URBAN: What A Thug Wants

by Shantel Johnson

  “Come here Trell,” I told him and helped him climb up into my lap. I held him firmly against my chest.

  “What’s wrong?” He asked and stared at me with those honey-brown eyes of his. He looked so innocent and happy. I didn’t want to break his happiness but he needed to know that we had a job to do. I held him in front of me and looked into his eyes,

  “Something horrible happened today while you were sleeping,” I told him and sighed. He stared at me waiting for me, listening intently. “Daddy was shot and he died.”

  I watched as the words sunk in, and his smile faded.

  “Where’s mommy?” he asked.

  “Mommy’s fine, she was inside with you. I want you to know something though. We are all she has now. So we have to protect her. Since I’m the oldest, dad left me in charge and told me that I have to be the man, but I can’t do this alone. I need you to help me,” I explained and he nodded. “It’s not going to be easy without daddy around but we need to stay strong for mommy and make sure she knows that we love her. I made a promise to protect you guys, and I will stick to that promise. I won’t let anything happen to you or our mother. You hear me? I won’t let nothing happen to you. Nothing. I promise.”

  A tear rolled down his face and I wiped it with my hand. I assured him that everything was okay, but he wasn’t the one who needed it because there were more tears running down my face then there were his. He leaned in to hug me and I held him tightly against my chest. I kissed the top of his head and told him it was going to be okay and that I loved him. I swore on my life that I would never let anything happen to him. I made a promise and nothing was going to stop me from keeping it.

  II.

  Montrell, Romello, and I sat on moms porch reminiscing about growing up. We were celebrating Montrell’s acceptance letter to Townsend University in Alabama. He got a full ride to play basketball in the fall. I was so proud of my dude and the man he had grown up to be.

  Moms was inside cooking up a nice meal to celebrate, while Romello was rolling a nice blunt for our smoke session.

  “Aye, you remember that one time Sydney tried to say she was pregnant with your baby?” Trell asked. Of course I remembered. How could I forget? She was one of the craziest females I ever met. The girl was so obsessed with me that she went around spreading this pregnancy rumor, when I never even touched the girl. In fact, until the rumors started getting around, I didn’t even know who the girl was.

  “Bitch, was crazy,” I chuckled.

  “You know, she really did have a baby though?” He asked. “And guess who the father was.”

  “Who is the man insane enough to get that broad pregnant?” Romello asked as he was sealing the blunt.

  “Ronald’s ugly ass,” Montrell said.

  “Ronald an old flock ass nigga for real,” I said. “He would get that hoe pregnant. I bet she ain’t the only one neither.”

  We continued to chat about old times. Like the first time Montrell took a girl on a date. I took him shopping the day before and he bought a whole outfit for the occasion. He bought a black Ralph Lauren button up with a white horse, he had the black 501s Levi’s, and the all-white forces on his feet. He wore the gold chain I bought him for his birthday around his neck and the gold watch I got him for Christmas on his wrist.

  “Ya boy was too fresh,” Montrell said remembering the occasion. His girl was too. He had a beautiful girl for his first date. A bad redbone with grey eyes and long curly hair. She was skinny but she was thick too. She played ball like he did, so at school she usually just wore jeans or sweats. She almost never dressed up and her hair was almost always in a ponytail. Imagine how surprised he was when she came in a dress and her hair was down. “She had on a tight ass dress and a push up bra. Her chest and that booty was looking right.”

  “She was looking right huh?” Romello asked then looked at me. “Aye Rell you got a light?”

  I reached in my pocket and handed him a lighter. He looked over the blunt one last time to make sure everything was right. He then stuck the blunt up to his lips and lit it. He must’ve hit it too hard or the weed was too good because he couldn’t even hold it. He went to choking like he was dying. Montrell and I started laughing.

  “You good bruh?” I asked. He nodded, took another hit and then passed it to Montrell. “Montrell was nervous as hell to take that girl out. As soon as she came down the stairs that nigga just froze.”

