My Besties PT 3: The Downfall

by Asia Hill

  “You’s a funny ass nigga, but I bet you I’ma have the last laugh.”

  “We’ll see about that buddy. See you in the streets.”Click

  At this point, there was no need to lip box over the phone. It is what it is. I knew eventually I was gonna have to see that nigga. He better be ready. Sitting in the house was torture when I was so used to terrorizing the streets. I decided to hit up Facebook. Maybe I could find some action. It amazes me how these dumb ass people put their business on here. I thought about looking up Dirty to see if she was as dumb as the rest of these people. After about 10 minutes of searching, I got lucky.

  “Jackpot.”

  She wrote, ‘What’s good, Chicago? Me and my ride-or-die ReRe ‘bout to head up to the county to see our bestie. Free JuJu.’

  Damn I could kill two birds with one stone.

  “Ay, JoJo?”

  “Huh? Why you wake me up? I’m tired.”

  “Tired from what? You don’t do shit. Lazy ass! Come on, I know where Dirty and that other bitch ‘bout to be.”

  “Ok, go get ‘em then.” I punched her ass in her back as hard as hell.

  “OUCH! Don’t fucking hit me like that no more bastard.”

  “Then get yo ass up. We in this shit together.”

  After a few lip smacks and eye rolls, she finally jumped in the shower. I might as well get some pussy before we go. I busted into the bathroom like a thief in the night. I could tell I scared her because she dropped the soap.

  “Stay in that position!”

  I quickly got my rocks off. I felt different afterwards. I felt like her body had finally received me.

  “Get dressed and be ready in 10 minutes.”

  (Dirty E)

  “Come on Re. We gotta be there before the shift change.”

  Women take forever getting ready. Poohman was about to take us up to the county to see JuJu. I decided that I was going to tell her about her auntie. Fuck that. She needed to know. Especially since we knew for sure that she wasn’t getting out. After about 30 more minutes, we were finally on our way. Re and Poohman seemed distant.

  “Re, you a’ight?”

  “Hell naw! I’m mad as hell because that lawyer wanted 10-G’s just to retain his ass. To represent her, he wants almost $100,000, E. He couldn’t even get her out on bond.”

  “He better get her off with that kind of bread in the air.”

  “I know, right? When are we gonna start looking for that nigga Lil Man and that bitch JoJo?”

  “After we go up here and holla at JuJu, we can go on the prowl if you want.”

  We made it to the county right on time. It was early, and there wasn’t too much traffic. Finding a parking spot was damn near impossible though.

  “Poohman, right there. Hurry up.”

  He zoomed right into a parking spot in front of the building. Damn we got lucky.

  “Come on y’all, its 7:25. We need to hurry up and make it through the gate.”

  (Lil Man)

  I was asking for trouble. Not only was I up here at the county jail to commit a few murders, but I was also in a stolen car. I loved living on the edge. After I kill those bitches, I think I’ll take a trip to go see Young.

  “JoJo, ain’t that them over there crossing the street?”

  She sat up and squinted her eyes.

  “Yep, that’s them. What you ‘bout to do?”

  “What you mean? I’ma wait on them to come out. When they do, it’s on!”

  (ReRe)

  I could never get used to this shit. I had to walk through this big ass machine. I was curious, so I asked the police lady what the machine did.

  “It scans your body for contraband and drugs.”

  I was so glad I didn’t smoke weed this morning. After going through a series of doors and hallways, we were finally led into a room containing windows with phones on the wall. I assumed it was the visiting room. So much for being able to hug my girl.

  “This is how we gotta talk to her, Poohman?”

  He hugged me.

  “Yeah ma, no contact visits in here.”

  E was in her own world. We haven’t ever finished mourning the loss of Tiki, and here we are in a jail visiting our other bestie. This shit was all bad. I heard a door open and in walked Ju.

  “Damn she look bogus.”

  I couldn’t believe that I said that shit out loud, but it was true. Her hair was dry and brittle looking. She looked like she had even loss a few pounds. I was the first one to walk up to the glass and pick the phone up.

