Level Up

by Nikki Karma

  I swallowed and looked up at him. Slowly my lips parted and I said, “Your whore is dead.” The moment I uttered the words I felt light. Like I made a huge mistake I couldn’t take back.

  “Fuck you mean dead, bitch?” He roared and clenched his fist tightly. “Did you really come out here just to be suicidal?”

  I laughed. “I don’t know what you want me to say to be honest.” I shrugged. “I mean, is there any other language for dead? She gone. Like eliminated and you’ll never see her again. Maybe that’s clear enough for you.”

  Hollywood looked at his men and I could see him trembling like he was about to explode. “Go check the car, Doc,” he said to the large man.

  This was the moment I knew would come when I decided to meet Hollywood. It would definitely mean the end. Quickly the large men walked to the car and searched inside. Looking back at Hollywood he yelled, “She ain’t here!”

  He looked at me sternly. “Where is my fuckin’ wife, Crystal? I’m not playing games anymore.”

  “She’s inside the car,” I smiled and looked behind me. “All you gotta do is check the trunk.” His man popped the trunk.

  Hollywood’s eyes widened but he stayed in front of me. As if preventing me from trying to get away. But where was I going to go? “If my wife is in that trunk you gonna die. Do you hear—”

  “She’s in here!” The man yelled. “It’s…I’m, I’m sorry, Hollywood,” He stuttered.

  Hollywood walked away and up to the man. I turned around to look at them both. “Is…is she alive, Doc?”

  “No.” He backed away and covered his mouth. “She gone.”

  Hollywood glared at me and walked back over to me quickly. “You come to me with my wife in the trunk of her car?” He slapped me down. I stayed there. “Do you actually think you gonna live?” He paused. “Do you know what kind of woman she was? What kind of person you fucking killed?” He grabbed my throat and squeezed. I could barely breathe. “You think I’m a fucking joke?”

  I clawed at his hands but was able to say, “Who said I wanted to live?” He released me and I rubbed my neck, before falling to the ground. “Just so you know my sister ain’t have nothing to do with this. Your wife had been getting on my nerves since the moment I picked that bitch up from your house. So I got rid of her. And you should also know she fought to the death. But eventually I took her out anyway.”

  He walked up to me and looked down. “A quick death is too easy for this bitch.” He looked at Doc. “Torture her ass until you get tired. And then I want so many holes in her I can see through her body.”

  I heard the click of many guns before I was lifted up and moved toward the van. When I looked up at the sky I thought about my sister and how much I want her to succeed. “I hope you can forgive me now, Tasha. Goodbye.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  TASHA

  (TWO YEARS LATER)

  I was sitting on my bed looking at a picture of my mother and sister at our party. I was trying to remember a time when things were good but couldn’t. Too much pain. Since I was born there always seemed to be some dark presence over our family but it didn’t mean I didn’t love them.

  Ever since we buried her and my sister two years ago today, I felt lost. Plus so much went down in this short time. After the trial where Hollywood and his men went to jail for their murder Nikki and I moved to Houston where we could raise our son. It turned out Nikki was able to sustain the pregnancy despite getting shot. It amazed me how strong she was.

  We couldn’t wait to leave Adamsville and everything behind. Including furniture and our clothes. Tiffani kept in contact with us from time to time but after awhile it seemed weird talking to her about old times. Besides, the last thing I heard was that she was on drugs and I didn’t think it would be a good idea to have her in our lives.

  “It’s time to go to bed, Lil’ Chris.” I named my son after my sister. He was called Christal. When he was under the sheets I pulled the sheet over his head. “We goin’ to the park tomorrow and I’m gonna buy you some candy and everything.” He cheesed a little but didn’t understand everything I was saying. “I love you very much.”

  I stood up and moved toward the door. “Night, night,” he said.

  I winked at him and walked out his room. The moment I closed the door I saw Nikki sitting in the living room reading a book. She was still as sexy as ever except now she was my wife.

  But instead of sitting with her I walked into the bathroom, closed the door and slid to the floor. I could smell the scent of bleach from the toilet that Nikki cleaned earlier and smiled. Since we moved together there wasn’t any time I could remember that she didn’t prepare a hot meal and keep a clean house. She was amazing to live with but sometimes I feel trapped. It’s almost as if I need my own space. Or maybe I missed the robbery lifestyle I had become accustomed to.

  Feeling frustrated, I looked up at the ceiling. When my sister died I replayed in my mind how our last call ended. I couldn’t stop thinking about when our lives changed the day Hollywood walked into the post office. But more than anything I couldn’t forget how I treated her when she begged for forgiveness.

  “Crystal, it’s me again. I know you up there doing everything possible to get on God’s nerves.” I laughed. “And I know you’re looking over me and my son too.” I looked down at my hands. “He’s a cool kid ain’t he?” A tear rolled down my face and I wiped it away. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for not being there when you needed me the last time we spoke. I want you to know that I’m gonna love my son like I did you when we were young. And that I will never abandon him no matter how hard things get. Ever.” I shook my head. “I miss you, Crystal. Tell ma I miss her too. I’ll see you soon.”

  I stood up, wiped the back of my pants and walked into the living room. Once there I sat on the sofa next to Nikki and she immediately laid her head into my lap as I stroke her hair. It was crazy to think about the history.

  After getting shot, Nikki lost a lot of blood and almost didn’t make it. The crazy part was we shared the same blood type and I told them to drain me until I died if it meant saving her life. Luckily they didn’t need to do that but things looked bad for a long time. She took a bullet to the ribs but still survived.

  “The Chinese food was bad?” She asked looking up at me. “Even if it wasn’t I definitely have had better.”

  “Nah, it wasn’t the food.” I sighed. “Why you say that?”

  “Because you were in the bathroom for a long time.” She paused. “What were you doing, talking to your sister again?”

  I sighed. “Yeah, but I’m cool now.” I rubbed her warm cheek.

  “Crystal did what she did because she wanted you to be happy. And I know you so I know you are getting bored living the drama free lifestyle. All I ask is that you give us a chance and see how it feels.”

  I smiled. “What if I can’t get rid of the feeling?”

  She shrugged. “We can talk about that when we get there. I mean, I know you a hood bitch from Adamsville but this is our new life. And I want the happily ever after.” She paused. “Please?”

  “I guess I gotta be good with it then.” I bent down and kissed her lips. For now. I thought.