I begin with:
Senior Brother Author Tatum
My name is Laughter, A.W. Laughter. Welcome to the den. I find the following sentence beautifully written:
Every time I close my eyes I see images of fluttering birds, small black birds flying over grass
fields. I strain to remember the sounds of childhood. My broken and fragmented soul is in deep
need of an autopsy that can only be granted by a willingness to move beyond a generic view. I
ask, what happens when your whole way of life is interrupted.
We have come here to appropriate our language for a common cause. I am the den master, and you, the ten of you, are the den mates.
Post your first chapter here today.
BA2
Black Power: Violent Beginnings
The afternoon day echoed with the loud footsteps of shoes pounding against the pavement. Jordan and Avery rushed through the neighborhood that their school was in. Drenched in sweat, the two turned a corner and ran into a 7-Eleven. A Mexican man stood at a register, smoking. “Can we hide in here, Pedro?” Jordan asked. The man nodded his head in response and the two dove behind a rack covered with out of date chips and pop tarts. Just then, six boys in a huddle busted in the store. One stepped out of the huddle. He was wearing a black leather jacket with navy blue jeans, white Nikes, and a black Yankees hat. The boy took his hat off revealing his face. He was African-American with blue contacts. He looked completely normal except for a long scar that ran down the left side of his face. His voice was deep and frightening. “Those punks come up in here, Pedro?” The boy demanded. Pedro smirked. “Just me an’ my boy,” he responded. Pedro groaned and held up a double barreled shotgun, the handle custom with pictures of ladies in bikinis. The boy chuckled darkly, motioned his hand, and he and his crew walked out going the way they came from. When they were gone, Jordan and Avery crawled out of their hiding place and leaned against the register Pedro was that. “Thanks, Pedro,” the boys said in unison. Before Pedro could respond, they ran out of the store.
On their way home, Avery shouldered his book bag and glared at Jordan. “What?” Jordan exclaimed. “You know what!” Avery said jabbing his finger into his brother’s chest. “We almost got jumped!” Jordan laughed. “Not with me around,” he said. Avery grew angrier. “You think you’re so tough, you think you can handle everybody, don’t you?” “Just because you’re so muscular?” It was true, Jordan was muscular. He wore a tight blue t-shirt to show it too. Also, Jordan wore light blue jeans with blue and white Adidas. On the other hand, Avery wasn’t as muscular as his brother. He had rimless glasses. He had on a green hoody unzipped revealing a white t-shirt with a gun on it. The gun was in the middle of a red circle with a line going straight through it. Avery’s black Levi’s were covered in dirt and so were his white And1s. Jordan laughed again. “Jamal isn’t that tough.”
“But he has a gun.”
“So?”
“He can shoot you.”
“Man that thing ain’t loaded,” Jordan snorted. “He’s a church boy, sweatin' in his $9.99 suit act’ a fool, “praisin' the lord” on Sundays.”
“What’s your point?” Avery asked. You still shouldn’t have done what you did.”
Jordan was going to say something, but Avery cut him off. “We have to get in the house,” Avery said grimly. So the two brothers jogged up to the big house which was their home.
BA 10
My Tears Weapon
She fiddle with her keys, nervously attempting to open the door for us to enter her quarters and cap off our evening. I had her wrapped in my charm like a baby in a blanket. I deceived her with every word that I uttered since we first met. I cradled her and rocked her better judgment to sleep. She was in a reverie of my bewildering charm. My excitement overwhelmed my soul. My soul, upon entering the apartment, turned dark crimson. She looked back at me as she cracked open the door as if to say come in without a word. Her undergarments were calling to me even though their lips were shut and sealed. I answered back to her silent invitation by entering the corridor. I slid off my shoes on the rosy mat filled with her high heels. She finally spoke out, her voice nervous, “This way.” I followed her down the endless hallway holding to her fingertips to guide my way. She had no idea what I had in store for her.
“Sit over there?” she suggested to me.
I sat.
“Wine?”
I nodded arrogantly.
She walked to the kitchen so innocently. No swishing of her petite hips. No arch in her slender back. All it was, was a walk. But the innocence in her walk further revealed to me the innocence in her mind and her spirit. Oh yes, this would be easy. Her kitchen was immense. Cherry cupboards, marble counter tops, a stainless steel double sink to complement the refrigerator. She has it all, now I just have to take her from it. She returned to the cream couch and accompanied me. She sat fourteen inches away and handed me the crystal wine glass filled half way with white 1909 wine. I started the conversation, breaking the awkward silence she had created.
“You have a nice home,” I complimented her with a devilish grin. We talked for about an hour. I made her laugh until her stomach was in knots and she was forced to cry. She was having a magnificent time and I could tell that she had it set in her mind that this would be her best date ever. I was the only one in the room knowing the end to this illusory evening. She asked me if was I hungry.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Do you like red velvet cake?”
