by Nicety
“What the fuck, Adrial? Are you fucking crazy? Why would you bring me here to this shit?” I popped off.
“Calm down, bro. I know you know who did Angel in, Vega. It was Violet and you know it. I found out today that you were fucking her from her momma. I had been trying to get her momma to turn on her for the longest. Cookie finally gave her up to me for fifty thousand dollars of course.”
“Where the fuck you get fifty thousand dollars from?”
“I took out a loan from my old man. He was all too eager to give it to me since he found out I was getting a divorce from my wife, whom he couldn’t ever stand,” Adrial laughed. “So you see, even though this bitch tore our lives apart, it all worked out in the end.”
“No bro. I can’t be fucking around with no shit like this. I don’t give a fuck what she did. I’ll turn her sorry ass into the police before I do some whacked out shit like this man. You fucked up,” I snapped.
“So you saying you don’t want none of this shit?” The serious look in his eye made me realize he was definitely off his fucking rocker. “Com’ on man. The police can’t take care of this shit. She always gets off. Naw, we had to take care of this shit ourselves.”
“We? Man, hell no there’s no we in this. You did this shit so you deal with this shit. I’m not going down for you. I mean look at her man. What the fuck? Is she dead?”
“Naw, she’s still alive just heavily sedated.” He shrugged.
Gazing down at her blood-ridden body made me actually feel bad for her despite the shit she had done. Nobody deserved to go out like that. My heart pumped a mile a minute terrified that someone would automatically link me to this shit just for seeing me come in the house. Adrial and his actions annoyed the fuck out of me. It had me quickly reevaluating the existence of our friendship.
“Why did you bring me here? Did you honestly think I would go through with some shit like this? You’ve fucked up for the last time with me, Adrial,” I headed towards the door not even wanting to turn back. “We’re done. Don’t call my phone anymore. For the love of everything that is holy, let that damn girl go and lose my fucking number bro.”
“Vega. Vega, don’ leave. Help me, bro. Help me,” Adrial yelled in shear agony after me but I was already at the top of the stairs.
Hoping that the darkness shielded me from anyone being able to identify me, I hopped back in the cab instructing him to take off immediately. He did so like a bat out of hell. I sat back taking a deep breath from the shit I had just witnessed. As much as I wanted revenge on Violet for what she did to Angel, I didn’t want it like that. I was not about to destroy my entire life just to get revenge on a bitch that obviously needed more help than anything. Adrial and I were done. It was nothing to cut his crazy ass off especially since he didn’t think about what I could stand to lose by coming there. He was out of his fucking mind.
I took out my phone once we got back on the expressway realizing I forgot to call the one person who didn’t know what the hell was going on yet. “Aye, Mika when you get this message, call me back. I’ve got to talk to you about your sister.”
Mika
Before I could blink, one of his long muscular hands had knocked me back sending me into the wall. I landed on the small brown dresser sitting next to the door before I rushed out the room down the hall past Keylan’s room. My legs forced me to collapse on the couch dreading the sound of his footsteps nearing me. I put my hands up in hopes that he wouldn’t strike again but those hopes soon flew out the door. He pounded on me again and again. Over and over, his hands wailed on my face, arms, and legs. He chanted that I should have known better and that I needed to get the money one way or the other since it was my fault that we would be four hundred dollars short on the bills.
Snapping out of my daze, I recognized none of the shit that happened to me in the past mattered anymore. The motherfucka guilty for my son’s murder was about to pay with every fiber of his being. Revenge was a dish best served on ice and I was about to enjoy every bit of it. All of the bruises, bandages, and thick makeup I used to hide my scars would all be a distant memory I no longer needed to dwell on. No more would I have to cower for my life like an animal. But being back at the place where it all began stirred up the darkest of moments.