  “I was stunned. Baby girl looked like she should be on the cover of a magazine she was so fine. Fucking beautiful,” Montrell admitted.

  “You get the booty?” Romello asked.

  “Fuckin’ right I got the booty, “ Montrell bragged. He passed that blunt to me and I watched as some dude I ain’t ever seen before started walking up to the house.

  “Who that is?” I asked

  “Don’t trip, he’s here for me. I’ll be back,” He said and walked over to the dude. I kept my eye on my brother while he was talking. I didn’t know this nigga, ain’t ever seen him before, and honestly I don’t trust dude. I had to admit though, I was proud of the man my brother grew up to be. I basically raised that man like he was my own. Showed him right from wrong and now look at him. Nineteen years old going to college to play ball. He a better man than I could ever be. Pops would be so proud of him. I wish he was here to see it.

  My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of screeching tires. I looked up to see and 1969 all black convertible Camaro pull up in front of the house. In the passenger seat of the car sat a black dude. He was kinda skinny and he wore some all black shades. He pulled out a .45 revolver and shot out six shots. I called out to Montrell but it was too late. Montrell was shot and fell to the ground. Romello started shooting at the car and I ran to my brother’s side. I pulled my brother into my arms. He was only hit with one bullet, right in the middle of his forehead. Blood rushed from his head and I took my shirt off and ripped it, making a bandage to wrap around his head. I applied pressure to the womb in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He was a lot bigger now, but holding him reminded me of the time when pops died and I had to break the news to him. He looked at me with those honey-brown eyes again and it was like he was four all over again. Then, just like that, he was gone. Tears were flooding down my cheeks. Not my brother man. Not Montrell. He had so much going for him. A whole life ahead of him. Why not take me instead? I deserve to be killed for all the wrong I did. All the lives I took. Why my dude?

  My head was spinning. I felt faint. My little brother didn’t deserve this. Instantly, I was seeing red. The ambulance came and took my brother out of my hands and laid his lifeless body on the stretcher, covering his face. I couldn’t move but I felt my body temperature rising. I was hot and I was going to find who did this. I looked back at the house. Romello had my mother in his arms trying to comfort her but she was crying hysterically. The scene looked all too familiar. I went over to them, took my mother out of his arms, and held her tightly against my chest.

  After her tears had slowed, I walked her inside the house and took her to her room to lay down. I helped her get undressed and into the bed. Then I sat on the bed beside her and rubbed my fingers in her hair, the same way I did Montrell when pops died.

  “Rell, why?” she asked, but I didn’t have an answer for her because I was wondering the same thing. I knew my mother needed me now, but there was no way I was going to let whoever did this get away with it.

  “I don’t know ma, but I do know one thing. Too much blood was shed on this property alone. First pops and now Trell. I’m going to get you away from this death trap if it takes the life of me. I promise,” I told her but my promise felt so empty. “Get some rest, ma.”

  She closed her eyes and I kissed her on her cheek. I asked one of the neighbors to watch over her for me. As much as I wanted to be there for my mother, there was something I had to take care of first. I was going to find the person who did this and he was going to pay.

  III.

  “They ain’t gon’ get away
with this bro. Ain’t no way. I risked my life trying to protect my little brother and they come and take him from me? That’s bullshit. I’ma get them back for this, no matter what it takes,” I told Romello. I was pacing the floor, heated. It’s been about two hours since my brother was taken from me and I was hot.

  “I feel you bruh,” He assured me. “Montrell was like my brother too and you know it. Let me handle it though. Your mama lost her husband and her youngest son, she don’t need to lose her oldest too. You all she got left.” He was right. I was all she had left but I couldn’t let him take on this task for me. He was his mama’s only child. She needed him as much as my moms needed me.

