by Wahida Clark
“How is it, baby?”
“Mm-mm. Very good.”
He picked up his glass of Coke, guzzled it down and let out a big belch. As he leaned back and wiped his mouth with a napkin, he took a good look at Big Nell. The skin on her arm was discolored where he had dragged her body across the cement. Her nose was a little crooked.
“Why don’t you go watch some more TV?” she suggested after his stare started to make her feel self-conscious.
When Snake stood up from the table, he felt a rush. He turned and started toward the living room, noticing that his body felt very heavy. He sat down on the sofa and laid his head back.
“Damn, baby. I feel tired as hell,” he hollered to Nell in the kitchen.
“Go take a nap.”
Snake thought about it. A nap sounded so good right about now. He wanted to move, but his body wouldn’t go anywhere. He finally forced himself to stand up.
Nell was standing in the kitchen doorway, watching him.
“The fuckin’ room is spinning,” he said.
“Go lie down, baby. Maybe your bath was just too hot.”
Snake had to hold onto the wall as he walked down the hall toward his bedroom. Something was not right, and he was starting to get suspicious.
“What the fuck did you do to me?” He stared at Big Nell, who was standing perfectly still. She offered no help as he stumbled around, bumping into walls. She knew exactly what was wrong with him. All that was left now was for Snake to pass out, and she could complete her plan. But it looked like it would take a little longer than she had expected. He was actually coming toward her, arms outstretched like he thought he could hurt her in the condition he was in. Nell wasn’t too afraid that he would actually do any harm, but she wasn’t taking any chances with this motherfucker. She backed up slowly.
“What did you put in my food?” He finally reached her and dug his fingers into her arms. His grip was very weak. Nell pushed him off and ran to the closet where she grabbed a baseball bat.
“I put poison in your food, you heartless motherfucker!” she yelled and whacked him across the back.
“Arrgh! You fuckin’ bitch!” Snake screamed in agony. Big Nell stepped back and looked at him. She was enjoying the look of pain on his face. “You better kill me,” he moaned in agony.
“That’s what I plan on doing,” she said with a demonic laugh as she cracked the bat over his head. She had no idea what parts of the body she was striking. She just kept pounding away. Tears clouded her vision, but she felt and heard bones cracking as she pounced over and over again, and it made her feel good. Nell was exacting revenge for all the ass whippings she had endured at the hands of Snake, all the times he had made her beg for her life.
But more than all of the physical punishment Snake had inflicted on her, what hurt the most was the fact that she hadn’t been able to be by her mother’s side when she died. Big Nell was lying unconscious in the hospital on her mother’s dying day. She wasn’t there for her own mother’s funeral. Her folks back home thought she was dead. She didn’t even get a chance to tell her mother, “I’m sorry for not turning out the way you wanted me to.” The pain of that loss was still tearing at Nell’s heart every day. It felt a hundred times worse than the memory of that last beating she got from Snake. Each blow she struck against Snake’s body now was payback for what he had done to her.
As she kept pounding on Snake’s crushed body, blood was splashing everywhere. Nell was in a frenzy. She kept swinging away, even when there seemed to be no life left in Snake’s body. A knock on the door finally snapped her back to reality. She threw the bat down, ran to grab her purse, snatched her two thousand dollars out of Snake’s pocket and gave him one last kick. She ran out the back door. Once she was outside and a safe distance from the condo, she fell to the ground and sobbed uncontrollably. She was free now, and so was everyone else.
PART TWO
Kyra
Chapter 10
Angel, her mother, and Kyra had just come from a relative’s funeral. Shawn was only twenty-one years old, but he had been shot trying to rob a jewelry store. After the services were over, Kyra drove Angel and Julia home. They pulled up in front of the apartment building, and all three women stepped out of the car. As they stood and talked about the tragedy of Shawn’s death, Kyra spotted Tyler’s little brother, Lil’ Anthony, speeding around in a brand new Camaro. There was no doubt the car was stolen. She waved him down and approached the driver’s side window.
“Yo, Kyra.” He smiled as he turned down the radio. “What up? You want a ride, or what?”