“My favorite,” I said with a smirk.
As soon as she turned her naïve hips and eyes away I struck her in the back her head with my wine glass. She fell to the floor in a rush. She had a scarlet gash right above her temple. I reached down and flipped her over and smacked and punched her with all my built up rage from this naïve engagement. She started to bleed from her lip and nose. She floated in and out of consciousness, while her eyes were steadily getting weary. I held her up and turned her away from my face. I held her arms to her side and took her to the bedroom as she struggled to resist me. As we entered the room, I kissed her tenderly on her neck. I threw her to the bed; my body soon followed. I looked at her with so much wrath and hate for what she was. “Don’t make a sound.” Her eyes were stunned because of the fear I struck in her. I ripped off her white blouse and pulled off her mid-length blue skirt. Her body was beautiful and awe-inspiring to view. I stared at her and basked in her glory. I undid her creamy bra and slid down her panty hose. I couldn’t wait to suck on her soft and warm breast.
She started to moan. I clouted her. She shrieked in pain. I crossed the thresholded and enjoyed her screams from my violation of her. She stared to weep and her tears matched the tears of my face. I wept from the sight of her anguish. These painless tears I suffered in my endeavor to diminish, her I enjoyed.
BA 12
Planet Chicago (Rough Draft)
“Hey kid, you serious with this?” A tall Italian man about 6’3 with a dark blue suit and a red tie on grumbled to the boy sitting outside a Gallery37 building on Randolph and Wabash in a chair with a canvas in front of him. “This aint New York ya know.”
“Yeah, I’m serious,” replied Andrew. "You interested?”
“Try to keep it under fifteen minutes kid, I got places to be.”
“Sure just sit down, portrait or caricature?”
“Eh? Both, let’s see what you got.”
“Sure.”
The man sat down on the stool in front of the canvas and Andrew flipped open his 11x14 bienfang sketch notebook. Andrew glanced up at the man once, then twice, three minutes passed and Andrew flipped to the next page in the book.
“H-hey! What are you doing kid, I’m not going to pay you for half-assed garbage!” the Italian man complained.
“Yeah, I know.”
Andrew put on his headphones and began to listen to Kid Cudi.He glanced up once at the man and never looked at him again. Three minutes passed. Andrew flipped back to the first page and ripped both out of the notebook.
“Here,” Andrew said as he handed the papers to the man.
The man stood up and snatched the papers disappointedly and looked down at them. His jaw dropped in awe.
“T-this is incredible,” he stammered, “How did you do this, and so quickly?”
Andrew stared up with apathetic eyes having experienced this same scene at least six times today.
“Ten dollars for the portrait, five for the caricature. that’ll be fifteen dollars sir.”
“Fifteen dollars for skill of this level and in mere minutes? You’re crazy!” the man exclaimed.
Andrew’s eyes flickered with confusion for just a moment then narrowed dangerously.
“Pay the amount asked…” “I'll not pay fifteen dollars for this work,” The man scoffed.
Andrew stood up to his full 5’11 height and removed his skull candy headphones from atop his head.
“Ill pay you fifty - thirty for the portrait and twenty for the caricature.”
Andrew looked the man square in the eyes.
“Why?” he asked skeptically.
“Because, you shouldn’t be out here selling such refined services for such a small penance, if it interests you I own a hotel that serves as a tourist attraction here in Chicago.”
The man reached into his suit jacket's inner pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and scribbled some information on it.
“That’s the address and directions from this spot and actually it seems like you should be in gallery37 instead of outside of it, maybe I can help with that. In the mean time…”
The man reached into his pants pocket and pulled out two twenties and a ten-dollar bill and handed it to Andrew. “Thank you for your services.”
Andrew took the money and stuffed it in his torn jean pocket lost in thought about the events that occurred.
“No problem,” he whispered and the man walked off into the camouflaged landscape of downtown Chicago. Andrew looked at the sheet of paper with the information on it, folded it and stuffed that into the pocket of his torn jeans as well.
“Another day, another dollar,” he said to himself as he gathered his things and headed home to his dingy one room apartment.
BA 1
I Hate You
I am D’mari, and I hate school! I hate them phony kids! I hate them fake teachers always trying too hate on my swagga and I hate that the food they be trying to feed us in the cafeteria. Today our English teacher gave us this bogus poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. It was called We Real Cool. it was like this:
We real cool. We
Left school.
We lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
I just thought to myself who does she really think she is, telling us we gone die if we do this. I wanted to call her a white supremacists right there but I promised my moms I would stay out of trouble since she just got a third job. She's been stressed lately.
BA 3
If for Just One Night
Chapter 1- ?Serenity?
