"But I don't get it." Leala put her hair into a ponytail. "How could a male African American teenager with no weapons be a threat to a police officer who's armed?"
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Harmony's older brother was found dead, and the cop who killed him wasn't charge...
If you don't want to read about it, go to chapter 15!!
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I quickly got dressed before going out to meet Calo that Saturday. I was intending to talk to him about that News interview that I turned down weeks ago. I think I'm ready to voice my opinions globally.
I knocked on his dark brown front door. "Calo, it's me, Harmony." I knocked once more. It was about one in the afternoon. No one sleeps that late and he told me earlier that he was home.
I got out my phone and dialed his number—it went to voicemail after six rings. I texted him with no answer. Since I was beginning to worry, I started to fish around his front door for a spare key. I was sure he had something of that sort outside knowing how forgetful he was.
I found the key and asked in my head for Calo to forgive me for breaking into his house later.
"Calo?"
I swallowed at an attempt to calm my rapidly beating heart. Calo wouldn't ignore me just cause; he's in trouble. I opened every cabinet in the kitchen, then ran into his small living room to check the couch cushions. Then, I searched through his clean room which I left looking like a pigsty when I was done.
Still no Calo.
Then I remembered the one place I didn't look: his backyard. I almost tripped over my feet I was running so fast. "Ca—" My voice trailed off once I spotted him. You'd think I'd be happy to have finally found him, but now I'm praying that I never did.
Calo's body—or what was left of it—was dangling from a tree, a noose around his neck. His muscular arms were covered in so many bruises you can't see his true skin tone, his dreads had been cut off unevenly, his fingers were chopped off, and I noticed a white sticky note stuck to his bloody pants leg.
I hesitantly scanned the area before I reached for it. My heart dropped to my shoes as I read the note:
You're next, Miss Smith.
I refrained from calling the cops because I knew they wouldn't do anything but say, "Your friends are playing a joke on you." I took unsteady steps back into his house as I dialed my dad's number.
"Hello?"
"Dad, come get me please." I plopped into one of his chairs so I could gain my balance.
"I would if I knew where you were."
"Calo's house. And hurry!"
I rocked back and forth with chattering teeth. I needed to get out of here because the killers could be camping out in here but they could be waiting for me in the bushes if I went outside.
Way to have courage, Harmony.
I texted Leala to calm my nerves. She went kinda crazy after she found out Calo died; she also brought up a point that I didn't think about: who will gather all the people for my protests?
I alone didn't have lots of networks, but he did. He knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a guy. I only know one guy and it was him.
I was thinking of giving up before, but now I'm more eager to complete my protest than before. I took the inspirational words Calo told me months ago: "You just gotta take what they're doing to you as motivation to keep you moving forward."
Khalil will receive justice once I'm through.
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"You don't have to do this if you're not ready," the news reporter told me as I was getting ready to go on air.
"I'm ready." I took a deep breath while fixing up my shirt.
Leala smoothed down my hair. "You'll do just fine. I'm sure Calo is smiling down on you right now."
I was grateful to have such a friend like this. Even though she was experiencing the same things I was, she didn't leave me or give up on me like David did. She believed in what I did and wasn't afraid to voice her opinion. She pushed me to be the better version of me I could ever be.
"I know." I smiled weakly while looking to the ceiling so the tears wouldn't fall. That would mess up my neatly applied mascara.
"Aww, don't cry." Leala rubbed my back. "You know I'll start crying if you do, and we both know that the news lady can't handle all that." She laughed and I joined her. She always could make me laugh in depressing situations.
