Shyt List 3 (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Reign (T. Styles)

  “Why are you even here? You should be gettin’ your shit together. I’m not fuckin’ around; I want you gone by the end of the week.”

  “Please listen, Bricks. I found out somethin’ about your little girlfriend,” she said as she walked up to him. “She’s fuckin’ crazy, Bricks! She’s taken some Clozaril shit and I found out from the pharmacist today that it’s for schizophrenia. I bet she ain’t tell you that did she?” Bricks looked at Yvonna and back at Kendal.

  “You just can’t fuckin’ stop!” He said not believing her. “It don’t matter, you not stayin’ here tonight.” He walked to the kitchen. “Now I’m tryin’ to be easy, but you gonna make me leap on you.”

  “Bricks, what I’m saying is true! I care ‘bout you, even if you don’t want me.”

  Bricks ignored her as he opened the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and gulped it down. Visions of wrapping his hands around Kendal’s throat danced through his head.

  Yvonna feeling outta place walked into the kitchen behind him and quietly asked, “Can I go downstairs? I wanna lie down.”

  He removed the beer from his lips and with his eyes firmly on Kendal said, “Yeah. I’ll be down in a sec.”

  “Bitch, you ain’t doin’ shit!” Kendal yelled blocking her path. “Tell him what I’m sayin’ is true. Tell him you fuckin’ crazy!”

  “Look, I don’t want no trouble.” She said walking to the left of her. Kendal blocked her again. “I just wanna go downstairs.”

  “Bitch, I ain’t tryin’ to hear all that. Go ‘head, let him see what you really are. Let him see what I’m sayin’ is true.”

  “Please, I just want to…”

  Before she could finish her sentence she smacked Yvonna in the face so hard, she temporarily forgot where she was. But she remembered quickly.

  “Now what, bitch?” Kendal chided.

  “If you don’t get the FUCK outta my face, I’ma gut your ass,” Gabriella said in a low deep voice.

  When Kendal looked down, she saw the knife she used to cut the apple, held closely against her stomach.

  “Hold up…I…I.”

  “Bitch, you not hearin’ me,” Gabriella continued poking her, cutting her skin slightly. “I said get your black ass out my fuckin’ face!”

  When Kendal ran to the sofa, and looked at Bricks in horror, Yvonna dropped the knife. When she looked back at Bricks, she noticed he was motionless. Yvonna had come back to reality only to realize that what she was so desperately trying to get away from, had caught up to her.

  “Look, I’m sorry, Bricks. But I gotta go,” she said as she ran out the door, and into the night.

  Disgraceful Leadership

  Swoopes pushed past the extra high grass and empty beer bottles to get to the door of his run down house in Northwest DC. Newbie was right behind him. When he opened the door, he was irritated to see children’s toys in his path. Toys flew from left to right as he kicked them out his lane.

  “Where the fuck is Crystal?” He asked referring to his girlfriend who he’d gotten into an argument with earlier.

  “She just said she was goin’ to the store,” Cane said looking at Newbie as if something were wrong. He knew if Crystal came in and Newbie was standing there, it would take all six men to pull her up off her. “But she took some clothes with her so she might be out all night. Is everything ‘aight, man?”

  Six of his men were there including his cousin Cane and Growl, the man who would kill on command for him. Growl was dangerous and uncontrollable and Swoopes liked him that way.

  Cane on the other hand was calmer and was in charge of their growing drug operation. He was the levelheaded one out of the crew.

  “Oh yeah, everything cool, ‘cept for the fact that the nigga tried to creep me today.”

  “At my place?” Cane questioned.

  “Yeah. I don’t know how the fuck they knew where you lived.”

  “Remember she’s Bilal’s ex-girl,” Cane offered. “You know he told her everything.”

  Swoopes sat in a tattered black recliner by the door. “How long Crystal been gone?”

  “‘Bout fifteen minutes,” Cane said walking up to the door.

  “Cool, is the internet workin’ yet? I gotta set Newbie here up on what I need her to do.”