“Please, Anthony. You know I ain’t about to get in no stolen ride. You’re playing with fire, you know. Why don’t you find yourself another hobby?” Kyra suggested.
“Yeah, whatever.” He wasn’t interested. Kyra’s advice went in one ear and out the other. “Don’t you worry bout my hobbies. I got everything under control.”
“I’m just worried about you, that’s all.”
“Just call me if you ever want a ride,” Lil’ Anthony told her, then turned the music back up. Their conversation was obviously over. Kyra stepped away from the car, and Lil’ Anthony pulled off, his squealing tires leaving a black trail on the pavement.
Kyra shook her head as she watched the car disappear in the distance. She was tired of going to funerals for young black men. Too many of them were out there playing dangerous games, ending up like Shawn. Kyra walked back to Angel and Julia. They knew what she was thinking without anyone having to say a word.
“Well, girls, I’m going inside to get out of this dress,” Julia told them, then kissed Kyra on the cheek. “Tell your mother to call me.”
“I will. Bye, Aunt Julia,” Kyra called after her as Julia went into the house.
“Why aren’t you coming in?” Angel asked her as she leaned against the door of the Jeep.
“Can’t. I’m going to Roz’s. Why won’t you come with me?” Kyra pleaded. “I need to talk to y’all. It won’t take long.”
“I don’t feel up to it. Do you really need me there?”
“Really, really need you.”
Angel thought about it. She looked at Kyra and then back at her house. “This better be important,” she said as she jumped back into the Jeep.
“So you’re still pissed off because you haven’t heard from that tired-ass Snake?”
“I don’t know what you see in tired-ass Tyler,” Angel snapped back, still not turning away from the window. “He ain’t nothing but a ho! You can do better.”
“I know I can. That’s why I want to talk to y’all.”
Angel finally turned and looked at her, but both of them were silent, thinking about their choices in men.
“How could you even fuck him, knowing he has all of them hos?” Kyra broke their silence. Angel sighed, but didn’t answer.
“Angel, I know you heard me.”
She turned to Kyra. “Condoms. Anyway, he didn’t fuck them,” Angel said with assurance. “That’s what he had me for.”
“Puh-leese.” Kyra sucked her teeth. “You believe that shit?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Angel asked. “Keenan never gave me any type of infection in two and a half years. I told you before, I get tested every six months for HIV.”
“Yeah, but you must’ve had some doubts if you even felt like you needed to be tested so damn much.” Kyra shook her head in disbelief. Her cousin could be so naïve sometimes, and Snake had definitely taken advantage of that. She turned on the radio instead of pressing the issue with Angel.
When they pulled up in front of Roz’s, Kyra parked behind Jaz’s silver Volkswagen Jetta. The tags on it read 123 JAZ. The sun was shining, but it was a typical cool, crisp autumn day in New Jersey. Angel rang the bell and Roz ran down to open the door.
“What up, y’all?” She smiled, then hugged her girls. “Come on in and get comfortable. I’m serving nonalcoholic wine and crackers.”
Angel and Kyra shot each other a glance. Something w
as up.
“I haven’t seen everyone in a while,” Roz explained. “Plus, I got a bomb to drop on Kyra.”
“Why does it have to be a bomb on me?” Kyra tilted her head to one side and crossed her arms in front of her.
“It’s only a bomb if you let it be a bomb,” said Jaz as she came out of the kitchen. She was wearing a mocha dress that matched her skin tone. It looked like she was wearing a slip.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Kyra asked.
“I have a date with Faheem. And for your info, this is a Dolce & Gabbana,” Jaz bragged as she did a turn to show them the back. “Eight hundred and fifty dollars.”
“Whatever,” Kyra replied. “So Faheem finally quit slangin’?”
“I could have gotten you that dress for half price,” Angel announced, but Jaz ignored her and answered Kyra.
“Yeah. It’s on like popcorn. But let’s not go into that. I’m here to hear this announcement you have to make, then I’m gonna say what I gotta say, and then I’m out.” Jaz pushed up her chest so her cleavage practically spilled out of the tight dress.