“Okay. Please stop! Oh my gosh it's getting late look at the time. I really think you need to leave,” Amiya says. “Girl, stop playing with me. You know you want it just as bad as I do,” Exzante replies. “Yeah, you know I do. But baby, I told you I'm not ready to take it there yet,” Amiya exclaims. “A'ight, boo, I understand. Dang. Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much. I guess I love me some white girl,” he lovingly replies while kissing Amiya. She then puts an end to this madness by saying , “Exzante Cook, you need to go! I already told you. And my mom gets off at 11:00 p.m. It's nearly 12:00. Bye babes.” “Bye sweetie cake. Really I need you to be ready for this like tomorrow. A'ight?” Exzante dryly responds. She just kisses him goodnight, and he is on his way.
A straight A+ student, and charming person, Exzante has come to face a huge dilemma. He is a 17 year old African American boy, looking for love in the right places. All while making the wrong decisions. He is madly in love with Amiya Brook. She is beautiful, very intelligent, very optimistic, caring, and a great cheerleader captain. Although all his friends tease him because she is “white” he loves her still. Amiya is white, 5.7 in height, kind of thick, (plenty of meat on her bones) and is fine as heck. Exzante Cook; 6.1 in height, star football and wrestling player, 10th in class ranking, He is very popular, and a very outspoken person. This is where his issues arise. He is in love, with another girl; Mc’kayla Monroe also known as M.
It was a late summer day, when they first met. It was at football camp, Exzante was very parched. So he walked over to the drink stand to get some water. All the girls went wild, pushing and shoving, all trying to get to the water first, to be able to give him his water. It was crazy, like wild animals over a fresh piece of raw meat. While all this was going on, it was one girl who would not be taken so easily. Her name was Amiya Brook. She had a nice body, full round lips, and a behind that was out of this world. Instantly he thought to him self (she is defiantly going to be the one.)
BA14
“Aaaaa, stop, get off him, it don’t take all of y’all,” a young lady’s voice echoed down the street as she yelled to try to get some guys off him. This wasn’t anything new for me, her either if she’s from around here I thought as I continued about my business.
“Dis shit don’t make no sense," she proceeded. I bet he would whoop all y’all ass one on one.” When she made that statement I knew she was a native to this more than corrupt hood we dwell within.
“Dis nigga shouldn’t talk like he tough den,” one of the about fifteen boys said as his foot landed on the slim boy's head, neck or shoulder area again.
“Dat’s what dis is about - talking, people can't talk these days?”
“Nah, now keep it moving broad 'fore talking get you hurt.” Just then I paused to see what would happen next.
“Yeah a'ight dis ain’t what you want lil, boy but imma gone head and walk off. You a'ight?” she asked helping the boy up from the ground.
“Yeah, you decent,” she said. His face was not badly bruised at all from where I was standing taking that so many guys were on him. The both of them started to walk in my direction and I slowed down gently so they wouldn’t notice. I wanted to hear what they might talk about, but they didn’t say anything. The female just walked alongside of the young man holding her arm around him. They continued walking in the same direction as I did but they were still silent. I came to the bus stop and so did they. I got on the bus still wanting to hear the boy’s reasoning for those young thugs jumping him. I waited to see if the lady would ask him any questions; For a while, she didn’t. Although the bus was crowded and kind of loud it seemed to be silent even if just for the time of me waiting for conversation between the two. Finally, she got up the confidence which I couldn’t build up fast enough.
“So why were they jumping you young man? Why they pick you?” She double questioned the boy.
“It ain’t nothing,” he answered reluctantly.
“You can tell me, I want to help.”
“Dey just hating man it ain’t nothing.”
“So you the guy those dudes were jumping on?" I suddenly asked rhetorically.
“Yeah dat was me, dey ain’t do shit though I’m a'ight.
“Yeah you good, you wouldn’t be able to say you got jumped looking at your face.” I said trying to give him back some of the pride that was taken from him by answering questions he didn’t want to, but it was true as he had one truly visible scar across his jaw and a small cut in the corner of his lip. Otherwise he looked perfectly fine which made me laugh on the inside.
“You good though, don’t worry about it now. Dey look silly cause you barley look bruised and it was all of them on you.”
“What dey hating for?” The lady turned to him and asked when I finished talking.”
The boy hesitated to respond as the bus approached my stop. I wanted hear his answer badly just to see if it was the reason I somehow knew, but I exited the bus. I thought to myself that I’ll see him again.
“Watch yourself,” I yelled back onto the bus.
BA 8
LoveSick
Officer Rodger Fredrickson
Chicago Police Department 11th District
June 25, 2010 3:11am
Silence ran rampant over West Harrison Street. Black bags floated along the curb, as vagrants loitered without a purpose. The daunting red bricked building stood as a constant reminder of order. Police cars filled the parking lot, for a Friday morning, it was usual, but the eerie feeling of something terribly eminent cast over the town.
“Oi! Fredrickson, we’ve got a big case here!” exclaimed McLaughlan, his heavy Irish brogue and 6’ 5” figure, and spiky, burgundy color hair was intimidating nonetheless, almost perfect for his job. The pearl white offline lined with desks and file cabinets looked boring. Only 5 people sat at the desks, and all were officers.