  “Look obviously somebody has it in for my family because every time something goes right, someone gotta come and take it away from us. I gotta make sure the family I have left is safe. I need to let these bitch ass niggas know what’s up. That they can’t fuck with my family and if they do they asking for a death sentence straight up,” I stated as I put a full clip into the handle of my semi-automatic pistol and stuck it in the front of my pants. “Now are you with me or not?”

  He sighed and grabbed his glock. “Don’t you think we should plan this shit out first before we start going out shooting?”

  “Ok, so what you think our first move should be?” I questioned him, irritated by his response…

  “Why would Montrell have someone out for him?” he asked.

  “He don’t have a reason for nobody to be after him all he do is go to school and play ball,” I told him. Montrell ain’t never been on anybody’s bad side. He wasn’t the drama type of person. He let it go and moved on, and if he couldn’t, he got me to handle it for him.

  “He ever get in a fight with anybody in school,” He questioned…

  “Nah. Montrell ain’t never got in no fight in school. Trust me I would be the first one they called. I don’t play that,” I told him and then added. “But what about on the courts at Massey Park. Niggas be fighting over there all the time. I had to go get my brother after a fight broke out not too long ago. Maybe someone had it in for him then.”

  Between the two of us, I have always acted on impulse. Allowing my emotions to take over my actions. Romello was always the one to stop and think. I knew one thing, he always kept me from making the wrong decisions. We strapped up and jumped in the car. When we got to the courts they were packed as always. People lined the walls watching the game and waiting to play. There was a game already going on and like usual somebody lost their temper and the men were yelling at each other. Romello and I got out of the car and I took the ball out of one of the dudes hands. I knew it was the only way I was gonna get their attention.

  “What’s wrong with you son,” some dark-skinned skinny dude asked.

  “Look bruh, my little brother Trell was shot and killed today and I’m looking for answers. I ain’t leavin’ this bitch until I find out who did,” I barked.

  “Boy fuck you. What you think this is? You can’t just come up and interrupt a game cause yo brother got killed. People get killed every day. Give me that damn ball,” this tall light-skinned boy said. He reached for the ball and I pulled my gun out and pointed it in his direction. He threw his hands up and stepped back. “Man, chill bruh.”

  “I told ya’ll that I ain’t leaving until I get answers. I know someone in this bitch know my brother. I just want to know if somebody knows something. I don’t wanna hurt nobody but I will if I don’t get what I’m looking for,” I said. Nobody said anything but I saw someone try to slip off and leave in the corner of my eye. I called to Romello and the dude took off running with Romello running after him, gun drawn. I dropped the ball and followed. We chased the dude for two blocks before Romello caught up with him and slammed him to the ground. I came up to the dude and put a knee on his chest so he wouldn’t move.

  “What you runnin' for nigga?” I asked but when I got a good look at him, I already knew the answer. It was the dude that came and talked to Montrell earlier. I pressed my knee deeper in his chest. “Well, look who we have here.”

  “Bruh, chill,” he said trying to get from under me. “Look, I had just came up to the gate when you were talking about finding out who killed Montrell. I knew if you saw me you were going to try to hurt me so I ran. Look, I been looking for you. I want to let you know that it’s my fault your brother was killed bruh. The dude wasn’t looking for Montrell, he was looking for me. I’ll explain the whole thing to you. Can we go somewhere and talk?”

  I pondered for a moment, not sure if I could trust this dude or not. Romello looked at me and nodded. I got up and helped him off of the ground. We went to the nearest restaurant and he explained what happened. He told me his name is Kendale and that he and Montrell used to ball with each other. He explained that he was coming to congratulate Montrell on getting accepted. He admitted that he looked up to Montrell because compared to everybody else, Montrell was the only dude he knew trying to do something good with his life. He also explained how someone had a hit out on him for the longest and had been trying to locate him but had never found him.

