A small load had been lifted off Chill’s shoulders. At first, he thought Twan was going for his gun and was about to reach for his own until he saw that was not the case. Instead, Twan pulled out a knot of cash.
“Here, take this shit,” he then said, tossing a hundred-dollar bill in Chill’s direction.
Insulted by the gesture, Chill instantly replied, “Man, I don’t want ya money, kid.”
In all honesty, it wasn’t about the money at all with Chill, but Twan did not get it. He now also felt insulted by Chill’s decline and his demeanor changed.
“Oh, my paper ain’t good e—”
“Boc! Boc! Boc! Boc!”
“Brrrgah! Brrrgah! Brrrgah!”
“What the—Boom! Boom! Boom!”
“Aagh!”
“Brrrgah! Brrrgah!”
“Oh shit!”
“Boc! Boc! Boc! Boc!”
“Get in!”
“Boom! Boom! Boom! Click! Click!”
“Somebody call a ma’fuckin’ ambulance!” shouted Troy.
The sound of Troy’s voice caused Chill to end his pursuit.
“Yo, who the fuck was that?” an out-of-breath Chill asked, making his way back to where shots had moments ago erupted, with his .45 still in hand. He had just chased and unloaded his weapon into the navy-blue Cherokee as the two masked gunmen jumped in and sped away. He watched as the Cherokee’s taillights vanished up the street.
“I don’t know, but Twan’s hit,” a bewildered Troy yelled out.
By now, everyone had come out of their hiding places and gathered around Twan. His body lay helplessly on the ground as blood spilled out the side of his mouth and oozed out of his bullet-riddled body. Numerous shots ripped into his flesh before he even had the chance to pull his own weapon. He could hear the voices surrounding him asking the questions among each other of “who” and “why,” with no avail. The only one that was able to provide them with answers was Twan himself, but the blood that began to clog his throat passage prevented him from speaking out as he lay there fighting for his life. He made an attempt to speak but had only managed to grunt inaudibly. He could not believe—or rather, didn’t want to believe—that this was his final fate. During his time in prison, he had heard many stories about so many others being released after serving years and years on lockdown, going home in search of their ghetto forty acres and a government mule, only to have their lives cut short from making the mistake of underestimating a person’s capabilities. Now, here it was, he was faced with the same type of statistical situation from making that same fatal error.
As his life began to flash before his very eyes, the only thing Twan could think of that would have been the cause of him lying on the cold concrete fighting death was what had taken place the other day. And now, it was because of his egotistical way of thinking that he had gotten more than what he’d bargained for. Twan was almost certain that because he had reacted first without thinking, all over a bruised ego, he was now being met with an untimely demise.
That being his last thought, Twan’s eyes began to dilate in the back of his head as his body began to convulse. Death had opened its door and embraced him before the ambulance arrived.
Chapter Four
“Le Le, slow the fuck down,” Earth commanded from the backseat of the Cherokee, pulling off her mask. “You gonna get us knocked the fuck off.”
Glancing at the speedometer, Le Le did as she was told. She hadn’t realized she was doing 80 mph down Remsen Avenue. Her only concern at that time was getting her two girlfriends out of harm’s way after the gun battle erupted on the notorious block. There was no way she would have been able to live with herself if something was to have happened to either of them. After all, it was because of her they had gone around there in the first place.
“Are y’all all right?” Le Le asked, looking back at them through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, we good,” Heaven assured her. “But I can’t say the same for that nigga,” she added.
“So y’all get ’em, then?”
“What the fuck you mean did we get ’em? Of course, we did,” Earth stated irritably.
“Cool out,” Heaven said. She knew where her friend’s hostility was coming from and didn’t blame her, but now was not the time for either of them to lose a level head. Still, Earth would not let it go.
“Nah, fuck that,” Earth retorted. “We wouldn’t even be in this predicament if it weren’t for this bitch. I told ya dumb ass before about showing off for mu’fuckas,” she spat, directing her words at Le Le.
