Miss Sacrifice

Malik

I watched Jaaliyah quizzically as she walked away from me. I looked at the way her braids swayed and the way her body moved when she walked. Something about her pulled me into an trance like state of mind and I couldn't come out.

"Damn." I mumbled.

I didn't have time to admire her body, all I could think of was why she wouldn't tell me about her bruise and what happened to her.

"Malik, hurry!" Tay yelled. I sprinted to her and walked hand in hand.

I didn't speak the whole way home, the only think on my mind was Jaaliyah and what I wanted to know. I answered Tay when she asked a question but never followed up with any comments. As I walked to the front door of my house I spotted Tony and his right hand man, Marcus. Marcus was the guy that was secretly involved in my brother's death along with tony, they ordered a few of their closest friends to drive by my brother's house and shoot him. I didn't see it happen but when I arrived I saw his lifeless body lying out on the front lawn and a bloody gunshot wound in his chest. Ever since that day something in the pit of my stomach never allowed me to touch a gun.

"Tay get in the house. Now!" I whispered and watched as she ran into the door.

Tony walked over to me with a serious and urgent expression, his brows were pulled together into a frown and he was looking at me. Marcus was at his side and he had the same frown as Tony.

"Yo yo!" Tony yelled to me.

"What up?"

"That mothafucka still aint got my money man and I'm runnin out of patience." Tony said.

"You know he aint workin or nothin, just wait it out." I didn't move from where I stood,but instead I let them come to me.

"Nah, we just came by to get you so we can all go and get my damn money." Marcus said. He looked at me deep into my eye.

Marcus was a snake. Whenever snakes are in the fault they look at their victim in the eyes with no relent but when a dog is in the fault, the never look at you in the eyes. Marcus was a malicious killer who had no remorse and knew what he was doing.

"I can't do that man! I just got home with my lil' sister. I gotta stay home with her." I said with aggression.

"We need you man!" Tony got closer. He held his arms open as if asking for forgiveness.

"My sister needs me. I can't leave her in the house alone."

From where I was standing I could see Tony's eyes and they burned with fiery rage, he scowled for a moment before pressing his fingers in between his nose. "Man you owe me for this you know."

"I'm sorry man. You know I would help if I could." I apologized sincerely and looked at him in the eyes.

"Imma catch you lackin' one." Said Marcus. He came closer to me and I stood taller, not showing any sign of agitation.

"Aight, you got it." I said. I didn't want to make a big deal out of something that could have been avoided and I surely didn't want any conflict with Marcus.

"Why you duckin us for? You got some lil' bitch feeding you?" Tony asked in mockery.

"Don't ya'll have money to collect?" I said ducking the question.

"Whatever man. We aint done though just know that." Tony said and with that he walked away proud of what he said to me.

Marcus tagged along like a stray dog on a leash not turning back to look at me. I thought of that poor man that Tony was about to kill, I thought of what the reason was for not having the money but couldn't come to my senses. What I could think of though, was why Jaaliyah had a bruise on her face, I thought of what could have possibly happened to her and just came to the conclusion that maybe it was true that she was play fighting. Something inside of me wanted to go with the story she told me, but the other part of me knew there was something greater than just play fighting. I liked Jaaliyah way too much to just ignore something like this, I had to find out sooner or later but fast.