Trap Queen.

14♛

                                           C H A P T E R - 1 4

       Oh my Lord. Oh God, why did you let this happen to me? I began to scream, as loud as I could. “Help, somebody please!” I exclaimed. Man, this shit was just like a movie. This couldn’t happen to me. Karma had stuck again. Here in Compton, it was like a never-ending cycle of violence. You couldn’t win. All I could do is pray that Reggie would be just fine, but I knew that was only in the Lord’s hands.

      “Call 9-1-1, somebody!” I was looking straight into Reggie’s eyes. All I could see was blood that he was coughing up. His eyes looked like there wasn’t any life in them. 

      “Reggie, please. . . stay awake. I’m right here with you.” Now I had blood all over my hands and I was just look at Reggie—helpless. He couldn’t do anything to help himself. My life began to get a lot slower. All I could think about was how many important people I’d be losing this year. How many people that I’d have to live without.

      I was trying to look into Reggie’s light-brown eyes, but they kept rolling in the back of his head. I didn’t even know where he was shot at, but hopefully not an artery or in his head or chest. I heard those places will kill you fast. I never have to deal or somebody get killed in my hands, so I ain’t even know how to take care of the problem.

      Before I knew it, I heard sirens outside of the restaurant. Paramedics came rushing in, and picked Reggie off the floor onto a cot. I followed them out—regardless if I was allowed to get into the ambulance. I wanted Reggie in my sight 24/7, to make sure he was okay. I felt like this was my responsibility. 

      Now I’m in the ambulance car with Reggie. I hear the sirens from outside, and I see Reggie all wrapped up in gauze or something. I hold his hand tightly, praying inside my head that he would make it to the hospital. It wasn’t even that far away, but it felt like that it would take years to get there.

      Reggie was surprisingly calm. He didn’t scream, and his eyes weren’t rolling in the back of his head. He was just looking up at me with a blank stare. I swallowed hard. I couldn’t bare to even look at him.

      The ambulance made a sharp stop and rolled Reggie out of the ambulance very quickly. I hurried behind them, wasting no time at all. Now that we were at the hospital, I felt fearless. Now everything is going to be okay. They’re here to save Reggie.

      Now we’re inside the building. It’s cold in here, even though it’s pretty hot outside. Women that are pregnant and old people are just looking at Reggie, like they’ve never seen someone shot or hurt like this before. We lived in Compton—this was way too often down here. It seemed like everyday it was something different. Someone killed, or someone hurt.

       “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you cannot come back with us for the surgery. Hospital policy,” a brown-haired nurse tells me. I can tell she doesn’t know what the hell she’s even talking about. “you can wait out here until we’re finished. Does that sounds good?” She was acting like this wasn’t no big deal at all.

      “Hell no, that doesn’t sound good at all! My best friend got shot and you want me in the waiting room?!” I exclaimed, making a big scene. Now everyone was looking at me. I couldn’t care less, though.

     “Young lady, I’m sure your friend will be fine. I don’t make the rules around here, but I’m required to enforce them. Please, have a seat.” This lady’s voice was still soft, like she was trying to make me look like the dumbass over here. I rolled my eyes and took a seat. I knew it would take hours or even a day until I got word on what happened to Reggie, but I was determined to stay here until I got that answer.

☯

      “Egypt. . . wake up,” Someone says to me. I don’t know who it was, but it must have been someone I knew since they knew my name. I open my eyes, and I’m still in the waiting-room chair I fell asleep in. It was either early morning or late at night. Either way it was still dark outside. I see Rah, Serena, and A.J.

      “Is Reggie okay?” That’s the first thing I’m thinking about and I let it come out of my mouth.

      “We don’t know,” they all say in unison. This worries the hell out of me. “They won’t tell us nothin’.”

     “Damn,” is all I can say. I sigh deeply, and all I want to do is fall right back right back to sleep. This is something I can just pray about for now. But Rah and the others don’t seem worry at all. Rah was Reggie’s brother, and you’d think he’d be in the same position I’m in. But he’s not. He’s calm like he knows that everything is going to be alright or he just doesn’t give a fuck about it.

       “It’s okay. He ain’t get shot in the head or nothin’, or at least that’s what the docs say. It can’t be nothin’ serious,” Serena says. I kinda look at her crazy, cuz I ain’t never heard her speak like this before. She’s usually all classy and proper-like.

       “Okay.” 

      “Do you want to go get somethin’ the eat? Shit. . . I’m starvin’.” When Rah says this, the entire shooting scene replays in my head. I just give him a blank stare and don’t say anything. Hopefully he’d get the point.

       “Rah, this ain’t the time. Just. . . chill out. We can get somethin’ to eat later,” A.J. says. He’s the only one around here acting like he got some damn sense.

      Rah mumbles something under his breath. We all ignore him.

      Soon after waiting for a while, a doctor comes out to speak with us. He’s got a clipboard he’s holding, and his glasses are at the bridge of his nose. He’s the only person working here that ain’t white. He comes to us, and stands in front of us, only making eye-contact with me.

      “Hello. I’m Doctor Rodriguez-Vargas. Good news is that your friend Reggie is just fine. All we have to do is give him surgery to remove the bullet, and he should be all set. Bad news being that he’ll have to be in physical therapy for a few days, which we do offer here. It can be costly, but I’m sure insurance will cover a big percentage. He does have insurance, right?” Doc says. He has a thick Spanish accent.

      “I don’t know. Probably.” I answer for him. Even if he didn’t, Reggie had no problem with getting money from somewhere.

      “Very good,” Doc says. “Well, I hope you all have a very good night. Stay safe.” I nod my head. I stand up to leave, because now I could probably sleep at night knowing that Reggie would be okay. I would have the comfort in sleeping in my own comfortable bed, instead of a hard-ass chair.

      We go outside, and it’s pitch black outside. I don’t who’s car we’re looking for.

       “I’m glad to hear that Reggie’s okay.” A.J. announces, to no one in particular. I smile and nod my head.

      “I agree.” I smirk at A.J. A.J. leads us to his SUV, and I take the authority to get in the passenger seat next to him. It was comfortable.

      We start to ease up on the road, and A.J. starts talking. 

       “Let’s not beat around the fucking bush, here. We all know what we need to do now, whether we like it or not,” A.J. speaks.  I don’t think he even knows what he’s saying himself.

      “And what would that be?” Me and Serena ask in unison.

      “We need to find who shot Reggie and do some fuckin’ destruction.” I know what he wants us to do is bad, but it feels so damn right.