Snapped (Urban Renaissance)

by McKinney, Tina Brooks

  “Bitch, get your ass back on the couch.” I was heated.

  “Bitch? Who you calling a bitch? I got your bitch.” She reached up under the sofa, brought out a baseball bat, and proceeded to hit me with it. Talk about an error in judgment; this bitch was crazy. She cracked me over my arm, and I swore that she broke it.

  “Are you crazy?” I started to call her bitch again, but I knew what would result from that. I just wanted to calm her ass down enough so I could bust my nut. As it was, my arms were hurting from the beating she had given me, but I still had an erection. “Damn, baby, I like your attitude. Back that ass up on my dick.” I raised up on my knees and scooted to the middle of the sofa. I was about to take this shit to another level. If things went my way, I would have her screaming for her momma.

  She backed her shapely ass up in the air, and I plunged into her pussy as if I were trying to break through to the other side. “That’s right, fuck me,” she yelled.

  That was it for me. I came and I was through. My dick shriveled and escaped her pussy. I never felt so dejected in my life. I couldn’t hang with her young ass.

  “Don’t tell me you’re done. I’m not having that. You’re gonna fuck me longer than that. I am just getting started.”

  She probably shouldn’t have said that because I was about to whup her ass. I wasn’t about to have some young-ass chick dictate to me what she was and wasn’t going to have.

  “Come again?” I wanted to make sure I heard her before I choked her ’til she was woozy.

  “I didn’t stutter. Are you going to give me some dick or not?”

  That was it, lights out on the young pussy. I snatched her neck and held on until she passed out and she could not say another word. Then I beat the bitch up. Case closed as far as this bitch was concerned.

  I continued to squeeze her neck as I jacked off. I rammed my dick inside of her and that was the biggest nut that I’d ever busted, especially since she didn’t utter a word. I had no idea it was possible to choke someone with one hand. Fear about what I’d done did not dawn on me until the last little solider had made its way into her pussy.

  “I’ve got to kill this bitch and get rid of the evidence,” I said to myself, but I felt like I was in complete control of the situation. It wasn’t my fault that she got a little mouthy and wound up dead. I searched around the room for my pants that I had discarded earlier. Most women didn’t understand that their wicked mouths brought on most of their problems.

  Why did she have to start talking about my performance as if I hadn’t been doing a damn thing? If she would have been able to keep control of her pie hole, she would be alive right now and basking in my arms. Once I secured my clothing, I looked around the room to decide the best way to cover the evidence. I didn’t touch much in the room, but I couldn’t chance a smear of a fingerprint here and there, so I decided to torch the house.

  I left Angie’s crumpled body on the floor between the sofa and coffee table as I went in search of something that would help me set the place on fire. Time was not on my side since I knew she lived with her parents. If I were caught in the house, I would be facing life for real.

  In the carport, I found what I was looking for. A full can of gasoline was sitting next to the push mower. I was surprised that they would leave it out in the open, especially since the gas prices were so high, but that was their problem, not mine. I picked up the can and raced back to the living room. I wanted the focus of the fire to be downstairs so that all evidence of me being in the home would be destroyed. I even poured a liberal amount of gas upstairs. Once I emptied the entire can, I struck a match, put it into the can, and tossed it into the living room.

  The explosion was minor but the effect was immediate. I watched tiny plumes of fire etch their way through the house. I jumped into my car and sped away, hoping that there were no nosey neighbors watching my speedy getaway.

  Wow, I had no idea that the house would catch fire as quickly as it did. Curiosity got the better of me, so I drove back and parked my car on the side of the road to watch. Shit, my dick got hard as I watched those flames leap from the downstairs windows to the upper floors. What a rush! All these crazy-ass motherfuckers out here just robbing houses and not getting the pussy was crazy. They needed to redo their shit and get something for their efforts. Once I confirmed the house was engulfed in flames, I was happy. Angie was dead.

  I sat and watched as long as I could before I pulled away from the scene. I could hear fire trucks in the distance, and I wanted to make sure that I was long gone before they got there. I wasn’t about to be one of those idiots who stayed at the scene and wound up getting arrested because he had no real reason to be there.

  I could still smell Angie on my hands because we had gotten very physical. When I get home, I would have to sneak past my mother because I reeked of sex. It was difficult to believe that a random pick up could lead to murder, but I had no regrets. She had no business trying to clown me after I had served it up to her. She wasn’t appreciative, so the bitch deserved to die. My mind floated back to when I had sex with my brother’s wife. She didn’t complain, so why did I have to hear that shit from some random chick? Fuck that, I don’t think so!

  As I parked at my mother’s house, I checked the car to make sure the cunt hadn’t left any telltale evidence. I looked around, making sure that I wasn’t being observed as I got out of the car. It would be just my luck to get away with murder and get caught by some damn bullshit. After a few minutes, I was comfortable that I’d gotten away with murder again. I didn’t know about the next guy, but I was comfortable with escaping a death sentence when I eradicated someone who was threatening my welfare.

