Could've Been

don't you forget it

December 2001- Chicago, Illinois

The scent of homemade maple syrup made Essence stir from her deep sleep. Christmas break had officially begun, but that didn't mean Essence was allowed to sleep in. Sooner or later, Hazel Lennox would be heading up the stairs yelling about wasting the day away in bed.

Beating Grandma Hazel to the punch, Essence hurried out of bed and pulled the thick comforter up to her pillows. Another pet peeve of her grandmother's was an unmade bed.

The young girl's feet hit the wooden steps with a soft thud, that third step down creaking like it always did. That creak alerted Hazel of the tiny intruder in the cramped kitchen.

"Essy, you know I'm not that old right? I hear your little ass trying to sneak over there to steal a piece of bacon," the grandmother said over her shoulder.

Defeated, Essence carried herself to the makeshift table in the corner of the room. "I'm starving," she sighed, resting her chin on her hands. The night before, her grandmother made fried onions and liver and when you didn't want what was cooked, "you starved".

"That's what happens when you don't eat what I cook," the older woman said, turning her attention back to the stove.

Essence had been living with her grandmother off and on since birth. Tyra Lennox, Essence's mother, was in and out of jail for most of her daughter's childhood. Essence barely knew her mother due to the amount of time she spent away. Hazel was the only mother figure she could count on, even through her tough love.

"I hate livers, Nana," the girl scrunched her nose in disgust. "Is it okay if I go play with Erik later on? He has a new game." It was always a good idea to ask these types of questions when Grandma Hazel was in a decent mood. Most times she didn't want Essence playing around with any nappy headed boys in the neighborhood. Erik being the main one.

Erik Stevens wasn't a bad kid, but he had a terrible temper that got him in trouble. Essence and Erik had been friends since they were in diapers. Their mothers were best friends throughout school and got pregnant around the same time. A few years after Essence and Erik were born, Erik's mother was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.

Without his mother, Erik was totally dependent on his father and whoever was N'Darius's girlfriend at the time. He grew to be a child that was confused, combative when he didn't need to be, and yearned for love. So, he was a bit misunderstood by Hazel that only saw him as a knucklehead.

"For an hour and that's it. You better have your little behind back up here before the street lamps come on. You hear me," Hazel questioned sternly, earning a low yes ma'am. "I mean it. Don't make me come down that street looking for you because I will."

"I won't, Nana," Essence said, exasperated by her grandmother's extra reminders.

"Alright, Essy. As long as you know I'm not playing," she reiterated, causing Essence to roll her eyes internally. She didn't have the nerves or guts to do it outside of her head. "You bet not be rolling them eyes at me little girl." Did this woman have eyes inside Essence's head, too?

Erik always had all the good snacks at his house. Hazel wasn't allowing 'all that damn' sugar in her home, so Erik often brought sweets to school for his best friend. Or she indulged in them when she was visiting.

The two young children argued over a game of Mario Kart as they snacked on honey buns and hot chips. Erik never allowed Essence to win, making her competitive edge kick in even harder when he won another round.

"Stop covering my eyes, you cheater," she screamed when Erik's hand covered her face. "Man! You only did that because I almost beat you."

"Nah, you lost cause you lost. Maybe next time," he laughed, pinching the fleshy part of Essence's arm.

She refused to go down without a fight, snatching Erik's controller, "Nope, we are going again since you wanna cheat. Start it over."

"So you can lose again?"

The two went back and forth as they usually did until they heard two people arguing in the living room.

"Nigga, you thought I wouldn't find out," an angry voice carried throughout the apartment. Essence recognized the husky voice but couldn't quite put a finger on who it was. "You a damn traitor!"

"That's what you think? I was working with Marcus to save yo' ass. If it wasn't for him, we'd both be locked up," N'Darius, Erik's father yelled back, his rough tone a bit harsher than usual.

Erik and Essence stayed in his bedroom, slowly peeking around the corner and into the living room. Ty'Rq, Erik's uncle, was standing inches away from N'Darius. His gun was exposed, sitting at his waist for easy access."Marcus ain't save shit! You think I'm that stupid, huh," Ty'Riq asked through clenched teeth as his hand covered his gun. "We brothers but I don't have a problem droppin' you right here."

"Do it then," N'Darius replied, holding out his arms. "You so big and bad, shoot me mothafucka! Shoot me!"

Ty'Riq smirked and drew the gun from his waist and pushed the cold piece to his brother's chest, "Not a problem, lil bro."

Suddenly, time seemed to stop even though in reality everything happened in a split second. Erik pushed Essence back into the bedroom before taking off into the living room. His screams, mixed with the gun shot made Essence's ears ring. The young girl fell back against Erik's bed, her body shaking in fear. For three minutes, she was frozen. Her limbs and brain were not on the same page. Even when she heard Erik screaming for her, Essence couldn't move.

When her body finally carried her forward into the living room, the young girl stared down at her friend and the bloodied body on the floor.

"Daddy, wake up," Erik cried, tapping his father's chest, where blood oozed out onto the floor. Tears fell down Essence's cheeks as she joined her friend.

In that moment, their lives had changed forever.

Killmonger was born.