  “Hey Ju, you look like shit.”

  “Thanks girl I try. I’m good, just ready to get the fuck up outta here. My trial date is in March. That’s like 82 days away. This place is nasty. Bitch, they got green bologna.”

  “Green bologna? Aw hell naw. Don’t eat it.”

  “I’m not. Why you think I look so small? I miss my boo. Why he ain’t come with yell?’

  “I think something happened to his brother. He’s at the hospital.”

  “Where is my auntie? I need her.”

  “Hold on, E wanna talk to you.”

  I turned towards E and gave her that look that she knew oh so well. I was not about to be the bearer of bad news. She was the man, well the woman, for that job.

  “Ju baby, what’s crackin’? You look good.”

  “You’re a liar and a fat mouth. I know I look like shit. Where is my auntie?”

  I saw E put her head down, so I knew that shit was about to hit the fan. I just hugged Poohman and held my breath.

  “Ju, um I love you, baby, and we’re going to get through this.”

  “Get through what?”

  “Lil Mama got into a car accident after Tiki’s funeral. Sh ... she didn’t make...”Boom

  E never finished the statement. JuJu snapped! She hit the glass so hard I thought she broke her hand.

  “NO, DON’T SAY THAT! PLEASE GOD NO!”

  That shit broke my heart. Officers came from everywhere trying to restrain her. She gave their ass the blues. It was hard to watch.

  “Excuse me?” I turned around to see two officers standing behind me.

  “What?”

  “What the hell did y’all say to her?”

  “Family business.”

  “Well your family business has disrupted my visiting room. Y’all gotta go!”

  I hated to have to leave her in there like that, but at least she knew. Hopefully we can get her out for the funeral. E took that scene to heart.

  “E, baby, you good?”

  “I’m trying not to cry. That shit fucked me up.”

  Leaving the building, I felt as if a storm was brewing in the city. I was ready for whatever.

  (Lil Man)

  Damn, they’ve been in there for almost two hours. I wish they’d hurry up so they can die. Shit! As soon as I see them come out, I’m going to pull a good ole-fashioned drive-by.

  “JoJo you better get ready to run in case I crash this motha fucka.”

  The way she looked at me pissed me off.

  “What the fuck was that look about?”

  “I want them too, but in broad daylight? And in front of this big ass jail? That’s stupid.”

  She was right, but when the opportunity presents itself you take it damn it.

  “They’re dying today. End of discussion.”

  “We gon’ end up in jail like that bitch.”

  No sooner than she said it, that I saw them coming out of the gate.

  “JoJo, you ready?”

  “Let’s go.”

  I put the pedal to the metal flying down the street.

  “Grab the wheel.”

  (Dirty E)

  I couldn’t wait to get back to the hood. I hope that Ju beat that case man. Man, I ... I looked to my left and saw this car flying down the street driving right towards us.

  “Re, what the ... OH SHIT, RUN!”

  Lil Man had his head and half his body hanging out of the window with a big ass gun in his hand
. “DIE BITCHES!”BOC-BOC-BOC-BOC

  Oh my goodness. That nigga ill. I took off running across the street, and Poohman and Re ran towards the car on 27th Street. We were unarmed and in trouble. When I turned around, he was on my ass. The nigga jumped the curb and was now driving on the sidewalk. Where the hell was the police when you needed them? I ran in Popeye’s Chicken, which was across the street from the courthouse. I thought that he was going to run into the building, but he didn’t. He turned off and disappeared. This shit had gone on long enough. It was time for that nigga to die. Poohman and Re pulled up on me as soon as I walked outta Popeye’s. I looked around before I jumped in the car.

  “Y’all see that shit? That nigga gotta go. I mean that shit.” I was on fire.

  “Re, how the fuck he even know we was up here?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. Let’s go. I need to call and check on Young.”

