Dead and Stinkin'
Page 8
“Okay boss, it’s your call. But I’m strapping up heavy anyway,” said Old School, checking his 9mm. He went to the wall safe and retrieved the Desert Eagle.
“Baby, I have a bad feeling. Please be careful and come home early tonight,” begged Laura with tears in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, I got this lover. I’ll be home before you go to sleep. I promise you. Let’s roll School.”
Laura was dropped off at the house as planned. Then Mike and Old School ran through four housing projects and literally robbed all the rouge Get Money workers selling rock and powder. Before the sun came up the next morning Mike and Old School had damn near cleared out all the coke, and dope in the projects.
“School, be easy gangster. You a bad boy with ’em guns. I forgot how ill you used to be when you was a stickup kid,” said Mike, leaving Old School at his house.
“Boss, it’s done, but I can tell you it’s not over. Them dudes ain’t gonna sit still and take what we did lightly. Be on your guard and I’ll holla at you later,” said Old School.
He went into the house but came back out after he was sure that Mike had driven away.
“Where the hell have you been? Do you know how much tears the human body can produce?” Not waiting for Mike to respond Laura continued. “Well I do, because I’ve been worried to death and crying for hours. Baby why didn’t you call? I’ve been going crazy thinking the worst,” said a trembling Laura, hugging Mike.
“I’m sorry. Just got caught up with School, and taking back the streets mission I been on. I’m sorry that I had you so worried.”
“How did it go, Mike?” asked Laura, trying to be calm.
“We did what we planned on doing. Now we’ll wait and see what Rob’s reply will be.”
“I have a good idea what it’s gonna be Mike. I’m scared for you, baby. Please be careful.”
“All-fuckin- right! He thinks this a game? Mike’s a dead muthafucka! He robbed our workers of what…? Thousands of dollars worth of product, and he thinks it’s going down like that…? His ass is dead and stinkin!”
Black Rob was yelling loudly to Stack Money and Pretty Boy as if they were deaf. The trio continued walking through the projects with revenge clouding their path.
“A yo Rob, I’ve been down with Mike for a long time. I’m not too sure that I’m down with killing him over some money,” added Stack Money.
He saw what look like a shadow behind the building they stood in front of.
“Listen up, niggas… Listen real good… I love this coke and dope game. This is real paper. Shit! For the first time, we getting’ real money… I’ll be damned if Mike or his bitch’s gonna stop my cash flow. He violated and is fuckin’ slowin’ down my paper. He thinks I’m playin’? His ass is dead and stinkin!” screamed Rob at his boys.
Coming out of the shadows, behind the building was Old School with his guns at the ready. Mike had dropped him off and Old School went looking for Black Rob. After eavesdropping on their plot, Old School now knew Black Rob’s intentions. He came out of the shadows.
“Who’s dead Nigger? I know you ain’t threatening my boy’s life over no lost drug money. Now you all grown up and tasted some long paper, you wanna kill the same man that bought your pun-ass out of the house to get dough. What’s up with that Rob?”
Rob saw the guns in Old School’s hands and started stuttering while falling back.
“Yo… yo-yo… Old School. I-I ain’t got no beef ain’t wi-with you. It’s Mike. Tell him to leave my workers and product alone and we won’t have any problems,” said a nervous Rob.
“Nah, you can tell him yourself. Let’s all walk over to my truck real easy, and we can meet up with Mike. Then we can see what he thinks about all these threats on his life.”
Old School lost sight of Stack Money. He turned to feel the blow of a hard object colliding with the side of his head. He fell and his head hit the floor.
“Hurry up slowpoke. You always have to take twenty-two hours to get ready,” Mike impatiently yelled at Laura.
They were already late for a party at the Savoy Manor, being held in honor of a childhood friend. He had just gotten released from jail after serving ten years, and they were going to celebrate his release.
