Black Short Stories : Ghetto Dreams

DeepSistaSoul

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Apr 1, 2002
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The ghetto had its own bitter sweet melody of crime and poverty wrapped into one. It was a place that most people had nightmares about, but for me it was my reality. It was about four in the afternoon, and like always the ghetto was live and ready for some drama. I watched the boys on the court run back and forward with the ball, and finally leap into the air for a perfect lay-up. Let me introduce Myself I'm Cookie, at least that's what my friends call me. I been livin' in this ghetto all my life, and somehow I had a feelin' for the rest of my life.

True enough I was dirty south bred, but one day I wanted out. A feeling inside of me was urging me telling me to get out of here. I wanted to go to college I wanted to be a singer, and all that when I was a kid, but now that I was about to graduate It got harder for me to believe. My mama always told me dream big or not at all, that was before she died a year back. she was the only one who believe in me, and now that she is gone, I have put all my dreams to rest. My older brother Rob Had gone wild in the streets since mama's death. He started using hard drugs, and hangin' with some foul ****** from around the way.

I prayed every night that he would survive the life he was living, but I guess he was going to have to learn the hard way. He was also sellin' dope, which I knew would only get him too things around here. In a ditch, or in the pen, and he was heading to one soon. As usual a fight had broke out in the park, two boys I recognized from school were throwing down on the grass. Like always it was over a gambling debt to be paid. The boys in the projects played dice on the side walks of lakewood night and day, when somebody didn't pay up, it was time for war. Everybody knew that Magail Semsters brother Rodney was a drug dealer and the leader of one of the worst gangs in lakeside. anybody who fought with Magail would have to face Rodney sooner or later, and for Demetrius Thomas more sooner than later. I don't know what Demetrius was thinking, but he pulled a knife from his pants, and jammed it into Magail's torso. The crowd got silent.

Magail fell to the ground bright red blood appeared on his white T-shirt. My eyes widen and my heart thumped as I watched the ongoing scence in the distance. Demetrius wiped blood from his mouth, ans tossed the knife onto the ground beside Magail, and spitting at near his face. That fool must have head a death wish, because he knew who he was going to have to face, and It wasn't gonna be pretty at all. Demetrius looked at the silent crowd, and started running towards Helen St. The point is he could run all he wanted, but he was sure to be dead by sun down.


Like I said they found Demetrius Thomas's body this morning under the levy near madison and Spring st. They say that he had was so badly beat up that his face was just a muddle of smashed flesh and broken bones. My bestfriend denise came running to my house that same morning, begging me to come down to the levy to watch the coroner put the body in the bag. I swear that girl was crazy, she was always getting me into some **** neither of us could handle.

When we got there, they were still takin' pictures, and marking evidence. A red cutlass with tented windows and 20 inch spokes cruised by. I already knew it was Rodney and his crew, checking out the scence to see if homeboy was really dead. Even thought Magail didn't die, that didn't touch Rodney any. he wanted to let everybody know that messing with his little brother was a no no. and Demetrius's murder was a blunt uncanny example. "Come on girl let's go under to get a closer look," Denise said excitedly. "Excuse me," I turned her way. "Let's go......." I jumped in. "Oh I heard ya *** I just think you have lost ya **** mind,"O had a hand on my hip. "Fine I'ma go on my own," She climbed under the yellow tape. Now I couldn't just let her go alone----could I? "Wait a minute girl," I whispered. We didn't get very far at all, because two policemen escorted us back before we reached the body. "See Dee I told ya *** we was gone get caught," I said angrily. "We would have made if you hadn't been so worried about ya shoes getting muddy," She threw back at me. I fixed my jacket on my shoulders, that the cop had escorted me by. I rolled my eyes at her, and walked away. Denise was my girl but sometimes she just hit the wrong nerve.


We had been friends since she came to Lakewood four years ago. I was twelve when she moved to Lakewood, and hit it off automatically. we shared our deepest secrets with each other. she told me about how her brother molested her, and I told no one. I even spent the night with her to keep him off her. She was too embarrassed to tell her mama, and so it never stopped. Her brother is locked now for raping a girl, and sliting her throat. Both denise and I prayed that he didn't get out soon.

And with the color of the girl he had murdered he would not be out for the next forty years. Like I said she and I shared some of deepest, darkest secrets, but there was one she never told me about yet, but when she does, it might just put our friendship on hold-------forever.




copyright VJL 2002
 
Part 2

I sat on my cousin Nu Nu's bed as Tupac bumped on the stereo, and she rolled a joint with her long nails. I was living with her, and my aunt Julean, who my mama had gave the right to take care of me until I was 18. My Cousin Nu Nu was like my big sister, we hung out, got high together, lied for each other, we even fought for each other.

She was my blood, and It didn't come no thicker. Nu Nu's was also pregnant, she had gotten pregnant from sneaking out the window all times of the night and me covering her ***. Aunt Julean must have tore the house up the day she found out Nu Nu was pregnant. She cussed and called on jesus at the same time. I guess she was prayin' that it would have been me instead of her precious Nu Nu.

"Girl you don't need to be smokin' you know," I said as she lit the blunt. "Girl please, my baby gonna be just find, if it can survive a little lah I know it can survive this ghetto then, just gettin' it prepared," she smiled. She passed me the joint, and I puffed takin' it in deep. "So ***** what's up wit you and Tyrell, I saw ya'll at Al's the other night all cozy and ****," She sat back on her pillow and looked at me. I almost choked on the smoke, "Tyrell, man don't even mess up my high girl, you are trippin' hard," I lay down at the foot of the bed.

Now tyrell was fine, but the fact was he was a ganster, and If I got involved with him my neck would be on his enemy's list. "Girl you crazy tyrell is fine, with that fly *** ride, and then he gots stacks of chips----come on girl," I sat back and thought about me being the gangs first lady, I would be the most resecpted broad around the PJ's....... What the hell was I talking about, I wasn't cut out for that ****, I wasn't a thug ***** and I sure wasn't about to try to become one. The door to the room clicked, and aunt Julean walked in.

"Oh no ya'll ain't smokin that **** in my house, both of ya get ya ***** up now," She pointed a long thin finger at me and Nu Nu.
While aunt Julean snatched the joint out of Nu Nu's hand, and cussed her out i went outside, and watched the sun set over the projects. The cool breeze at the nape of my neck, cooling down the sweat that had appeared suddenly. There was a feeling in the air, a feeling that something was about to go down, what I didn't know but I had a feeling it was gone be some major drama.
 

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