“I wasn’t tryin’a—”
“Just shut the fuck up and drive,” Earth said, cutting her short.
Heaven knew better than to intervene when Earth was reprimanding one of their workers. Not only were she and Earth partners in crime, but more so, they had been friends even longer, so Heaven knew her girl all too well. There was no doubt in her mind that if she attempted to pacify the situation or aid Le Le in any type of way, specifically trying to calm her road dawg, it would only add fuel to the fire. Earth had been that way for as long as Heaven could remember, extending back to their days when the two had first met at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, New Jersey. As Earth continued to verbally scold and chastise Le Le, Heaven could not help but to reflect on her partner’s and her first encounter.
“Listen up for your name. State your number when your name is called.”
It had been six long and stressful months in Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center and Heavenly Devine Jacobs was finally being shipped out to prison. As crazy as it sounded, she was more than ecstatic to be leaving the county jail transferring to prison. Her first time ever being locked up, Heavenly had copped out to a plea agreement of seven years with a three and a half year stipulation, meaning she would have to serve at least that before she was eligible for parole—all for the sake of love. At least, that’s what she had thought at the time.
Growing up in New Brunswick, New Jersey, raised by her father, who was known to be one of the biggest heroin dealers in town, and a mother who was deemed one of the finest females in all of Franklin, Heavenly’s childhood was that of a ghetto fairy tale. At birth, she had inherited her mother’s God-given beauty, but as she grew older, she gravitated and inherited her father’s taste for the streets and money. By the time she was fifteen, Heavenly, who had shortened her name to Heaven, had every baller, young and old alike, that laid eyes on her, wanting her, but only those who had paper, and plenty of it, could afford the luxury. Even then, Heaven made it hard for them because her father saw to it that she didn’t want for anything. That is, until a fateful day occurred, changing Heaven’s life forever. When she was eighteen, Heaven’s parents were murdered during a home invasion over money and drugs, while Heaven was away in Cancun for Spring Break.
Having practically been left with nothing, Heaven instantly switched into survival mode, using her knowledge of the game and her most valuable assets to get ahead in life. In no time, she had secured the position of wifey with a known money getter from the uptown area of her town. Initially, Heaven’s intent was to do what she had to do in order to survive, but as time progressed, she found herself falling in love with the hustler. It was that same love that caused her to take the weight for a quarter of a kilo of cocaine and an eighth of a kilo of heroin that was found during a raid in an apartment in her name. Heaven was convinced that he had loved her just the same, if not more, which is why she didn’t hesitate to step up to the plate and wear the drugs when he had asked her to. Her boyfriend had constantly showed his love and support while she awaited sentencing. During that time, he made sure her commissary was strapped, collect calls were accepted, visits were never missed, and letters and cards were sent daily. He had done everything any woman in Heaven’s position would want a man to do for them—all the way up to the time Heaven had signed and was sentenced on her plea. The entire time Heaven assumed that her man was keeping it real with her like she was with him,
but that whole time he was actually keeping it real fake. Before the ink had dried on the papers she had signed, like a thief in the night, he had vanished, never to be seen or heard from again, leaving Heaven with a lengthy prison sentence and a hardened heart.
“Heavenly Jacobs.”
“400441,” Heavenly replied.
This was the number given to her after sentencing, a number that she had memorized and would remember for the rest of her life. In the six-month period she had been confined, incarceration had already begun to impact her life. It was her every intent to leave out better and smarter than when she had come in. Only in Heaven’s case, she was set on becoming a better and smarter criminal. She peered out of the gated window of the New Jersey Department of Corrections bus as it arrived and came to a halt at the state correctional facility for women. When it was her turn to exit what was called the “Blue Bird,” an eerie feeling swept through her.
No more than five minutes inside the female prison, women of all shades of color, weight, and heights, filled the dayroom area. When she and others entered the housing unit that would be her place of residency for the next three years or so, she knew she was going to have problems. She heard someone catcall “Fresh meat,” as she and five other women carefully walked down the tier in search of their assigned cells. Other women began to pour out into the dayroom from their living quarters hearing the “fresh meat” call.
