Slim Chance

Scene 1: Way Back

It was June, maybe May. . No definitely June. End of the school year and I was definitely dreading the summer for many reasons known, and even some unknown hazards coming sooner than later . Even with all that said, there were pluses for me; for I, Tyson Chance Mathews had plans of getting lucky this summer. Not saying that that was all I had on my mind. Secondly was a job I was supposed to start soon.
I grew up in Hook Town houses , New York ; ' Money Making Manhattan' as some would say . From my balcony I could see the skyline's silhouette and if I
listened hard enough I could hear the chants and the loud sounds of disapproval from the crowd of the legendary Apollo Theater. I grew up an only child, a gift and the curse as I call it; on account that you got everything whenever you wanted but the negative was that the limelight was on you even when you didn't want it to be.
I had a one man crew, with the only member being my best friend, a kid named Mason. Mason was my bro', a tall slinky overzealous smart mouthed genius in my eyes. I mean, at 18 I honestly thought this kid had it all figured out. Mason was some kind of philosopher, with an equally if not better retort to any smart comment you could muster, and being 1 year older, he was somewhat of a mentor.
But of course, what being the main reason for my admiration to this kid was his reputation. Most people knew him, and more importantly the girls wanted to be near him. Of course obvious perks for his up & coming sidekick, as they called me; but secretly, I humbly accepted that role, knowing with an air of confidence that I'd be next. I was turning 18 that summer so I was on the come up and the local fame that Mason solely possessed. . I was going to have by any means.
Life was great as far as I was concerned, which were my thoughts as I
walked the long back-block I've taken ever since the 6th grade.
' Wassup Lil Chance ?! Is that a head on your neck or a third shoulder? '
said Mr. Rj Robinson as I passed his broken down boutique .
' Yaddup! 'I shout back as he smirked.
Mr. Robinson aka as Mr. J was somewhat of a celebrity in my part of town, because he owned the best run down boutique ever. Yes lawd! Mr. Robinson owned a boutique during the day, and a smoke shop / hangout during off hours.Everyone who was anyone hung out here every Saturday. This, I thought to myself would be the perfect setting to make my coming out.
But how exactly?
Almost passing my house while thinking of a master plan , I overhear my mother screaming out.
"GET CHO ASS IN HERE ! SUMMER SESSIONS?! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! "she screamed
"I ain't even know it Ma! ' I retorted, knowing damn well I knew exactly what was going on.
See, in preparation of my new found fame I just knew I was destined to gain, I had to go to summer school . I had to break a few rules; act out a few times to impress and stay close to a few persons of interest . But we'll get into that later.
Yelling a quick, ' I'm sorry' , I instantly ducked into my desolate room . With its blank white walls and its twin size bed, it was a quick reminder of the life I wanted to escape.
As time goes by I'm wondering why my mom hasn't already arrived at my door bearing arms. I laugh. As more time goes by I start to drift to sleep , wafting in the current of where reality and limits no longer exist . the place where you are free in its entirety .

     I'm somewhere in a dark room . only space and fear to accompany me , I am silent and still as a ninja . As if I was at some dramatic scary theatrical filming ; I watch this dream unfold .
I see myself stuck posted against the wall as I suddenly hear footsteps. Three men are coming down the corridor, almost as if they were looking for someone. As sweat inevitably trickles down my face , I watch ; I not only watch but I focus in on the amount of fear plastered on my face . I jump back! Equally horrified and curious as to what caused such grief and aguish. I watch..
I spot the men getting closer to the door, being only two of them now. They're surely closing in I thought, with a constant suffocating feeling tap dancing in my stomach. I watched as the two men, one being tall and husky while the other being just a bit bigger than the first enters the room. Slowly.
I also watch me in the corner adjust something while planting a foot. and that's when everything went silent , as if time itself took time out to watch what was about to unfold. I watched as the two men got closer to my other self still posted in the corner, and then I watched myself as I revealed an already cocked back 380 automatic. .

     Awakened only by the sound of "IFFY" by Poppa Zani; my phone was ringing.  I looked over and noticed Mason was calling, It was time to roll .

     Hesitant as I walked along an uptown residential backblock. Shaken in my steps, as I wondered down the dimly lit street. Peering over at Mason as he looked almost disassociated from any danger that may lie ahead; just a simple smirk. I secretly admired the demeanor this kid always had even in the thickest of situations, to always come out looking the same way he walked in .
Reminiscing on an incident way back when; had to be 9th
grade. Back when life was simple, I remember walking down my usual route to school. it was a Breezy fall day, It was freshman Friday that day actually, and I mean freshmen Friday. See, in my public high school, beating and humiliating kids was nearly a technicality. But, this year they would soon learn , would be a little different.
The first three periods of that day went by smooth, and untouched. Fourth period, which was lunch of course; was quite the theatrical motion picture. It was me , Mason , some kid name Kicks and Mitch sitting at a table. As I ate my nasty ass free food I noticed something unusual. Just before I could say a word , a senior who was sitting at our table swung a
quick jab pin pointing Mitch's face . Time Froze.
The whole lunchroom was in attendance to this showdown of peers.
As I looked in front of me and saw Mason with his usual smirk plastered on his face , he motioned towards the senior . looking over at kicks , he was looking over at me , then we all looked at Mitch. Mitch , who was too shocked to form words, just stood posted in amazement. With another great swing, the senior knocks Mitch out cold.
With everyone still stargazed by the recent events, which Mason secretly perceived as a time to strike, swings a quick haymaker uppercut and scored a clean landing to the seniors chin. Time stops again.
The brute fell hard as the gasps erupted from the spectators. As everyone started shouting and cheering something else was going on, the friend of the senior was loading a silver colt revolver. As he aims, he is spotted. Everyone starts to scream and scramble as the gunmen tries to get a clear shot of us. Of course time doesn't stop because shit is real now. Finding cover underneath the table, thanking God that I hid undetected; I spot Mason. Shorty after spotting Mason I see the rest of the crew , Mitch still unconscious , Kicks crouching by the door.
As if reading my mind, we all dash to the door unanimously. Two shots go off, Mason drops. Fearing for the worst I quickly recognized the smirk on his face while keeping my head down, yet still running. Before even stepping out of the school I hear one more shot from the distance, I collapse.
I never did find out what happened that day, Mason never talked about it. I just know the gunmen was dead and no one else was there to stand witness. Mason was never charged being a minor and especially because of the circumstances. That day changed him , changed me. Changed everything.
Snapping out of my trance only when Mason yells back
at me that we have made it to our destination. As I looked up at the abandoned warehouse , their was unusual forboding feeling creeping in my stomache. I knew that it was now or never . .