Gangland III

Chapter 2 - Opposite of Paradise.

2 days later, assuming that the kids were automatically Kayson, Madelyn, Lily, and Iyana, the local police held a funeral for the kids that were burned to death inside of the home. When me, Kathy, and my parents touched down in Cali, the feeling was everything but bittersweet. When I arrived to the funeral home, damn near everyone in the Schaefer area were at this funeral. I knew because damn near everyone inside of that church had on RIP shirts from some other gangbanger in Schaefer that was killed. When I walked inside, the first thing I could hear was Donna's screams. She no longer had a grandchild that represented Taylor. She was going to crazy and screaming so loud that it took over three women to escort her out. Kayson was her pride and joy, and her losing him was her losing her world.

And the tension was so thick that no one spoke to me when I sat behind everyone in them in the church. Isaiah sat next to Tyler, clenching his jaw and staring off into space as Tyler held his hand, weeping her eyes out. Noah and Asha wept as well, and so did Aunt Shay. Q cried his eyes out as well because he loved little Lily and Kayson. He didn't know Madilyn, and Iyana was a new member to the family. Carlos and Stacey sat aside, looking just as angry as Isaiah was. The gang members had the ultimate look on their face as well.

The look, of vengeance.

"And I say here folks as an officer that NO child in this world deserves to die the way that these children did!" The officer growled as the church started clapping after him. "It doesn't matter how 'bad', 'disobedient', or uncooperative a child may act towards their parent at a time of combativeness. These were tiny children, damnit! And I will work this case until the bone!"

Everyone inside of the church applauded after the officer. Everyone, accept for us. It was so fake and so shocking that it took for four of our own to get murdered for them to realize the dangers of fucking Schaefer. They weren't gonna work this case at all. To me and everyone else inside of there, everything that came out of their mouths were complete and utter bullshit.

Something that Asha noticed also, is that Antoine didn't show up for the funeral. In fact, she hadn't heard from him in almost 4 days.

"Antoine he........he said he'd be here..." Asha whispered.

Noah looked around the church, then shook his head.

"I don't see him."

"I'll check in afterwards." Asha mumbled, wiping her tears again.

After the long funeral, everyone just decided to go on home. No one had an appetite for anything after losing children that were closest to them. The people who seemed to be bothered by it the most was Aunt Shay and Donna, mainly because of their undesirable love for their grandchildren. Asha drove Noah home as he called in for work and called off a few days. He needed some time to himself. Anyway, Asha drove over to Antoine's house and knocked on the door. There was no answer. But Antoine's car was still in the driveway. Worried, Asha pulled out the key to their home and opened the door. When she stepped in, the smell of Antoine's body hit her nose. She knew by multiple killings in Schaefer that that indicated that someone was dead.

As Asha stepped into the living room, she saw Antoine lying on the living room floor in a pool of blood. His pistol was still in his hand. As his eyes lay open, Asha screamed out loud and helped him up. But based on how his body hardened over the last few days, it was obvious that he wasn't alive anymore. Asha clutched onto his body and cried hard like she'd been doing for almost a week.

Beside him, was his suicide note.

"Mercedes, if you found me here, then I've taken my own life because my daughter was killed in Schaefer. I cannot fathom what it's like to live without my little Lily, whom I've raised since she took her first breath at the hospital. So is it that I beg of you to please sell the house since there will no longer be two payments on it, and give half the money to Asha to support her please. She'll need it after losing her little baby. PS: I love you more than you will ever know.