Shyt List 5: Smokin' Crazies The Finale' (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Reign (T. Styles)

  “Not true.”

  “What you mean?”

  “You have Bricks and you have Yvonna.”

  He laughed and was five seconds from throwing her out of the shower, by way of her hair. “You tripping now, hard.” He turned back around, grabbed the soap and started lathering his body again. “I knew I should’ve locked the door.”

  “Ming is serious. You argue with Bricks everyday so you and him have a relationship. It might not be nice, but it’s a relationship all the same. And you and Yvonna are bound by what you went through as children. Who do I have? I’m alone and I miss my son. I miss home. All I want is a little love from you, Swoopes, even if it’s not real.”

  “And I told you I don’t wanna relationship. And as far as missing home, you can go back anytime you want,” She tried to hold him again but he was able to slither away from her. But like an octopus, she managed to get her arms back around him and at that moment he had to admit, she felt good. “Ain’t nobody saying you gotta be down with this AFCOG shit, Ming. I don’t even know why you here anyway.”

  “Ming can’t turn around now.” She pulled away and he turned around to look at her. “What is it about Ming that you hate? Am I’m not sexy enough for you? It’s okay to be honest. Ming prefers it that way.”

  “Listen, before I met you, I never thought about being with a Chinese bitch. Since then, I have to say you are the baddest chink I ever met in my life. But a relationship is not something I’m looking for right now.”

  Ming considered his chink comment extremely racist. She forgot that she said the word nigga more times than the old rap group NWA. “Chink bitch? Ming ain’t just some chink bitch. Ming is woman, whether you know it or not.”

  Swoopes dick was now so soft, it looked like a deflated balloon. Had she not burst into the bathroom, he would’ve gotten his shit off already. “Look, I just want to take a shower and do me. How ‘bout I get up with you when I get out.”

  “Are you gonna sleep in the bed with Ming tonight? So we can finish what we started?

  When the bathroom door opened and the lights went out before closing again, Swoopes heart beat thunder. Until Bricks whispered, “Be quiet…we think some niggas in the house,” he thought his life was over. “And turn the water off. We don’t want them to know we in here.”

  Swoopes turned the water off and tried to remain in goon mode although he was naked. He eased around Ming and reached for his weapon on the back of the toilet, but it was gone. He was about to go off, until Ming placed it softly in his hand. Feeling his way in the dark, he eased out the shower, grabbed his sweats and Ming followed by wrapping a towel around her body.

  “Ya’ll doing too much fucking moving,” Yvonna whispered. Swoopes didn’t know she was there until she spoke.

  Swoopes took the moment to activate the slide on his weapon. Bricks irritated with him as usual said, “See this why I don’t fuck with this nigga. He don’t listen. Didn’t we just finish telling this mothafucka to shut the fuck up?”

  “You the only one doing all the talking. I’m gearing up instead of hiding in a hovel waiting to get fucked.” Their conversation was ceased when from the outside of the door, they heard footsteps moving down the hallway in their direction.

  A few more seconds of silence passed before they heard, “Who are ya’ll?” It was Tata, and Bricks felt guilty that he couldn’t alert her and Elika that they had unwanted company in the house. “And what are you doing in this…”

  Two bullets rang out followed by the sure sound of a body drop. Moments later, a second set of rushed footsteps could be heard coming from the basement. Elika’s voice cried out in anguish and it was obvious that he saw Tata. “What have you…”

  Three bullets muted his sound and the tension in the bathroom was heavy.

  “Who the fuck are these niggas?” Bricks asked, praying they wouldn’t open the bathroom door and murder them next.

  “I don’t know why don’t you go outside and ask.” Swoopes fired back, angered at what he considered to be dumb questions.

  “Where the fuck you think that bitch at?” the intruder said. “They said she was in here.”

  “They must be looking for Yvonna.” Ming said, her words trembled as they left her lips.

  “Just ‘cause the nigga looking for a bitch, doesn’t mean he’s looking for me.

  “I don’t know where she is, but Yao said that his niece called to check on her kid from this house.” Everyone looked in Ming’s direction, although they couldn’t see her face in the dark. She was warned about calling home and her insolence may mean their lives.

