by Sa'id Salaam
“What happened?” Billy shouted when he, Ox, and the other Elite boys came rushing to the cotton field. They’d heard the shouts and shots and came running to see who’d been shot.
“Damn fool tried to run off!” a guard explained in disbelief.
“That’s cold!” Ox lamented and dropped his head in sorrow.
“Shol’ is,” Billy agreed with a pained expression on his face as well. “Now who we gon’ fuck? Where’s Cat Eyes?”
****
I’ll be glad when this shit is over, Cat Eyes thought to himself. He certainly couldn’t say it aloud with Billy’s penis in his mouth. He’d fought the good fight once Carl was killed but Billy was too much for him. He did, at least, give him a choice between head or tail. He’d chosen head to save his tail. In the course of his multiple bids he’d seen multiple boys who lost control of their bowels from anal abuse. They were left dropping turds while they walked, like horses did.
It was almost over since it was both he and Billy’s last night in jail. Ironically they shared the same birthday and therefore would be leaving on the same day. Billy had still insisted on one for the road. It too was almost over.
“Mmm baby, yeah AnJanay,” Billy moaned to the picture in his hand as Cat Eyes worked him below. Cat Eyes heard the moan and braced himself for what he knew was to come, literally. “Argh!”
“Ptoo!” Cat Eyes spat it out in an act of defiance. Over the last few months that would have been a no-no but Billy decided to let it slide.
“Cain’t wait to see my mama,” Billy admitted. He’d tried to hold a grudge against Lady since she’d never returned any of his letters. He’d sent one last one asking her to meet him at the bus.
“I cain’t wait to see mine either,” Cat Eyes sighed.
“Well, you better brush first. Don’t wanna kiss yo’ mama with nut in yo’ mouth!” Billy laughed. He always got a kick out of adding insult to injury. A blow job for the road was already bad enough, so Cat Eyes decided to keep his mouth closed so that he wouldn’t get one last ass whooping for the road to go with it. His day was coming, that much he was sure of. He was right too, his day was definitely coming.
****
Going to the same city on the same day meant that Cat Eyes had to share a bus with Billy. Cat Eyes stayed as close to the front of the bus as the law would allow while Billy headed straight for the rear. He turned his nose up as he walked passed Cat Eyes since he didn’t need him anymore. Let Billy tell it he was only gay in jail.
The late night sticks of reefer he’d smoked combined with staying up all night in anticipation of going home put him straight to sleep once the bus was in motion. He traveled light, only stuffing his pockets with reefer while leaving everything else behind.
“Hey Nigger! Nigger! It’s your stop boy!” the driver yelled. Billy didn’t budge so he marched to the back of the bus and nudged him with his foot. “Get up, Nigger! It’s yo’ stop!”
“Huh? Oh, thank you,” Billy said when he realized where he was. He thought the driver was being courteous, but he wasn’t. Billy had a ticket to Memphis and the driver was making sure that his black ass wasn’t going an inch further than that.
Billy stepped off the bus and inhaled a deep breath of home. He immediately identified what was different about it as well as what had stayed the same. A beat cop walking by reminded him of all the reefer he’d stuffed in his pockets and that it was time to go.
He twisted his lips as he scanned the area looking for his mama. Seeing Cat Eyes hug and kiss his own mama made him chuckle at his own inside joke. When he resumed his search for Lady an old bag lady caught his eye as she nodded on a bench. She wore a red dress just like the one Lady wore for special occasions. The lady was too run down to be Lady so he passed over her with his eyes. An hour later he accepted the fact that his mama wasn’t coming and lifted his feet to take the first of many, many steps towards home.
“Damn, err’body on the dope,” Billy sighed as he waded through the addicts like a low tide. He tricked himself into thinking that Lady was at home cooking up a big homecoming dinner: candied yams, collard greens, a big ol’ ham, hog maws…
“Dollar Bill!” a voice behind him called out accompanied by a car horn. Billy whipped his head around to see Leroy’s old Cadillac pulling to a stop. He began to twist his lips up again until he noticed that it was Byron behind the wheel.
