Chapter 10

The AfterMath

I got up with a heavy chest the next day, my heart was racing so fast I couldn't even sleep. I tossed and turned all night.

I tried so hard to go to sleep to just forget everything but I couldn't. So I decided to smoke the only light was from my lighter. It illuminated the room while my sisters slept. I drew it hard and slow and started to cough really hard, then watched my favorite show with an ice pack on my cheek.

Next time I opened my eyes the sun was finally fully out.  I was really high and was craving the munchies I put on my shorts and my hoodie then just got up and went to take a taxi to go buy some weed from my regular brownie. I just felt numb to the world. I didn't make my usual jokes or make fun of him. I saw a cornbread on the counter when he wasn’t looking. I might have knocked it off and put it in my hoodie then pushed my hands inside the sleeves and started devouring it like it was the last supper. I quickly pushed my hands into my pockets. Over the radio, the news spoke of a horrible slater of a family from our community that seemed to be a vicious animal attack. I didn't have much time to react.

I saw a familiar vehicle pass. It was Derek Johns and his partner. He looked at me and I told him Good Morning, that's when he stopped his car and stepped out. He then walked over to me and asked, “You know someone by the name of Tough Dog?” I was kind of panicking, I didn't even know who he was talking about. I started to scramble to answer him, then I heard brownie answer, “No sah, No don't know anybody by that name.” I turned to look and see that obviously, he was asking him.

I started to make my leave when I heard, “Young girl, why are you not at school?” His deep raspy voice roared and it made my knees a bit shaky. I took a big swallow and then turned, he walked over to brownie and said to his partner, “Watch her.”

“Yo, I thought I heard that you was on probation. Heard rumors that drugs were sold around here is that true?” Brownie shook his head and played with his toothpick.

“So If me jump over this counter right now I wouldn't find anything right sir?” Derek said.

“No bredda I don't even know what you'r talking about.” Brownie said.

“So who you work for?”

“I stopped selling.” With that Derek busted down the door and went inside the shop then pushed him against the wall.

“Show me the drugs.” He said, but Brownie only turned his head.

Derek then pat him down and started to laugh, “So what is diss, eh?” He said with a small bag of crack held up to his face.

“What is this, pixie dust?” He then put it in his pocket and said. “Nobody don’t sell on my territory nigga. Tell Tough Dog that. So if you don't want to go to jail tell me were he live.”

“I don't know where he live mon, I don't know.” Brownie was more agitated now. Derek then pulled out his gun and I heard it cock.  I crouch down a bit to look.

“I know if I put a bullet in you're ugly face that boy you protecting…wouldn’t even piss on you if you were on fire.” His voice sounded deeper, my eyes widened. By now I wanted to get out of there.

I was already tripping out from the weed now this, “All I know is his hide out is on Rock Way Lane.” Derek patted him on the shoulders and said, “You see now, that wasn't so hard. If you don't want to go jail house tonight find out where he live for me.” I started coughing from the weed on my chest.

He turned to look at me. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, felt like I could start to feel the weed kicking in some more again, and felt like water flowing over my body and started from the crown of my head. Something about him was really intimidating with sweat beading down my forehead, he asked again, “Yeah, about you now, why are you not at school again?” I mumbled, “Home, I-I'm going home.”

“Excuse me. You can’t talk, speak up now!” He exclaimed at me. With that, I laughed, “Ahhh, dat funny dat real funny. Which remind me, I think I left my stove on the fire-” With that, I took off. I ran so fast bouncing and hitting over garbage pans.

Then a couple cars flew past me and stopped right in front of Derek and his partner. The next thing I heard was loud gunshots. I flung my hands over my head and when I looked over my shoulder I saw about 8 men came out firing shots rapidly, Derek ducked for cover while his partner dived behind their vehicle and pulled something that looked like AR-15 guns from under the back seats and shot a couple of them.

The only reason I guess that is this, two words, ghetto and comic books.

Derek was now in the vehicle sitting on the car door window firing more shots while his partner drove off.

I didn't stay to watch the full showdown. I felt like I was running for my life like two police cars were on my tail.

I turned down a lane and jumped over a wall and ran and ran until I reached the main road. I am not even sure how I avoided all those vehicles.

I ran into a taxi car parked yelling ‘Down town!’,

“Driver, driver hurry up and press gas men are chasing me.” He looked behind him and pass me with a confused look on his face, “No one is chasing after you lady.” I looked out the window to see that he was right.

I could have sworn I was now on the wanted list by now. I was so high that I was paranoid.

While I was walking to the hotel I decided to go to a restaurant nearby. When I entered  I smelled a sweet aroma, and my mouth started watering. I been there couple of times with my friends and it was soon miday, I naively thought I made it before the rush that's why it was currently empty.

I called out for service and walked up to the counter. That's when I saw something horrible that I don't think I will ever forget. When I looked over the counter I saw someone in a pool of blood, the person looked mangled. I put my hands to my mouth and called the police.

To be continued...