Before I Black

Part 3: A CAGED BIRD A SINGIN'

A public viewing will be held at Langston Reigns Middle school in remembrance of the two young boys that were gunned down in cold blood. The city hasn't been the same since. In fact, the entire eastside of Groveland was nearly burned to the ground by rioters after the officers were granted paid leave while their case was still under investigation. The schools were actually shut down for an entire week, and the city championship was pushed back until the week that followed. For now the community will continue to mourn over their losses. Malcolm Kennedy was a relative unknown at Langston Reigns, choosing rather to remain a mystery amongst his peers, but not the other child victim of just thirteen, Kedric Knox.

Kenny Knox hasn't come out of his room for an entire week. Even when school resumes it seems like he has taken on an entirely new persona, both distant and distrusting. While Kenny was easily the more rounded of the twins, Kedric was the shot in the arm that jumpstarted their every initiative, what made them go. With him gone, it was like Kenny had no real purpose of his own, everything had been the two of them, three if you included Kaleb. At football practices you were most likely to find Kedric raising the level of competition between the two of them, which Kenny always found a thrill in meeting, and usually exceeding his brother's proficiency in whatever the challenge. Now he was arguably the most talented player at Langston, without the one person that probably challenged him the most. Even more challenging is the fact that he and Kaleb haven't spoken since everything went down. It's actually kind of crazy since he was the only other person there with Kenny, but just like Kaleb knew she would, and rightfully so, Ms. Blackman has ran a tight ship ever since to ensure her family's safety. That also means that she agreed to take a pay cut in order to switch shifts at her job, and takes her lunch an hour early to make sure that she's able to pick Kaleb up from football practice and personally escorted to their home unharmed. For many in the city though, including the two friends, unequivocal harm has already been done.

Kaleb's brother Christian enters the Blackman's home seemingly relieved to be escaping the ever growing drama unfolding on the streets outside. "Momma I don't think Groveland's gonna make it through this time," he says. Ms. Blackman turns around almost in horror all over again. "Somebody den messed up the memorial down in front of Mr. Winfield's. The whole neighborhood is in flames now!" Christian's words leaves his mother speechless. Kaleb is only in the seventh grade, and although he has just witnessed death in person, he remains cognizant of everything that is taking place around him. He faces his mother who looks once again completely shaken and asks, "what are we gonna do mom?" She fights back tears, concerned about the place her family calls home. "Who would do something like that? It's like they want us to burn this place to ground, so there won't be any of us left(sobbing)," she says. Christian has always seemed to somehow feel disconnected from his environment growing up. Instead he's always been the quiet reader type, or a popular younger brother away from being completely antisocial. He feels the tension now though, it was impossible not to. He demands, "we have to move away from here!" Ms. Blackman only offers silence. Christian gradually starts to become unnerved, pacing back and forth. He stops and continues, "Mom we have to leave! Do you hear me, we have to leave this place!" Kaleb has made his way to the window to get his own view of the chaos. Giant clouds of smoke nearly covers the New Mecca sky completely. His mother instantly yells out, "get away from there!" Christian starts again, "mom we have to le--," but he is cut off by his mother at once when she reactively screams, "shut up!" A distraught Christian immediately breaks for his room. His mother is understandably fed up with the entire ordeal, with no signs of healing in sight.

On the other side of town Coach Knox, his wife and Kenny are all still deeply in mourning over the sudden tragedy. Many of their relatives have come to extend their support, many of which have rarely shown their faces over the years. Despite their company, Mrs. Knox stays locked away in her room, occasionally sobbing loudly as to draw her husband's attention while he hosts the family. She's barely spoken a word at all since Kedric's death, but her cries as expected have been constant. The fact that Coach Knox has held his emotions in check thus far after the loss of his youngest son is truly a testament to both his strength and character. As for Kenny, it's taken everything in him to just make it through each day without looking at his very own reflection, his brother. For now though, he'll have to settle with his first cousin D'Angelo Knox, or just Angelo.