“Boy, what you doing driving a pimp car?” he asked as he came over to lean into the open window.
“Cuz, I’m a pimp and dis my car!” his friend shot back. “Now get yo’ ass in, ‘less you tryna walk way to the pool hall!”
“I need to go see my mama fo’ I go anywhere. She probably done cooked me a big dinner,” Billy said now that he had thoroughly convinced himself of it.
“Um…” Byron said, looking back at the bag lady on the bench. He didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news so he didn’t say anything. “Nigga, you needs to get you some pussy! I gots me a lil’ stable now and I’ll be glad to set you out a lil’ bit.”
“First things first. I gotta go see my mama. Then I’ll fall through when I’m done,” Billy insisted.
Byron changed the subject by passing him a thick stick of reefer. Billy debated over showing him his own stash, and shook his head. The two made small talk as they smoked and rode.
“Look-it!” Billy cheered and produced AnJanay’s worn picture.
“Damn, she pretty! Who is she?” Byron wondered loudly.
“My gal. She been waiting on me,” he replied since he’d convinced himself of that as well.
“Want me to run you over there?” he asked ready to make a detour to delay what was in store for his friend.
“Nah, I’ll see her later,” Billy replied. He still hadn’t worked out the details to that situation. All he knew was that he was determined to make her his own. His desire for the girl had been marinating in his twisted mind for almost a year now. It was simmering in fantasy but would soon come to a full boil of madness.
“Okay,” Byron shrugged and continued to the Southside. Their conversation came to an abrupt stop when the Caddie came to a stop in front of Lady’s home. He slid Billy a small roll of cash as he got ready to exit the car.
The shot gun shack would have never had made it into Home and Garden magazine at its best, but seeing it at its worse took Billy’s breath away. He blinked rapidly hoping that the sight would change, but it didn’t. It took several attempts for him to manage to speak.
“I’ll… um… later,” he said as he stepped from the car. Byron stepped on the gas and pulled away.
The front door swung open allowing a feral cat to enter as a male junky exited. The man looked Billy up and down before scurrying off. The first step creaked loudly when he stepped on it but the second one snapped under his weight. He shook his head and continued on.
“Aaaahhh!” a female junky offered as soon as he stepped into the front room. The thought of sticking his dick into her raggedy mouth caused a frown to spread on his face as he passed.
“Mama! Mama!” Billy called as he marched passed the nasty kitchen. He grew up hearing sounds of sex coming from his mother’s room, so he paused when he reached it. Hearing nothing he tapped on her door. “Mama!”
Billy proceeded to open the door only to find a couple having sex. The mattress was now on the floor which did away with the usual squeaking. He was relieved to see that the woman on the receiving end wasn’t his mother, but that begged the question, “Where’s Lady?”
“She… down… town,” the man said not bothering to slow up his stroke as he spoke. “She… had to… pick… up… her… son.”
Chapter 27
The long walk back to the bus station was made even longer by the thought of his mama sitting on that bench in a nod. He tried to tell himself that she was just tired from the walk, but the house full of Junkies wouldn’t allow him to. He found her in the same spot he’d seen her in hours before when he’d gotten off the bus.
“Ma
ma, I’m home, Mama!” Billy said gently as he stood over Lady. It took three tries but she was finally able to tilt her heavy head back enough to look back. The boy felt his knees buckle when the weather beaten face came up. It lifted to reveal a yellow smile held in place by grey gums.
“Is that my baby?” Lady cheered. She rocked back and forth trying to stand, but couldn’t. Billy helped her up and then pulled her into his arms.
“It’s me, Mama. I’m here,” he said squeezing her tightly. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“We better wait for Mary. You know that gal still ain’t came home!” Lady fussed. If Billy had, had a heart it would surely have broken, but he didn’t so it didn’t. Instead he got angry and somebody would soon feel it.
“Taxi!” Billy called as he tried to hail a cab. The white drivers looked at the young black boy holding up the black junky and kept right on driving.
An older black driver gave him a ‘yeah right, I ain’t hardly finna take yo’ ass nowhere so you can hit me over the head and rob me’ look. He was about to push on until Billy pulled out some cash.