Every step felt like a new one. My mind was in a place of no return. I kept psyching myself out telling myself I could do this. Even if I wanted to there was no turning back now. It was dark as fuck. The night sky was a shade of pitch black that I wasn’t accustomed to. The few street lights in front of the Parkway Gardens parking lot were out, which contributed to the darkness. My heartbeat sped sending my pulse flying into orbit. I couldn’t tell them I was afraid even if I tried. I had already committed to this shit.
“You ready?” Ox asked turning to me, Deidra and five other goons. “Put anybody in your way to sleep.”
He signaled for the goons to make their way around the building. I had no idea what their strategy was or what they were going to do but I was sure he did. He, Deidra and I crept through the front door, up the stairs and down the hall like real killas. We moved in silence and only spoke with hand signals like the police did on those action movies. In fact, that’s exactly what it felt like. The shit was so surreal almost like we were in a damn Lifetime special premiere movie, except I couldn’t change the fucking channel and pretend this shit wasn’t happening.
We reached my old apartment door and as I stared at the paint chips and dents all the pain and anguish I experienced on the other side of that door came rushing back to me in full force. After being gone for so long, the door didn’t even look the same to me anymore. I turned around pointing to the door letting them know this was it. Right across the hall was Bridgette’s apartment. Even though that bitch was shiesty as hell to fuck my man while she watched my baby, back then I couldn’t help but to feel a bit sorry for her. She would only endure the same shit I had to in due time if she stayed with him.
But none of that shit mattered once Deidra picked both her top deadbolt lock and her doorknob lock. That bitch was a beast in more ways than one. Slowly but surely they were letting me inside of their world and I had to admit it was exciting as fuck. We tiptoed inside the dark apartment, Ox first with us following right behind him. Our guns were extended with every turn. They coached me to always watch my back and never let up off my gun for nothing. Ox told me not to be trigger happy and make sure I was shooting an enemy, think first then react and be smart. All of their advice kept replaying over and over in my head.
“Who the fuck is in my shit? I know someone’s out there. I’m letting you know right now I’m armed.” It was Bridgette and she sounded drunk or high as hell.
Ox signaled to his sister to post up on the side of the room door. They each stood on each side of the bedroom door pressing their bodies to the wall seemingly becoming one with it. Bridgette exited the dimly lit room slowly holding a bat high in the air. She didn’t even notice Ox or Deidra on either side of her but she caught wind of me standing next to the couch. She moved her head from left to right trying to make out my shadowy figure but before she could she was tripped and disarmed by Deidra.
“Ah, don’t fucking hurt me. I ain’t got no damn money. Just take whatever the fuck you want and leave me be.” Bridgette covered her face with her hands trembling on the floor like the little bitch she was.
I flicked the light switch on the wall next to me and pointed the gun directly for her head. “Where the hell is David bitch?”
“Oh,” Bridgette laughed hard as ever. “It’s just you. Ha and you got a gun too. What the fuck am I supposed to be scared of that shit bitch?”
“Naw, but you should be scared of these over here though,” Ox said as he and his sister stepped off the wall pointing their guns towards her head as well.
“Oh shit.” Bridgette jumped keeping her hands in the air.
“Oh shit is right ho. Now I’m only gonna ask you one more damn time. Where the fuck is that whack ass nigga?” I felt
like I was beginning to sound like Ox.
“Shhh. Even if I knew where he was, what am I supposed to tell you for? You came here on a mission, right? I’m prepared to die any motherfucking way. Y’all gonna kill me either way it goes, right? So just do the shit already then,” Bridgette spat as she shook her head violently.
I took the gun making sure the safety was on before flipping it around in my hand and bashing it upside Bridgette’s forehead one good time. “Stop acting crazy and just tell us where the fuck he is or I will put a hole in your ass, I swear.” I stomped my foot in her back.
“Man, this bitch ain’t gonna talk. Let’s just deaden her ass and be out. We’re wasting time with this ho.” Deidra cocked her gun back.
I stomped her again and again chanting, “Where the fuck is he?”
Bridgette lay on the floor laughing hysterically, “If y’all don’t kill me, dope will anyway. So I don’t give a fuck.”
