Echoes of The Block

Raheem

The sun filtered through the broken blinds of my apartment, casting harsh stripes of light across the room. My body was sore, bruised from the chaos of last night. Every muscle protested as I sat up in the bed, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn't shake the weird feeling about how that goofy ass nigga disappeared like that.

The shootout had been intense. Bullets flying everywhere, shouts and screams piercing the night. I had seen my share of violence, but this one felt different. And in the middle of the chaos, Ron had vanished. One minute he was right beside me, next gone. No word, no warning.

I rubbed my temples, trying to piece it together. Ron wasn't the type to just disappear. He was solid, dependable. We had been through hella shit together, known dude since grade school, and I trusted him with my life. But something about last night didn't add up.

My phone vibrates on the nightstand, pulling me out of my thoughts. I picked it up and saw a message from Kelz.

📱: Wha the fuc happened last night G? I'm finna slide through

I sighed, looking at the time. Why this nigga always feels the need to wake up and do shit at the ass crack of dawn? Kelz is the only hood nigga I know that takes joy in waking up with the birds. He was always present and on time back in our high school days- that's where we met and became thick as thieves ever since.

I read the time nine thirty on my Lock Screen. I forced myself up. Stepping out in the hallway the crib was soundless, calm after the storm.

I was halfway through brushing my teeth, the steady beat of the song 'Loner Life' by Nba Youngboy, pulsing through the apartment, waking me up more than the cold water splashing my face. The remnants of last night's events, lingered in my mind, making the minty freshness of my toothpaste seem almost bitter

I leaned over the sink, spitting out the foam, when I heard a knock on the door. It was firm, urgent—only one person knocked like that. Kelz. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and turned down the music before heading to the door, still in my sweatpants.

Even though I was absolutely sure it was Kelz, I still look through the peephole. I opened the door with an annoyed expression. "Damn my nigga, it's been what ten minutes? Yeen even give me a chance to wash my ass." I said, watching as he walks right in with no invitation.

"Cmon, like you do that shit anyway." He responds, heading towards the kitchen opening up my refrigerator. "I just came from the gym nigga, you know that's like five minutes away from yo crib."

I exhaled, closing the door, making sure to lock it. We reminisced about the night before as I continued getting ready. I don't even know what the fuck I was even getting ready for. But Kelz got an away with getting in out the house, bright and fuckin early.

"His ass probably just needed you to help Shawn while he went to handle something else. Shit ion know. You know ole boy better than me." Kelz say sticking left over pizza I had in the oven into the microwave to heat it up.

"I texted him around three in the morning after getting back in the crib, seeing if he was coo. Nigga ain't even mention shit about him handle shit, no explaining why his goofy ass left. All he said was 'yea I'm gud'. Ion know shit weird for real." I said grabbing a few pizza slices and putting it on a plastic plate.  "Imma have to check that nigga."

"Aye do whatchu gotta do." He responds with pizza stuffed in his mouth, huffing from the heat as he continues to chew, standing in front of the microwave.

I break out laughing, animating him for a couple of seconds, before pushing him out the way. "Bro watch out." I put my plate of pizza in the microwave, before going to grab my phone from my room.

———————

As I step out of Kelz car, the sounds and smells of the block hit me like a familiar slap. The lingering scent of grilled meat from the corner stand mixes with the faint stench of stale urine and sweat. My mind is still thinking about the shootout yesterday. I glance over at Kelz, who's scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes. We're back at it—no rest for the wicked. It might be dumb to work blocks away from the spot we got into a shoot out, but ain't no running from this life. Money gotta be made.

Kelz nods to a couple of the young bucks hanging around, and they nod back, giving us the all-clear. We head to our usual spot, a rundown building with chipped paint and broken windows. The block's busy today, which is good for business but bad for keeping a low profile.

I pull the small package out of my jacket, feeling the weight of it in my hand. The dope's been moving fast lately. People are desperate, and we're here to supply. It's a harsh life, but it's the only one we know. As I start setting up, Kelz keeps watch, his eyes always moving.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot her—a fine, thick, brown-skinned woman walking down the street. She's got a sway in her hips that draws every eye, but it's her confidence that really catches my attention. She's not just another girl from the block. She carries herself like she knows her worth, and that's rare around here.

She stops a few feet away, eyeing me and Kelz with curiosity. I can tell she's checking us out, sizing us up. I give her a nod, a silent acknowledgment. She nods back, her full lips curving into a small smile. There's something in her eyes, a spark of interest that makes my heart beat a little faster.

"Bruh," Kelz mutters, nudging me. "Focus."

"Wassuh," I smiled making my way towards her. "Ma name Heem. Everything gud?"

She looks me up and down, then glances at Kelz before meeting my eyes again. "I'm Naomi. And yeah, everything's cool. Just passing through."

I tilt my head up slightly, a little grin playing on my lips. "I see." My eyes roam over her body, the small shorts hugging her body in all the right places. "If you need sumin, you know whea to find me." I say nodding to the area I was just at.

Naomi gives me another smile, one that's full of unspoken promises. "I'll keep that in mind, Heem. Stay safe out here."

As she walks away, I can't help but watch her for a moment longer. She looks back ever so often catching my eye, with a small smile on her lips. There's something about her that I can't shake. But right now, there's no time for distractions. I turn back to Kelz, who's smirking at me.

"You done?" Kelz teased.

"Man gone head on," I mutter, though I can't help but smile. "Let's get shit done." I said looking back in her direction even though she was already gone.

We hustle for the next few hours, the block alive with activity. The adrenaline from yesterday's shootout still lingers in my veins, but the rhythm of the streets grounds me. This is our life, chaotic and dangerous, but it's all we know.

As the day turns into night, I can't stop thinking about Naomi. There's a part of me that wonders what it would be like to get to know her, to see if that spark could turn into something real.