It was apparent that two of the females that had been shipped with Heaven had been to the facility before. Heaven noticed that they were giving handshakes and hugs to a few of the women and overheard one of them ask what they had done this time to return. While she continued down the tier in search of her cell, Heaven noticed three manly looking females eyeing her from afar, but did her best to maintain her poker face and pretend as if she hadn’t.
After only a week at the facility, the same trio, who Heaven now realized were female studs, tried to run up in her cell with the intention of conducting a gang rape. Heaven was no slouch when it came to throwing her hands. Her father had taught her how to defend herself at a young age, but based on their sizes, she was not sure if she could fight off all three butch chicks at once. Ready to protect her womanhood or die trying, Heaven positioned her back against the cell wall, threw her hands up, and got in a fighting stance. The three would-be attackers all smiled.
“Bitch, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” the biggest of the three said in a deep tone, unfazed by Heaven’s attempt to fend for herself. The other two manly looking females barricaded the entrance of the cell with their huge and grotesque bodies, while their partner prepared to make her move. Just as the gorilla of a woman was about to launch her attack on Heaven, a shadow entered the six-by-nine cell from behind.
Heaven had also noticed the sudden dimness but couldn’t see the cause through the women.
When the three women all turned and directed their attention toward the cell entrance, their eyes widened at the sight. Earth stood just outside of the doorway in her white wife beater, gray sweatpants, and beige state boots tightly tied, twirling two razor blades around in her mouth with her tongue. She had watched from day one when the long-haired voluptuously shaped redbone had come into the institution, and Teresa and her clique immediately began scoping her out. Normally, Earth didn’t get involved in other people’s affairs, but there was something about the new girl that drew her in, besides the fact that she had a weakness for light-skinned women.
Well aware of Earth’s reputation with the two infamous blades she always kept in her mouth, the two girls who posed as blockers for the intended rape stood down. Neither of the two wanted any problems with Earth, but Teresa’s ego and pride took control over her intellect. She could not let Earth punk her, especially not in front of her two lovers.
“Yo, this don’t have nuthin’ to do with you, E; you don’t know nuthin’, you don’t see nuthin’, won’t be nuthin’, ya dig?” Teresa spat boldly.
Earth snickered to herself. Teresa’s words held no weight. She had known her for years, even outside the prison walls. They were both from Plainfield; Earth from the projects, Teresa from Third Street. Earth believed Teresa to be a coward, who preyed on who she felt to be weak on the streets and had been displaying the same behavior at the facility since Earth had arrived some years earlier. The two didn’t get along on the outside, and the same applied on the inside. Up until now, Teresa had stayed out of Earth’s way and never gave her a reason to pull her card or go up against her. Today, Earth welcomed the challenge.
The last female who had made the mistake of going up against her had received more zippers on her face than Edward Scissorhands, resulting in Earth serving nine months in solitary confinement. Without uttering so much as one word, the two other females cautiously began to bail out of the cell like a row of ducks, not even attempting to glance over at Earth out of fear of triggering her off. They saw what was evolving between Earth and Teresa. Though they were lovers of Teresa, they knew the three of them, combined, were no match for Earth. On several occasions, they were all too familiar with her work with both her hands and the razors she was legendary in the facility for. Neither woman wanted to risk leaving prison with any additional marks or scars, and they knew the possibility was great if they sided with Teresa against Earth.
Noticing that Teresa’s two flunkies had no intentions on intervening in what was about to transpire, Earth had already envisioned the cut she intended to carve into Teresa’s face. She could see in her eyes that Teresa was ready to make her move, so, she too intended to make hers. Just as Earth was about to spit out her blades and commence to dicing, Heaven landed a right hook that connected with Teresa’s jaw. Though the punch didn’t send her to the canvas, it was effective enough to give Heaven the upper hand. Seeing that Teresa was dazed, Heaven grabbed a fistful of her cornrows and threw what seemed like a hundred punches in succession into her face.