“Listen bitch, I know you don’t give a fuck about me or yourself but that sorry motherfucka killed my son. He killed his flesh and blood. I know that even though you hated me, you did care about my little boy. Now, just tell us where David is and not only will we let you live but we’ll toss you a bag or two just to shut the fuck up,” I felt myself pleading with her yet still remaining firm.
“Ah, this is about that baby boy,” she laughed harder now like she was watching Comedy Central or some shit. “Yeah that baby. He thought it would slow him down. He left it here with me to deal with. Said he didn’t give a shit what I did with it. Told me to give it back or give it away for all he gave a damn.”
“Wha…? It? My baby’s a fucking it now?” I kicked her in the stomach. “So you had my baby? That means…”
“Yeah, yeah. The damn thing wouldn’t stop crying that’s why he gave it to me and I couldn’t make it stop crying either. I didn’t have any milk or shit and I was coming down off of my high at three in the damn morning so—“
“So you threw him in the fucking lake?” Tears threatened to form in my eyes but I sucked them back in even though it still felt like the wind had just been knocked from me.
“My bad. I didn’t know what else to do.” Bridgette shrugged.
“Eh, my bad she says. You didn’t know what else to do. She didn’t know what else to do,” I screeched feeling something inside of me snap. “You didn’t know what else to fucking do. How about give him back to his fucking momma?”
“Oh yeah. Well there was that, you know. But I needed to get high real bad so I had to find some shit or I wasn’t going to be no good to anybody. Besides, I didn’t want the police on my ass asking me all kinds of shit. The only way for me to give him back to you was to go to the police. Sorry but I just couldn’t do it. I honestly don’t know where David is. He just left me here with this shit.” Bridgette lied back on the floor exhaling a sigh of relief.
“You could’ve dropped him off at a church or hospital you dumb bitch.” It was official, my brain had snapped.
I sat the gun down on the nearby end table. Before I knew it I had blanked out and jumped on top of Bridgette. Ox and Deidra stood watching making sure she wasn’t able to grab a weapon and use it against me. I wrapped my hands around her neck refusing to let go. Bridgette clawed and tried to scratch but Deidra put her gun down to help me hold her down. I clenched my hands around her neck tighter and tighter until her eyes bulged and her tongue stuck out gasping for air before I released her.
“Deidra, let her go,” I breathed.
“What the fuck is you doing?” Deidra stood headed over towards me. “She was almost dead.”
“Was she?” I asked looking her dead in her eye before picking up a lamp bashing her head in with it repeatedly. “You’re such a stupid ho. The world is better off without you. It should’ve been your ass floating in that fucking water, not my innocent son.”
“Stop please,” Bridgette begged as blood spewed from her lips, nose, and mouth every chance the bottom of the lamp met with her face.
Tired and out of breath, I backed off but not because of her request. She lay on the floor clenching her swollen bruised face chanting and thanking God that she received relief. I watched as she breathed this earthly air grateful to have it. That was something that my son would never have the chance to do again. She took his right to breathe, his right to grow up, and his right at a long and happy life.
“Listen, take me to jail. I’ll confess. I promise.” Bridgette raised her hands up at me.
I snatched the gun off the end table and cocked it slowly bringing it up to her face. “Fuck a confession.”
“Please, please don’t kill me. I’m just a junkie that don’t know what I’m doing half the time. I be so high sometimes girl I swear I don’t even know who or where I am baby. Please don’t kill me.” Tears slowly exited Bridgette’s eyes as a sour stench began to come up to my nose from her dirty ass.
“What does it matter? If we don’t kill you, dope will. Right?” With that I squinted my eyes as I squeezed twice planting one in her chest and another quickly to her dome.
I prayed like hell she was still breathing so she could live and lay in darkness dying slowly as she bled out. Ox and Deidra nodded to me as they signaled that we needed to bail out. On our way out Ox texted the rest of the goons letting them know that we were all good and it was time to go. While it wasn’t a total all out war, we definitely got a taste of revenge tonight. Well, at least I did. All of my fears and anxieties flew out the window at the exact moment I needed it to. Now all I felt was cold inside.