  “I’m sorry,” Ming whispered. “I missed Boy. It was just one call.”

  “Wait a minute,” Swoopes said in a harsh tone. “That...that sounds like Rook and Mike.”

  “Who are they?” Bricks asked although Yvonna knew.

  “Niggas from the YBM. Let me go talk to them right quick.” He moved around in the darkness for a second.

  “Please don’t go, Swoopes.” Ming sobbed. “They’ll kill you.”

  He placed his lips against her ear and she seemed to calm down.

  Focusing back on the group he said, “Ya’ll stay in here. I might be able to get us out of this shit alive.”

  YVONNA

  The bathroom seemed too hot as the three of them waited on the verdict. “Yvonna, I don’t trust this nigga. I’m telling you.” Bricks whispered. “I see how he talks to you sometimes he got larceny in his heart. This dude should’ve never been near you or me. I wished you listened to me. Whether you like it or not, I’m gonna start taking the lead in this shit. If we make it out alive.”

  “We gonna die,” Ming sobbed softly. “I don’t wanna die.”

  “You should’ve thought about that shit before you called Boy.” Yvonna responded. “This is mostly your fault.”

  “Don’t take this out on her,” Bricks defended. “You should’ve gotten rid of the snake when it crawled out the bush. This is as much your fault as it is hers.”

  While Bricks passed the “I told you so’s’’ out, Yvonna wished he could be more optimistic. The more time they spent together, the more she didn’t like certain things about him. The bottom line was they didn’t have a choice, they had to trust Swoopes.

  Earlier that evening, when they heard the niggas rushing into the house, they dipped into the bathroom without their weapons. Had they went for their heat, they could’ve possibly crossed paths with the intruders. Opting to live another day, they took the best route, which was the guest bathroom. Since Swoopes was the only one with the gun, they were defenseless and at his mercy.

  “I don’t have a choice but to trust him right now, Bricks. None of us do.”

  From the bathroom they heard Rook ask, “Swoopes, what you doing here, man? We been looking all over for you.”

  “I’m trying to find this bitch.” He lied. But what ya’ll doing here, Rook? How did you know she’d probably be here?”

  “Since we ain’t getting money with you no more, we got up wit’ this Chinese nigga, Yao. Seems like the whole world want this bitch dead, Swoopes. When I saw the paper he was laying, I figured you were on to something the whole time.” He paused. “But hold up, how did you know she was here?”

  “I been on her trail for the longest. Seemed like every time I got closer she shook me. I was waiting for her to come back tonight, when the next thing I knew, I saw ya’ll niggas. I just got here too.”

  “Well where your shoes?” Rook asked.

  Silence.

  “Yeah, man, why you ain’t got no shoes on?” Mike added.

  “I took a nap in the bedroom. I found out she went to see her kid, so I figured at some point she’d come back. It was just a fifteen minute nap. Nothing serious. If anything, Yao should’ve hired me to get at her. No offense, but if anybody knows everything about Yvonna Harris, I’m it.”

  “I don’t got a good feeling ‘bout this, man.” Bricks whispered. It was evident to Yvonna that Bricks kept saying he didn
’t trust him for his good not hers, because it wasn’t helping anything. “I don’t know how I let you talk me out of killing that dude.”

  As he spoke to himself, she thought about Yao. After everything she did for him, all the murders she committed in his honor, he still wanted her dead. “I can’t believe this shit.” Yvonna said as she felt around in the darkness for the toilet bowl to sit on. The tenderness from the BB shot bothered her momentarily before she pushed it out her mind. It seemed trivial since she might die in minutes anyway. “Yao won’t leave me alone. Why can’t he just leave me the fuck alone?”

  “How do you think I feel?” Ming said, “I’m his niece and he never showed me an ounce of respect.” Her voice trailed off. “Or love.”

  “So when did YBM get with Yao?” Swoopes asked.

  “’Bout a month ago.” Mike replied. “This bamma paying niggas heavy. We can finally get put on like we been wanting. And if you act right, you can too.”

  “And what the fuck do you consider acting right, Mike?”