“If your horny ass could go one day without sex, maybe we would be on time. You expect to just run up inside me, and then I’m suppose to go to the party with you dripping down my leg, and my hair busted, not,” said Laura, lashing right back at Mike. “Anyway, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
“You look beautiful tonight, baby. I love what you’re wearing,” complimented Mike.
“Thanks handsome, you look kinda fly yourself…”
Mike and Laura were driving in their BMW to the dance, but couldn’t take their eyes off each other. If they had paid more attention to the road and their surroundings, they would’ve realized they were being followed since leaving home.
“Baby, you know I’ve been thinking. Let’s forget about that six months timetable and get out of the game right now. We have a pretty decent stash. Let’s go down south and start a business. Have a family, like we always talked about,” pleaded Laura, getting an uneasy feeling.
“It’s like you can read my mind. I’m tired of all this shit that’s going on. Besides I don’t want to go to war with Rob and my boys over some damn drug money, or anything else for that matter. Tomorrow we’ll meet up with School and tell him we’re out of the game, and then we can be off to do us. Okay boo?”
“That’s perfect, my baby. I love you so much Michael.”
At the stoplight, the couple hugged. They were three blocks away from the Savoy. A black Caravan with tinted windows pulled alongside the preoccupied couple’s car. They were caught up in each other’s splendor and paid no attention. Suddenly the sliding doors rapidly opened. Fire sparked from the interior of the vehicle. There were no more sounds.
Chapter 04
“Fuck I’m— Oh I’m… I’m ah…coming. Oh shit! Goddamn baby! That was really un-fuckin-believable. I’ve never in my life come so many times and so intensely. What time is it anyway?”
Laura glanced at the clock. It was eleven in the morning. She freaked out.
“I can’t believe we’ve been at this non-stop for all these hours. How in the hell do you keep going so long? What the hell have you turned into a robot?” said a trembling Laura to her energized lover.
“Baby, I don’t know but I just couldn’t stop. And my shit is still rock hard.”
The couple couldn’t remember arriving at the apartment after the party at the Savoy or how they ended up in this sex marathon, but the lovemaking was totally out of this world.
“Laura baby, we have to get out of bed sometime and go tie up some loose ends before we leave,” said Mike, stroking his shaft.
“Okay Mike, but can’t we get something to eat first? I’m starving. Baby, bring me some water, please.”
After bringing Laura a glass of water, Mike walked into the bathroom to take a shower. She heard him shouting, “Laura what’s wrong with this shower knob? It ain’t working.”
“Don’t be so impatient boo just take your time and the knob will turn,” said Laura, joining him.
The water came on with Mike’s hand still on the knob. The couple took a quick bath together. Feeling famished, they raided the refrigerator.
“Wow! I’ve never been this hungry before. Are you ready to go yet?” asked Mike buttoning his shirt.
“In a second baby I’m just listening to Roger and Sandra argue about some woman that he got caught creeping with,” answered Laura, her ear pressed against the front door.
“Excuse me, but what are you doing? Sandra lives five flights beneath us. How the hell… ? Wait a minute, I hear ’em too. Damn, they must be really going at it for us to hear them all the way up here, huh?”
“Pretty Boy, we better go check on Old School and make sure he’s still alive. That head blow put him out,” said a nervous Stack Money.
Pretty Boy wa
lked a few steps ahead of Stack Money. They entered a house cross-town. Stack Money had blindsided Old School, they had tied him up and kept him in the basement of a rented house used for stashing drugs. While walking down the stairs leading to the basement, they noticed a window to the backyard was smashed and the chair Old School was tied in was empty.
“Today is gonna be a hot one baby. Can we stop in the park before we go take care of business?” Laura asked her man.
“No problem, baby. You know I love showing off the finest woman in the city.”
“Save the sweet talk. No more pussy for awhile, my shit is on fire for real.”
Mike and Laura walked into their favorite park. A sleeping pit bull lying under a tree was suddenly awakened and started barking viciously. The dog charged full speed toward the couple suddenly the animal stopped several feet in front of them. Then the dog turned and ran out of the park leaving his owner dumbfounded.