  Chapter 8

  Young Meech

  After all the shit that Lil Man did, you would have thought that he would have done a better job at keeping his family safe. I had been watching his sister, Bessie, for the last week. She leaves for school at 7:30 every morning. After school, she and two friends walk to her auntie’s job. From there, Bessie and the auntie walk to 87th and Exchange to the babysitter to pick up the auntie’s two little boys, Julius and Demand. From there they go back home. Today was the same routine. The only difference about today was it was going to be the last day that they did anything.ring ring

  I wasn’t going to answer it until I saw it was Re.

  “Yo, what’s good girl?”

  “I was just calling to check on you.”

  “I’m good why?”

  “Lil Man just tried to shoot Dirty, Poohman, and me in front of the county jail on 26th and California.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Hell yeah. He’s doing too much. I want his ass.”

  “I’m ‘bout to hit him where it hurts the most. Let me hit you back.”

  “Be careful.”

  “Yup.”

  I rode up on Julie and Bessie to see if they wanted a ride.

  “Bessie, y’all want a ride home?”

  “Yeah, thank you.”

  Lil Man must not have been talking to them about our beefs, because they were happy to see me. Bessie sat in the front. I knew that she had a little crush on me.

  “Hey Young, I’m sorry about Tiki. Where you been?”

  “I been around. Where yo brother at? He ain’t answering his phone.”

  “I have no idea. He’s been staying with his little girlfriend over there on 84th and Burnham. He comes around every other day,”

  That was all I needed to know. Ten minutes later, I was walking outta her auntie’s crib. I wondered how long it was going to take before the whole house went up in flames. I went straight to the crib to change. I got gasoline all over my damn shoes. I waited about 30 minutes and turned to Channel 7 News. When I saw breaking news, I decided to place a call.

  “Who the fuck is this calling me private, like a little bitch?” I laughed.

  “Turn to channel 7, pussy ass nigga.”click

  (Lil Man)

  “JoJo, Turn the T.V. to channel 7, quick!”

  “Why? I’m watchingLaw and Order.”Whack!

  I slapped the shit outta her ass. Her mouth was getting on my nerves.Whack!

  “What the fuck?”

  That bitch hit me back and took off running.

  “I’m beating yo ass, bitch.”

  “Catch me first.”

  I had to laugh at her ass. I turned to channel 7 and watched the news that was on.

  “Just in, I’m Cheryl Love reporting from Channel 7 News. Sad day for a family of four found dead in their Eastside home behind me. Just after 3:00 p.m., neighbors reported that they smelled smoke. When police arrived, the building was engulfed in flames. After the fire was put out, the bodies of four people were found. Two of the bodies are believed to be small children. According to the police, the fire was deliberately set. That’s all the police are saying right now. Please, if you have any information on this heinous crime, I urge you to call Crime Stoppers. You can remain anonymous.”

  I clicked off the T.V. and sat there for a few minutes numb. It can’t be. Please let it be somebody else. I picked up my phone and called my auntie. No answer.

  I called this dude named Skee that lived next door to my auntie.

  “Hello?”

  “Aye, Skee, this Lil Man.”

  “Man, Joe, where the fuck you at? They just found Julie, Bessie, Julius, and Demond dead.”

  I couldn’t hold back my rage “NOOOO! FUCK! I’MA KILL THAT NIGGA.”

  (Young Meech)

  I decided to call Re and Dirty and put them up on game. “Hello, Re?”

  “Yeah, what’s up lil boy?”

  “Watch y’all backs. I may have just started World War 3.”

  “What you mean?”

  “Turn on Channel 7 News.”

  “Okay, hold on. Don’t hang up.”

  After about two minutes of silence, she spoke.

  “Young? Good job boy. Now let the war begin.”

  “I’m ready!”

  (Officer Dixon)

  After speaking to my boss, I was more relaxed. I wasn’t on his radar. Not yet anyway. My boss was up to something big, and I was gonna be the one to take his ass down. I wondered how JuJu was doing, so I gave E a call to check up on her.

  “Hey E, this Ash. How are you?”

  “Man I’m making it. How are you?”

