by Styles, T.
“Damn!”
“I know, nigga. When I saw the name Kelsi, I remembered bein’ at Jarvis’ place. I knew I seen that kid somewhere before when his glasses came off. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I don’t know what he want from me, but if he came all the way out here, it must be personal.”
“Maybe he knew what you did to his mother.”
“Maybe.”
“So where Helena at? I can’t see her lettin’ her kid roam around New York alone.”
“I don’t know and I don’t give a fuck. That bitch can get it too if she want it. And since her son want it so bad, he ain’t gotta look no further.”
“So Aven is really Helena’s kid?” he asked shaking his head in disbelief. “Hold up…you think he had anything to do with all the shit that’s been happenin’ to us lately? You know, wit’ the shops gettin’ hit?”
“Fuck yeah,” Jarvis continued looking away. “He must have help though cause it seems like most of the shit happened before he showed up. I haven’t put everything together yet. But I figure once we get Kelsi’s young ass, we’ll get all the answers we need. I got Crane out lookin’ for him now.”
Prangsta felt crazy for believing Aven was on the up and up. He had actually grown to like the little nigga.
“What you want me to do wit’ the bitch once I get her?”
“Bring her to me. Alive. I have my own plans for her. Whateva you do, don’t let Kelsi see you. If he’s near her, wait ‘til she alone. You know he ain’t got no problem bustin’ his gun but Crane can handle his ass.”
“I got it,” Prangsta said. “It’s war!”
“Nigga it’s been war! Where you been at?”
Monday, 10:44 pm
****
I hate falling in love. It’s like having open heart surgery while you wide awake.
-O
O sat on the couch trying to get rid of the headache she had. She’d popped several Tylenol and nothing seemed to work. All she wanted was for Kelsi to come back so she could beg him not to make her leave. She really did love him and believed when they made love, that he loved her too. From the moment she laid eyes on him, she was drawn to him. Whether he knew it or not, she felt like they were meant to be.
When she heard a knock at the door, she hopped off the couch and opened it without looking first. Prangsta pushed himself inside and smiled when he saw the white outfit she was wearing. Even though he fucked dudes, he loved to rape women. That was a weakness he hadn’t shared with his lover Spikes before he was killed.
O made a run for the room but he caught her in front of the kitchen knocking her to the floor. She managed to turn around and stuck her fingers in his eyes. She had no intentions of going with him willingly.
“Shiiiiiiit!” he screamed as she dug further into his eye sockets temporarily blinding him. “Bitch, I’ma beat your ass!”
Now free from his grasp, she ran for the kitchen. She was going for the drawer to grab a knife but he grabbed her by the ankles, pulling her to the floor again. Nothing stopped her from grabbing the cast iron frying pan from the bottom cabinet to hit him over top of his head. She was winning the battle.
Although he maintained the hold he had on her, she didn’t make it easy. Some kind of way she was able to get her thighs around his neck. With the strength only a stripper possessed, she cut off his air supply with her thighs. He squirmed like a fish out of water. Prangsta scratched and clawed at her yellow legs but she was relentless. She would not stop because she felt like she was fighting for her life. Prangsta felt himself drifting out of consciousness. With nothing else to do, he bit down on her legs until the flesh was torn from her body.
She made a yelping sound and she hopped up and ran for the door. Now he wished he had just pulled his gun out and killed her. Because now it was too late, she was down the steps and outside the door when Prangsta gave chase. Barefoot and scared, she turned the corner leading out of the apartment and was met with a blow to her face. She was knocked out instantly. When Prangsta turned the corner he saw Skully.
“Blow his brains out,” he instructed Jax. “And pick up this bitch.”
Jax complied and Prangsta was killed instantly.
“Wake up,” Jax said smacking O in the face. “Get up, slut!”
“Uh…what…what’s goin’ on?” she asked finally waking up.
“You up?” Jax giggled looking at O’s sexy body.
“What’s goin’ on? Who are you?” she asked nervously backing away from him.
“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “You’re going to help us out. For now that’s all you need to know.”
When O looked around she noticed she was inside of her car. Jax found out which vehicle belonged to her by pressing the alarm button on her car keys.
“Now…we’re going to take a little trip. And you’re going to cooperate. And afterwards, maybe I’ll let you suck my dick. Have you ever sucked a white man’s dick before, sweetie?” O didn’t respond. Warm tears streamed down her face.
“I know you haven’t. But once you go white, you’ll never go back.”
“Please don’t kill me,” she begged. “I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt me.”
“I know you will,” Jax responded. “Now…let’s go.”
Right before they pulled off, Kelsi’s black Honda pulled up. He parked in a parking space across from O’s car.
Jax having seen a picture of him, knew who he was. Kelsi showing up now was not in the plan. They had surveillance at both ends of the street and he was supposed to receive a call if he showed up. The plan was to kidnap O, and place a call to Kelsi telling him that Jarvis was on to him. And that if he wanted O alive, he was to show himself. Kelsi was supposed to get angry, and go after Jarvis, finally murdering him. They were even careful to make sure Prangsta’s body was removed and disposed of properly from Kelsi’s apartment. Skully wanted nothing more than to have Jarvis killed.