“Fax it over McLaughlan,”
The fax machine hummed and buzzed until several pieces of paper filled the tray.
BA 9
Chapter 1: De' Andre Lopez (D.S.R)
Ding! Ding! Ding! Dismiss. Sometimes I wish if I left my phone on vibrate I would still wake up but in a peaceful way. The sun found a way into my bedroom and right into my eyes. I groaned as I realized I was no longer in my dazed state of mind that most human beings would call 'sleep'. I call it D.A.Z.E: Dizzy Absentminded Zoo-like Events. That's what I call it at least.
"Hey dude you got to get up if you want to put this work in real quick."
"Hold on, give me a second Haze."
I sat up on the side of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I reached up to my head and scratched my D.U.R.I.N.G: Dumb Unusual Riled-up Insufficient Nappy God-given hair. I looked at my night stand to check the time on my charging iPhone. It was 4:23 a.m.
"Haze, are you kidding me bruh? You woke me up at 4 a.m. to put in work that could be done way easier after school?"
"Chill man, I been up since 1 making you this dope beat. You got to put in the hard work as an artist the way I put in the hard work as a producer. You feel me?"
"Work smarter, not harder." I leaned back on my bed getting ready to go back into my D.A.Z.E. I was closing my eyes. Closing. Closing.
"Do what you have to do now so you can do what you want to do later."
Awake. I sat up again in my bed and looked at Haze. He was smirking. Since I was clearly defeated I slowly climbed out my bed and onto the floor where I immediately slipped into my slippers. Haze walked out of my doorway as I followed behind him. Down into our basement. We call it the lab. I call it work. He calls it his personal heaven. He lays down the canvas. I paint him a picture. It's the special and spiritual bond between producer and rapper.
BA 11
Sitting on his dirty yellow sofa with orange daisies David takes another long drag from his cigarette. Flipping through the channels he sees an infomercial for a wallet made out of sandpaper and how it is supposed to deter criminals from pick pocketing you.
“If I saw some dude with a sandpaper wallet I would picket pocket him just for being stupid for thinking they actually work.” With a final grunt he began his journey for an interesting TV show on his six channels two of which were in Spanish. Sitting on the top of the kitchen counter top his cat watches him mummer angrily like it has for the last two days. This is because the cat is dead but David is to lazy to notice the now rotting corpse laying on his kitchen counter top. He could hear the volume of his next door neighbors TV through the thin drywall that separated his living from Gertrude’s living room a foot away. The whole in his wall from coming home drunk one night and drop kicking a fly on the wall did not help him to ignore the weather forecast Gertrude was listening to either. Finally ending his TV journey via remote Dave decides to watch Cheaters. He sees a woman coming at her husband from behind with a tight open hand. Dave begins to eat his bowl of Cheerio’s he prepared half an hour ago. “OOOHH!” he screams as he watches a woman slap her unsuspecting husband in the back of the head. He watches closely while he wipes the droplet of milk off his bottom lip. “She slapped that goofy smile right off his face!” he chuckles. “At least when my wife found out I was cheating I was ready.” With a few more quiet laughs Dave takes another gulp of his soggy Cheerios. Half an hour later the show finishes and Dave stares at the large load of wrinkled dirty laundry sleeping in the corner of his small apartment. Dave slowly gets up places his half empty bowl next to his cat and grabs a big bag of quarters from the top of his refrigerator. He grabs an empty laundry basket shoves his load of heavy clothes in and walks out of his apartment. Across the street he sees a brightly lit business with a big bold red sign that says Cleaners. Placing his basket on an open table he sees a woman ten years younger than him in her thirties folding her undergarments. Licking his lips he picks up his basket flips it upside down and throws the basket to the floor. It fails to catch her attention. He throws his clothes into a washing machine remembering he still had his wedding ring on. With a few twists and turns it slips right off. As he shoves his quarters in to the machine he sees her drop a black pair of underwear on the ground. With out any noise he goes over kneels down and picks them up with one finger. “These wouldn’t happen to belong to you?” Dave says twirling them on one finger. “Ummm yes they are.” says the large heavy set woman with an afro with a scared look on her face.
BA 13
Triple Threat
Chapter One
“
“Ya know I used to like you like you last week” her black hair shaking as she talks. After hearing the shocking information me and my friend Scout laugh like crazy my navy blue Levi skinny’s making me trip into my locker, but we keep laughing. In my mind I think that we both probably look like the joker or something.
“What’s so funny huh?”
It’s just that well I used to like you a week ago.” I say while we all slowly walk downstairs toward the busses
“What, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well you never told me,” I say trying to be serious but I still have a smirk on my face from laughing so hard.
