Trappin'

by Shameek Speight

  Gina cries in her bed as she watches the man pound and hump her sister, not knowing what to do. Tears run down Snow's face as he hears his wife and daughter scream, 'Daddy! Snow!'

  The cries are loud and clear through the house. He rolls onto his back and with all his might he stands up with his hands behind his back and his feet taped together. He hops into the kitchen and leans his back on the kitchen counter using his fingers to grab a knife from the knife holder. It takes him a minute to grab one. He begins to cut at the tape on his wrist.

  Once his hands are free, he cuts his legs free and puts down the knife. He bends and opens a cabinet under the sink, feeling around until he finds the gun taped to the top of the cabinet. He pulls out the chrome 9mm Ruger and cocks it back putting a bullet in the chamber. The sound of his daughter and wife's cries and screams are breaking his heart and turns the pain he feels to anger.

  He quietly sneaks up the stairs. His daughter's cries are so loud it brings tears to his eyes. He opens the door to see the huge man groaning as he pumps in and out of his child, and Gina in her bed crying.

  Gina looks up and sees her father. He puts his finger up to his lips, letting her know to keep quiet. Her cries slow down to a whimper as she watch Snow creep up on the huge robber that is pounding in and out of his daughter with her legs up in the air. With all his might he swings. 'Smack!' The huge robber falls sideways hitting the floor when Snow hits him with the back of his gun. Snow jumps on him and repeatedly beats him with the butt of the gun, breaking the robber's nose.

  "Ahhhh, Daddy, Daddy!" Nicole yells.

  "Shhhh, baby be quiet and put something on," Snow whispers to Nicole trying to keep the other robber's from hearing him.

  Nicole shakes her head and quietly does what her father says. Snow picks up the robbers gun and hands it to Nicole, and holds his 9mm Ruger pointed at the huge masked robber on the floor.

  "Listen baby, take your sister, be quiet and run to the neighbor's house and tell Ms. Wilson to call the cops."

  "What about Mommy?" Nicole asks, still hearing her mommy's screams, now knowing all too well what is happening to her.

  "Don't worry baby, you just take your sister and do as I say."

  "Okay Daddy," Nicole replied while picking Gina up in her arms, sneaking out the bedroom.

  Snow watches her the whole time making sure she gets out the house. Once he is sure they are safely out the house all his attention is on the huge masked robber.

  "Pull up your fucking pants, you goddamn rapist!"

  The huge robber does as he is told.

  "Now stand the fuck up and walk," Snow orders.

  Pushing the robber towards the master bedroom where his wife's cries are getting louder, he shoves open the door.

  "Yo son, we almost done with this bitch," one of the robber's say when he sees the huge masked robber enter.

  He never notices Snow behind the huge man with his gun pointed to the back of his head.

  "Get to your knees," Snow orders.

  Tears flow from his eyes as he watches one of the robbers hold his wife's hands, while the other fucks her as she cries for help, "Get the fuck off my wife or I'll blow your motherfucking brains out!" Snow yells.

  "Oh shit!" the two robbers yell simultaneously.

  The one holding Evangeline's hands lets go and reach for his gun that's on the floor. Snow aims and squeezes the trigger sending two bullets to his chest, knocking him backwards to the floor and the next robber jumps up off Evangeline.

  Just then, the huge robber on his knees makes his move and hits Snow in his stomach with his elbow, knocking Snow backwards. He then pulls out a .38 from his sock and fires. The bullet slams into Snow's shoulder as Snow squeezes off two bullets. One goes through the huge robbers' eye and exits out the back of his head and the next one crash into his cheek bone and exits through the back of his neck. He is dead before he slumps over.

  When Snow looks up, the last robber has his wife in a headlock using her as a shield. Snow looks at his terrified wife who has tears rolling down her face. He notices for the first time that the robbers mask is off and he can't believe his eyes, "Mel, what the fuck!" Snow looks at his best friend standing there with his wife in a headlock and is more than confused.

  He then takes a quick glance at the first robber he shot and could see he is still alive, squirming around in pain. Snow is shocked for the second time to see that it is G-Boog.

