Jarvis, he had a smile on his face.
“You crazy!” the man exclaimed. “You fuckin’ crazy!”
While he was talking, Prangsta and Spikes came rushing upstairs from the basement. He didn’t know that Kecia had a small door which led from outside in the laundry room. It was obvious he was an amateur. Their abrupt entry startled the stranger causing him to mistakenly drop his weapon. The moment Prangsta and Spikes saw Keicia’s body spread out on the floor they violently grabbed the two from behind.
“You want me to murder his ass?” Prangsta asked, as he wrapped his arm around his throat. Spikes grabbed the younger man. “Let me do it, man!” Kenosha was stunned because she was certain Jarvis killed his sister on purpose.
“Not yet,” he eyed his nephew who was visibly distraught.
Jarvis walked up to the burnt man as Prangsta maintained the grip around his neck.
“I’m gonna ask you again,” he said softly. “Who sent you?” The man was silent at first but then his demeanor changed. It was evident that he was petrified.
“I don’t know his name. He gave me the lick and said he’d meet me for his five percent.” That bothered Jarvis. He hated the idea of someone trying to play him.
“What did he look like?”
“He was tall, dark skin and older. Maybe ‘bout forty. That’s all I know! On my mother! I wasn’t gonna hurt your family, man. I’m just tryin’ to feed my seed. That’s it!”
“Hey, Jarvis…Ice said that the dude who stuck him up looked the same way.”
Jarvis? Kenosha thought. It can’t be! Her mind was on speed as she focused on his features. She could see why Janet got with him.
“You had to use my name, huh?” Jarvis asked disgusted with his lack of ethics.
“Sorry, man. I figured we was gonna hot they asses anyway.” Jarvis shook his head.
“Go ‘head, nigga.”
Prangsta proceeded cautiously and said, “He was talkin’ to some dude who said on his mother, he was gonna keep stickin’ you until he takes back everythin’ you took from him. It may be the same dude who keeps robbin’ our shops.”
“I can’t believe one nigga causin’ all these problems!” Jarvis said, frustrated as he took his right hand and placed it on top of his head. It seemed a little inappropriate to disgust business over his sister’s dead body but that was the nature of the man. “But that’s what it sounds like.” Jarvis mind raced. Who the fuck is this nigga? Jarvis looked back at Kenosha who appeared calm despite being slightly nervous. Then he looked at Prangsta and said, “Kill ‘em both.”
Prangsta grabbed the man and he and Spikes were both on their way down the stairs when the stranger said to Jarvis, “Can I ask you a question before I die?”
“No fuck that shit!” Prangsta yelled pushing him toward the basement.
“Hold up…I never deny a dead man his final wish,” Jarvis interrupted. Prangsta turned the man around so that he could look Jarvis in his eyes. His son could be heard weeping at his fate was soon to come. “What you wanna know?”
“Did you kill your sister on purpose?”
It was silent as Jarvis took a few moments before answering his question. Prangsta and Spikes gave one another befuddled looks.
After a few minutes of silence Jarvis said, “What you think?”
After his response Prangsta and Spikes took both men downstairs and killed them. Jarvis grabbed his nephew and walked out the door with Kenosha.
Monday, 9:15 pm
****
Who need a job when ya got a rich nigga?
-Kenosha
Drivin’ through the streets of Brooklyn changed what I originally thought. That all projects was the same. There was something about Marcy Projects that pulled my breath. The big red buildings appeared larger than life under the night sky and people seemed to be possessed by its power.
“Gimme a sec, Kay,” Jarvis said without waiting on my response.
He grabbed his nephew’s hand and they exited the May Bach. The child looked about ten years old.
Denise Swanson
Heather Atkinson
Dan Gutman
Bathroom Readers’ Institute
Mia McKenzie
Sam Ferguson
Devon Monk
Ulf Wolf
Kristin Naca
Sylvie Fox