“Well you should have asked me first you idiot” She says harshly but her brown eyes show a kindness and reveal the fact that she never stopped liking me. In anger and surprise the thirteen year old Cuban girl stomps off her black hair swaying on the back of her sunshine colored dress. Even though she is probably crazy mad at me she’ll forget about it and begin liking me again by tomorrow. I wave goodbye to her once she reaches the bus and receive a middle finger in return. “I’ll miss you too Zoe” I reply which sets me and scout up for another laugh.
As I reach the yellow and black bus that I have to ride almost every day of school Scout asks for the hundredth time,
“Dude wanna hang out today?”
“Aint gonna happen bro you know that my parents are super strict about my safety, I probably won’t be able to hang out until next year”
“Crap, well see you later dude”
“Peace out”
As I walk onto the bus I decide to sit with my friends Leah, Brianna and their group of girls, instead of with my good friend Nikolaj and this new eighth grader named Tina. As I sit down I take off my blue and black hoodie to reveal my black Ed Hardy T-Shirt.
“Out my seat Calvin,” Zoe replies before I can even say what’s up
“Umm I need to sit hear I want Brianna across from me cause we need to talk”
“Whatever,” She replies, I’m kind of shocked I mean usually she would have tried to throw me out the seat or at least yell at me until the bus driver finally tells her to shut up. She takes the seat behind me and begins to talk to Olivia, a white girl that is really nice and kind of thinks off herself as the mom of the bus. When Brianna finally shows up I say robotically “You sit here across from me now.” Instantly she sits down straightening her tight sky blue shirt and yellow skinny jeans her tan skin is veiled by her brown hair.
“What’s up Calvin?”
“Nuthin much, just need to talk to you about well girls”
“You came to the right place, what advice do you need” Brianna replies trying to impersonate Dr.Phil.
“Well theirs this girl that I like and she said that she liked me and acts like she still does, but I’m not sure if she really does like me.” I say in a nice but also nervous tone. “I mean what’s wrong with me I like a girl and she likes me but I don’t want to take a risk and get let down.”
“Well just have someone who she wouldn’t expect ask her for you if she likes you.”
“Oh well then, I never really thought of that. Thanks Bri I guess” I reply nervously because even though Brianna has liked and dated lots of boys she has also been rejected lots of times.
As we reach my bus stop I stand up and give hugs to Tina, Brianna and Olivia which I do everyday and kind of have to if I don’t want to have every girl on the bus start trying to kill me.
As I walk to my house located on Marquette and Ingleside in the south side of Chicago, I think about how many great things I’ve missed out on because I can’t stay after school. How may times my friends have tried to invite me to a party or to go to the water tower but I was unable to because my parents won’t let me stay downtown without an adult that they know and trust. I shrug my shoulders as I approach giant brick house that is meant to be an apartment in the basement and a five family house in the top, but it now holds a five number family including our dog, I know that life’s gonna change tomorrow.
She fiddle with her keys, nervously attempting to open the door for us to enter her quarters and cap off our evening. I had her wrapped in my charm like a baby in a blanket. I deceived her with every word that I uttered since we first met. I cradled her and rocked her better judgment to sleep. She was in a reverie of my bewildering charm. My excitement overwhelmed my soul. My soul, upon entering the apartment, turned dark crimson. She looked back at me as she cracked open the door as if to say come in without a word. Her undergarments were calling to me even though their lips were shut and sealed. I answered back to her silent invitation by entering the corridor. I slid off my shoes on the rosy mat filled with her high heels. She finally spoke out, her voice nervous, “This way.” I followed her down the endless hallway holding to her fingertips to guide my way. She had no idea what I had in store for her.
“Sit over there?” she suggested to me.
I sat.
“Wine?”
I nodded arrogantly.
She walked to the kitchen so innocently. No swishing of her petite hips. No arch in her slender back. All it was, was a walk. But the innocence in her walk further revealed to me the innocence in her mind and her spirit. Oh yes, this would be easy. Her kitchen was immense. Cherry cupboards, marble counter tops, a stainless steel double sink to complement the refrigerator. She has it all, now I just have to take her from it. She returned to the cream couch and accompanied me. She sat fourteen inches away and handed me the crystal wine glass filled half way with white 1909 wine. I started the conversation, breaking the awkward silence she had created.
“You have a nice home,” I complimented her with a devilish grin. We talked for about an hour. I made her laugh until her stomach was in knots and she was forced to cry. She was having a magnificent time and I could tell that she had it set in her mind that this would be her best date ever. I was the only one in the room knowing the end to this illusory evening. She asked me if was I hungry.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Do you like red velvet cake?”
“My favorite,” I said with a smirk.