  "Yo, Mel-Murder, what the fuck are you doing, you're supposed to be my boy and you come to my house and disrespect me and my family. Anything you ever needed I would give you!" Snow yells while pointing the gun in Mel-Murder's direction, hoping he could get off a shot, but is scared of hitting his wife.

  "Fuck you Snow! I don't give a fuck about you or anyone else nigga! There's no such thing as friends fool, just money and power. I told your ass to spend that money and you want to sit on that shit. I'm going to spend it for your ass. You think you're so smart, I bet you didn't see this coming. Now put the fucking gun down before I blow off Evangeline's fucking head! The bitch never liked me anyway, and I can see why your ass is always in a rush to get back home to her. That pussy is sweet like a motherfucker dawg," Mel-Murder says with a smirk on his face, then kisses Evangeline on the cheek.

  Anger rises through Snow's body as he watch his best friend holding his wife at gunpoint, "Nigga I ain't putting shit down, you came in here and violated my family, fuck you!" Snow yells squeezing the grip on the 9mm Ruger tight.

  "Listen nigga if you want this bitch alive, it's best you don't move. Bitch I'm about to let go of your neck, if you try to run I will blow your head off," Mel-Murder says into Evangeline's ear.

  He releases his grip and she stands there shaking and crying not knowing what to do. Mel-Murder picks up one of the duffel bags, making sure to still be behind Evangeline so Snow can't get a clear shot.

  Mel-Murder smirks, "Nigga I know you ain't going to let me walk out that front door so I'm going to have to give you something else to worry about," he says while squeezing the trigger of his .45 four times.

  All four bullets rip through Evangeline's back, one severing her spinal cord, "Ahhhh!" she cries out in pain as she falls forward.

  "Noooo!" Snow yells and fires shots at Mel-Murder.

  Mel-Murder ducks and fires shots back as he runs and jumps through the glass window with the duffel bag in one hand and his .45 in the other. Snow runs to the window to see Mel-Murder lying on the grass trying to get up.

  'Boom! Boom! Boom!' he bust off shots and one bullet crashes into Mel-Murder's shoulder as he gets up and fires back and takes off running.

  "Snow," a voice says in a whisper that brings him out of his trance.

  He turns around and runs to his wife on the floor. He then turns her over and holds her in his arms, "Baby! Baby hold on! Hold on!" Snow yells, as he watches her eyes roll to the back of her head. His body is soaked with her blood.

  "Freeze, Police, put down your gun!" a voice yells from the bedroom door.

  Snow looks up to see five cops with their guns drawn, aimed his way, "Help me! Help my wife, she's dying, please help!"

  "Put down your gun and get on the ground!" the main officer yells.

  "This is my house! Help my wife!" Snow yells back and realizes he's getting nowhere.

  He looks at the gun in his hand that he forgot is there, places it on the floor and pushes it over to the cops, "Now help my wife please!"

  The Police officer's rush in, they grab him and throw him to the ground and cuff his hands behind his back.

  "This is my house! Ahhhh, my shoulder, I've been shot! Help my wife!"

  "Shut the fuck up!" says one of the cops with his knee on Snow's back.

  Snow turns his head to see that G-Boog is still alive and they are handcuffing him too. He then turns his head back to his wife and can see that she is still breathing before he passes out from the loss of blood.

  Chapter 2

  Two months later, Snow lay in his bed wearing
an all green outfit. He couldn't believe he is locked up in Coxsackie Correctional Facility, charged with murder and attempted murder for trying to protect his family. He lay there and replay that night over and over, still not understanding how his best friends could cross him. There wasn't a thing or a dime, he wouldn't give them. He busts his guns with them, they've been friends for longer than half of their lives, and yet they still robbed him and raped his daughter and wife.

  "Alexis Snow you have a visitor," the C.O. yells over the loudspeaker.

  Snow hops up out of his bed and brushes his teeth then brushes his hair and goes into the trap. That's what the C.O's call the cage that separates the door to the hallway and the housing area. Snow finds it funny how they call it the trap, because he went from trapping in the streets, to now being trapped in a cage.

