CHAPTER TWENTY
Sosa
I was posted up in the trap with the guys, BooMan, Trigg, Rah, and Mook, plus a few workers in the other room. We was in the back counting up from last week's work, smoking on some gas, waiting for the shipment to come through.
"Yo, that new plug better come through correct this time," Trigg said, breaking down a wood. "Last time them niggas was short by two bricks."
"Man, I already told 'em if they play games again, it's up," I said, leaning back in my chair. "I ain't got time for that goofy shit."
BooMan laughed, blowing smoke out his nose. "You know Sosa don't play about his money, gang. These niggas better come correct."
We was all chopping it up, talking shit, when I reached in my pocket to check my phone. I always kept two on me, one for personal shit, one for the streets. But when I felt around, I only had one.
"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.
"What's good?" BooMan asked, looking over at me.
"I think I left my other phone at the crib," I said, patting all my pockets again.
"Damn, you slipping, bro," Mook said, shaking his head. "That ain't like you."
"Man, I'm straight. I'll grab it when I get back." I wasn't too worried. It was probably just sitting on the nightstand or some shit.
About fifteen minutes later, I heard a truck pulling up outside. I got up and looked out the window, the U-Haul was right there, right on time.
"A'ight, they here," I said. "Let's get this shit inside quick."
We all headed outside. The driver hopped out, gave me a head nod, and opened up the back of the truck. Inside was boxes stacked to the ceiling, all labeled as canned goods, tomatoes, beans, corn, peas, all that fake shit.
But we knew what was really in them boxes. Pure white. Bricks on bricks.
"Let's move, let's move," I said. "Get this shit unloaded fast." BooMan and Trigg grabbed the first boxes, carrying them inside. Rah was helping coordinate, and Mook was posted up by the door keeping watch. The workers started grabbing boxes too, moving quick.
Everything was going smooth. We was about halfway done when I heard it.
An engine revving hard.
I looked up just in time to see a black Hellcat whip around the corner fast as hell, windows already down, arms hanging out.
"GET DOWN!" I screamed.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
BOOM
The shots exploded so loud my ears started ringing immediately. I hit the ground hard, my heart slamming in my chest. I heard Mook screaming, Trigg yelling, glass shattering, bullets hitting the truck, the building, everything.
The car kept shooting, just spraying the whole block, and then I heard tires screeching as they peeled off.
For a second, everything went quiet except for the ringing in my ears.
Then I heard BooMan.
"So... bro... I'm hit..." My blood went cold.
I jumped up and looked around. BooMan was on the ground by the truck, blood pouring out his chest and stomach, his eyes wide, his breathing ragged.
"FUCK! BOOMAN!" I ran over to him and dropped to my knees, pressing my hands on his chest trying to stop the bleeding.
"Stay with me, bro! Stay with me!"
"I can't... I can't breathe, bro..." His voice was weak, barely there.
"SOMEBODY CALL THE FUCKING AMBULANCE!" I
screamed, looking around. "NOW!"
Rah was already on the phone, his hands shaking. Trigg was pacing, and Mook was just standing there frozen.
"We can't wait for no ambulance, bro!" Trigg yelled. "We gotta take him now!"
"A'ight, help me get him up!" I said.
We lifted BooMan as careful as we could, but he was fading fast. Blood was everywhere, all over my hands, my clothes, the ground, the truck. We got him in the backseat of my car and I jumped in the driver's seat, slamming my foot on the gas.
"Stay with me, Bro! Don't you fucking leave me, bro!" I was screaming, looking at him in the rearview mirror. Trigg was in the back with him, trying to keep pressure on the wounds.
"He ain't responding, Sosa!" Trigg yelled. "Drive faster!"
"I'm going as fast as I can!" I ran every red light, swerving around cars, my vision blurry from tears.
We pulled up to the hospital and I jumped out,
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"
Nurses came running out with a stretcher. We laid BooMan on it and they rushed him inside. I tried to follow but they stopped me.
"Sir, you need to wait here—"
"THAT'S MY brOTHER!" I roared. "THAT'S MY FUCKING brOTHER!"
"Sir, please, let us do our job."
Security came over and Trigg grabbed my arm, pulling me back.
"Bro, let them work. Let them work on him."
I was shaking, covered in blood, tears streaming down my face. We sat in that waiting room for what felt like hours. Nobody said shit. We just sat there, waiting.
* * *
An hour passed and a doctor came out. I stood up immediately, with my heart in my throat.
"Are you here for the gunshot victim?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah, that's my brother. Is he good? Tell me he good."
The doctor's face told me everything before he even opened his mouth.
"I'm very sorry. We did everything we could, but he didn't make it. He lost too much blood."
I felt like somebody ripped my chest open.