They were all seated on the living room sofa. Kyra made her announcement first.
“I got promoted to assistant to the head psychologist. I’ll be making an extra $14,000 a year. And I have a job as soon as I graduate.”
“What? That’s the bomb!” Angel clapped her hands.
“Hell, yeah,” Jaz and Roz agreed, giving each other high fives.
“We’re on course, ladies. We are not gonna let the hood take us under,” said Angel. “Let’s toast.”
“Wait! Wait! That’s not all,” Kyra continued. “I’m leaving Tyler and moving to New Brunswick.”
“Wait a minute.” Angel looked at her. “Why do you have to move?”
“New job. New beginning. Drop old habits. I can’t be a doctor shacking up with a drug dealer. I’ll lose my license if something goes down. Plus, I know he’s fuckin’ around on me. He sure ain’t fuckin’ me.”
Everybody got quiet.
“Well, you know that nigga ain’t gonna let you just up and leave without a fight,” Angel reminded her.
“Yeah, I know. I still got love for the brother. But a sister gots to move on.”
“You’re just going to up and leave your apartment?” Angel asked.
“Fuck the apartment. What about up and leaving an eight-year relationship?” asked Jaz.
“It’s not my apartment. Its Tyler’s. And as far as the relationship goes, I’m just not feeling it.”
“Well, since we’re on the subject,” Roz chimed in, “remember I said I got a bomb for you? Tyler and that apartment are the least of your worries.”
All eyes were on Roz as she continued. “Marvin’s home from his seven-year bid, and he’s been looking for you.”
Everybody gasped. Kyra sank back into the sofa. Her stomach started doing flips. “Bitch, don’t play like that.”
“I ain’t playin’. Go ask my aunt. You forgot she works at the parole office?”
“Damn! Damn! Damn!” Kyra buried her face in her hands. The whole room got quiet. Marvin was a memory they had all tried to bury and forget. They vowed long ago that they would allow no one or nothing to take them down. Marvin had almost succeeded at doing just that.
“So what are you going to do?” Roz asked, hands on her hips.
Kyra stood up and grabbed her purse. Her knees felt weak. She definitely was not ready for this hurdle. The shit was about to hit the fan and she wanted to be far away when it started to fly.
“I’ll catch y’all later.” She headed out the door before they could say anything.
Chapter 11
Kyra jumped into her Jeep, stirred her vanilla cappuccino and set it in the cup holder. She opened the cinnamon granola bar, broke it into little pieces, and set them in a napkin. After she checked her mirrors, she turned on the radio to 98.7 KISS. “Always and Forever” was playing.
“Is this supposed to be a fuckin’ sign?” she said out loud as she pulled away from the rest stop. She had to laugh. That song took her way back. All the way to the 9th grade.
It was the second day of school, and Kyra was the only one in the crew who didn’t have a boyfriend. Roz, Jaz, and Kyra were standing around the lockers, trying to look cute while they waited for the first-period bell to ring. Kyra looked up and grinned when she saw a cutie coming up the hall toward them. He was fine, clean, and had that playa’s walk. Kyra’s heart was beating a mile per minute. She had to work hard to keep her cool.
“Damn! Who is that?” She wanted to know right then and there.
“That’s Tyler Dawson. He lives down the street from me,” said Jaz. “He got five or six brothers, and all of them got it goin’ on.”
Kyra walked over to Tyler and snatched his schedule out of his hand.
“What section are you in?” she asked as she examined the info on the tattered piece of paper.
Tyler looked at her like she was crazy. He looked at her friends, who were looking at each other, eyes wide. Kyra wasn’t usually so forward. It dawned on Tyler that this honey was trying to get her mac on. “What section are you in?”
“I’m in 9-1. I’m always at the top of my game,” Kyra bragged.
“Oh, you’re one of them braniacs, huh?”
“Hey, what can I say?”
“What’s your name?”
“Kyra.”
“What’s yours?”
“Ty.”
Just then the bell rang. They stood looking at each other.
“C’mon!” Jaz hollered.