We loaded back up in the cars and sped out. I stared out the window wondering what my son would have been like had he gotten a chance to grow up. I thought about going to his graduations and throwing birthday parties. I envisioned him dating and being the lady-killer I knew he would have been. Then I thought about the fact that all of that was just an imaginary dream that would never have the ability to come true. All there was left to do in reality now was burying him in a week and lay his body to rest.
“You okay, baby,” Ox asked rubbing my thigh soothingly. “You feelin’ some type of way about what happened back there? You’re quiet.”
“Naw, I’m just collecting my thoughts. That shit actually gave me a rush I never dreamed it could. You never know what you can do when you’re pushed to the edge.” I wet my dry lips.
“It’s a rush the first time and not everyone can handle it. Everybody has a lil’ killa in them. Some people just don’t know it yet. When it’s time to tap into it though, you do what you have to do,” Ox replied confidently. “Sure you good though?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be better when we find that dumb ass nigga and bring complete justice to Keylan. I’m just thinking this shit ain’t over.” I shook my head squinting my eyes as I focused on the scenery out the window.
“Fo’ sho.”
Keylan’s soul would never be able to rest. As my eyes looked up fixating on the large bright white moon perched in the sky, I began to believe that he would have wanted me to avenge him. He wouldn’t have wanted me to wallow in his death. My baby would have been strong willed and determined like his momma. He wouldn’t have been anything like his dirt shit ass daddy.
And, for that reason, this shit was far from over. I wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep until my baby got the justice he deserved. Nobody, especially a child, should have died that way and no mother should have to bury her child… Ever. I had gotten the bitch that had senselessly taken my son’s life but there was one more person still out there accountable. And that son of a bitch was going to pay one way or the other.
The Morning After
Violet
To die before I wake would have been a beautiful death. To die quietly in a deep entrancing sleep is what everyone wants, without pain and ridding the world of a presence no longer accepted.
A cool breeze gently grazed my skin sending my body into a shivering frenzy. I felt like I was dead. My flesh felt as though it had been seared off with a large fuc
king blowtorch. Barely able to open my swollen bloody eyes, I peered out of my squinting lids into a bright sunlight. It glared into my face unmercifully. There was no way for me to shield myself from its burning rays as my arms were bound above my head. Every time I wiggled my body to move it was like ripping my flesh apart piece by piece.
A quick check of the condition my body through my nearly swollen eyes showed a sight no one would ever want to see in life. My body was riddled in tiny cuts as if he was trying to torture me before he actually killed me. Why not just kill me and end my suffering to get it over with? Nope, that would be too much like right for me. Instead he wanted me to endure long lasting pain. As I lay there motionless and on the brink of the death that I prayed for, I realized that since birth I had been dealt the worst possible hand ever.
No one would ever love me. No one would ever care about a bitch like me. Not even the bitch that was supposed to have rightfully done so. She set me up. Apart of me wished she had just went ahead and had an abortion when she was pregnant with me and solved all of my problems from the get go. If she had been woman enough to pull the trigger herself on an abortion long ago, all of my fucking problems would cease to exist.
Faint footsteps could be heard in the distance. I knew it was he, returning to finish the job or at the very least returning to inflict even more torture upon me. Whatever he was planning, I hoped my brain would pass out again so I wouldn’t feel much. Tears streamed from my eyes praying for grim death. Why were these things happening to me? Why couldn’t I get my happily ever after? It was all I ever wanted in life. Gritting my teeth through the muzzle wrapped around my mouth, I figured this was nothing but karma coming back to haunt me for all the wrong I had done in my life.
“Ah, I see someone is awake. Your lips must be so cracked and dry. Do you need some water, Violet?” Adrial splashed a big bucket of liquid on me dousing me in an instant.