“Crazy ass mutt, let’s be out boo. There’s no sense in putting this off any longer,” said Mike.
They held hands as they walked out of the park. The sights greeting them when they strolled in the hood were confusing to Mike.
“Can you believe this? These niggas still out here slinging poison… This has got to stop.”
Mike and Laura arrived in the projects. Mike started walking toward a group of Pretty Boy’s workers, but Laura stopped him.
“Michael, are you crazy? How are you gonna rush these young thugs for their drugs without Old School or your gat? You buggin’, baby…”
“Oh shit you right, ma. I still wanna holla at them real quick like. No beef.” Walking to the crew of boys, Mike started talking loudly. “Yo my brothers, this shit you selling is killing our people, don’t that bother ya’ll?”
It seemed the young hustlers were ignoring Mike. Then one of them said, “I ain’t tryin’ a hear that mess. I’m gonna go check my girl. I’ll holla at you cats.”
“We almost finished anyway. Let’s be out. We can stop by Cozy and get some herb,” a tall, skinny dealer suggested.
“Word, it’s getting slow out here anyway,” said another dealer.
Watching them walk away peacefully brought a smile to Laura’s face. She walked to where Mike was standing.
“Baby, what did you say to them?” she asked.
“I really don’t know. I guess they were showing me some type of respect by leaving the set.”
“See no matter what, you still the man, Mike,” said Laura, gassing up her man.
The couple walked a while longer through the projects. They observed all the things that were still out of control. Everyone seemed to be ignoring them and went about their lives. Laura started getting nervous.
“Baby, I think we’re pressing our luck out here, someone is bound to recognize us and holla at Black Rob, and we out here unprotected.”
“Okay, let’s swing by School’s house, and see what he found out about Rob’s next move.”
“What’s up with this bell? It’s busted. Yo School it’s me playa open up,” shouted Mike. He was standing in front of Old School’s house while Laura waited on the curb.
“Baby, let’s go around the back. School might be sleeping or in the shower, his truck is in the driveway,” said Laura.
The two walked around the side of the house to the backyard. They looked through a window and saw Old School sitting on the couch. He had a bandage around his head and was talking on the phone.
“What you mean you think he did it… Did what?” School stood up and looked toward the back of the house while he waited for the other party to respond. He appeared really nervous and jittery. “Yeah, yeah, I’m still here. I just felt… Never mind. So they’re not at their house and he’s bragging that he runs shit now. So what are you saying?” There was a pause from Old School. “Oh hell no…! I can’t believe that shit. No fuckin’ way!” Old School dropped the phone.
He ran toward the front door. Mike and Laura yelled out his name. It seemed that Old School paused a second before walking quickly out the door. Mike and Laura ran around to the front of the house to see Old School’s truck immediately screeching out the driveway.
“Yo School, Old School, hold up you deaf bastard! It’s your boy Mike,” shouted Mike at the top of his lungs.
“That nigga must have his music on full blast,” said Laura, holding Mike’s hand.
“Damn! We just missed him. I needed to holla at Old School today, baby. I wanna find out what the hell is going on in these streets.”
“We’ll catch him. But for now can a sister get a meal and something to drink? I’m starving.”
“Sure cutie, actually I’m starving myself. It’s crazy, but lately I can’t get enough to eat or drink. It’s some bugged out shit for real,” replied Mike.
Hand in hand, Mike and Laura walked down the street, enjoying each other’s company.
“Is it me, Mike? Or do things seem a little strange to you, baby?”
“Nah baby, it’s not just you. I’ve been feeling a little awkward myself. It’s probably all the drama. You know… Maybe the anxiety about leaving the game got us buggin’… Let’s just go home. I think another fuck marathon is what the doctor ordered.”
“You’re so ill, baby. Where do you get the energy? Mike, just please, this go round don’t be shifting around my damn organs, okay?” pleaded Laura.