“Listen…if he asks, tell him I’m a friend,” Jax said seeing Kelsi approaching the car. “Tell him you’re leaving with me and you’ll be back later. If you don’t I’ma shoot you in your stomach,” he said pushing the barrel of the gun in her waist. “And then I’m kill him. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes. Just please don’t hurt him,” she cried.
“Wipe your fucking tears and do what I’ve asked you too!”
“Okay. Okay,” she sobbed. “Please don’t hurt him. I’ll do what you ask.”
Kelsi parked the car and walked over to O’s car. His face was sad. He never thought she would actually leave.
“Hi…Aven,” she said as he looked over at Jax who was looking at the road ahead of him.
“Hey,” he said, softly. “So you rollin’?”
“Yeah. My friend is gonna help me find another place. I’ll be out by tomorrow.”
“Your friend don’t talk?” he asked eying the stranger.
“What’s up, man?” Jax said looking at him briefly, before looking away again.
Kelsi felt something was wrong. And he took notice to O’s nose being red.
“You sure everything cool?” Kelsi asked looking at Jax sideways.
“Yes. I’m just leaving, like you asked me to.”
Kelsi didn’t believe her. But what was he to say? He himself had demanded that O not question him about his whereabouts. So how could he question her about hers? And since he was white, and he didn’t recognize Jax as being part of Kyope’s crew, he pushed his feelings about the matter aside. Still, it was obvious he didn’t want her to leave.
“Aight…I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Okay,” she said pulling off slowly. “I love you, Aven.” She took one last look at Kelsi in her rearview mirror, and pulled off.
He stood in the street and watched her, until she was completely out of sight.
Monday, 10:58 pm
****
If a woman steals your heart, technically does she own it?
-Kelsi
I drove �
��round for hours ‘til I realized I ain’t have no where to go. I called Bricks and Melvin but they was already on the town checkin’ out the clubs and the NYC night life. I started to meet up wit’ ’em, but I had O’s scent on my body and would have to freshen up before I left. Either way, I had to face her. And to be honest, I missed her.
But when I pulled up and saw her ’bout to roll, somethin’ in me went numb. There was somethin’ weird ‘bout her friend too. But what was I gonna do? I spent so much time tellin’ her to stay out my business that I couldn’t get into hers. The bottom line was, I had fallen for her. I don’t know how, but I did.
Walkin’ up the steps to my apartment, the moment I turned the corner in the hallway, I felt some shit was off. And when I opened my door, my fears was confirmed. The pillows from the couch was on the floor and the cast iron pan sat in the hallway next to the kitchen.
My heart was beatin’ damn near out my chest. I could feel sweat form on my forehead. They knew. They got her and they knew. And it was all my fault! I looked at her in the car earlier and knew something was up. And I still allowed him to leave wit’ her. She needed me and I ain’t protect her, although I promised I would.
I ran to my room to get my eagle ready to kill. I couldn’t see anything happening to her. I should’ve put my glock to his head when I saw how he avoided eye contact wit’ me. And when I saw the redness of her nose.
I was in the room when my phone rang. And I knew it was them.
“Kelsi…how you doing?” the caller laughed. It was the voice of the stranger in O’s car. “Sorry for the mess. But you know how it is.”
“When I get my hands on you, you bitch ass nigga, you gonna wish you neva said my name out your mouth.”
“We’ll see about that, but let me see what your girl has to say.”
There was a brief pause before, “Kelsi, don’t worry about me! They gonna kill me any-,”
Her voice trailed away and was followed by a loud scream. She wept in the background when he got back on the phone.
“I’m sure you heard what she had to say but let me tell you what she meant to say. I work for Jarvis and we’re on to you. If you want her alive, you’ll find me. You have a hour. Any minute after that, we’ll beat this beauty of yours to death.”
“You gonna wish you didn’t fuck wit’ me.”
“And you gonna wish you never crossed that Delaware bridge. If you want her, find me. We’re not hiding.”
He hung up the phone.
It was time for war. The stage had been set and unfortunately, I’d have to play on their turf. This wasn’t how I saw the endin’, but I was up for it. That’s what I came here for.
Monday, 11:22 pm
****
I always knew I’d die young. I just didn’t think I’d die today.
-Kelsi
Bricks and Melvin made it to my crib in fifteen minutes. I briefed them on everything they needed to know and what they needed to do.
“Listen…I ain’t goin’ make it out. I already know. I just need you to make sure that if for some reason I don’t kill Jarvis, that you do it for me.”
“That’s not goin’ happen,” Bricks said.
“I’m serious.”
Bricks looked at Melvin and said, “How come we can’t just run up in that mothafucka blazin’? That’s what you got us out here for. I ain’t drive this far for us to hand you over to them.”
