The Face That Launched A Thousand Bullets (The Cartel Publications Presents) (8 page)

The dug he was referring to was a black pit bull. Most Baltimore natives pronounced dog as ‘dug’ and Melody was no exception.

“And when you’re done get the front door for me,” Melody demanded as the two men rustled with the six shopping bags and his killer animal.

J-Swizz, one of the two, managed to get a free hand to open Melody’s house door. He was handsome, tall and lanky. And where you saw Melody, you was bound to see eighteen -year old J-Swizz.

The thing that tripped Cray out was that the entire time, his hands were free. He was in charge, and although Cray didn’t like him, he admired his use of power. He dreamed of having so much money he could buy who and what he wanted too. Already at a young age, Cray was learning that money ruled everything and everybody.

Cray felt foolish for trying to get Markise to do what he wanted. You see, Markise was his own person. He was the only kid that didn’t do what other people did just to fit in. That’s part of the reason why
everybody
liked him so much.

“Jason, you get it.” Cray said.

“A’ight!” Jason jumped up. “But I’m getting me some too.” He disappeared into Cray’s house.

Although he was able to control Jason, it wasn’t enough. He wanted to be able to break down Markise, too. And if he had
real
control, he’d be able to do it. When Jason came back with the juice he handed Cray’s his and gulped his own down with one breath. Afterward he placed the yellow cup down on the step.

“Ya’ll little dusty ass niggas bet not think about comin’ over here touchin’ this car,” J-Swizz said as he activated the alarm. “That’s if you know what’s good for you.”

When he was gone Jason said, “Whateva! I’ll touch whateva I want to.” He boasted walking close enough to it to irritate him if he saw him, but not close enough to get his chest caved in if Melody caught his ass.

“Stop swellin’. You always fakin’.” Markise tried to get the attention of three girls across the street walking to the store. He was doing two things at once. Trying to get at the cutie with the phat bootie and hear what his boys were up to. “Cuz if Melody came out here and saw you, you’d be pissin’ your pants.”

“I don’t know why ya’ll scared of him,” Cray added, standing up from the steps and placing his blue cup full of juice down. He didn’t even want it for real. “He a nigga just like me.”

 Cray had talked so much shit that a challenge was placed on the table. If he said the wrong thing, it could end in a dare. And if he was presented with a
dare
, and didn’t follow through, he’d forever be a punk.

Cray looked at the shiny Audi. His heart raced just thinking about the beef he’d be in if he thought about touching the man’s ride.

“I ain’t doin’ nothin’ just cause you say do it,” Cray retorted. “And I’m not scared either.”

“Yeah, okay,” Markise said.

“I
dare
you,” Jason challenged.

 The words resonated in Cray’s head. It was official. He’d said the wrong thing and had to eat his own words. As the seconds went by, he hoped Melody would come back outside and pull off. Then he could get off easy. Because dare or no dare, everyone could agree that it would be suicidal to touch the man’s ride with him present.

 “Awwww...big bad Cray scared!” Jason pointed at him.

“Damn, dug! I thought you were tough,” Markise added making matters worse.

Cray stood up straight and focused. There were positives and negatives to disrespecting Melody’s request to leave his ride alone. The positive was that if he touched it, he could silence Markise and Jason’s asses with the quickness, which would ultimately mean he could talk as much shit as he wanted to, and nobody could question him. The negative, and of course the most dangerous, was that if he touched his ride and got caught, he could see his grave before his drug addicted parents would.

 He looked up at Melody’s house door and saw it was closed shut. So he walked coolly over to the car, glancing back at his friends once. He smiled to let them know he wasn’t scared. He was inches from his ride when he reached out and placed his left hand completely on the car. His mission was complete plus he proved his point. He wasn’t a punk and he was still the kid that could be counted on to follow through on a dare. There was nothing else to be said.

           And then he heard, “I knew you were scared!” Jason lifted his chubby arm and pointed in his direction.

           What was the problem? He proved the exact opposite and yet Jason acted as if he’d done nothing. To silence him for once and for all, he moved back toward the car, leaned up against it and posed for thirty seconds. He was lifting his body preparing to move when Melody came out and saw him.

            “What the fuck?!” He exclaimed as he jumped down three stairs at one time to get at him.

            Cray leaped off his car and was about to take off running when Melody’s flunkies caught him. Markise and Jason stood in shock.

            “Aye…he was just playin’, man,” Markise offered.

            “Yeah,” Jason cosigned. “He wasn’t tryin’ to mess up yo ride.”

            “Did I ask you lil dirty mothafuckas to talk to me?”  Melody questioned. They shook their heads no. “Den why you talkin’?”

            Without waiting for their answer, he glared at Cray. His flunkies had Cray up in the air by the hood of his coat. His legs dangled inches from the ground.

            “Put the lil nigga down,” Melody instructed as he approached him. “You must got a problem puttin’ yo dusty ass on my ride.”