As soon as she turned her naïve hips and eyes away I struck her in the back her head with my wine glass. She fell to the floor in a rush. She had a scarlet gash right above her temple. I reached down and flipped her over and smacked and punched her with all my built up rage from this naïve engagement. She started to bleed from her lip and nose. She floated in and out of consciousness, while her eyes were steadily getting weary. I held her up and turned her away from my face. I held her arms to her side and took her to the bedroom as she struggled to resist me. As we entered the room, I kissed her tenderly on her neck. I threw her to the bed; my body soon followed. I looked at her with so much wrath and hate for what she was. “Don’t make a sound.” Her eyes were stunned because of the fear I struck in her. I ripped off her white blouse and pulled off her mid-length blue skirt. Her body was beautiful and awe-inspiring to view. I stared at her and basked in her glory. I undid her creamy bra and slid down her panty hose. I couldn’t wait to suck on her soft and warm breast.
She started to moan. I clouted her. She shrieked in pain. I crossed the thresholded and enjoyed her screams from my violation of her. She stared to weep and her tears matched the tears of my face. I wept from the sight of her anguish. These painless tears I suffered in my endeavor to diminish, her I enjoyed.
BA 12
Planet Chicago (Rough Draft)
“Hey kid, you serious with this?” A tall Italian man about 6’3 with a dark blue suit and a red tie on grumbled to the boy sitting outside a Gallery37 building on Randolph and Wabash in a chair with a canvas in front of him. “This aint New York ya know.”
“Yeah, I’m serious,” replied Andrew. "You interested?”
“Try to keep it under fifteen minutes kid, I got places to be.”
“Sure just sit down, portrait or caricature?”
“Eh? Both, let’s see what you got.”
“Sure.”
The man sat down on the stool in front of the canvas and Andrew flipped open his 11x14 bienfang sketch notebook. Andrew glanced up at the man once, then twice, three minutes passed and Andrew flipped to the next page in the book.
“H-hey! What are you doing kid, I’m not going to pay you for half-assed garbage!” the Italian man complained.
“Yeah, I know.”
Andrew put on his headphones and began to listen to Kid Cudi.He glanced up once at the man and never looked at him again. Three minutes passed. Andrew flipped back to the first page and ripped both out of the notebook.
“Here,” Andrew said as he handed the papers to the man.
The man stood up and snatched the papers disappointedly and looked down at them. His jaw dropped in awe.
“T-this is incredible,” he stammered, “How did you do this, and so quickly?”
Andrew stared up with apathetic eyes having experienced this same scene at least six times today.
“Ten dollars for the portrait, five for the caricature. that’ll be fifteen dollars sir.”
“Fifteen dollars for skill of this level and in mere minutes? You’re crazy!” the man exclaimed.
Andrew’s eyes flickered with confusion for just a moment then narrowed dangerously.
“Pay the amount asked…” “I'll not pay fifteen dollars for this work,” The man scoffed.
Andrew stood up to his full 5’11 height and removed his skull candy headphones from atop his head.
“Ill pay you fifty - thirty for the portrait and twenty for the caricature.”
Andrew looked the man square in the eyes.
“Why?” he asked skeptically.
“Because, you shouldn’t be out here selling such refined services for such a small penance, if it interests you I own a hotel that serves as a tourist attraction here in Chicago.”
The man reached into his suit jacket's inner pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and scribbled some information on it.
“That’s the address and directions from this spot and actually it seems like you should be in gallery37 instead of outside of it, maybe I can help with that. In the mean time…”
The man reached into his pants pocket and pulled out two twenties and a ten-dollar bill and handed it to Andrew. “Thank you for your services.”
Andrew took the money and stuffed it in his torn jean pocket lost in thought about the events that occurred.
“No problem,” he whispered and the man walked off into the camouflaged landscape of downtown Chicago. Andrew looked at the sheet of paper with the information on it, folded it and stuffed that into the pocket of his torn jeans as well.
“Another day, another dollar,” he said to himself as he gathered his things and headed home to his dingy one room apartment.
BA 1
I Hate You
I am D’mari, and I hate school! I hate them phony kids! I hate them fake teachers always trying too hate on my swagga and I hate that the food they be trying to feed us in the cafeteria. Today our English teacher gave us this bogus poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. It was called We Real Cool. it was like this:
We real cool. We
Left school.
We lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
I just thought to myself who does she really think she is, telling us we gone die if we do this. I wanted to call her a white supremacists right there but I promised my moms I would stay out of trouble since she just got a third job. She's been stressed lately.
BA 3
If for Just One Night
Chapter 1- ?Serenity?
“Okay. Please stop! Oh my gosh it's getting late look at the time. I really think you need to leave,” Amiya says. “Girl, stop playing with me. You know you want it just as bad as I do,” Exzante replies. “Yeah, you know I do. But baby, I told you I'm not ready to take it there yet,” Amiya exclaims. “A'ight, boo, I understand. Dang. Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much. I guess I love me some white girl,” he lovingly replies while kissing Amiya. She then puts an end to this madness by saying , “Exzante Cook, you need to go! I already told you. And my mom gets off at 11:00 p.m. It's nearly 12:00. Bye babes.” “Bye sweetie cake. Really I need you to be ready for this like tomorrow. A'ight?” Exzante dryly responds. She just kisses him goodnight, and he is on his way.