****
Billy’s first order of business when they arrived back at home was to expel all the riff raff. He kicked out all the junkies along with the stray cat with a “Y’all get the fuck out! Now!”
“Will you look at this shit!” he fussed when he looked at the tub. He’d planned on giving his mama a bath but she would get even dirtier if he put here in there. It took some doing but he managed to get it clean.
Billy ignored his mother’s nakedness and her stench as he stripped her to put her in the tub. He knew she needed to soak, a good while, so he left her to go clean up her room. The best he could do in her room was to drag the trash out to the curb.
Once Lady was washed he helped her into bed and tucked her in.
“I’ll fix us up somethin’ to eat,” he said and left her to do just that. The gas was shut off so even if there had been some food in the house he still wouldn’t be able to cook it. Instead of cooking he walked a block over and got them a couple of BBQ plates.
“Hey Baby! When did you get home?” Lady asked, as if it was the first time she’d seen Billy since his release.
“Just now, Mama. I bought you some dinner,” he said softly. He had been back for hours but she’d been sleeping so soundly that he hadn’t wanted to wake her.
“Thank yo—” Lady began then paused. Her face turned green and she threw up what little she had in her stomach. Junk food, wine, and cum mainly, all came back up. “I’m sick, baby. I needs me a hit!”
Billy knew enough about dope and dope addicts to know that saying no wasn’t an option. He used the works he found in her nightstand and cooked up the small amount of dope. It wouldn’t be enough to get her high but it should be enough to get her off sick.
“You a good boy,” Lady purred as her son slid the needle into a well-used vein. Lady let out a sigh of relief and farted when the dope began to spread throughout her body. Once she nodded Billy got up and walked out. He could’ve called Byron but he needed the air so he walked.
****
“Is that Dollar Bill!” Leroy exclaimed when Billy walked in. He knew he was home and was shocked that it had taken so long for him to show up. Billy nodded in reply as he scanned the area for his friend. When he failed to find him he walked over to greet the pimp.
“Sup Leroy?” he said stoically as if he were the only one present. The sound of his voice lifted Mandy out of her nod momentarily. She cracked a smile and then resumed what she was doing.
“Where Byron?” Billy asked, looking around for him once more.
“Byron? You should be getting you some pussy and instead you worrying about Byron! What, you took a liking to that boy pussy while you was away, huh?” the pimp teased.
“Huh? NO! I ain’t fuck no boys when I was down there,” Billy said launching into a long story that told Leroy that he was lying. “They was fuckin’, but not me! No sir! I…”
“Mandy take him to the back and fuck him,” Leroy demanded. The prostitute popped up immediately to obey the order. This was actually the precursor to on-demand movies.
Billy was too embarrassed by the talk of boy pussy to say no to some real pussy, so he got up and followed her into one of the back rooms used to turn tricks. She fell back on the narrow bed and pulled her skirt up to her stomach.
Mandy didn’t wear panties so her bushy box was in plain sight. Billy fondled it a bit to get it wet but it didn’t respond. As a result he was soft and limp when he pulled out.
“What you waiting on?” Mandy wondered. She lifted her head and got the answer seeing he was still soft. She sat up and gulped him into her mouth.
Billy watched with curiosity as she worked her mouth on him. Her dry mouth also failed to get any results. It wasn’t until thoughts of Carl popped into his head that he got an erection. Once the wood was good and solid she lay back again and spread her legs.
“Come on,” Mandy invited and parted her lips with one hand and pulled him down by his dick with the other. “Go on hump!”
“Hump? It ain’t even in yet,” Billy replied. He looked down to correct the situation and found he was buried in to the hilt in her worn out box. He took a few pumps but barely felt her walls.
“What you doing?” Mandy protested when he pulled out and roughly flipped her over. She got her answer when he plunged inside of her anus. “I’m telling Leroy!”
“So!” Billy shot back and kept right on going. He didn’t even bother pulling out when he came a few minutes later. When the spasms subsided he snatched out and stood. Mandy had fallen into another deep nod so he used her dress to wipe himself clean before leaving the room.