  “By telling us where that bitch at for real. That’s how you act right.”

  “I already told you. I’m waiting for her to get back from visiting her daughter.”

  “And I’m saying we’ve known you for too long, man.” Mike announced. “You half dressed. You would not be loungin’ & loafin’ unless you knew something. Come on, Swoopes. Keep it right and tell us where she at.”

  “The nigga Yao gonna give us a hundred thou to bring her alive. We couldn’t make them numbers up if we prayed, man. You help us, and we’ll give you a cut.” Rook said. “It’ll be just like old times.”

  “It’s that simple. So where she at? What’s the address?”

  “The nigga ‘bout to give us up.” Bricks whispered. Sweat poured down his back and tickled. He hadn’t been this nervous ever. He wanted to cut the lights on to see what he could use as a weapon but knew it was futile. “I didn’t even get a chance to get my son right before I died. I was gonna give him some paper and set him up and now it’s too late.” His statement sounded like blame in Yvonna’s direction, but she was done with him anyway. “I can’t believe I’m gonna die without setting Chomps straight.”

  “You ain’t the only one with a kid.” Yvonna advised. “We got children too.”

  “Come on, man. Be real with us. Tell us where she at.” Mike persisted. “I know you got your own reasons for wanting her dead, but let’s make this money together.”

  There was twenty seconds of uncomfortable silence before Swoopes said, “She’s in the bathroom.”

  “I told you.” Bricks slammed his fist into his palm. “If we get out of this shit, maybe then you’ll start trusting me.”

  Quick footsteps moved toward the bathroom and Yvonna popped off the toilet. This was it and she felt weak at the knees. When Swoopes opened the door, Bricks rushed him and connected with a fist to his nose. He fell to the floor and he was able to land a few more in his mouth and good eye. Yvonna walked out slowly while Ming stayed inside, hidden in the bathroom, out of harm’s way. Yvonna wished it was something she could do to help Bricks, but guilt weighed her down. She wasn’t thinking straight.

  “Fuckin’ traitor! I should’ve known I couldn’t trust your bitch ass.” For fifteen seconds the two men were in throws, each promising to murder the other. “I knew you was a snake!”

  Finally Mike and Rook hoisted him off of Swoopes. They held onto him as he tried to wiggle away. “Hold him, ya’ll.” Swoopes said giving him one last hateful look. “I’ma handle the bitch first.” Swoopes wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and walked up to Yvonna. His eye told her he couldn’t hate her more if he tried.

  Out of nowhere, he recited the poem she’d written Tree in jail, some time back.

  “You are I.

  And you are what I want.

  I am her who can’t live without him.

  You are my heartbeat.

  I’d rather be raped.

  And.

  I’d rather be tortured.

  Until I say when.

  Because it’s.

  Not going to do me any good at all.

  I said.

  That until it’s all said and.

  Done.

  That you are what I.

  Want.

  You…not him.

  When you left I felt killed.”

  The hairs on the back of Yvonna’s neck rose when he was done. The fact that he remembered the poem, she used as a means to have him raped and killed in jail by Tree, meant he never forgave her. To some the poem would seem meaningless. But if you took the last word of each line, you would receive the message she gave to Tree.

  “What does the poem mean, Yvonna?” Swoopes stepped so close to her, she could feel his rage. “Tell me.”

  “Get the fuck outta her face, nigga! If you got so much to say, say it to me!” Bricks bravely yelled from the sidelines despite being outnumbered and out-armed. “You better not hurt her either!”

  Swoopes turned around to look at him. “My man, you ain’t in no position to give orders.” Focused back on Yvonna he said, “What does the poem mean, bitch?”

  Reluctantly she said, “It means, ‘I want him beat, raped and tortured. And when it’s all said and done, I want him killed.” Swoopes gave her a sly smile. In her opinion, he just justified his reason for betrayal.

  “I knew you should’ve killed this mothafucka when you had a chance,” Gabriella said, appearing next to her. “Now you’re about to die and there ain’t shit you can do about it.”

  “Shut up, Gabriella!”

  Swoopes frowned.