A straight A+ student, and charming person, Exzante has come to face a huge dilemma. He is a 17 year old African American boy, looking for love in the right places. All while making the wrong decisions. He is madly in love with Amiya Brook. She is beautiful, very intelligent, very optimistic, caring, and a great cheerleader captain. Although all his friends tease him because she is “white” he loves her still. Amiya is white, 5.7 in height, kind of thick, (plenty of meat on her bones) and is fine as heck. Exzante Cook; 6.1 in height, star football and wrestling player, 10th in class ranking, He is very popular, and a very outspoken person. This is where his issues arise. He is in love, with another girl; Mc’kayla Monroe also known as M.
It was a late summer day, when they first met. It was at football camp, Exzante was very parched. So he walked over to the drink stand to get some water. All the girls went wild, pushing and shoving, all trying to get to the water first, to be able to give him his water. It was crazy, like wild animals over a fresh piece of raw meat. While all this was going on, it was one girl who would not be taken so easily. Her name was Amiya Brook. She had a nice body, full round lips, and a behind that was out of this world. Instantly he thought to him self (she is defiantly going to be the one.)
BA14
“Aaaaa, stop, get off him, it don’t take all of y’all,” a young lady’s voice echoed down the street as she yelled to try to get some guys off him. This wasn’t anything new for me, her either if she’s from around here I thought as I continued about my business.
“Dis shit don’t make no sense," she proceeded. I bet he would whoop all y’all ass one on one.” When she made that statement I knew she was a native to this more than corrupt hood we dwell within.
“Dis nigga shouldn’t talk like he tough den,” one of the about fifteen boys said as his foot landed on the slim boy's head, neck or shoulder area again.
“Dat’s what dis is about - talking, people can't talk these days?”
“Nah, now keep it moving broad 'fore talking get you hurt.” Just then I paused to see what would happen next.
“Yeah a'ight dis ain’t what you want lil, boy but imma gone head and walk off. You a'ight?” she asked helping the boy up from the ground.
“Yeah, you decent,” she said. His face was not badly bruised at all from where I was standing taking that so many guys were on him. The both of them started to walk in my direction and I slowed down gently so they wouldn’t notice. I wanted to hear what they might talk about, but they didn’t say anything. The female just walked alongside of the young man holding her arm around him. They continued walking in the same direction as I did but they were still silent. I came to the bus stop and so did they. I got on the bus still wanting to hear the boy’s reasoning for those young thugs jumping him. I waited to see if the lady would ask him any questions; For a while, she didn’t. Although the bus was crowded and kind of loud it seemed to be silent even if just for the time of me waiting for conversation between the two. Finally, she got up the confidence which I couldn’t build up fast enough.
“So why were they jumping you young man? Why they pick you?” She double questioned the boy.
“It ain’t nothing,” he answered reluctantly.
“You can tell me, I want to help.”
“Dey just hating man it ain’t nothing.”
“So you the guy those dudes were jumping on?" I suddenly asked rhetorically.
“Yeah dat was me, dey ain’t do shit though I’m a'ight.
“Yeah you good, you wouldn’t be able to say you got jumped looking at your face.” I said trying to give him back some of the pride that was taken from him by answering questions he didn’t want to, but it was true as he had one truly visible scar across his jaw and a small cut in the corner of his lip. Otherwise he looked perfectly fine which made me laugh on the inside.
“You good though, don’t worry about it now. Dey look silly cause you barley look bruised and it was all of them on you.”
“What dey hating for?” The lady turned to him and asked when I finished talking.”
The boy hesitated to respond as the bus approached my stop. I wanted hear his answer badly just to see if it was the reason I somehow knew, but I exited the bus. I thought to myself that I’ll see him again.
“Watch yourself,” I yelled back onto the bus.
BA 8
LoveSick
Officer Rodger Fredrickson
Chicago Police Department 11th District
June 25, 2010 3:11am
Silence ran rampant over West Harrison Street. Black bags floated along the curb, as vagrants loitered without a purpose. The daunting red bricked building stood as a constant reminder of order. Police cars filled the parking lot, for a Friday morning, it was usual, but the eerie feeling of something terribly eminent cast over the town.
“Oi! Fredrickson, we’ve got a big case here!” exclaimed McLaughlan, his heavy Irish brogue and 6’ 5” figure, and spiky, burgundy color hair was intimidating nonetheless, almost perfect for his job. The pearl white offline lined with desks and file cabinets looked boring. Only 5 people sat at the desks, and all were officers.
“Fax it over McLaughlan,”
The fax machine hummed and buzzed until several pieces of paper filled the tray.
