A Cold Day In Hell

Chapter 3: Only the Strong Survive

The next morning Alex drove to Tammy's place to pick up Alexis. Tammy could go for a white girl but really was mixed with black & asian, with a flat stomach and thighs of a 'real black women's' persona. From what Alex heard and seen, Tammy was Keisha's ride or die. When Alex and Keisha were going through things, Tammy was by Keisha's side. Tammy lived in the suburbs because she couldn't stand the projects and what came with it. Tammy went to school to be a lawyer so living in the projects wasn't so bad after all. When Alex pulled up to Tammy's estate, she and Alexis were talking. "I wonder what their talking about." Alex said to himself. When Alex got out of the car he was greeted by Alexis first. "Hey Daddy!" Alexis screamed as she hugged Alex. "Good morning babygirl I missed you. Alex said. "I missed you too Daddy." Alexis said. "Good morning Alex." Tammy said with a flirtatious grin. "Good morning Tammy, thanks for keeping Alexis for me." Alex said trying not to look Tammy in the eye. "Anytime Alex, hopefully I'll get to keep you one day." Tammy replied. Alex looked at Tammy like she had lost her mind. "Alexis go sit in the car, its some hotcakes and orange juice waiting for you inside." Alex said to Alexis but still looking at Tammy. "Tammy, my wife just passed last week and I'm not that type of person so whatever you thinking can be forgotten." Alex said to Tammy in a deep serious tone. "Come on Alex you know I been liking from jump street so stop the acting." Tammy said to Alex. "Yeah that's the point, you been liking me and the feeling hasn't been mutual and you wrong for doing this to Keisha." Alex said. "Alex you know I could have you if I wanted you." Tammy replied. "And I could have you killed if I wanted to." Alex said to Tammy. Tammy looked at Alex like she had seen a ghost. Tammy had been fighting her demons for years and the past was slowly catching up to her. "Yeah I been known about you killing Jerome, Tammy. I just kept my mouth closed for the sake of Keisha but I guess its time to send you to hell huh?" Alex asked Tammy. Jerome was Alex's best friend since grade school and ran with Alex back in the day and Alex put him on with Tammy but later in life he regretted it because Tammy killed him all because there were rumors going around that Jerome cheated on her which turned out to be false. "Alex please don't kill me. I only killed Jerome because I thought he cheated on me. Please don't kill me Alex I'm so sorry for what I did." Tammy replied with tears forming in her eyes. "I ain't gone kill you now but the day will come and when it does, don't be surprised." Alex said now puffing a cuban cigar. "Goodbye Alex." Tammy said trying to avoid what her future killer was telling her. "Till next time." Alex said as he got into the car. "Daddy can we go get ice cream now like you said." Alexis said reminding Alex of what he had promised her. "You don't forget nothing do you?" Alex asked laughing at his daughter's statement. "Nope." Alexis said. Alex drove to Baskin Robin's and he and Alexis ate ice cream till 1pm. When they returned home. Their home was being seized. Alex then made a circle and drove through the city trying to figure out what to do. Just contemplating about his life made him remember how he and Keisha first met.

...

It was the summer of '93, Young Alex was on the come up trying to become one of the biggest drug dealers in the dirty streets of Newark, New Jersey. Alex was only eighteen years old with no parents in his life. He was born on December 5, 1975 and was given to an orphanage because his parents couldn't keep him. So when he turned fifteen, he ran away from the orphanage and never looked back, he did everything to robbing, to stealing, to selling nickels and dimes just to survive. So in the summer of '93 on another hustling day for Alex in Highland Hills was when he saw one of New Jersey's baddest chicks in the game, Keisha Williams. Keisha was by far the baddest young girl that all the hustlers wanted. But Keisha wasn't into the hustlers but she kept her eye on Alex Smith. Keisha may have had the good girl features that you seen but she always kept a 9 mm on her at all times. Around midnight she watched as Alex served one of his customers but little did Alex know, his 'customers' setting him up to be robbed. But Keisha followed her instincts and saw a crackhead come around the corner to hold Alex at gunpoint but Keisha had her 9 in her hand and gave one shot to the crackhead's shoulder and another to Alex's customers' leg. Alex looked in total shock because he thought he was next but little did he know, his teenage crush had just saved his life. Alex saw Keisha and slowly walked towards her and she was just smirking at Alex because she knew she had just captured him just like she wanted. "You know you should really watch your surroundings." Keisha said to Alex. "Thanks for the good looking out ma. I owe you one. What can I do to make it up to you?" Alex asked. "Take me out on a date." Keisha said. "Alright what time could I pick you up?" Alex asked. "8 o'clock, I live in apartment D, building 360." Keisha said. "Alright I'll see you then." Alex said. "Till then." Keisha said disappearing into the darkness. Alex walked off feeling like the happiest man in the world.

...

Just the thought of Alex thinking about Keisha made him shed a tear. That's when his thoughts were interrupted by Alexis. "Daddy I don't wanna go to school anymore." Alexis said. "Why?" Alex asked. "I want to be a killer." Alexis said seriously. Alex had stopped the car trying to calm himself from becoming furious with Alexis. "Alexis I know that you're not handling your mother's death too well but you need to get it together." Alex said half yelling at Alexis. "Daddy if you don't teach me how to kill I'm gonna kill myself." Alexis said. "And where did this killing mind frame come from?" Alex asked. "You." Alex said. "How?" Alex asked. "I seen you kill Detective Cooper." Alexis said. Alex was in total shock because he had committed a sin in front of his daughter when he was supposed to be her only role model. "I thought you went with Tammy?" Alex asked. "I did but Daddy you can'y trust everybody with me and I want my first body to be her since you're going to kill her later on." Alex couldn't do nothing but shake his head because he didn't want Alexis to turn out to be just like him. "Alright but under one condition." Alex said. "I'm listening." Alexis said. "You can't kill her until you're fourteen." Alex said. "Why Daddy?" Alexis asked pleading for a chance to prove to Alex that she was a natural born killer. "You'll be wiser by then." Alex said taking no for an answer. "Okay Daddy." Alexis said. "But remember one thing, only the strong survive."