  The C.O. makes sure he is in the trap alone. They lock up the cage behind him to make sure no other inmates can get out, then buzz open the door that leads to the hallway. Snow walks into the hallway and down to the elevator where a C.O. is waiting for him and two other inmates from different housing on that floor. They all get in the elevator without saying a word and ride it down to the first floor. Snow follows the other inmates through the metal detector and into the visiting room where they have to get undressed, squat and cough naked. Then they are allowed onto the visitor's floor.

  He walks to seat number 15 and sits down and could see his beautiful mother through the glass seated across from him, along with his brother Daytona.

  "Baby, how are you holding up?" Snow's mother asks.

  "I'm okay Mom, how's my girls?" Snow replies.

  "They're fine baby and staying strong. I will keep them as long as I have to, even after Evangeline gets out the hospital. I still can't believe the same Mel and G-Boog that used to come to my house every day for something to eat when y'all were teenagers did this!"

  "Me too mom, but they did."

  "Did they find out who was the person you shot and killed?" Snow's mother asks.

  "Yeah mom, he was G-Boog's cousin Dice."

  "Oh my, he used to come around the way too. Have you seen G-Boog in here?" Snow's mother asks.

  "Naw they got a 'keep separate' on us. I won't see him until the trial, and if I do see him I'll try to kill him."

  "Yo Snow, you going to trial?" his younger brother Daytona asks speaking for the first time.

  "Yea I have to, that's the only way I can beat this body and attempted murder charge," Snow replies.

  "So does that mean you're going to point out G-Boog and say he ran in your house, ain't that snitching?" Daytona says looking his brother in the eyes.

  There is no one he respects more than Snow and can't see him breaking the law of the streets.

  "Yea, I'm going to say that nigga ran in my house and raped my daughter and wife and I shot him and his cousin. That shit ain't snitching, because those nigga's broke the first and main rule; never fuck with a man's family. And because they did, I'm locked up for murder and my wife is going to be paralyzed for the rest of her life. No little brother, that ain't snitching, snitching would be telling I know who the three guys was and telling them Mel-Murder's gov't name, but I won't do that, I'll see him on my own time.

  Daytona sits there and thinks about what Snow said and it makes perfect sense to him.

  "That's another problem I'm having baby, I can't seem to control Daytona. All he wants to do is run them streets and be like you. He won't listen to me at all. I overheard him talking to that damn best friend of his, Livewire about taking back your trap house.

  Snow looks at his brother, "What's this mommy's talking about. Haven't you learned from my mistakes? Look at what this shit done to my family, your nieces, and you still want to fuck with it!" Snow yells.

  "Man, I ain't trying to hear you, you're just talk, and that's because you're in here, and that fat nigga Chambers took over your trap house and I'm going to take it back. That shit belongs to you, and the only one that should be able to sell drugs out of there is me. I ain't about to have any one shitting on our family name and say that we went soft," Daytona states.

  "Listen Daytona, you don't have to sell drugs, go work with Uncle Ron in the real estate business. Man I have money stashed so you'll always be straight. I didn't keep all my money in the house, and trust me I was out of the game anyway. So please just fall back, I don't need to be stressing over you and this case while I'm in here," Snow said doing his best to try and get through to him.

  "Man fuck that I ain't trying to hear you, I may be only 17, but I'm my own man and will make my own money. Chambers and them won't be disrespecting me by trapping in that house, he better take his ass back to Bellport. I'll holla at you when your head is straight and you're acting like the Snow I know. I got my eyes open for Mel-Murder, when I see him he's dead," Daytona says and gets up and leaves the visiting room.

  "You see baby, that's what I'm talking about. He thinks he's you when you were younger and wilder. He feels he has to live up to your name. I'm 50 years old, I'm too old for this shit and I can't stop him. I already went through it with you, now I have to watch another one of my babies get caught up in the streets," Snow's mother says.

  "I'm sorry Momma, I didn't mean for none of this to happen," Snow says while trying to fight back the tears.

  His mind raced to everything that has happened to him. His daughter being raped, his wife raped and hurt and he's stuck in jail, maybe for the rest of his life. Now his brother is running the streets.