“I’ll see you around.” Kyra smiled as she turned and waltzed away. She was in love. So was he. He stood there and watched her until she turned the corner.
“Dang, Kyra, you was all over him,” Roz said.
“Hell, yeah!” Jaz chimed in. “You embarrassed the hell out of us.”
They all started laughing.
“I couldn’t help it, y’all.” Kyra blushed.
Kyra immediately went to work investigating Tyler’s background. How old was he, who he hung out with, did he have a girlfriend, what school did he go to before this one. By the end of the day, she had a full report on her soon-to-be boo. Kyra was very excited about what she dug up.
First of all, at her junior high school, the higher the number after your grade, the dumber you were. Being that he was in 9-8 he wasn’t that bright, she assumed. Which was okay by Kyra, because it seemed that all the fine playas were in the not-so-bright classes. Next, he smoked cigarettes. Wow! A real ruff neck. He smoked weed, drank wine and beer. He was supposed to be in the tenth grade and had been locked up before. He rolled with all the playas. Did Kyra care? Hell, no! It was on. He was just what Kyra was looking for. A bad boy!
The next time Kyra saw Ty was at an old school basement house party that one of the high school kids was giving. Even though Kyra and her crew were in junior high, they made sure they hung with the seniors. Kyra, Angel, Roz, and Jaz were in full effect, jammin’ and showing off. The dimly lit purple room reeked of sandalwood incense and weed. They all wore tight jeans and T-shirts, and were draped in gold.
“Slow it down!” some horny brother yelled.
“Yeah!” Another horny brother seconded the request.
The DJ knew exactly what to do. He played “Always and Forever” by Heat Wave. The couples took to the floor a little before midnight.
“I’m ready to go, y’all,” Jaz announced. Roz and Angel agreed.
“Y’all go ahead. I’ma stay here and get Ty to walk me home,” Kyra told them.
“A’ight, cool.” They said their good-byes, and then Kyra was left at the party by herself.
Someone passed Kyra a joint as she stood and watched the dance floor. Dudes were coming over, asking her to dance, but she turned them all down. There was only one person she planned on dancing with. She was waiting on Ty to ask her. When she saw him easing toward her, her heart started to flutter and she could barely breathe.
BAM! There he was, standing right in front of her, extending his hand. She reached out and took it, following him to the dance floor. He took her in his arms and held her close. Kyra melted in his arms. As the record ended, Kyra started seeing dark spots. She figured it was because she was nervous as hell. Ty said he wanted to get to know her better and asked her if he could walk her home. Of course she said yes. Everything was going as planned.
After they exchanged numbers, they sat down on a couch in the corner. Kyra could hardly see, and she was sweating like she was in a steam room. Ty went to find her something cool to drink. When he came back, Kyra was passed out on the couch, surrounded by about seven high school dudes. They were looking down at her, talking and arguing.
“Yo, what up, niggas?” Ty asked.
“We getting ready to pull a train on this bitch.” The smallest and skinniest dude in the group was all excited. He grinned, gold teeth gleaming.
“What!” Ty’s voice went up a couple of notches. He started shaking Kyra. He had done his research, too. He knew she was a virgin, and if anybody was going to get it first, it was gonna be him.
“What the fuck you doing, man?” Rat, the leader of the crew asked. “We gettin’ ready to handle our business. This bitch done smoked my weed, and now she got to pay up.”
“Yeah!” hollered his sidekick, Yuno, who already had his dick out.
“This is mines, and ain’t none of y’all gettin’ ready to do shit,” Ty announced as he pulled out his gat and cocked it. Damn, he said to himself. Here I am on the other side of town with no backup.
“Oh, so it’s like that?” Rat growled.
“Yeah, it’s like that,” Ty answered. “Here’s ten dollars. Go buy another bag of weed.” He threw the money on the floor. Two of the fools dove to pick it up. Rat kicked the one with the money in the stomach and told him to give up the cash.
“Stay your ass on your side of the hood,” Rat warned Ty. He turned to walk away, his boys following behind. Yuno looked pissed as he stuffed his dick back in his pants.