  “Who the fuck is Gabriella?” Rook asked, maintaining his hold on Bricks.

  “Nobody,” Swoopes laughed, “Just this bitch's way of trying to throw niggas off, by talking to herself.”

  She thought about Delilah, and how she didn’t get the chance to see her again. She looked at Bricks and thought about all his warnings. Had she allowed him to lead, none of this would have happened. She loved him. In her own way, but she loved him all the same. What she wouldn’t give to go back to the day, when she held the gun to Swoopes’ head in the garage, when they were all alone and she just shot Gabriella. Had she pulled the trigger, the world would be free of him.

  Looking at Bricks, she felt it was her duty to get them out of the situation, even if it meant pouring her heart out. In a low murmur she said, “Please don’t kill us, Swoopes.” She finally looked up at him. “Please. I have a daughter and Bricks has a son. Don’t hurt us. I saved your life.”

  “You so fucking weak.” Gabriella taunted. “I can’t believe you’re doing this shit.”

  “Don’t kill you?” Swoopes repeated. “After everything you did to me? Bitch, if I don’t do nothing else in life, it’ll be to kill you.” He spat. Taking one step back from her, he said, “After I get my money from Yao.”

  “Now you talking!” Rook cheered behind him.

  “For a second you had me worried too.” Mike added.

  “Naw I didn’t forget the paper.” Swoopes looked at them. And then looking over Yvonna’s shoulder, toward the bathroom he said, “Buck them niggas.”

  Out of nowhere Ming ran out firing in Rook and Mike’s direction. Since they didn’t see her coming, or knew she was in the bathroom, they were caught off guard. Rook tried to reach for his piece but he trusted that Swoopes would handle business and because of it, he wasn’t quick enough. He paid for his slowness with his life because Ming caught him quick, with a hole to the throat. He fell backwards and placed his hand over his neck as blood poured out of his body and between his fingers. When Mike tried to reach for his gun, Bricks stole him in his jaw and watched him plop to the floor next to his fallen comrade. Together, he and Swoopes drug him into the living room and threw him on the couch. While all of the action was taking place, Yvonna dipped into the bedroom to get her and Bricks’ artillery.

  “I don’t wanna kill you, man,” Swoopes said to Mike out of breath, “We go way bac
k, but this shit here is deeper than you know about.”

  “I’m not even hearing you.” Mike said angrily. “This the ultimate offense.”

  “You would say that, but I can’t have nobody gettin’ in the way of what we trying to do. Which is why I had shawty kill Rook. I knew he wouldn’t understand why I can’t let you hurt Yvonna but maybe you will.” He was out of breath and leaned against the wall. He lied to Mike in order to try and pump him for info before stealing his life. “I’m sorry, man.”

  “I’m not understanding none of this shit! So ain’t nothin’ you can say to me. We YBM! Where’s your fuckin’ loyalty?”

  “I know it may seem fucked up...but I got some people after me…some people who not fuckin’ around. These niggas make everybody we ever came in contact with look soft.”

  “You forgot about one thing.” He laughed hysterically. “Yao and the Mah Jong Dynasty. What you think he going to do when he find out you involved?” Without waiting on a response he said, “I watched him kill Growl before he could finish a sentence. I sure hope that bitch is worth it.”

  “You right. Yao does carry heavy weight. And I don’t have time to be worrying about him. That’s why you gotta tell me his plan.”

  “Fuck you, you bitch ass, gimp, punk mothafucka!” When a bullet flew between Bricks and Swoopes and split the flesh of Mike’s leg, Swoopes and Bricks jumped out of the line of fire just in time. When they turned around they saw Ming holding the gun she was given by Swoopes in the bathroom.

  Swoopes stomped toward her, snatched his shit away and said, “Gimme my shit! You almost hit me. That’s why I was skeptical ‘bout handing it over in the first place.”

  “You shoulda let me in on the plan.” Bricks said, using the moment to get a few things off his chest. “Handing it to a female was a sucker ass move.” Prior to him telling Ming to bust the gun, he thought Swoopes was stabbing them in the back. Although he was relieved to be alive, he didn’t like being wrong. “I was better equipped to handle business than her.”