  “Bitches beware!” I was ecstatic. I was ready to go out and do that shit again, especially since it was so easy to do. That was one of the perks of being a good-looking motherfucker. Women didn’t require much to give up the goodies, and I was Johnny-on-the-spot to provide them.

  As I put my key in the door, some of my high evaporated. I wasn’t up for my mother’s smart-ass mouth today. If she knew what I’d done, she would be careful about how she spoke to me because it wouldn’t take much to put her miserable ass in the ground too. Shit, I’d be doing her a favor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  ANGIE SIMPSON

  I woke up and immediately started choking; smoke was everywhere. Fire was eating through the living room. I knew that if I didn’t act now, the fire would devour me too. I could hardly move my head; it felt like Merlin still had his powerful hands around my neck. The fire had already crushed my panties and shirt, and now it was working on my pants. Damn.

  I shook the pain I was feeling and started to move. The front door was covered by a wall of flames so I stumbled toward the kitchen and froze. There was another wall of flames, but I could see the back door behind it. I tried to hold my breath while I figured out what to do, because I was on the verge of choking to death.

  I was trapped. I’d always heard that the three worst ways to die were drowning, suffocation, and fire; but fire was the worst of the worst. With that thought, I decided that I wasn’t going to die. Not now, not like this.

  I looked through the flames at the back door and charged. A guttural scream left my mouth when the fire feasted on my naked flesh. That was when I realized that I wouldn’t make it on my own.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  GINA MEADOWS

  I sat on the couch in my favorite spot and ran my mouth on the phone to my best friend. “That boy stayed out all night and didn’t have the decency to call.”

  Tabatha said, “Now, hold off, Gina, ain’t no need getting all mad. That boy, as you call him, is a grown man.”

  “Grown or not, it is still common courtesy to call someone you are staying with and let her know that you ain’t coming back. He’s just like his damn father.”

  “Gina, you ain’t making no sense. First you complain that he comes back to stay with you temporarily, and now you want to fuss ’cause he stayed
out all night. Give him a break.”

  “Whose side are you on anyway, Tabatha?”

  “I’m not picking sides. Right is right. You are miserable with your life and you want everyone around you to be miserable. You wouldn’t be such a bitch if you had your baby.”

  I wanted to hang up the phone. I both hated and loved that she always spoke from her heart no matter how much it hurt. “I am not miserable. Maybe a little unhappy, but that’s a far cry from miserable.”

  She had her nerve, like everything in her life was going great and shit.

  I said, “Plus, if I like making everyone miserable, why do you continue to hang around me?”

  ’Cause I love your miserable ass. Now, what are you doing this weekend? Me and a couple of friends are going to take a bus trip to Biloxi, and I wanted to know if you want to go.”

  “Girl, I ain’t got no money to be throwing away, and neither do you.”

  “And when did you start knowing what’s in my pocket?” She was mad, so I guess I succeeded at making her miserable too.

  “I’m sorry, boo. I guess I am being a bitch. When are you leaving?”

  “We’re leaving at five o’clock on Friday evening. Are you going or not?” Her voice was laced with bitterness.

  “Yes, thanks for inviting me. I’m sorry, so please don’t be mad at me. Having that boy around me just has me thinking all crazy.”

  “Yeah, if that’s what you want to blame it on this time. I’ve got to go. I’ll pick you up around 4:15, late afternoon, on Friday.” She hung up before I could even say good-bye.

  I was really going to have to work on curbing my tongue with Tabatha, because the last thing that I needed to do was alienate her. I wasn’t always the bitch I found myself as today. I used to be a loving woman who always had a smile on my face. That is, until Ronald fucked me over, and I couldn’t seem to get past the pain he caused me. I wanted him to pay for it, but he continued to ignore me, and that hurt worse than the betrayal.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  MERLIN MILLS

  While Cojo was at work, I reported to the base to pick up my orders for mobilization. My two-week break had gone by so fast it made my head spin. Cojo and I had settled into a comfortable routine at home again. Although we’d managed to mend our fences somewhat, we still weren’t where we used to be. It seemed like we were going out of our way to be nicer to each other, and it came off as being fake.

  “Communication Specialist Mills, the captain will see you now.”

  I jumped to attention, startled away from my thoughts. I followed the lieutenant to Captain Jamison’s office and waited outside the door to be announced. I was nervous as I entered the captain’s office. Rumor was she was a real bitch on wheels, and I didn’t need her busting my chops about anything. I marched over to her desk, stood at attention, and gave her a salute.

  Captain Jamison was a petite woman who would have turned my head if she hadn’t been in uniform with all the medals on her chest warning me to stay in my lane.

  “At ease.” She hardly looked up at me. She had a stack of files on her desk off to the corner, but she was reading one that I assumed was mine.

  I waited for what felt like fifteen minutes, but was probably more like three. That’s one thing that I hated about the Army: They stressed about being on time but made you wait for everything. To be such a regimented entity, they were highly disorganized. God forbid the enemy found out just how disorderly we actually were, this country would be doomed.