  “I never wanted anything to happen to your brother. I told your brother not to chill with me because he had too much going for him and I didn’t want him to get killed,” he added taking a drink of the soda he ordered. “I’m pissed off too because he coulda came up to me straight up and shot me. He didn’t have to do no drive-by. That’s a bitch move. He don’t know who could’ve been out there. One of the babies could’ve caught a bullet.”

  “Does he know you wasn’t hit?” I asked. He shook his head. “Do you know who he is?”

  “Yea his name is Gunnah. He stay on Lamron street,” he stated.

  “We should go get that nigga,” I said. “Right now!”

  “Nah, bruh be smart. If he know he shot your brother he gon’ be looking for you. He probably got his house guarded right now. If we go over there it’s a full out war,” Mello said.

  “I don’t give a fuck!” I yelled standing up and knocking over my chair. Everybody looked in our direction but I didn’t care. I wanted to bust a cap in this niggas ass.

  “Rell, they think this nigga dead. If they find out his ass still alive then they coming for his. We got the advantage. He doesn’t know we consulting with him. So we make this dude come to us. You feel me,” Romello explained and then turned to Kendale and asked. “Look, what’s your name again?”

  “Kendale.”

  “Kendale, you gotta get out in the streets and get in his head. Talk mad shit about the boy and how his scary ass thought he got you but you still living and that can’t no nigga cap you cause’ you outchea,” Romello said. “I’m telling you, you gon’ make that nigga hot. Tell some people you know gon’ snitch on you and lead them right into our trap.”

  Romello can really get under someone’s skin with his logical reasoning sometimes, but he was right. We had an advantage teaming up with Kendale. Now that we had a plan, there was nothing stopping us from finding Gunnah and getting rid of him once and for all.

  IV.

  “You did what?!” I exclaimed.

  Just a few seconds ago my brother busted in my house talking about some drive-by he did over on London Drive. He said he fired a full round of his revolver into the Davis’ yard trying to get some dude named Kendale because of something that went down over at the courts. Now he was in my living room pacing back and forth like a crazy man.

  “Candace. I fired a full round but I don’t know if I hit him,” He admitted. He rubbed his hands down his face. Then he plopped down on the couch. “I think I killed Terrell’s brother though. He hit the ground when I sped off.” I was hot. My brother has to be the dumbest person I’ve met this far. Everybody knows that Terrell don’t play behind his brother. Not Montrell. Besides, Montrell had so much going for him. I wasn’t about to sit here and have my brother killed behind the raft of someone else though. I would much rather see him spend jail time than to get killed behind his dumb ass decisions.

&nb
sp; “I’ll take care of it. I just need you to stay out of sight,” I told him. He looked up at me and shook his head. He knew what I was going to do and I knew he didn’t want me in the middle of it, but I couldn’t let my brother get hurt. He’s all the family I have left. “Just listen to me, Jarold, and stay out of sight. I’ll distract Terrell.”

  ***

  Things weren’t moving fast enough for me. The news that Kendale was still alive after the drive-by just was getting around but it seemed like this Gunnah dude wasn’t biting. It’s been three days since Montrell was killed and every day my nerves got worse. I just wanted the man dead already. I was tempted to find him and just shoot him down where he stood. I knew who he was, I knew what he looked like, and I knew where he lived. What was I still sitting here waiting for? The man could be dead by now. I slammed my hands down on the table and let out a frustrated yell. My nerves were bad and the only thing that would calm them was if I had this man’s blood on my hands. I laid my head in my hands and breathed in an attempt to calm myself down.

  “Hey Trell, come holler at me for a minute,” I said. Mama told me that Montrell had booked some gig that was helping her pay the bills but wouldn’t tell her what it was. I needed to know for sure that Montrell wasn’t out in the streets. “You ain’t out there sellin' are you?”

  “I had to do something, moms was struggling and I wanted some new gear. All my friends had it and I wanted it too,” He said. I was disappointed in him. I did everything I could to keep him from going out there.