Somehow, during the course of the impromptu battle, the sisters got onto their feet, but were still throwing punches. Catching Ava right underneath her rib cage with her fist, Leela used her body weight bum-rushing her up against the wall, causing a picture of both of them and their mother to eerily fall off the nail and land on the floor. Leela paid no attention to the possible omen as she kept choking the life out of Ava.
* * *
Wondering what was taking Ava so long to come back out and get the kids, Stackz decided to go in. Making sure they were still asleep, he put one up top before getting out of the truck, pistol in hand. Closing the door as quietly as possible, he crept up on the front porch. Noticing that the door was cracked, Stackz eased it open, unsure of what was really taking place on the other side. Wisely not calling out Ava’s name, he slow stepped his way into the living room. Hearing what he thought was the unique sound of someone grunting, then something crashing to the floor, Stackz wasted no more time in investigation mode, smelling imminent death in the air.
Bolting down the hallway, he ran up on Leela boldly attempting to send Ava on her way. Tucking his gun in the small of his back, Stackz used both hands whiplash yanking Leela by the weave, slinging her to the ground. Reaching downward, he wrapped his hands around her throat, lifting her up to eye level. “Now, bitch, how it feel to have somebody choke your no-good ass out, huh? This shit feel good? Do it,” he hissed with sheer malice in his voice. After a few more seconds of making her eyes damn near pop out of her head, he flung Leela’s almost lifeless body to the floor once more. As he stood across the room trying to figure out the easiest way to kill her and be rid of the headache she’d become once and for all, Leela played the final card in her hand.
“You and that bitch Ava got me all fucked up.” She’d somehow managed to reach in her pocket and pull out the janky .22 she’d stolen from old Mrs. Baines. Pointing it directly at Stackz, she halfway grinned, seeing as he couldn’t reach in his back waistband to get his gun without her firing off a shot or two. “Yeah, Stackz, it ain’t never ever no fun when the rabbit got the gun, is it?”
Not fearing death, Stackz took one step toward Leela, daring her to pull the trigger. Out of options, she did just that, putting three slugs into his chest area. Not made of steel, the street warrior fell to the ground. Ava, who had recovered from being nearly strangled to death, was now hysterical as she crawled over to Stackz. Using her body to shield his from taking any more bullets, Ava sobbed, begging Leela to show them both some mercy.
Leela was now on her feet feeling victorious. As she boasted and bragged about all the things she’d wickedly done to those she felt had wronged her in some way, she failed to see Ava trying to get Stackz’s gun on the sly.
“Leela,” her mother had finally come to and was delirious, stumbling down the hallway.
Seeing that her sister was momentarily distracted, Ava made one last-ditch effort to get Stackz’s gun but was caught.
“Naw, bitch, naw! I know you don’t think you that slick, or is it you think I’m that stupid? Either/or, all three of y’all motherfuckers gonna die tonight!” Leela raised her gun once more, aiming it directly at Ava’s face.
Before Leela could pull the trigger, a thunderous sound of one single shot rang out, echoing off the walls. The ear-deafening blast went in through her lower back, causing her to fall to her knees. Leela’s face was full of anguish. It told the agonizing story of pain, betrayal, hate, and low self-esteem in its purest form. As Leela gave in to death, she slumped over to the side. Behind Leela, her oldest daughter was in tears, having been knocked clear across the room after firing her grandmother’s old-school 410 sawed off shotgun she’d been constantly warned to never touch unless it was an emergency.
Ava couldn’t believe what had just happened. She was frozen until the annoying alert tone of her sister’s cell snapped her out of her dazed trance. After calling the ambulance for Stackz, her mother, and herself from her cell, she took Leela’s phone out of her back pocket. Reading the text Rank had just sent, Ava now had the address of where he wanted her sister to meet up with him. Wanting to put an end to all of her and Stackz’s problems, Ava called T. L., telling him what had just happened and where he could catch up with an unsuspecting Rank. After tonight, there would be no loose ends. She and Stackz could finally be free to live their lives in peace.
THE END
Urban Books, LLC
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I Can Touch the Bottom
Copyright © 2016 Ms. Michel Moore and Marlon P.S. White
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ISBN: 978-1-6228-6996-1
This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.
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