  “Yeah…it’s all set up and ready.” Cane said.

  “Cool.”

  The house smelled old and stale and because most of the YBM used it as a clubhouse instead of Swoopes’ home, there was no sign of decorative taste anywhere in sight. The cream couch was dingy and pushed against the dirty white wall, and the screen TV sat on the floor connected to a Playstation 3. The only other furniture in the room was a glass table that was so grimey, you couldn’t see through it. On top of it sat ashtrays, beer cans and blunts.

  “On some otha shit, the connect called, son. He said you didn’t get that,” Growl said not sure if she should speak in front of Newbie. He felt he had to say something though, because missing the connect meant not meeting demand. “He said he tried to call you but couldn’t get an answer. You want me to call him back?”

  “Naw. He good. I just ain’t go,” he said under his breath. He couldn’t tell his men that he’d forgotten the meeting due to being so obsessed with finding Yvonna, “I’ll get up with him later.”

  Newbie pushed a few game controllers over on the couch and softly said, “God, can I go to the bathroom?”

  Everyone looked at her in disbelief because of what she called him. “Yeah…hurry up, it’s down the hall. You got five minutes.” He smiled.

  When she left Growl walked up to him and said, “What’s up wit’ that? Shawty fire but you know Crystal gonna flip if she catch her up in here.”

  “Fuck Crystal!” He spat. “She should take care of home and she wouldn’t have to worry.”

  “I feel you,” he backed off. “But what you gonna do ‘bout the connect? He said if you don’t come today, fuck it.”

  Swoopes looked at him and frowned, “Well if his white ass don’t wanna make no money, fuck him! We’ll get another connect.”

  Cane looked at Growl and tried to diffuse the situation. He knew once Swoopes heard what the connect said, he’d be mad and may jump to an erratic conclusion, “He didn’t say that,” Cane said looking at Growl not wanting him to say another word, “he said he wanted to make sure you kept the next appointment. You know how busy he is, Swoopes. But you know he appreciate the paper too.”

  “Well I’m busy, too!” Swoopes yelled.

  “Yeah, wit’ runnin’ behind that bitch,” Chavis said, to another YBM member. He had been drinking so much that he didn’t realize how loud he was, but he would soon find out.

  Cane and Growl looked at Chavis, and Swoopes walked over to him. Chavis backed up into a wall that wouldn’t allow him go any further. He was young and unlike the older members, he didn’t have much respect for Swoopes. Chavis felt he was more consumed with Yvonna than business. Back in the day, when Swoopes was locked up, it was fashionable to talk about him, but things had changed.

  When Swoopes was within the breathing space of Chavis he gave him a murderous stare. He wanted him to see that no matter what he had heard in the past, the part about him being a cold-blooded killer was all true.

  “You got somethin’ you wanna get off your chest, young?”

  Chavis shook his head no and said, “Naw…I’m cool.”

  “Well it sounded like you had so much to say a minute ago, so how ‘bout you say that shit to my face.”

  “I’m…I’m sorry, man. It wasn’t really like that. I was drinkin’ and fucked up.”

  Swoopes could see his marshmallow center, and knew that it wouldn’t take the D.A. no time to break him if he got caught up.

  “So you always fuck up when you drinkin’?” He took the beer out of his hand and poured it on his head slowly. “Maybe you shouldn’t fuck wit’ it then.”

  The liquid ran down his face and onto his jacket. The men knew that Chavis’ future in the YBM was ove
r.

  “And what the fuck is this?” He asked pulling at the black North Face jacket with the letters YBM stitched on the sleeve. “Ya’ll still rockin’ these?” He looked at his men.

  “Naw, cuz, just the new ones,” Cane said feeling pity for the young member.

  “Well startin’ today I don’t wanna see nobody wit’ one of these on!” He said looking behind him. “This ain’t doin’ nothin’ but beggin’ the cops to fuck wit’ us.” Then he looked back at Chavis. “Take that shit off.” Chavis moved so quickly, his arm got jammed in one of the sleeves and he fought with himself to get it off. Swoopes laughed at his antics. “Can you cook young blood? And clean?”