“New Boot, chill,” Earth repeated for the umpteenth time, but her words fell on deaf ears. It took four officers and a direct hit of pepper spray to the face for Heaven to discontinue the beat down she had been giving Teresa. Heaven received ninety days in lockup and returned to her initial unit while Teresa was transferred to another.
Not knowing her motives at the time, as soon as Heaven spotted Earth, she approached her.
“Thanks, but I could’ve handled that.”
“I’m sure you could’ve, and you did,” was all Earth replied before walking off.
Two days had gone by before either of the two said anything else to the other. It was actually Heaven who broke the ice by thanking Earth again, this time introducing herself. Within a few months, Heaven and Earth had become comrades and formed a bond as thick as thieves. No one could utter a word, look at, or even breathe funny around Heaven without facing consequences at the hands of Earth. She had beat a female from Elizabeth unconscious just for commenting to someone that she felt Heaven thought she was better than everybody else. Earth ended up serving another six months in lockup for that. The incident caused everyone, including the officers, to believe that Heaven and Earth were lovers, since Earth was a lesbian and so overprotective of Heaven. But that was far from being the case. They were more like sisters than anything else, and whenever Earth was not on lock, their discussions and plans extended far beyond sexuality, and even then, they managed to stay in touch, plotting and planning through letters and messages passed on by cool officers and trustees who frequented and worked the administrative-segregation unit. As beautiful as Heaven was, and despite the fact that Earth had a thing for thick redbones, she had the utmost respect for her new friend and never came at her on that order. It was that same respect that had spilled over into the street.
Earth was still launching her verbal attack on Le Le when Heaven snapped out of her daze.
“You understand what the fuck I’m saying?” was all Heaven had caught of the conversation as she returned to the present.
“Yeah,” Le Le answered childli
ke.
Heaven was glad that whatever lecture Earth had given Le Le while she reminisced was slowly defusing itself. All she wanted to do now was get home, take a long, hot bath, and blow an “L” before climbing into her queen-sized bed. Heaven saw Earth massaging her temples and became concerned. “E, what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing. This bitch gave me a headache, that’s all.”
Heaven couldn’t help but smile. Earth was always accusing someone of giving her a headache or blowing her high when she smoked weed. Some of the things Earth did and said had Heaven believing that Earth was intended to be born a boy. She was just as much, if not more, of a dude than any man Heaven knew in her book.
“I know what you thinking too, bitch,” Earth directed her words to Heaven.
“What?” Heaven replied knowingly with a slight grin on her face.
“Yeah, a’ight,” Earth shot back stone-faced, but on the inside, she concealed her smile, not wanting Le Le to feel any comfort or relief in the matter. She felt no remorse for the way she had come down so hard on her worker. She simply didn’t tolerate or accept nonsense. As of lately, Le Le had been creating lots of it and had to be checked, as far as she was concerned. That’s just the way she was.
Eartha Monae Davis was from Plainfield. She grew up on the west end of the city in the Second Street, three-story housing projects. She had never known her father, nor did she care to. In her eyes, her mother, who was a full-blooded lesbian, had compensated for his absence. Her mother never offered any information on who he was or his whereabouts, and Earth had never bothered to ask. Because of her mother’s sexual preference, Earth was exposed to, and introduced to, a different type of lifestyle than most young girls. For as long as she could remember, Earth could not recall a male figure entering the household of her and her mother’s. Not even when her mother conducted her weed transactions or entertained company in their apartment. The only faces she ever saw were those of pretty, light-skinned, tender-looking females who always appeared to be younger than her mother was. She would often wake in the middle of the night and run into women in the nude while on her way to the bathroom. Those were the only type her mother allowed to stay the night. Earth became both immune and accustomed to seeing this type of behavior in her home.
Heaven and Earth Page 2