Belle Croix: Tales From The Uprising

Chapter 2 (Simone)

Of course, it's fucking raining, and I don't even have an umbrella. It's about a 30-minute walk home, and if I jog lightly, it should be less than that. Alright, let's do this. Money in the shoe? Check. Jacket tight? Check. Let me take my locs out of this ponytail; they'll provide a little rain protection. Cell phone battery? Shit. Only 5%. I can make it. Phuong should still be awake studying. Let me text her so she knows I'm on the way home.

texting "Fifi, I'm otw. Should be about 25 minutes. Bringing snacks. Boss gave me car money. #NoMoreWalking. See you soon."

Okay, cool. Knife at the ready? Boom. Let's do this.

The streets of Port de Labeau are slick and dark, lit by the occasional flickering streetlight. Shadows seem to move and dance in the periphery, the town's ever-present crime feeling even more oppressive in the rain. The more I walk, the more I feel the veux against my boob, and I'm positive Baba gave me more than 200. He loves me so much. I wish I could do more for him. He's so kind. Never married, no kids. Family is all back in his home country, so he has nobody here but his customers and me. I wish he didn't treat me so well; it's not like I can return the favor. Maybe one day I can—

distant clattering What the hell was that? Hmm. I don't see anything. Maybe a stray cat or something. Whatever it is... will get shanked tonight. I'm too tired for bullshit. Plus, the restaurant is already locked up, so I can't go back inside and wait. I'm not that far from home, though. It's not really a long walk; I just walk slow. As dingy as my town is, I love it. So I walk slowly to breathe in that sea air.

"Ay gurh! You lookin' good tonight, eh? How much fa 10 minutes?"

Ah, here we go. Some asshole alcoholic.

"Listen man, I'm just tryinna get home. So please fuck off. I'm no whore, and if I was, you couldn't afford me."

Fuck all this enjoying the night. If I run, I'll look scared. They love that around here. Let me just walk a little faster.

footsteps approach faster... she starts to notice multiple sets of footsteps

Shit... how many of them—

"Ay gurh. He sed you real purty. But we broke. So you gon have to give a group discount, eh?"

I'm staring at a small, slender dude. Smells like a fucking forty. I'm sure I heard at least two more guys behind me. Okay. Think. There's an alley over there... lots of walls to throw them into... maybe a lead pipe I can find. And just like that, there's two more. Maybe if I can shit talk, I can stall until somebody sees me...

"You need five guys to take one girl? I see y'all some bitches then, huh?"

Is that... of course. One of them is a fucking cop. So no use calling for help. Shit. SHIT. What the fuck can I do now? Maybe the others don't know... put them against each other?

"Oh. So five on one AND you got a cop with you? He's just gonna arrest you and take the money for himself."

"We don't want none of ya money, gurh. We want that other thing ya got. Right tween nem thighs."

footsteps rush in

"Let me go! Please stop!"

There's nobody out here. Fuck it.

snikt

"Bitch cut me! Shit. Lemme get her!"

"I'll cut all y'all. Back the fuck up!"

Shit. I forgot about the other two. Each one of them grabs an arm. I kicked one in the face as he grabbed for my leg, but the other grabbed me. The cop ran off. Little bitch. Must've been a fake badge. He looked young.

"Please guys. I'll give you all the money I have but please let me go! I just wanna go ho—"

One of the men slapped me hard across the face, making my vision blur. Pain shot through my cheek, and I could taste blood. They pulled me further into the alley, the rough brick walls scraping against my arms as I struggled.

"I said LET ME GO!" I screamed, thrashing as much as I could. My knife was still in my hand, and I managed to stab one of the men in the thigh. He howled in pain, stumbling back and clutching his leg.

"Bitch!" Another one growled, punching me in the stomach. The wind was knocked out of me, and I doubled over in pain. My head was spinning.

More hands grabbed me, tearing at my clothes. I kicked and screamed, but there were too many of them. I was losing the fight. My strength was fading, and I could feel myself slipping away.

The rain kept pouring, mingling with my tears and blood. I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, and everything went black.

high pitched whine

"Simone! What da hell hap'n ta dem boys?!"

"Baba? Wha... where am I... what the fuck happened?"

I look around to see five dead bodies, each one more mangled than the last. I'm still holding my knife, dripping blood. What the fuck?? There's blood all over me!!!

"Shit!! Baba, there's bloo—"

Wait. None of it's mine. Did... did I do this?

"Chèrie... you did this? How'd ya learn ya do dat?? Let's getchu home nie."

Fifi is gonna scream. She's so protective. She's gonna ask a thousand questions. I just know it. But I don't even know what happened. I thought I'd been raped... or at least snatched... but I... killed five men. I don't even—

high pitched whine

"Aaahh!! My head!!"

"Simone!! Y'okay? What happened??"

"Baba, you don't hear that!?!"

"Look at me, chère. Ain't no noise. Prolly hit ya head in allat ruckus. I gotcha. Let's get ya upstairs."

knock knock knock

"Finally you're home. I was starting to wor—"

Fifi stops in her tracks. She looks like she saw a ghost.

"The hell happened, girl? Musta been one ROUGH period, eh?"

I love Fifi. Always making me smile. But right now I can't make my mouth curl. I'm still so shaken up. And this damn headache doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Plus I'm covered in other people's blood.

"I gotta get some rest, Fi... I'll talk to you when I wake up."

"I was only joking, Simi! I'm sorry!!"

"It ain't you, Fi. Ya gurh got attacked. I seen 'em after... dat gurh done killed 'em all. Buncha blood all ova. Dem boys dead, and she don't even know what she done."

"I CAN STILL HEAR Y'ALL!!"

mumbling continues in distance

room door closes

How did I... I killed... I... who am I??? I can't stop staring at the blood. So much blood... so much... God, it's everywhere. What if they come for me? What if they weren't alone? Did I really kill them? I can't remember... but the bodies... and the blood... oh God, the blood. It's on my hands, my clothes... what did I do? What the hell did I do?!