby,” she said, melting in his strong embrace; Charlene was smiling like a teenage girl.
“I can’t wait,” he said. Winking his eye at her, the King headed out to his car for home.
Pulling up to the curb in front of his place, King Louie cut his car off. A bit tired from a very long day of event planning to raise funds for the children of the ghetto, he checked his watch.
“Damn, it’s three in the morning,” he said, followed by a tiresome yawn. Exiting the car, he retrieved his house keys and made it up the concrete staircase to his porch.
Opening the screen door, he instantly took notice of the shadows moving, but it was too late.
POP! POP! POP…....was the sound he heard, as he felt the bullets slam into his back.
Falling against the wooden door frame, King Louie turned to face the masked gunmen, but true to form, the cowards were already racing away from the scene.
Sliding down to the ground, the King knew he was paralyzed. The only thing he could do was to scream for help as his body went numb.
“HEEELLLP! HEEELLLP!” he cried out.
Furious by the sound, Jemarkus couldn’t believe how negligent Nigeria and the rest had been in such a major hit.
“You stupid muthafuckas! That nigga ain’t even dead!” Jemarkus barked. Retrieving his pistol, he checked the clip; it was fully loaded with his favorite hollow tips.
“I got nervous man! I mean that’s King Louie,” Tracey admitted.
“We all did,” Kimbo added.
“Fuck pussy Louie! I should’ve known not to send three boys to do a man’s job!” Jemarkus said jumping out of his car.
“Somebody, please help!” King Louie called out, as he began to choke on his own blood.
“I’m here now King Louie, don’t worry about a thang,” Jemarkus said, while stepping on the porch.
The King never forgot a face and recognized the kid from his party. A sense of comfort came over him.
“God, thank you man, I’d die without you……,” King Louie confessed.
“Nah , nigga you dyin’ by me!” Jemarkus said, kicking the King in his face and stepping on his head.
“Prison made you soft old man. Out of respect, I ain’t gonna blow ya’ head off, but meet the new prince before you meet your maker,” he said, removing his boot from the King’s face.
“Live by it and die by it……,” were his final words, as Jemarkus sent six shots in his heart.
“So true,” he laughed while racing back to his car and burning rubber down the street.
***********************************************************
As a child I grew up amongst gang members and ran with local crews. We were harmless to say the least, because we all had morals. Children today are driven by want and not necessity. That alone has become a very apparent means of self-destruction!
I’ve come across several gang members who claim alliances to their gang, yet, have no background history of what they’re claiming! Some kids join gangs out of a lack of love within the household.
Others join out of fear that if they don’t, harm will come their way. For example, a boy with no ties to any gang growing up in a Blood Gang neighborhood is bound to be approached to join. If he doesn’t, he may get beaten up.
On the contrary, a gang of Crips (rival of Bloods) may know this kid is growing up in a Blood gang neighborhood and jump on him simply assuming he’s a member. This child finds himself in a lose/lose situation until circumstance forces him to pledge allegiance.
The media today sensationalizes the gang life as if it were a fad which passes. Any real gang member will not hesitate to tell you of the constant dangers which haunt them every day of their lives.
It’s not cool to bury a different friend every other week and hope that next week isn’t your time of expiration.
Gang life is hard, but fair. If you live a life based on dirt, you live a short life and then you’re covered in the dirt. Many members find themselves dead or incarcerated and betrayed by other members.
Television shows and music are constantly commercializing the lives of gang members who understand the history in which their gangs were founded.
Chiraq Killinois (America's Nightmare) Page 4