𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

Nine.

❝Cause these young n*ggas is hardheaded, they letting off. Full of adrenaline ignorant to what death can cause. Ain't no coming back, family dressed in all black. ❞
— 4 Your Eyez Only, J. Cole

SIMONE ASHANTI "NINA" BANKS.
Downtown, Chicago.
OCTOBER 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐.

Nina was in a deep slumber as she tossed and turned in her Duvet covering, groaning at the loud pings from her Iphone. She tapped around on her bed with her hand aimlessly before she found her phone, turning it toward her face as she seen over 100 missed calls from various loved ones.

This set off so many alarms for the woman as she instantly shot up, pressing the missed call notification from what looked to be a hospital number. She put the phone to her ear shakily as a woman picked up, "Hello, Is this Simone Banks?" The woman asked, earning a soft yes from Nina as she anticipated the next line. "Hi, We have you put down for an emergency contact for two young men, Symir Woods and Jeffery Brown."

Nina's heart dropped to her ass when she heard those names, it felt like a lump was caught in her throat but she had to overcome that for further information. "Yes, that's me... May I ask what they're there for?" Nina asked, now standing to her feet as she started to pace in her dark room.

"They've been shot, one in critical condition." Is the last thing Nina heard before her heart started beating so fast it was all she could hear in her ears. Her phone dropped from her hand in shock, Nina felt like she was back in the moment where she found out her cousin died. Her body was hot, her ears rung and the salty tears stung her face as they fell steadily. Time felt like it had stopped moving after those words, Nina was stopped in her tracks as the moments with Saint and Symir flashed before her eyes in real time.

"Ms Banks?! Are you still there? Hello?" The woman spoke from the phone that was on the floor, this shook Nina from her thoughts momentarily before she spoke in a monotone tone. "Yes.. I'm coming now." Was all she said before she hung up.

It was as if Nina was moving in a robotic manner as she gathered herself, tears still falling but they were ignored because she knew getting to her boys were more important. Small sobs could be heard from all around her home before she left out, running out to her car as the night time Chicago air pinched at her exposed skin but she couldn't care less.

Nina pushed the pedal to the metal as she sped to the hospital, her emotions changing from sadness to anger, she was angry at them, so fucking angry. Why would either of them put themselves in this situation knowing they'd just lost Zaire. Nina hit her steering wheel as painful wailes filled her car the whole drive to the hospital.

She ran into the hospital, immediately going to the front desk as she told the attendant their names, her face stained with tears and her hair all over the place. "Jeffery is still in surgery, but Symir is in an induced coma so I'm just warning you beforehand, it's a lot of tubes and wires hooked up to him." The woman said, putting her hand up before they entered the room. Nina nodded, bracing herself to see her little cousin like that.

She walked in, and immediately broke down to her knees at his bedside. He looked so different, so empty and lifeless. She took his hand into hers, rubbing over his hand tattoos as she started to speak. "You know I'm mad at you right?" Nina chuckled through her tears, a large frown on her face as her eyes scanned the boy. She leaned up to kiss his forehead, caressing his cheek as she held his hand still.