Through the depths

Chapter 4

Jasmine

The crisp summer air fills the street. Jasmine drove with her windows down to feel the sun beaming down on her beautiful skin. She looked around at her surroundings, that feeling of deflation filled her chest once more. Nothing has changed about the place. Absolutely nothing. The filth of the neighborhood was so prominent now in the daytime. Broken-down homes with visible bullet holes drilled in them, used needles littered the street, and it was only 3pm and the working girls are already hitting their routine. Their miniskirts hugged tightly to their bodies; their small breasts barely able to create cleavage but they wore their tiny shirts with pride. Jasmine stared as they walked by, their faces so young and innocent. Images of what could've been her story if she hadn't found her escape. Her heart ached for them; their future was already taken from them.

She continued, as she pulled up to a complete stop at the sign, she could visibly see the trap house of the well-known drug lord of the street. She spots his workers, a group of boys as young as sixteen moving in quick fashion as they load up an old beat-up red van with dozens of black totes. It doesn't take a genius to realize what was going on, this was the weekly routine, like clockwork. They loaded up these vans and went on conducting "business", selling poison on these streets. She knew Wallace promised her she had nothing to worry about while she was in the city. But the glares she was getting as she drove by made her heart race nervously. One more street and she would be pulling up to the dump she grew up in.

The house now was painted this pale teal color, undoubtingly Yasmine's doing. The grass had a few brown patches but was mostly vividly green. Nothing about the home seems chipped or cracked. Jasmine choked on her tears; this should've been a moment that brought her joy seeing so much renovation done in the home. But this fresh look only reminded her how she left her twin behind to try to make a life in a lifeless environment. She slowly pulled up into the small parking lot. It still had a huge crack on the pavement, as if a huge earthquake disturbed the place for many years. She took a minute to calm her nerves. The old beat car Candace her mother drove was not in the parking lot. It can either mean she was out working or out getting high somewhere. Based on how Jasmine saw her the day prior, she would bet her life on Candace being high somewhere.

At the door, Jasmine reached in her pocket for her old keys. It would come as a surprise if the lock was changed, but she was hoping they weren't. When the lock turned easily, Jasmine was both shocked and satisfied.

Instantly, when she stepped into the house the smell of alcohol and marijuana invaded her nostril. On the small stove top the front burner was on with a metal spoon of white substances brewing on it. Inches front it was a needle, Jasmine chest tightened. She anticipated walking into something like this; but she still was not prepared. Candace, her mother, came stumbling in high out of her mind as usual. She wore a long sheer robe that did nothing to hide her flesh, her arms were riddled with small punctures. She looked older than she was and thinner. The dark circles under her eyes gave them a sunken feature. Her long, healthy dark hair now looked thin and lifeless. She used to look just like Yasmine, now she was a replica of a human skeleton with loose skin.

"Boy didn't I tell you can't take my goddamn car!" she bellowed as she approached. Jasmine carefully walked to turn off the stove. Candy stopped on her tracked when she noticed her.

"Well shit, one is dead so you must be the other," she said as she sat on the worn-out couch. Jasmine ignored her and carefully reached to move the spoon off the burner.

"Hey, don't touch my shit. You little bitch, who do you think you are?" she shouted stomping toward Jasmine, seemingly sobered up as she lunged for the spoon. Catching Jasmine by surprise with the force of the impact, the spoon landed on the ground. The white thick liquid spilled on the floor. Candace dropped to the floor. She was oblivious that the liquid was still hot. Carelessly, she began to dip her fingers into it, bringing it to her mouth.