  "It's okay baby. I don't blame you, I blame these damn streets. I'm sorry to bring you down, I want you to know I love you and I miss you, we all miss you. I'll write you. I love getting your letters and I'll bring your girls to the next visit. I just wish this damn jail let us get more than two visits a week."

  "Seat 15, your time is up," a white overweight C.O. yells.

  "Okay Momma, I love you and kiss my girls for me and write me letting me know how Evangeline is doing."

  "I will baby, I love you," Snow's mother says as she eases her way out the visiting room, then exits the jail and hops in her car where Daytona is waiting in the passenger's seat, and they pull off.

  Snow goes back to his housing area more stressed than he left. Now he is worried about Daytona trying to live up to his name and following his footsteps.

  Chapter 3

  Daytona looks at himself from the wall mirror he has in his room. With his cinnamon complexion, wavy hair, trimmed beard and mustache, he looks nothing like the 17 year old he is. Once he is fully dressed in blue LRG jeans and a matching shirt, he puts on a black LRG leather jacket, it is September and windy outside. As he walks out his room he could see his mother in the kitchen cooking breakfast with Gina and Nicole sitting at the kitchen table.

  "Good morning mom," Daytona says as he places a kiss on his mother's cheek.

  "Good morning Gina and Nicole," he says while giving them both kisses as well.

  "Hi Uncle Daytona," Gina says happily.

  She was the only one that spoke anymore, between the two of them. She didn't understand the reality of the situation as to why her mother and father were gone. Nicole no longer talked and just sat there stressed and depressed day in and day out.

  Daytona's heart went out to her. He knew she would never be the same after being raped, no girl or woman ever was.

  "Boy where are you going this morning? You're not going to sit and eat breakfast with us? I'm cooking eggs with grits with bacon," Daytona's mother says.

  "Naw Mom, I have to meet Livewire this morning."

  "Who Kevin, I don't know why y'all kids call yourself all kinds of weird names for those streets."

  Aight Mom, I'll see you later," Daytona says.

  I wanted to leave the house before she gets into her whole running the streets lecture.

  "Boy I don't know when you will learn there is nothing out there for you but trouble!"

  Daytona heard her yell as he shut the front door. He walked over to his 97 black Lexu
s IS that Snow brought him, because there was no way you can live in Long Island without a car. Without one it was almost impossible to get around. Daytona hops in his car and press play on the CD player and 'Party Like a Rock Star' by the Shop Boyz blasts through the system, he pulls off and sings along.

  A few minutes later he pulls up in front of Cloverdale Apartments on Great Neck Road and beeps his horn. From the door of the building, a young dark skin man, with cornrow braids in his hair that were long down his back, comes out wearing all black Rocawear jeans and a shirt with a matching leather jacket. On his head was a black NYC fitted cap. He walked to Daytona's car and opened the passenger side door and hops in.

  "What's good my nigga?" the young man asks while giving Daytona a hand dap with a hug.

  "What's poppin?"

  "Shit you tell me," Livewire replies.

  "We're going over to my brother's old trap house on Smith Street and clock how these niggaz is moving. We're going to take that shit from them," Daytona states while pulling off.

  "Good, because a nigga is tired of being broke," Livewire says while pulling down on his long goatee.

  Daytona smiles as he thought about how dudes always slept on Livewire because he wears glasses and had a long ass goatee. They thought he was a pussy, but Livewire proved to everyone that he lives by his name and you'll never know what he is thinking or what he would do at any given moment.

  One time some older dudes had jumped Daytona for selling weed around their way, they only did it because Snow was doing a bid up North. If he was home they would never have touched him. Livewire got his hands on some 22 revolvers and made cocktail bombs out of three Jack Daniels bottles. They wait and watch the four men get out their cars and go inside the store. They lit two cocktail bombs and toss them into their cars that were parked at the corner store.

  When the four men come out the store yelling and cursing, looking around for who set their cars on fire, Livewire tosses the last cocktail bomb at them, setting two of them on fire. He then opens fire, shooting at the four men with his 22 revolver.