            “Sorry, man.” Cray said, shaking his head. He was so scared he could’ve peed on himself.

            “Fuck sorry! What’s ya problem? You think I want a dirty nigga like you leanin’ on my ride?”

By this time Grimy Mike, Corey who was called Charms, Justin Doles and James had gathered around to see Melody punk Cray.

“Yo got high waters on!” Grimy yelled adding insult to injury. He wasn’t nothing but an instigator. And because Melody had an audience now, he made things worse.

“I should pay one of these lil niggas out here to fuck you up! Which one of ya’ll wanna to get paid?” he asked as he looked around and grabbed his stack of cash from his pocket. Grimy Mike and Charms raised their hands. Doles stood on the sidelines laughing.

  “I said I was sorry.” Cray kept his voice steady, trying not to show his terror. He heard of the things Melody did to people for less. He knew he had fucked up and fucked up royally. “What you want me to do? Damn!”

Jason and Markise’s mouths dropped.

  “Oh you tryin’ to break bad?”

   Cray didn’t respond.

  “Yeah you definitely tryin’ to break.” He said as he cracked his knuckles.        

Whop! Whop!Whop!

Melody punched him three times in the chest. Cray felt the wind flow from his body when he fell to the ground. Markise ran over to Melody and swung missing him terribly. He wasn’t even remotely close. Melody laughed the entire time as he bopped the hell out of his right ear. Jason didn’t bother getting up after seeing his friends spread across the ground. But then again, no one expected him too.

Instead of Cray running home, he stood up, dusted the back of his pants off, and faced Melody again. Now instead of being scared, he looked at him dead in the eyes. More people started crowding around and Cray recognized the faces of Jinx who stayed in trouble and Vic who smoked cigarettes all the time and lived around the way. They pretty much stayed to themselves even though people said they were thieves.

            “Oh shit! Let me find out this lil nigga got heart.”
Whop! Whop! Whop!
Three more body blows.

            This time Melody hit him a little harder. Although he wasn’t putting all of the force he could have into Cray’s body, he did hit him hard enough to do damage. Cray felt all sorts of pain ripple through his arms and chest. But the fighter in him wouldn’t allow him to bow down.

            Again Cray stood up and again Melody gave him two body blows each session. The final time Cray could barely stand up straight, yet he looked him in his eyes and stared him down. He was bruised but no longer afraid. His friends looked at him in utter amazement. This surpassed the clout he
ever
could’ve gained from a mere dare or double dare. He had gained the respect of his friends on a whole notha level.

            “You’s a tough little mothaphucka,” Melody said as his flunkies agreed. “If your folks weren’t linin’ my pockets you coulda got hurt. Now get out my face befo’ I hit you wit somethin’ you won’t be able to get up from.”

          Cray didn’t know what
linin’ his pockets
meant, and he didn’t care. He just walked off slowly. His body was inflamed and hurt all over. But it didn’t matter. He faced the beast and didn’t back down and everybody on the street were his witnesses. No one knew it then, but what just happened formed the beginning of a monster. Right before the crowd dispersed Jinx walked up to Cray.

“That was some crazy shit!” Markise said, holding his ear.

“I know!” Jason added.

“I told ya’ll I wasn’t scared.” Cray tried not to limp. “He bleed just like me.”

Tara Pleasant

Washington, D.C.

Trusted Friend

A
fter dinner, when Kavon remembered he left something in his car, Tara took the time to talk to Shy in private. She knew time was of the essence so she had to be quick. The moment Kavon shut the door, she said, “Come here, Shy!” She grabbed him by the hand and led him to the kitchen.

“I’m okay unless you consider being pregnant a problem.” Tara grabbed his face, calming him down instantly. His shoulders relaxed and his face softened. Her touch soothed the most savage of beasts.

“Word.” She giggled.

He was silent for a moment until she said, “Are you gonna say somethin’ or just stand there lookin’ silly?”

For a second it looked as if he wasn’t happy about it.

Eventually, he picked her up and hugged her lightly. She smelled the Irish Spring soap he always used on his skin.

Placing her down gently, he said, “I’m ‘bout to be a godfather!” He beat his chest with excitement.

“Yes. Are you happy for us?”

“You know I am.”

He appeared enthused and she loved every bit of it. He was the first person Tara told because she didn’t have family in the United States. They disowned her after learning she sold herself as an internet bride to Paris for money. And even though she didn’t marry him, they never spoke to her again despite her constant letters. All she wanted was a better life in America, the place where dreams come true.

“He doesn’t know so you can’t say anything,” Tara whispered. “I’m gonna tell him next week.”

“Why you waitin’? I’m sure he’ll want to know he’s bout to have a seed. That’s all that nigga talk about.”

“Cause I know he’s gonna ask me to marry him next week that’s why.” Tara threw her head back and laughed.

“And how do you know that?” He leaned on the counter.

The look on his face told her she’d gotten it right. But Shy had no intentions of confirming the proposal either which way and she didn’t expect him to.