Authors: T Styles
Tags: #Fiction, #Literary, #Urban, #African American, #General
“I know that’s why I wanted to come over. To see how you were doing.”
“I’m fine. Just working on getting that bitch arrested.” She looked at Sugar. “Why do you kids hang out with that girl? She’s bad news.”
“Mad, is really nice, Miss Ursula.” She paused. “You should give her a chance.”
“Don’t tell me she got you believing her act too.”
“No…I just don’t think you should tell the police she was involved in Glitter’s murder because she wasn’t. I was there and she was almost killed too.”
Ursula finally understood what was happening. She wasn’t there to talk about Glitter. “I didn’t tell you anything about the police.”
“I know. I heard about it though.”
Silence.
“Sugar, take your last pull off my weed and get the fuck out my house.”
“Why?”
“Because I know what you’re up to.”
“Please…Miss Ursula. You’ll get Mad in trouble and…”
“Get out!” She yelled pointing at the door. “Now!”
Sugar felt defeated and stood up. She planned to show Mad that she was tough enough to be her girl by getting her to drop the issue. Now she failed.
“Can I use your bathroom first?”
“Go ahead. Then I want you out of here.” She said leaning back on the couch.
Sugar went to the bathroom and paced the floor. She made a fool of herself and now Mad would hear about it. If it got out, she definitely wouldn’t have a chance with her.
Sneaking out of the bathroom she went into her son’s room. She knew he wasn’t home because he got in trouble for holding weed while on probation that belonged to Ursula. So he was back in the juvenile detention center again. Searching the room she was looking for something to use as a weapon when she happened upon a silver metal bat under his bed. Ursula had to die and she knew she’d score big with Mad after this. It was her only hope. So she took the bat from up under the bed and walked into the living room.
Ursula didn’t see her at first because she was still high. So Sugar called her name. “Miss Ursula.” She was shaking so hard the bat almost hit the floor.
Ursula raised her head and laughed. “Girl, you must have a death wish.” She stood up and moved toward Sugar. “Go ‘head, bitch. If you gonna hit me, hit me.”
Sugar backed up and said, “Don’t come closer! I’ma use it for real!”
Ursula snatched the bat out her hands and pushed her to the floor. Then she stole her in the face and grabbed her by the hair as she moved toward the door as if she was a Glad bag full of trash.
“Get off of me!” She yelled. “You’re hurting my head.” Her red glasses fell off and Ursula purposely smashed them under her bare foot.
When her foot bled, Ursula stole her in the face again. She couldn’t believe this bitch had a nerve to come into her house and assault her with a weapon. She wanted to throw her down the stairs but when she opened the door, Kali was standing before her. He didn’t bother to hide his face. When she stood up and faced him, he took the hatchet off his back and slit her neck. Then he walked up to her to finish her off by stabbing her again. Blood was everywhere. Ursula’s body hit the floor and he chopped at her again. He wanted no mistakes and when he saw her eyes roll back, he knew she was dead.
He moved to kill Sugar. “Please don’t! I didn’t like her either.”
Kali remained silent as he tried to catch Sugar as she ran around the living room. She’d seen his face and now she would have to die.
“Please! I was here to do the same thing! That’s why she was throwing me out! Don’t kill me!” She never saw him before so she didn’t know the man before her was Mad’s father, coming to her rescue. So Kali wasn’t trying to hear any of it. He was on a mission to kill the people who could implicate his daughter in Glitter’s murder and that included this girl. When Mad called him and told him what happened at school, he knew exactly what to do. He went by the motto that dead men tell no tales.
Kali gripped a handful of Sugar’s hair and was about to slice her when she said, “I was doing it for my friend Mad!” She cried. “I was doing it for Mad.”
Kali let her go and looked into her eyes. “How do you know Mad?”
“She’s a friend of mine.” Her sobs were lighter. He was listening. “And this bitch was about to lie on her. I came to help.”
Kali placed his hatchet back into the leather strap on his back. “Leave this type of shit to the professionals. Now get your young ass out of here before I change my mind.”
She jumped up and wiped her face. “Thank you!”
She was almost at the door until he said, “And if you mention this to anybody, even my daughter, you’ll wish I killed you tonight because later will be worse.
JACE
CREEPERS
Jace’s car crept slowly up the street which he knew Madjesty hung out on in DC. Antony killed the headlights so she wouldn’t see them coming.
She was sitting on a brick wall in front of a DC project with Mad Max. She told them just minutes earlier to prevent Denise from being homeless, that she was thinking about running away to Texas to be with her. They were doing everything they could to talk her out of it, including showing her what she would be missing out on if she left. They were drinking, smoking and listening to music and because of it, their guards were down and they didn’t see Jace coming.
“Which one is she?” Antony asked bringing the car to an even slower crawl.
“The one with the purple cap on.” Jace said from the passenger seat.
Antony parked the car. “She really does look like a boy.”
“Just bring her here.”
When Antony stepped out of the car and moved toward the kids, at first not one of them saw him coming. But when they saw his Jason Vorhees’s walk and stone face expression, they knew either he was police or meant to do them harm. They all took off running except Madjesty. She would’ve gotten away with her friends had she been willing to leave the Hennessy bottle which was sitting on the wall behind her.
“Get the fuck off of me!” She yelled swinging wild arms at Antony as he held on to her tightly.
“Stop fighting, kid. You’re coming with me whether you want to or not.”
“Get the fuck off of me!” She yelled.
