Streets Do Kill

Chapter 1: Shantelle

"These streets will kill you baby girl, these streets will kill you." The last words my mother said to me before she died on the very streets. 

"Mama! Wake up! Wake up! Please... please." I sobbed into her hair and trying to make her wake up. She didn't... she left me.. alone. 

The sobs wracked my body and cried into her hair trying to get her to wake up even though I knew deep down that she was gone... forever. 

"Baby girl, get up! We have to go." My daddy yelled to me as he ran and picked up the gun by my mama's head. 

"Daddy, she's gone... she's gone." He grabbed my arm and yanked me up.

"We don't have time for this we have to go." He pushed me into the apartment building and I watched as we left my mothers lifeless body on the side of the road. He pushed the button for the door and we ran up the stairs and went into our apartment building. He ushered me inside and pushed me in my room.

"Now lissen here, child. I need you to stay in your room until I come and get you." he looked me in eyes to make sure I listened. When I didn't reply he shook me "You hear me?"

The tears in my eyes spilled down my cheeks. "Y--yeah daddy. I hear you."

He kissed my forehead and began to walk out the door. My feet worked on their own and they carried me outside with him. 

"Shit lil girl why you so damn hard-headed!!" He yelled at me and I flinched at his tone. He closed his eyes and grabbed my hand and led me back in the room. 

"Stay the fuck inside. I'm not playing baby girl. Keep your ass in here." I shook my head and he grabbed me in a hug. I placed my head in the crook of his shoulder. 

"Take me with you daddy." I pulled away and looked him the eyes. He could never resist my puppy dog eyes. I was daddy's little girl after all.

"Ever since the day you were born you always had me wrapped around your chubby lil fingers baby girl." He kissed my hand. "Aight, come on."

He grabbed my hand and took me out of the building and put me in the car. We drove for a while then we came to this shack and daddy got out. He looked the doors and I knew to stay inside. Daddy always locked me inside so he could go pick up his "packages"--at the time I didn't know he was receiving and delivering drugs-- but he always left me in the car. We did our secret wave where I put my hand on my forehead and then my heart and waved. He did the same and walked inside the building. 

I waited in the car and played with the braids in my hair. A minute later and I hear shouting from inside the building, that was normal. The next thing I heard would change my life forever. Gunshots. 

I heard multiple gunshots. I covered my ears because the sound was so loud it hurt to hear it. I waited in the car for hours but daddy didn't come out. I waited some more but nothing happened. I unlocked the door and went out to go inside the building. 

As I walked down the hallway I looked until I found a room, the only room there-- and pushed my way inside. 

"Daddy?" I called out into the darkness. 

I saw someone lying on the floor and a pool of redness surrounded them. I walked over and crouched onto the floor. "Daddy!" I screamed as I saw my fathers face covered in blood. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" 

Losing two parents at the age of 13 taught me two things. 

1.  Life is short  and 2.  Streets do kill 

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