“Okay, I promise, just your pancreas.”
They both started laughing and just walked hand in hand enjoying the warm summer’s night air.
Chapter 05
Laura and Mike walked the streets for several hours talking about life and their love for each other. They planned about moving away from the city, and starting their own family.
“I want one boy and a girl,” Laura said.
“I want my own football team worth of kids,” Mike joked.
The couple walked and talked until finally they wound up in their favorite park. They sat on their favorite bench, making out like horny teens. Suddenly, a cool breeze came out of nowhere and sent a chill through their bodies. Mike took off his New York Knicks jersey. He put it on Laura, leaving him wearing a wife beater.
“Thanks baby, you’re always so considerate, but you might catch a cold,” Laura said, looking off into the distance. “Now baby, what’s that cat’s story?”
Laura pointed to the trees, and Mike looked. He saw a strange looking man who was dressed like he was going to a ball, or a funeral. He had on an ancient three-piece suit that was a blend of white and black. What was even more peculiar about this old fashion dude was that the couple couldn’t make out his face clearly. It seemed like he was shrouded in a shadow. Even as he moved through the trees watching the couple watch him, he was always engulfed in a fog-like covering.
“He looks like he should be on the late, late, late show hanging out with Boris Karloff and some mummies, for real,” joked Mike.
The strange figure disappeared behind the bushes.
“Baby, you’re so silly,” said Laura laughing. “But you’re right, he did look mad creepy.”
The couple cuddled and watched some kids at play by the lake. Laura suddenly let a scream and started shivering. Mike immediately grabbed her cold, goose-pimpled hand and asked, “What’s wrong baby?”
“Oh baby, I was just staring out at the water and suddenly I had a vision of lakes of fire and people in chains crying out in agony and drowning in pools of blood. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt so real,” said the still shivering Laura.
“Okay, lakes of fire and pools of blood… Hmm you know Laura, I use to see that same image back in the days every time I smoked a bag of that red devil angel dust,” Mike said, laughing and being his normal sarcastic self.
“You don’t believe me. Well thanks a lot funny man. I know I wasn’t bugging out, Mike.”
“I know, baby. I’m just teasing you, cutie. It’s probably you’re just reacting badly to all that’s been going on lately. Baby, on the real though, I had a crazy vi
sion when we were making love last night. When I was on my back and you were acting like you were in a rodeo, I looked up and could’ve sworn I saw the faint shadow of a woman flying over our bed and smiling, bugged me out,” said Mike, trying to laugh it off.
“Mike what’s going on with us?”
“Nothing Laura, let’s just go home baby, we probably just need to chill and get some rest that’s all.”
Mike and Laura returned home. Raiding the refrigerator, they again devoured the remainder of food and water left in the house. After eating, they went to bed to get some rest before attempting to locate Old School and tell him they were getting out of the game. Mike had fallen asleep before Laura and as she was about to doze off she was startled by Mike’s screams.
“No Dad, come back. Don’t leave me again, please dad come back.”
Laura shook Mike until he started coming out of his dream.
“Baby wake up, you were having a bad dream.”
Even though the room was very cool, Mike woke up breathing hard and his body was soaked with perspiration. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He must have drunk a gallon of water from the faucet.
Mike returned to the bedroom looking at a worried Laura and said, “That was a crazy dream baby. You believe after all these years I dreamt about my father? Yo, I dreamed that he came into the bedroom and sat down by the bed, and baby, we laughed and talked for hours. He said he was sorry he left me so soon and that he loved me.” Mike’s eyes started to tear up. He caught himself and went on. “He was about to tell me sump’n. And suddenly he looked away, and then he got up, saying it was time for him to go. I reached out to grab him but felt nothing, and he just drifted away. Laura I don’t know what he was trying to tell me, but as he was disappearing he said, ‘Please my son choose wisely.’”
“Wow Mike, that was some damn dream, baby. You know in all these years I never heard you say that you dreamt about your dad once.”