PHILADELPHIA
𝚖𝚒𝚣𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒 𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚒 𝚘𝚊𝚔𝚖𝚊𝚗
JUNE 2014
"Taveon sit down, you can't go anywhere" My sister Malayjeah said to my oldest brother, Martaveon.
"Fuck you mean I can't go anywhere? Watch me" He said opening the front door to our apartment building as Martavis, Malayjeah, Markani and I watched him walk out.
Momma been acting weird ever since she and her boyfriend got together 2 to 3 months ago and it's been making every single one of her kids mad, Martaveon would leave whenever he felt the need to, Martavis would stay at the boxing gym almost everyday, Malajeah was either at basketball practice or a friends house. As for me and Markani we would be in after school program every once in a while until one of them would come and get us.
"He gone get in trouble" Martavis said coming into the living room while eating a bowl of fruity pebbles.
"He don't listen" I said while rearranging my puzzle pieces, putting them in the correct place.
"Come er" Malayjeah said putting her ear against the door motioning for all four of us to come listen as well.
"Y'all hear that? sound like bullets falling on the- the ground" Malayjeah said before quickly opening the door.
"What's that red stuff in the snow?" Markani asked as Malayjeah and Martavis ran to get their coats and boots.
"That might be Martaveon, look at the coat that's the same coat he left outta here with" I told Markani watching Malayjeah and Martavis run out the front door.
"Yo why the fuck y'all doing all that stomping" My mom's boyfriend said coming out of her room rubbing his eyes before getting cut off by screaming.
"Somebody call for help!" Malayjeah screamed as I hesitated to run and go grab my mom from her room.
Shaking her violently I feel the urge to start sobbing out of fear. " Stop fuckin shakin-" My mom started to say before I cut her off.
"Momma I think that's Martaveon on the concrete, bleeding in the snow" I said as tears escaped from my eyes.
"What?" She asked me as I quickly wiped my tears. "I think Martaveon got shot, he's laying in the snow" I said as her body shuffled just a little.
"He'll be fine" She said as she waved me off. "Momma" Martavis spoke lowly while walking into my momma's room with only the middle of his shirt covered in blood.
"Get out my room" She said without even turning her head to look at our faces as I blankly stared down at my feet.
"Come on zouri" Martavis said picking me up as I immediately cried into his shoulders.
"Did you tell momma? what she say? where she at?" Malayjeah said running into the house out of breath as I cried in Martavis chest and Markani cried in hers.
"Momma ain't coming out her room" Martavis spoke quietly while still holding me as I started to sob some more.
"What you mean momma ain't coming out her room? she sad or some shit?" She asked aggressively as my momma came out her room fixing her robe.
