Shut Up & Listen

The Living Dead

June 28
Lonnie

11:23p
I bumped into this dark skin nigga coming off the elevator and I got chills. I didn't want to look back at him just in case he was already looking back at me, that would of have been awkward if we made eye contact. But, I know him from somewhere. I think.

I'm on my way to see somebody. Back in February, when I was in the hospital, an unfamiliar man was in my room. He came with my nigga and it seemed like they were mad close, so I had to find out who he was. I asked around and stalked Cobe's Instagram until I found him. I don't know what I want to say to him, but my daddy said he saved my life, I at least owe him a thank you.

When I got to the eleventh floor, I saw a man at the other end of the hall locking his door. I studied him while walking in his direction to make sure it was him before I approached. I waited until I was about eight feet away to say something.

"Wassup man." I stood in the middle of the hall balancing my weight on one side. I played with the cigarette I have tucked behind my ear. Cole walked toward me with his hand out for the infamous nigga handshake.

"Yo wassup. Lonnie right?" He wasn't smiling but he seemed to be in an alright mood. He looked me in my eye then I watched his eyes travel my face.

"Yeah... some people call me that." A nervous chuckle escaped me. I shifted my weight to the other leg.

"How you feeling man?"

"I healed up good." I said licking my bottom lip nodding, "I heard that you called my pops for me. You don't know how much I appreciate it. Prolly woulda been it for me if you wasn't there. Cobe... did he really..."I lowered my head and cleared my throat still keeping eye contact.

"Yeah... but, Cobe ain't good with that stuff. He got a lil ptsd so he shuts down sometimes. But, I'm glad I could've been there to help." He tucked his phone in his pants pocket and looked me over again this time the scar on the front of my shoulder caught his eye. He tried not to stare, but I'm wearing a wife beater so the shit is literally begging for attention.

"I'm on my way out man. You want to walk with me?" I nodded my head yes and followed behind him.

"You mentioned ptsd?" I asked once the elevator doors closed behind us. His hand immediately went to the back of his head. He was playing with his hair. I leaned up against the railing on the wall of the elevator crossing my feet and holding on to the rail behind me with both hands..

"Yeah... I did."

"What happened to him?"

" You know about his moms right?"

"Mhm. I know she passed away around the time we first met."

"She didn't "pass" dawg... she was murdered. It was a stray bullet that went straight through her skull. He was in the next room when it happened. He came in and saw her on the floor all bloody and shit... he won't ever forget that shit. That's why the nigga so closed off."

"Damn. I ain't know all that."

"You know, what you did to him was fucked up." We stopped walking once we got to the exit of the apartment building. We're standing up against the wall outside now.

"I didn't have a choice." I tried not to sound defensive. But I really didn't have a choice. He looked down and shook his head. I lit my cigarette and watched his movements.

He was staring up into the stars like something interesting was happening up there. I looked up too. "You see them three stars right there man?" I followed his finger to where he was pointing, "That's Orion's Belt. You ever heard of the story?" I shook my head no. "You gotta read it. There's a crazy ass bitch that brought her nigga back from the dead just so she could fuck him." He looked down and chuckled unamusingly before looking me in the eye saying, "The stupid shit a muh fucka will do for some dick right?" He was smiling smugly. I knew he was referring to me and Cobe. I don't know who he is to Cobe or how he knows we was fucking, but I don't appreciate him calling Cobe stupid. And I ain't just some dick to him. He's starting to piss me off. I held my cigarette with my lips and fixed my hat staring at him menacingly. I took the cig back in my hand.