  “Y…yes.”

  “Now that’s good, cause my girl can’t cook or clean worth shit. So from here on out, you my personal bitch. When I wake up, my breakfast better be ready, when I go out in the afternoon, my lunch better be on the table and at night, my dinner betta neva be late. You got that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes what?” He said turning his head so that Chavis could say it in his ear.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good, and then I want you to make sure the house is clean. Pick up all this shit,” he said pushing stuff around. “I’m sick of the place lookin’ like this.”

  The humiliation Chavis felt showed all over his face and his crew members could no longer in good conscious, look at the pathetic scene.

  “Now get in there and make me a pack of them noodles. Put some eggs in ‘em too.” Chavis looked at Swoopes and then at Cane and Growl. “Fuck is you lookin’ at them for? Move!”

  When Chavis tended to his womanly duties, Swoopes looked at his men.

  “Anybody else got somethin’ they wanna get off they chest?” No one breathed a word. “I ain’t think so.”

  Just when he said that Newbie came out and said, “God, can I wash up? I just got my girl day.”

  Swoopes smiled and said, “Yeah…and when you finish, I’ma put these niggas out so I can let you suck my dick.”

  Back To The Basics

  The night temperature had dropped and it was cooler than it was a few hours earlier. But Yvonna’s blood was boiling so hot, she couldn’t tell. She ran as far as she could away from Brick’s house. Warm tears dried against her face as the wind smacked her skin. She was an emotional wreck.

  Brick’s men watched as the anxious girl ran away. Her cell phone rang and she didn’t bother answering because she knew it was him and the embarrassment she felt wouldn’t allow her to.

  “I would tell you to stop running, but after looking at your fat ass, I’d say you should run another fifteen minutes.” Gabriella laughed. “Damn, Yvonna, how could you let things get so bad?”

  Yvonna heard her voice behind her, but chose to ignore it.

  “Come on now, you gotta talk to somebody,” she said slyly. “Might as well be yourself.”

  “Go away!” Yvonna yelled, scaring a dog bouncing around in his yard.

  “Yvonna, everyone has alter egos. Even the so called sane. Be glad your’s just saved you because the way that bitch back there was going on you, I thought I was watching a scene from that show ‘Oz’.”

  “Shut up!”

  “You were five seconds from washing that girl’s dirty draws.”

  Yvonna continued to ignore her and when she reached the end of Brick’s block, she made a left and than a right onto the next street.

  “Do you have any idea of how weak you are right now?”

  “You’re not here. You’re not real.”

  “You’re right, Yvonna. I’m not real to them, but I’m very real to you.” She paused. “I’m your strength. Why would you let them take that away from you?”

  Yvonna’s breath was getting thicker and she was finding it difficult to run any further. So she stopped and bent over to catch her breath. And as she looked to her left she saw a brick house, and behind it, sat another house with a little girl playing on her back porch. The back door was open and something came over her.

  “Go ‘head. It’s just a matter of time before Bricks comes looking for you. Don’t be stupid. Go.” In survivor mode, she passed the first house, jumped over the fence and walked up to the little girl in the backyard.

  “What you playin’ wit’?” Yvonna asked with a sinister smile, breathing heavily. “You look like you having fun.”

  “My doll.” The little girl replied showing her. “It’s my favorite.”

  “That’s nice. I had a doll just like that when I was your age. The exact same one. Can I see?”

  “But…my grandmother made this for me.” The child was greatly suspicious. As well as she should’ve been, Yvonna was a fucking lunatic. “It’s the only one like it.”

  “Way to go, idiot!” Gabriella yelled walking beside the little girl. “Instead of just yokin’ her young ass up, you wanna play Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Now you done said the wrong shit and this little bitch called you on it.”

  Yvonna closed her eyes and shook her head to get Gabriella’s voice out of her mind. But she could still see her wearing a pair jeans and a black leather coat standing right next to her.

