Linda V
2013-02-03 02:33:15 UTC
Her heels clicked along the deserted pavements, punctuating the still night air. From across the road a lone hobo stared at her. Everyone knew you didn’t walk through Section II after darkness set. Bad things happened after dark.
I should have made sure she was in the house. I should have called. She knew it was dangerous out here, but she had no choice. Only dim street lights lit the concrete that characterized Section II. A car blared by breaking the silence, and leaving in its wake litter lightly fluttering over the tarmac, before the street settled back into its eerie silence. I should have taken care of her better.
Endless recriminations run through Tiffany’s mind as she trailed the streets peeping into each dark alleyway to make sure her mother wasn’t there. Not there. Then she heard it; arguing in the alley behind Mama J’s Cakes.
“Yo ma, you said, that if I drop you a G tonight, you gon have all ma money.” The rough voice was raised in anger.
“You know I’m good for it.” Tiffany could recognize Darlene Avon’s voice anywhere. She crept up closer, peering around the wall to get a better look. On one side of the alley there were three guys and on the other, Tiffany’s mother. The guys were all dressed in typical dude get-up; a hat, a hood over a t-shirt, oversized pants and sneakers in weird colors. Tiffany knew them. Everybody knew about Ray and The Runners.
“Ma. You know I don’t play like that.” Ray gesticulated wildly as if he’s temper was only held back by a thin strand. The other two, Vance and Danny were more relaxed. They lounged on the wall, blunts between their fingers and smoke rising lazily from their half open mouths. But Tiffany wasn’t fooled. If **** happened, guns would be flying out of those oversized pants faster than a rat on steroids. “Gimme back ma ****.”
“C’mon Ray, just take this thirty and then…” Darlene held out the bills in her hand. No! Was that the money Tiffany had left for this week’s groceries? Tiffany could feel the blood rush to her face. She had worked so hard for that money and there Darlene was, tittering on her skinny heels, in that ridiculously short red dress, her face caked in make-up, handing out Tiff’s money.
“I said Gimme back ma ****.” Ray pulled a gun from his hood. Instantly the air began to crackle with tension. The boys on wall straightened up. Darlene backed away from him.
“Ray…”
“Mom. Give it to him.” Tiff came out from her hiding place.
“Well! Well! If it ain’t L’il Miss Tiffanee from the block.” Vance whistled as she walked towards them. Tiff ignored him, afraid to take her eyes off the gun trained on Darlene. Ray’s hand slumped a little. “Come to save momma again!”
“Tiffy, honey, what are you doing here?” She could hear the fear in her mom’s voice. Up close it was hard to miss the glazed eyes. Her lips, a garish red, quivered slightly as if not sure whether they should remain open or closed. She tried to hide it but there was no masking the twitching body or the constant sniffles. Darlene was high again. “Baby, you shouldn’t have come.”
“Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Darlene gotta a fine baby.” Vance had moved closer. Ray may have been the leader but it was obvious that Vance was the muscle. He was much taller than her, had tattoos zig zagging across his body and dead eyes. Even looking up and down her body, there was not a flicker of life in those eyes. Their touch made her feel like a piece of meat in the chop shop. She flinched when his finger grazed her back and stepped away. “She fly as hell.”
Ray’s eyes run over appreciatively before he shrugged. “She better be here to get me ma ****.”
“Mom. Give it back to him.” She snatched the sequined purse out of her mother’s hands. Darlene lunged for her trying to grab it back but Tiff stepped aside, and Darlene went sprawling on the concrete. The stupid dress rose to her waist revealing that she had no underwear on. The Runners all burst into laughter as she struggled to pull it down.
“Ey Ey. My ****.” Ray waved the gun threateningly when Tiffany tried to help her up. Her fingers shook as she rifled through the purse. Her fingers just closed around the cylindrical mass when they heard the sirens.
“****.” Everything happened in a flash. One moment they were beside her, the next, the Runners were sprinting to the other side of the alley, scrambling over the fence like they were in some spider man movie. Darlene somehow managed to stagger out of her haze and duck behind the dumpster. Before she could even think, headlights flashed in front of her face, blinding her.
“Put your hands where we can see them.” She put them up. Sequin purse in one hand, latex filled with cocaine in the other.
If you want, you can check for the rest at http://www.wattpad.com/story/3919760-my-confession