"Nah... nah, you lying. GO CHECK AGAIN!"
"I'm very sorry for your loss—"
"GO FUCKING CHECK AGAIN!" I lunged forward but Trigg and Rah grabbed me, holding me back.
"Bro, he gone," Trigg said, his voice breaking. "He gone, man." I collapsed to my knees, sobbing so hard I couldn't breathe. BooMan was dead. My best friend since we was shorties. The nigga who was just laughing and smoking with me an hour ago. Gone.
* * *
I don't even remember the drive home. Everything was a blur, the streets, the lights, all of it. I pulled up to the crib and walked through the door, still covered in BooMan’s blood, my eyes red and swollen.
Yah-Yah was sitting on the couch, and the second she saw me, she jumped up.
"Where the FUCK you been?" she yelled, storming over to me.
"You got the fucking audacity to come walking in here this fucking late!"
I didn't say shit as I just walked past her toward the stairs.
"Don't walk away from me!" She followed me, her voice getting louder. "I read the texts, Sosa! I read the fucking texts from that bitch Sheree!” she screamed and still I was silent.
'You acting funny after I just sucked yo' dick'? REALLY, SOSA?" I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, my back to her. I couldn't even process what she was saying.
"You out here cheating on me? After everything? You really out here letting bitches suck your dick?"
I turned around slowly, my face blank. "Yah-Yah... not right now."
"Not right now?" She looked at me like I was crazy. "When then, huh? When is a good time to talk about you disrespecting me?"
"Yah-Yah, I'm serious. Not. Right. Now."
"I don't give a fuck what you going through!" she screamed, getting in my face.
"You cheated on me! You lied to me!"
"BOOMAN JUST GOT KILLED!" I roared, my voice cracking, tears streaming down my face. "He got shot right in front of me! He died in my fucking arms! So I don't give a FUCK about no bitches or no text messages right now!" She froze for a second, her mouth open. But then her face hardened.
"I don't care," she said coldly.
"I don't give a fuck about BooMan. I only care about you playing me like I'm fucking stupid!" Something inside me snapped.
"Bitch whatchu’ just say?”
“Bitch? You heard me muthafucka. I DON’T GIVE A FUCK!” She snapped.
“Bitch get the fuck out," I said, my voice was low and deadly.
"What?"
"I said get the FUCK outta my house."
"I ain't going no fucking where!" she yelled back, crossing her arms. "This is my house too! You think you gon’ just kick me out?"
I stared at her for a long moment, my jaw clenched, my fists balled up. I wanted to slap the shit outta her, but I would never put my hands on her, that shit just wasn’t in me. I walked over, grabbed her by her fucking ponytail, and started dragging her toward the door.
"GET OFF ME!" she screamed, trying to pull away. "SOSA, GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"
I didn't say shit. I opened the front door and pushed her out onto the porch.
"FUCK YOU, SOSA!" she screamed, tears running down her face now. "FUCK YOU! I'M DONE! YOU HEAR ME? I'M DONE FUCKING WITH YOU!" I slammed the door in her face and locked it.
I could still hear her outside yelling, banging on the door, but I didn't care. I walked upstairs, went into the bathroom, and looked at myself in the mirror.
BooMan’s blood was all over me. My hands, my shirt, my face, and I broke down again.
Fuck man!
* * *
I don't know how long I sat there, but eventually I got up, washed the blood off, and changed clothes. My mind was racing but I knew exactly who did this shit.
I grabbed my pole, a Glock 19 with a extended clip and headed out the crib, I hopped in my whip, and I drove towards Tiona's crib.
I knew Zach's people killed BooMan. And Tiona was the closest thing to him I could get to tonight.
I pulled up to her apartment complex and texted her.
"Come outside"
A few minutes later, she came out, wearing some little shorts and a tank top, smiling.
"Hey baby," she said, walking over to my car. "I wasn't expecting you—" I got out the car and grabbed her by her throat, slamming her against the wall.
"Sosa, what the fuck?" Her eyes went wide with fear.
"Zach's people killed BooMan," I said, my voice ice cold. "You knew about it?"
"What? No! I don't know what you talking about…"
"Don't fucking lie to me!"
"I'm not lying! I swear, Sosa, I don't know nothing!"
I stared into her eyes, looking for the truth. Maybe she really didn't know. Maybe she did. But at this point, it didn't matter anymore. BooMan was gone. And somebody had to pay. I pulled out my Glock and pressed it against her temple.
"Sosa, please…." she whispered, tears immediately streaming down her face.
"Please don't do this—" Boc, Her body went limp and I let her drop to the ground.
I stood there for a moment, staring down at her, feeling nothing but emptiness. I got back in my car and drove off.