  I had an itch in the back of my throat, but I was so scared to cough for fear of having to hit the floor and knock off fifty pushups. Captains liked to pull their weight like that, especially the women. She closed the file and looked me straight in the eye, which made me even more uncomfortable than when she was ignoring me.

  “I said at ease.”

  I hadn’t realized that I was still holding my shoulders straight with my arm cocked at my head. I chuckled a little bit as I lowered my arm.

  The smile that slipped across her lips disappeared and was replaced with a frown. “Something funny?”

  “No, ma’am.” Instinctively, I pulled myself to attention again for what I was sure would be some form of punishment.

  She completely threw me off guard with her next statement. “Have you enjoyed your little vacation?”

  My eyes widened in surprise because she sounded like she actually cared. I thought about my response before I answered her. “I’ve been working out on the regular, Captain, so I don’t get lazy.”

  This time she actually chuckled.

  “Good answer. I see someone has prepped you well.”

  I relaxed a little bit, but I didn’t allow myself to get too comfortable.

  “I have your mobilization package here.” She lifted a fat envelope from the file that she was reading.

  I could not read the expression on her face. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to reach out and take them; she just waved them at me.

  She said, “Do you like Iraq?”

  “I will go anywhere the Army sends me.” My responses were from the book.

  If she was trying to trip me up, she would have to come a little bit better than that. I’d been told that if I were to get too happy about an assignment, they would switch it and send me somewhere completely different. Iraq was okay, but if I had my choice, I would stay my black ass right there in Atlanta.

  “Cut the shit, Specialist. This isn’t a trap. I’m just trying to find out where your head is at.”

  I started to get nervous again. No one had prepared me for this little mind game. I definitely didn’t want to leave Cojo alone in Atlanta now that my brother was back in town. He hadn’t been by in a minute, but I still wasn’t resting comfortably about his late-night visit. I felt like I was being put between a rock and a hard place. Should I trust the captain or was this a trick?

  “No offense, Captain, but boot camp taught me that officers don’t care about feelings and what we want. We are property of the United States Army.”

  “See, Specialist, that’s where you’re wrong. There are some of us who actually care. Off the record, I allowed the Army to ruin my marriage. I, like you, was married when I enlisted. I got my commission based on my college experience so it wasn’t that bad, but I still had to travel and leave my husband at home. I thought we had what it took to make the marriage work. At the time, like you and Mrs. Mills, we agreed that my enlisting was the best answer for our situation.” She paused.

  I didn’t know if she was waiting for me to say something. I was intrigued by what she was sharing with me, but I still wasn’t sure if she was setting me up or something.

  After a few more seconds, she started speaking again. “At first, things appeared to be okay. I was told that once I finished officer’s training I could return to our hometown of Fort Jackson, Florida, but recruiters have a tendency to tell you what you want to hear and not necessarily what’s the truth. As a result, I stayed away too long and when I got back, my husband had moved on both physically and emotionally. He had no problem spending the monthly stipend I sent home, but he had no desire to resume what we had because he had fallen in love with someone else.”

  I saw what I thought to be tears forming in her eyes. Instinctively, I wanted to go to her and rock her in my arms, but I knew that would be the fastest way to the brig! “Captain, I can’t thank you enough for your candor, and if the opportunity to speak is still on the table, I can honestly say that I do not wish to leave Atlanta at this time for personal reasons sensitive to my marriage.” I debated whether to divulge what had happened between my brother and my wife, but the scab hadn’t quite healed, so I kept my mouth shut.

  She picked up my file and began reading again as if I weren’t even in the room. Her face once again became stoic; it made me nervous. While she was relaying her story to me, her face was softer. I could tell she still felt the pain of her husband’s betrayal. I wanted to ask her how long ago this had happened to her, but I knew better t
han to question an officer. If she wanted to tell me, that was one thing, but asking questions was a big no-no.

  “I’m not going to be able to keep you here indefinitely, Specialist, but I will personally see to it that you get a job on post for a while. Maybe a month or so, but don’t make the same mistake I did. When it’s time to ship out, make sure everything that you value is intact.”

  “Thank you, Captain. I will work on it.” All the worry and dread of leaving I carried around on my shoulders had been lifted away with the stroke of a pen, even if only temporarily.

  The captain handed me my new job orders. “Your new deployment date comes from upstairs; it’ll arrive by mail.”

  My heart was so full as I exited the captain’s office. I didn’t know how she knew that this was what I needed, but she did. Now, maybe I could relax a bit and work on saving my marriage. I would also be around to keep an eye on my brother, at least until he got into trouble again and was run out of town. Although I should have been giving my brother the benefit of the doubt, I knew him well enough to know that his good behavior wouldn’t last long.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  COJO MILLS

  It had been a wonderful week since Merlin had told me he didn’t have to go back to Iraq right away. I hoped the war would end before he got his letter. However, my day wasn’t starting right at all. First, I woke up late and my stomach was bothering me. All morning long I kept running to the bathroom as if I had to vomit, but nothing was coming out. If I was going to get sick, I wished it would happen already and let me go about my business. By lunchtime I had had it.

  I went to my supervisor and asked to be dismissed for the day.