Black Wynter 2 "Quiet Storm"

Chapter Five

Quameek forcefully pushed Tatiana off of him, as she tried to attack him. She was reluctantly sober and she needed some money. And Quameek was not giving it to her. She wasn't very happy about that. "I need money! Give me money!" Tatiana screamed at her young son, charging at him again, slapping him in his face.

Young Meek was so overwhelmed, he didn't know what to do. Tears welled in his eyes, but determined to be a man, he didn't let them drop. He absolutely hated his sister for leaving him in this situation by himself. Kennedy knew how their mother was, how could she do this to him? Just up and leave him by himself, to conquer their demons alone.

"I don't have no money, Ma!" Quameek said, wanting Tatiana to just leave him alone. "Call Kennedy, then! Where is Kennedy? WHERE IS KENNEDY?!" Tatiana hollered, as she aggressively slapped her son in his face again. Quameek pushed his mother away a second time. He didn't want to hit her, but she was truly wilding and if she didn't stop; he knew that he would.

"I don't know where she is! Ask Kurt for some money!" Quameek said, referring to Tatiana's boyfriend. Kurt was a crooked cop who had more than enough money, not just from his salary as a law enforcement officer, either. Kurt was just about as shady as they came.

Quameek walked towards the door. "Don't you come back, either! Stay out, motherfucker! You stay out until you bring me some money!" Tatiana hollered. Quameek just looked at his mother with tears in his eyes and hatred in his heart. That was no problem. He would never come back.
*****
Quameek roamed the streets of the Bronx with nowhere to go. He had a couple friends, but he knew that none of their mother's were about to let him stay with them. He considered calling Kennedy but then thought better of it. If she truly cared, she would have never left him in the first place.

Quameek thought long and hard until a little light bulb flicked on in his head. Nyasia! He remembered bumping into her in the supermarket a while ago and she had told him that if he needed anything, he could come to her or Nekhi. Quameek then began the journey from his mother's house in Gun Hill Projects, to Ny's house in Edenwald Projects.

When he got to Edenwald, he had to think for a minute to remember which building was Nyasia's. He remembered he had been to her house a couple times before to meet Kennedy, but right now, that was seeming like such a long time ago.

Quameek finally found his way to Ny's house, and when he banged on the door, he was relieved that she opened up. "Quameek! How are you? How's everything?" she asked, with her baby on her hip. She reached out and drew Quameek into a tight hug.

"Nyasia, I need help," he let her know. Immediately concerned, Ny welcomed Meek into her house, standing aside so that he could come in. "What's the matter?" Nyasia asked, locking the door behind him. Quameek followed Nyasia into her living room, while relaying the story about what happened with his mother to Nyasia. Telling her everything that had transpired.

She listened to him and frowned, as he told her what had gone down. "Wow, that's really fucked up. I can't believe Tatiana did that to you. But it's alright. I will talk to my mother and I know she'll let you stay here. Nekhi will be back in a minute, too," she let him know. She stood from her place on the couch. "Are you hungry?" she asked the neglected teen. Quameek nodded. He sure was.

Nyasia motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen. He did. Quameek's eyes wandered to Ny's behind, which was round and firm. He had always thought Nyasia was beautiful growing up. He loved when he'd see her, whenever she came over to the house with Kennedy. Or whenever he'd see her outside chilling.

His crush had only gotten stronger over the years, when he saw the type of person she was. Caring. Loving. Kind. Generous. He hadn't met too many women like that in his fifteen years. But unfortunately for him, Ny had a man and she loved him.

Quameek couldn't understand how such a good hearted person as Nyasia could go for someone as hardcore as Khi. Not that Quameek had anything against Khi; shit it was his dream to be friends with Nekhi. Meek just didn't understand what the two of them could ever have in common.

He looked at Ny and Nekhi's baby, who was watching him from the safety her mommy's hip. Well, I guess that's my answer right there, Quameek thought to himself.
*****
Nyasia's mother had agreed to let Quameek temporarily stay with them. He had to sleep in the living room though, because they had no extra bedrooms. Quameek didn't mind. He was just grateful he didn't have to sleep under a bridge.

"Aight, Meek. I'ma help you out, my nigga," Nekhi said to Quameek later on when he came in and was put on to Quameek's situation. Quameek was all ears. "I'ma put you on the block. I never really wanted to do that, outta respect for Kennedy. You know, you being her little brother and all. But fuck it. It look like she don't care anyway. Plus, you really need the money," Khi let Quameek know.

Then, Nekhi dropped his voice so that Nyasia or her mother couldn't hear. "And between me and you, you gonna need some money staying up in here. Ms. Yvonne don't let nobody lay up in here for free. So, you gonna have to be giving her something. Feel me?" he whispered. Meek nodded.

He didn't care, he was with whatever. He just felt good as hell to finally be on his own. On the block, selling for Nekhi? Shit, that was everything he had ever wanted! His dreams were finally coming true and he was determined not to let his new boss down. "I feel you, Khi. I'm ready!" Quameek said, eagerly. Nekhi nodded. "Aight, good. Come make this move with me real quick," he instructed.
*****
Quameek rode with Nekhi to a building in Edenwald, not too far from Nyasia's building. They walked up some stairs to their destination. "Now, listen Meek. This might be a little obvious, but I'ma say it anyway. Don't tell Nyasia shit. She don't need to know nothing about our business, aight? Don't tell her what you doing, where you going, who you with or none of that. The less she know the better," Nekhi was saying.

"Don't tell her about this location and definitely do not tell her about what you about to see," Nekhi continued as he opened the door to what Quameek learned was a trap house. Quameek walked in behind Nekhi and saw the top ladder members of YUS, crowded in the living of the trap house. The place was filthy, raggedy and rundown.

Coke and weed particles were scattered all over the tables, roaches scattered and hid for cover whenever you walked past. The place smelled musty. "Why he here?" Quameek recognized Rico from his building ask Nekhi. "He's YUS now," Khi replied. Nobody argued. "Well, not yet. He gotta get initiated," Khi decided. He had a funny grin on his face. "Meek. Come here," he told Quameek.

Quameek walked further into the living room. He noticed a chick balled up in the corner of the living room, her mouth wrapped in tape, her wrists and ankles tied tight with duck tape and handcuffs. Shawty looked a mess. Her long honey blonde weave was dirty, with dried blood caked in it, from the thousand wounds all over her face. Both eyes were swollen shut and both lips busted.

It was clear that the girl had also urinated on herself a number of times. The bitch reeked. Quameek turned to Khi in disgust. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's your placement test," Nekhi answered. He gave Quameek the rundown on who she was and why she was there. He also let Quameek know what it was that he wanted him to do. This would be the ultimate test to prove whether or not Quameek really had heart.

Nekhi passed Meek a gun. A pistol to be exact. The gun was surprisingly heavy and the cold steel against his fingertips made him shudder. This was his first time holding a gun. Quameek's stomach churned. He gave Nekhi one last look and when Khi gave him an encouraging nod, Quameek raised the gun, aiming it at the girl's forehead.

The girl silently wept and Quameek's heart reached out to her. But nothing was about to get in his way for a place with YUS. Nothing. Already asking God for forgiveness, Quameek pulled that trigger.

A single bullet piercing through the young woman's skull, silencing her forever. Quameek dropped the gun, not believing what he had just done. Everything around him faded away, his mind taking over him. The rest of YUS cheered and laughed loudly, dapping each other with delight. But Quameek heard none of it. He was numb.

The only thing he could remember was the girls face as she laid there dead. And Meek knew that that face would haunt him for the rest of his life.