“You good?” Leroy asked with a wide grin. “Where Mandy?”
“Yeah, I’m good. She sleep,” he replied and sat down. Leroy pushed a cold beer across to him and he quickly took a sip. Byron finally arrived and spared him from any more uncomfortable small talk with the pimp.
“There go my nigga!” Byron yelled as he slid into the booth. He slid a thick envelope over to Leroy and then hugged his friend.
Billy watched Leroy squeeze the envelope and then put it in his pocket. He wondered why he didn’t count the money, not knowing that’s what the squeeze was about.
“You ready to get you some money too?” Leroy asked, watching Billy watching him. “Yo’ lil partna’ got him a lil’ stable, a caddy, and a pocket full of bread. Don’t you boy?”
“Yassir!” Byron cheered and nodded.
“I guess so,” Billy replied unsurely. He’d been the leader when he left so this new role was confusing to him.
“I’m finna take Dollar Bill out! Gon’ get him high and get him some pussy!” Byron exclaimed. Billy couldn’t help but notice the appeal in his tone. He was stating it, he wasn’t asking for permission.
“Yeah, he look a lil’ uptight. He done had some pussy, but he still definitely needs some reefer. We’ll talk tomorrow,” Leroy replied. The boys took their leave and walked out of the pool hall. Byron’s car was right outside so they quickly got in.
“What he mean you got some pussy already?” Byron asked once they were seated in the car. He then pulled out a stick of reefer and pushed the car’s lighter in.
“If you can call it that! Mandy got the Grand Canyon between her legs. I need to go find Shawna with that good-good, that wet-wet, that tight-tight!”
“There she go,” Byron replied pointing towards the corner. Billy looked then squinted his eyes to look again.
“Where? All I see is some skinny junkies!” he gave up.
“That’s Shawna, Shonda, and Bernice!” Byron said as he pointed them out. “They all work for me now.”
“Damn, err’body on the dope now! Why you ain’t tell me my mama was on it too?” Billy asked with pain in his voice.
“Cuz, it wouldn’t have changed nothin’. I brang her somethin’ err’day to keep her off the streets. That’s the best I could do.” Byron said solemnl
y. He then slid Billy a small package to take home.
“That’s something,” Billy said twisting his lips again at the thought that his mama could’ve been out on that corner too.
“Look-it!” Byron cheered as he pulled a long pistol from under his seat. “Case one of these niggas try me when I make my pick-ups fo’ Leroy.”
“Lemme see,” Billy said reaching for the pistol. He felt a surge of power when the gun hit his hand. He looked at it lustfully as he studied the pistol in his palm. Byron watched with a curious frown since he’d never had the feeling. Then again he wasn’t a killer.
“Here,” he finally said trading the reefer for his gun back. He tucked it back under the seat and put the car in gear.
“Drop me by Shonda’s house,” Billy tossed out as they rode.
“Fo’ what? She on the corner!” Byron said ready to turn around.
“Not fo’ Shonda, I’m tryna see her mama!”
Chapter 28
“I gotta go,” Billy announced when he saw the sun rising outside of the bedroom window. He looked down at Shonda’s mama riding him backwards and repeated himself.
“Huh?” she asked looking over her shoulder. The fact that she picked up her pace told him that she’d heard him so he didn’t bother repeating himself. Instead he took her hips in his hands and slammed himself upwards inside of her. She came with a grunt and then tipped over to catch her breath.
“I need to hol’ yo’ car until later, if it’s okay?” he asked with great timing. The woman couldn’t even catch her breath, let alone say no.
“O–o–o–ok,” she huffed and puffed. If he had her car she figured he’d have to come back.
Billy pulled to a stop in front of his house and drifted off into his head. He wondered what he would find once he went inside. If he found Lady dead it would mean a lot less work for him. That thought quickly snapped him out of his head and into the house.
“Lady!” he called out hoping that she didn’t answer. “Mama!”
“In here baby,” Lady moaned. Billy stepped into her room to find her curled into a tight ball in the middle of her bed. “I needs my medicine. Is Leroy here?”
