A New dawn (3chapter Sneak Peak)

Family Over Everything

(Phone chime intensifies)
Caller id: private caller
I answer,
Me: Hello?
Caller: *no sound

Me:Who's this? Hello?
Caller: *Soft static, distortion.

I was about to hang up when,
Caller: BREATHING SOFT *WHISPERS "Run" *Phone call ends.

As I sat up on the sofa confused and trying to snap out of the grogginess. Being woken up to an awkward creepy phone call is not what I had in mind. The fam was still asleep and it was getting late in the evening as I got ready to do my next job. I was rolling a spliff when I heard a rumbling pull up in the driveway. It was Jorge, I could tell by the sound of his truck. I stepped out and as always he was drinking said " it was for his nerves". But I think he just might have a drinking problem but who am I to judge.

As I walked out the house and locked the door behind me a slow heavy thought ran across my mind and I instantly miss my kids. Trying not to think about it I walked off approaching the truck,I noticed bullet holes in the back. Should I ask? Should I worry? And again I ignored my inner voice and chose to continue with my wrong ways. The truck moved forward leaving my house in the distance shrinking in the mirror till we hit the corner and it was no longer visible. On our way to the drop off we passed through the Southside to reach the expressway and wer tailed for a few blocks, before they turned off on 13 st.

Halfway to the drop off and Jorge says to me " strap up cuhzz, get yo vest on and load up". I replied with "alright I got it" and switched to the backseat. I strapped my vest on and started loading ammunition rounds into the magazines. A cold chill swept my body and I felt nauseous, cold sweat on my forehead and this uncomfortable feeling I've ever had my whole life. I mentioned to Jorge "what if we go home and do this another day during the day". He then continued with " orale c'mon Manny your not getting cold feet now are you holmes?" "Hell nah!" I exclaimed. " Soy Garcia homie... " He pulls over on the side of the road and asks "pass me my vest and quete" Before we arrived at the destination, we took a detour about 3 blocks before the meet. Jorge mentioned " I'm going to stash this bag here under the brush for leverage incase something goes down".

I asked " what you mean just incase, I thought you said this was an easy drop no problems". We quickly hurried and left back on route to the meet . Still puzzling the pieces of what was left unanswered and from the day before, I was starting to realize that Jorge might have robbed somebody, and now is trying to turn in the product or money to the owner. A very heavy feeling cloaked us as we parked the truck and stepped out with the bags. As I turned to walk in the warehouse I saw the same vehicle that was tailing us on the southside. Smoothly cruised by the entrance to the property, Jorge was by the door " c'mon foo". I turned and sped up carrying the AR and dufflebag as best as I could.

There was a bird watchers poster by the door inside of the warehouse. The first bird I saw on the poster was a Red Cardinal, the feeling that has now overwhelmed me with what I know and seen. Is worse than before as my mouth salivates and I try not to blow chunks in the middle of a serious situation. Could it be the bird was a sign this whole time, or maybe the phone call has more of a connection to all this than I thought.

The room was filled with empty pallets and delivery boxes as a voice from somewhere up top said. " Stop right there, drop the bags and the weapons!" As Jorge answered " can't give you the weap-". A LOUD BOOM shook the warehouse and multiple smaller ones deafened us by how loud the explosion smashed there way in through the walls. Gun shots rang muffled behind a high pitch ring that seemed to tone out slower than molasses. A cloud of black smoke caused partial visibility around us. Quickly dropping to the floor and scurried to find cover as bullet tracers whizzed by us. Glass shattering and metal clinking, during the explosion we managed to separate some feet away from each other.

My life quickly flashed b4 my eyes like a fast flip book. Seeing my kids birth, bathing them as babies teaching to walk and taking to school. Then I come to my senses and I'm shuffling around looking for the bag , as debris falls all around us. Fires starting here n there from burning bodies to burnt pallets. As I slowly put my glasses back on I hear Jorge yelling through all the shooting and commotion "Manny! Ayudame!... Manny! Help! Manny!...Don't let the-".*AK sprays "Prrr prrrr prr!"I felt like such a coward worthless and embarrassed. I wanted to yell, cry, throw up as I heard the final shots that ended my friends life. The gunshots grew louder and from 2 directions. This had to have been an ambush, they must've followed us after recognizing the truck passing through the southside on our way here.

I crawled over burnt pieces of wood and mutilated bodies riddled with bullets holes, broken glass and dirt. All along the side of the empty pallets till I made my way to the red cardinal poster running out of the warehouse in time leaving the property running towards the low brush woods near by. I remember Jorge stashing the bag near by but I was in unknown territory and enemies near by still. Sirens and gunshots now echo through the air as the dark is amongst me. Crickets chirping in the grass and owls hooting Ina tree near by, cops racing past the street near me as the gun shots fade. The smell of burnt wood in the air fades the further I get from the warehouse as I stumble upon the empty lot we stashed the bag in. So I hid near by the bag till the sun came up thinking of my family hoping I get home to them safe.