by Chunichi
Bang!
My prayer was interrupted by a gunshot. I jumped to the floor and grabbed my gun once I realized I wasn’t hit. I looked up to see Duke in the door and Bear slouched in the chair. This was one time I was extremely glad to see my little soldier.
Duke had put one into Bear’s chest. Bear lay in the chair, bleeding from his mouth. Ceazia stood in the corner, motionless, and Duke stared at both of us. No one spoke a word, but if I had to guess, Ceazia knew for sure her time had run out. I knew I’d come here for one reason, and I wasn’t leaving until it was done. So as planned, I aimed my gun to complete my mission.
“Get the fuck on the floor, C,” I said, gun pointed directly at her.
“Please, Snake. I ... I ... I didn’t know Bear was coming here. He’s been stalking me and shit, and I know he’s crazy, so I was just scared when I told him you tried to rape me. I know I shoulda told you about him stalking me, but I thought I had put a stop to him doing that.”
“Yeah, bitch, so you put my life on the line instead of yours, right?”
Ceazia remained silent for a moment then she spoke up. “Snake, I was scared. Don’t you want to know who killed Vegas? I thought that’s what we were here for. Keep the money, just let me go,” Ceazia pleaded, throwing the bag in my direction.
“Nah, bitch. I came to get my dick wet and to kill yo’ ass. I’ve been knowing for a long time now that you were guilty. I was just waiting on the right moment to send you to see your maker.”
“Please, Snake. That’s some bullshit. Who told you I’m guilty? You know you can’t be listening to what people on the streets say. I loved Vegas. I didn’t kill him, and you don’t have to kill me,” Ceazia said, scheming.
“You’re good, but not that damn good. And I don’t believe that fake-ass story about how Bear got here, either. Your time was up whether that pussy-ass nigga showed up or not. Get the fuck on the floor like I told you, trick!”
Duke didn’t hold his silence any longer. I was surprised to finally hear him speak up. “Nah, nigga. You get on the ground,” Duke said, gun pointing at me.
Again, I stood in the midst of confusion. I wasn’t sure where this WI nigga’s head was anymore, but I didn’t think he had the balls to really do me in, so I ignored him.
“How you gon’ pull out on me, Li’l Soldier? Fuck you, Duke. C, get the fuck on the floor!” I repeated.
Bang!
Another shot rang out. This time I was hit. The pain was excruciating, like no other pain I’d ever felt before. I could feel my knees give out then I began to fall in what seemed like slow motion.
Bang! Bang!
I shot back as I fell to the floor. I felt paralyzed. My body became cold as I looked over at Duke lying near me. He huffed and puffed as he tried strenuously to catch a breath.
“How you gon’ shoot me, Unc?” He forced out the words then exhaled his final breath.
That’s when I looked over at Bear, who was still alive. Duke had not shot me. It was Bear. I’d shot my li’l soldier. Although I couldn’t feel my body, my heart ached at Duke’s death. I’d killed my nephew. I was hurting over the thought that my brother was gone, and now my li’l soldier was at peace. That was it. I refused to fight any longer. I was ready to die. What more did I have to live for? I lay silently and closed my eyes, preparing for eternal rest.
CHAPTER 31
QUICK GETAWAY
CEAZIA
In a crazy frenzy, I walked over to Snake and put my hand around his hand, grabbing his gun. I fired one final shot to make certain he wouldn’t live. I stepped over his body and took a look at Duke. There was no need in wasting a bullet on him. Poor Duke didn’t even have a fighting chance after Snake’s shot hit him.
I looked over at Bear, who was struggling to speak. I stood over him silently, watching the blood trickling down his chin as he gripped his chest. The more he tried to talk, the more it pained me to see him struggle that way. I thought about how much control over my life Bear had lately, then I took him out of his misery.
Bang!
I put a final shot to Bear’s head. I needed to be free from his grip, and this was the perfect opportunity. Besides, it was never in my plans to share any of the loot with Bear anyway. I grabbed the suitcase that held my money, picked up the rest of my belongings, and rushed out of the room, making sure to leave no traces. There was no way I could be involved with another murder. Couldn’t do it!
I didn’t even bother to run through their pockets or take any jewelry. I just fled as quickly as possible. I rushed to my car and hopped in. I sped out of the parking lot so fast I nearly ran into someone head on.
Beeep! Beeeep!
The crazy bitch laid on the horn. I looked up as I swerved around her. “Oh shit!” I said aloud as I locked eyes with Snake’s girlfriend, Danielle.
What the fuck is she doing here? I thought as I contemplated killing her too. I didn’t have enough time. I could already hear the sirens in the distance. The police were on their way, and I needed to be no place in sight.
I sped home and grabbed my dog, Prissy, grabbed all my money, filled up a few bags of clothes, and hit the road, leaving all else behind. I had to get the fuck out of dodge. And this time, I was going far, far away. Catch me if you can!
Urban Books, LLC
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Married to the Game Copyright © 2005 Chunichi
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-6228-6003-6
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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