He had a grip on her that couldn’t be unlocked unless he desired. Mad continued to flail wild arms as he opened the car and threw her in the back seat before climbing in the drivers seat himself. Mad tried to open the door but it wouldn’t budge. When she calmed down a little, Jace looked Madjesty over and immediately felt sympathy for her. Even though she was feisty, her eyes were still that of a child and he wished shit didn’t have to be this way. But it did.
“WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT WITH ME?!” She screamed. “I need you to lower your voice.”
“I WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE!”
“Madjesty, I’m not going to ask you again.” He paused. “Lower your fucking voice.” He paused. “Don’t worry I’m not going to hurt you. But somebody I care about is missing and I need to know if you’ve seen her.”
He handed her the picture. She looked at it, shook her head and handed it back to him. But he saw ‘that something’ in her eyes that told him otherwise.
“I don’t know what you talking about.” She said.
“The woman in the picture is my fiancée and her name is Antoinette.”
“And I don’t know who you’re talking about because I’ve never seen that woman before in my life. Now can I please leave?” She asked moving for the door handle that was rigged and wouldn’t open.
“So you’re saying you haven’t seen your father around her at all?”
“No!”
Silence.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well there ain’t shit I can do about that now is there?” She started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You were responsible for killing my girl and my uncle Vaughn. Both of them died in front of me! Now you asking me about some bougie ass bitch in a picture? Man fuck that bitch.”
“Who said she was bougie?”
Silence.
“You’ve seen her haven’t you? I know you have.”
“Like I said, I ain’t seen that bitch.”
“Did you know that the woman Kali lives with is your grandmother?” He paused. “I think her name is Bernie.”
Silence.
“You didn’t know did you?” Jace said.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well it’s true.” He continued. “Kali lost contact with his mother. She pretty much abandoned him because she was always so high when he was a kid. I’m not sure when he found her or how, but he did and now he’s fucking her.”
“It’s not true.”
“I’m telling you it’s true.”
Silence.
“I…I…don’t…”
“I know it’s fucked up. But I got to keep shit real with you. Stay away from him, or you’re going to get hurt. This is my final warning and I’m giving it to you personally because you’re my daughter’s sister, and she asked me to.”
“I don’t have nothing to do with any of this shit. You need to talk to my father.” She paused. “Now can I go?”
“Yeah. Go ‘head.”
Antony unlocked the door from the front and when she got out of the car Jace watched her walk away. She wasn’t letting him in on anything she knew about Kali. And although it slowed progress, Jace respected her gangster.
“Why you let her leave, boss? She knew something.”
“Because Paco is tailing, Kali. She’s going to tell him about this meeting and if they have Antoinette, they’re going to go wherever she is. We just have to wait.”
“That’s why you’re the boss. You always know what to do.”
KALI
SWEET ANN
The basement at Bernie’s was fly and cozy thanks to Kali. It looked like an apartment and he retreated there whenever things got tough. It was the home he always wanted when he use to stay with his mother as a kid and he finally had it
Antoinette was sitting on the sofa with a glass of vodka in her hands. The condensation from the ice dripped on her fingers as she held it tightly. Putting it up to her lips she swallowed and said, “Kali, this is dumb. What are you doing? You know as well as I do that once Jace finds out I’m missing, he’s going to come looking for you.” Antoinette continued. “Please…let’s just drop this and let me go.”
Kali stood over top of her. “I’m not dropping shit. He owes. And until he pays, you’re staying right here with me.” He paused. “I mean look at you. I don’t have you tied up, gagged or bound. You’re my hostage but you must admit the living conditions are fantastic.”
“But I want to go home.” She whined.
“And you will. But don’t act like an angel, Ann. It’s me, you’re talking to.” He laughed. “You helped those people get poisoned at Jace’s party. You allowed the wrong caterers into the mansion and Massive told me.” He paused. “You even arranged to have the innocent caterers killed in the abandoned apartment in DC the same night so that Massive’s men could steal their uniforms. Remember? Nobody but me knows the relationship you had with Massive, Ann. But we’re partners. Always have been and always will be.”
Antoinette put her face in her hands. “I was young and angry. He’d just chosen that bitch Harmony over me.” She explained. “She was even wearing my dress the night of the party and everything. But I loved Jace and would have never done something like that if I wasn’t angry.”
“Ann, cut the bullshit!” He yelled startling her. “You helped Massive get those caterers in way before you found out about that dress. Way before it. You did it for the money. It’s cool.” Kali continued. “But don’t fucking lie.”
Ann cried hearing the facts of her deceit out loud. “Please stop! I don’t want to hear this anymore.”
“Shit was already in motion to kill that nigga but you fell in love. I understand. I loved the nigga too.” He paused. “But Jace owes the wrong person now. Listen, all we’re waiting on is for Jace to give me my money from the hit I did for him on Massive and you’re free to go.”
“Kali, when Jace pays you,” she paused wiping her tears, “are you really, honestly, gonna let me go?”
He sat next to her on the sofa. “I promise.” Then he moved in to kiss her. She willingly kissed him back. “We’ve been fucking for fourteen years, Ann. And had you went along with the plan when I first suggested it some months back, I wouldn’t have had to send my daughter in to get you. You could’ve been a willing accomplice. But you got scared and I had to steal you in that pretty face of yours.”
“You played on my weakness.” She kissed him again and wrapped her arms around his neck. “By having that girl fake a seizure. I didn’t even know she was a girl.”
“That was all my kid’s plan not mine.” He kissed her again. “But it worked.”