  “I’m not paying you any attention,” she said out loud. “Is your mother home?” she asked the child. “I’m her friend and I have something to give her.”

  “She’s in her room. She hardly ever comes out.”

  “Awww…I bet you want somebody to play with don’t you?” She nodded in agreement. “You know what, I have a little girl too who would love to play with you. Would you like that?”

  Gabriella made a loud snoring sound in her ear. “Bitch, speed this shit up, please! You ‘bout to put both our asses to sleep.”

  “Shut up!” Yvonna said looking at her.

  The moment she did, she regretted it. But the longer she went without her medicine, the more she was susceptible to hallucinations.

  “Who are you talking to?” The girl asked.

  “My imaginary friend. I bet you have one too don’t you.”

  “No!” the little girl shook her head. “That’s crazy.”

  Yvonna stood up straight and frowned. “Is anyone else inside?”

  “No…just mama.”

  “Okay, let’s go and surprise her.”

  They walked into the house and Yvonna stopped at the kitchen to grab a butcher knife. After examining its sharpness, she took it. “What’s that for?”

  “I’m gonna play a trick on your mother. I’m gonna make her think I’m going to hurt her if she doesn’t give me what I want, but for real I won’t. It’ll just be our little secret. Are you good with secrets?” The little girl nodded. “Good. Me too. Let’s go.” When they walked to her mother’s room, Yvonna said, “Knock on the door and call her name.”

  The girl knocked twice and a woman’s voice yelled, “What the fuck do you want? I told you to leave me the fuck alone! I need to get some sleep before I go out!”

  “That bitch is wretched,” Gabriella laughed. “I love her!”

  “Knock again.” Yvonna said. “I need her to open the door. It’s the only way I can surprise her good.”

  The girl shook her head and said, “No….no! She’s gonna beat me.”

  For some reason, Yvonna felt the little girl’s plight. She knew how it felt to be alone and scared. After all, she dealt with extreme loneliness and abandonment as a child all her life.

  “Listen,” Yvonna said stooping down. “If that bitch touches, you, I’ll break every last bone in her body. Okay? Now knock on the door.” The girl’s eyes widened with shock and Yvonna said, “Go ‘head. This’ll be good.”

  She nodded quickly and knocked on the door again.

  “You know what…,” the woman started. Yvonna could hear the bed squeak and her feet slap against the floor. She was quickly approaching the door until she flung it open and said, “I’m gonna kill your black ass!”

  The moment her big toe crossed the threshold, Yvonna whacked her in the face with a closed fist. The woman fell
flat on her back and tried to get up but she was too fucking slow. Yvonna rushed over her and put the knife against her neck.

  “Listen, your daughter and me are just playin’ a game. If you play along wit’ us, everything will go smooth,” Yvonna said smiling at the little girl behind her. She was trying to calm her down so that she wouldn’t run out the front door and tell someone her murderous ass was in there. When she was sure she won the girl over, Yvonna looked sinisterly at the woman beneath her. “So play along and no one will get hurt.”

  “You broke my nose!” the woman screamed holding her bleeding sniffer. Yvonna stood up, took her foot and slammed it down on her nose again. “Ahhhhhhhhhhh! What the fucccccccccccccck?!” She screamed in pain, as she lie flat on her back. “I…I can’t breathe!”

  “Good, bitch! If you say somethin’ else, I’ma consider you a lost cause. Now you fuckin’ playin’ with us or not?”

  “Y…yes.”

  “Good. Where is your money?”

  “I…got…a…couple bucks in my purse,” she pointed toward the nightstand next to the bed. A fake Gucci with the thread coming out of it sat open on top of it. “That’s all I got.”

  “She got some money under her bed too,” the little girl offered.

  The woman rose up in a sitting position and said, “I’ma beat your ass. Wait ‘till this all is over.” The girl was so frightened, her stomach rumbled and she released gas. Yvonna wasn’t in the hero business but she couldn’t help but feel for her new friend. Not to mention she held back on the cash. Yvonna decided that she had to pay...with her life.