  “I’m living. Trying to stay above the bullshit. My boss is up to something.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’ll let you know, but it has something to do with JuJu’s case. How is she anyway?”

  “She not doing well right now. I had to tell her about Lil Mama’s death.”

  “Lil Mama died? When? How?”

  “Somebody cut her brakes, and then she causing her to crash after Tiki’s funeral.”

  “Oh my poor baby. Damn I know she took that hard.”

  “Yeah, the guards came running from everywhere. They put us out. Do you have anybody in there that can look out for her?”

  “Actually, I have a friend that’s a guard up there. After I hang up from you, I’ll give her a call. I’ll see if I can get her a cell phone.”

  “What are the odds of her being able to come to the funeral?”

  “Slim, but it’s worth a try. I’ll hit you back in a few. Let me check on a few things.”

  “A’ight. Thank you, Ash.”

  Lil Mama died? Brakes cut? Something didn’t add up. I walked over to the traffic department and found my buddy, Al.

  “Hey, Al. What you up to these days?”

  “Tryin’ to make you my boo thang.”

  “Nigga, please! We like the same thing. Anyway, I need you to check something for me.”

  “Shoot.”

  “About a week and a half ago there was a bad accident. I believe the car in question is a 2014 Dodge Challenger. The cause of accident was apparently a cut brake line.”

  “Hold on.” He typed on his computer and found what we were looking for. “Okay, there was an accident involving a pearl white Challenger and a semi-truck. The semi-truck driver was badly burned. Can you believe that?”

  “So the driver of the Challenger wasn’t hurt?”

  “It doesn’t say. The car was empty when we got there.”

  “She was actually smoking a cigarette at the time of the accident. I guess her hair caught fire and it quickly spread.”

  “One more question. What was the driver’s name?”

  “Ajah Heels. She was Muslim.”

  “Thank you, Al. I owe you.”

  “Well, you can...”

  “Don’t make me fuck you up!”

  “Please!”

  Chapter 9

  LockJaw

  Two weeks after I rushed my brother to the hospital, I brought him home with me because I didn�
��t want no niggas trying to catch him by himself. My other lil brother was still at my crib. So far from what I know, nobody told the police who killed the dude, but I still wasn’t taking any chances. I was so deep in thought that I almost missed a call from JuJu.

  “Yo?”

  “You have a collect call from Ja’ziya Campbell. Press 5 to accept the call.”

  “What’s good, baby? You all right in there?”

  “No I’m not. Why didn’t you tell me that my auntie died?”

  Damn! Who the fuck told her?

  “Baby, I didn’t know how to tell you some shit like that. Who told you?”

  “E and ReRe came up here like two weeks ago. Why you ain’t made your way up here yet?”

  “Man, shit been crazy out here. My little brother got shot. I been back and forth at the hospital with him. I ain’t forgot about you, love. I miss you.”

  I could tell that that jail shit was starting to get to her; she was so distant.

  “I know you ain’t forgot about me. Just get up here when you can. I chill in my cell. I don’t socialize with these hoes. Will I be able to go to Lil Mama’s funeral?”

  “I’ll have Heidi work her magic.”

  “One minute remaining.”

  “Ju, keep your head up. You’ll be home in no time.”click

  Damn, that shit crazy. If I don’t get her out, she’s liable to snap up in that bitch. She ain’t built for that shit. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Outlaw and Poohman coming into the crib.

  “Poohman, where the hell y’all been?”

  “I had to check on the traps, nigga. Money don’t stop because nigga’s get shot. We still running a business, or have you forgot?”

  “You took Lil Pistol P with you I see.”

  “Yeah, he’s bad as hell, but we need that right now. A few of our runners are getting lazy and comfortable. Your brother’s just scared the shit outta Ice’s ass. We need to replace them lil niggas over there in Englewood. They keep coming up short, and I can’t pinpoint who’s stealing. Before I kill all their asses, I’ma take the high road and replace ‘em.”

  I thought about it for a moment. That wouldn’t be a bad idea for real. Having my lil brothers would definitely save me some money.