“I know…and I appreciate it, but that’s how it’s goin’ down. And I just want you to promise me you’ll smoke this nigga if you see him exit this building before me. I ain’t wanna tell you, but he had somethin’ to do wit’ my mother’s murder. That’s why I’m out here.”
“Damn, moe!” Melvin said rubbin’ the top of his head. “Fuck, you ain’t tell us that first? We would’ve handled things a whole different way.”
“That’s why I didn’t wanna tell you. I wanted things done slowly. Right now…them niggas is sweatin’. They let a kid come up top and rip shit up. Trust me, they not feelin’ it. So I’ma go up there alone, and finish what I started.”
“But why you turnin’ over to ‘em?” Bricks questioned. “Is it really over a female?”
“Not just a female. I’m feelin’ shawty. You know I wouldn’t put myself out there if I wasn’t.”
“I can’t do it, man. I can’t do it,” Bricks said walkin’ away from me. “I’m not ‘bout to let you handle this shit by yourself, homie. It’s not gonna happen.”
“Listen, Kelsi. Let’s think about another plan,” Melvin started.
“It’s too late,” I told him. “We don’t have enough time. Now I need ya’ll to promise me that nigga won’t make it out alive. Promise me.”
Bricks looked at Melvin and they looked at me.
“If ya’ll not gonna do it, fuck it, you can just hit the pike back home!”
“On my life…that nigga won’t make it to the curb alive,” Bricks said.
“Neitha will that nigga Kyope. I’ma smoke that fool myself. And that fine ass white bitch he got, too,” Melvin said. “Just for GP.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.”
We was gettin’ ready to leave when we heard a knock at the front door. I looked at them and they all cocked back their weapons.
“You expectin’ somebody?” Bricks asked.
“Death.” I told them. “But I doubt he knockin’.”
“Kelsi it’s me…open this door,” A voice said.
I knew that voice. It was familiar. But what I didn’t know was what he was doin’ here. I told him where I lived awhile back cause I knew he was worried. He’d become somthin’ like a father to me. I placed my heat in the back of my pants and unlocked the door. It was Skully.
“What’s up, Kelsi,” he said steppin’ inside wit’out me askin’. “What’s up, fellas.” They nodded. “How’s everything going, Kelsi?”
“Not too good, man. And I can’t talk to you right now. Jarvis got my peoples and I’m ‘bout to deal wit’ him.”
“Your peoples? Do you need me to do anything?” he asked. I could’ve sworn I saw a slight smile of pleasure come ‘cross his face.
“No…I just gotta go,” I told him as I bolted past him leavin’ him in my apartment alone.
I appreciated everything Skully had done for me. If it wasn’t for him, I would’ve never found out who murdered my mother. And he was the one who gave me extra cheddar to live out here even though I already had some cake saved up. But sometimes he acted like I owed him. Always wantin’ to know where I was goin’ and who I was goin’ wit’.
I’m a sole survivor.
Monday, 11:58 pm
****
Murder is in the air. I can smell it.
-Kyope
Kyope had been calling Jarvis and Prangsta back to back. He’d even text messaged Crane a few times with no answer.
“Jarvis won’t answer his phone,” Gerry, one of Kyope’s runners said.
“Try his house phone.”
Kyope waited patiently in his living room although he already knew he wouldn’t answer that number either. He was growing heated. He felt over the past few months, things were going out of control. And after meeting with Aven, he had plans to kill Jarvis. But how could he do it when he couldn’t find him?
“Nope…he not answerin’ that either. Want me to call the chick who keeps his nephew?”
“No…hang up.”
He decided to pay a visit to Jarvis’s place since he wouldn’t answer the phone. And this time when he saw him, he had no intentions on playing nice.
Tuesday, 12:22, am
****
I finally understood what Biggie meant when he said he’s ready to die.
-Kelsi
We parked blocks from Jarvis’s crib so he wouldn’t see me pull up. And I didn’t want Bricks and Melvin, gettin’ spotted. As I sat in the car wit’ Bricks and Melvin a few blocks from Jarvis’s crib, I thought about what was gettin’ ready to happen. There was no need in procrastinatin’. I
had to do what I came to New York to do. I was gettin’ ready to get out when Bricks grabbed my arm.
“Uh…I just wanted to say…that it was an honor knowin’ you, nigga. You one of the real ones.” Bricks said.
“You too,” I told him.
I looked at Melvin who was in the passenger seat. I guess I was givin’ him a chance to say anything if he wanted to.
“I ain’t got nothin’ to say. I still believe you goin’ come back. So I’ma say what I gotta say when this war over.” We laughed
“Aight…let me do what I came to do.” Then I pulled my hoody over my head and left the car.
Walkin’ up the block a few people looked at me and I felt like everyone had they eyes on me. I almost made it to Jarvis’s buildin’ when I heard, “Kelsi.” I turned around and saw the same man who killed Kenosha. I placed my hand on my heat.
“Kelsi,” he said softly. “I need you to come wit’ me.”
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere wit’ you! Who the fuck are you?”