BA 9
Chapter 1: De' Andre Lopez (D.S.R)
Ding! Ding! Ding! Dismiss. Sometimes I wish if I left my phone on vibrate I would still wake up but in a peaceful way. The sun found a way into my bedroom and right into my eyes. I groaned as I realized I was no longer in my dazed state of mind that most human beings would call 'sleep'. I call it D.A.Z.E: Dizzy Absentminded Zoo-like Events. That's what I call it at least.
"Hey dude you got to get up if you want to put this work in real quick."
"Hold on, give me a second Haze."
I sat up on the side of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I reached up to my head and scratched my D.U.R.I.N.G: Dumb Unusual Riled-up Insufficient Nappy God-given hair. I looked at my night stand to check the time on my charging iPhone. It was 4:23 a.m.
"Haze, are you kidding me bruh? You woke me up at 4 a.m. to put in work that could be done way easier after school?"
"Chill man, I been up since 1 making you this dope beat. You got to put in the hard work as an artist the way I put in the hard work as a producer. You feel me?"
"Work smarter, not harder." I leaned back on my bed getting ready to go back into my D.A.Z.E. I was closing my eyes. Closing. Closing.
"Do what you have to do now so you can do what you want to do later."
Awake. I sat up again in my bed and looked at Haze. He was smirking. Since I was clearly defeated I slowly climbed out my bed and onto the floor where I immediately slipped into my slippers. Haze walked out of my doorway as I followed behind him. Down into our basement. We call it the lab. I call it work. He calls it his personal heaven. He lays down the canvas. I paint him a picture. It's the special and spiritual bond between producer and rapper.
BA 11
Sitting on his dirty yellow sofa with orange daisies David takes another long drag from his cigarette. Flipping through the channels he sees an infomercial for a wallet made out of sandpaper and how it is supposed to deter criminals from pick pocketing you.
“If I saw some dude with a sandpaper wallet I would picket pocket him just for being stupid for thinking they actually work.” With a final grunt he began his journey for an interesting TV show on his six channels two of which were in Spanish. Sitting on the top of the kitchen counter top his cat watches him mummer angrily like it has for the last two days. This is because the cat is dead but David is to lazy to notice the now rotting corpse laying on his kitchen counter top. He could hear the volume of his next door neighbors TV through the thin drywall that separated his living from Gertrude’s living room a foot away. The whole in his wall from coming home drunk one night and drop kicking a fly on the wall did not help him to ignore the weather forecast Gertrude was listening to either. Finally ending his TV journey via remote Dave decides to watch Cheaters. He sees a woman coming at her husband from behind with a tight open hand. Dave begins to eat his bowl of Cheerio’s he prepared half an hour ago. “OOOHH!” he screams as he watches a woman slap her unsuspecting husband in the back of the head. He watches closely while he wipes the droplet of milk off his bottom lip. “She slapped that goofy smile right off his face!” he chuckles. “At least when my wife found out I was cheating I was ready.” With a few more quiet laughs Dave takes another gulp of his soggy Cheerios. Half an hour later the show finishes and Dave stares at the large load of wrinkled dirty laundry sleeping in the corner of his small apartment. Dave slowly gets up places his half empty bowl next to his cat and grabs a big bag of quarters from the top of his refrigerator. He grabs an empty laundry basket shoves his load of heavy clothes in and walks out of his apartment. Across the street he sees a brightly lit business with a big bold red sign that says Cleaners. Placing his basket on an open table he sees a woman ten years younger than him in her thirties folding her undergarments. Licking his lips he picks up his basket flips it upside down and throws the basket to the floor. It fails to catch her attention. He throws his clothes into a washing machine remembering he still had his wedding ring on. With a few twists and turns it slips right off. As he shoves his quarters in to the machine he sees her drop a black pair of underwear on the ground. With out any noise he goes over kneels down and picks them up with one finger. “These wouldn’t happen to belong to you?” Dave says twirling them on one finger. “Ummm yes they are.” says the large heavy set woman with an afro with a scared look on her face.
BA 13
Triple Threat
Chapter One
“
“Ya know I used to like you like you last week” her black hair shaking as she talks. After hearing the shocking information me and my friend Scout laugh like crazy my navy blue Levi skinny’s making me trip into my locker, but we keep laughing. In my mind I think that we both probably look like the joker or something.
“What’s so funny huh?”
It’s just that well I used to like you a week ago.” I say while we all slowly walk downstairs toward the busses
“What, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well you never told me,” I say trying to be serious but I still have a smirk on my face from laughing so hard.
“Well you should have asked me first you idiot” She says harshly but her brown eyes show a kindness and reveal the fact that she never stopped liking me. In anger and surprise the thirteen year old Cuban girl stomps off her black hair swaying on the back of her sunshine colored dress. Even though she is probably crazy mad at me she’ll forget about it and begin liking me again by tomorrow. I wave goodbye to her once she reaches the bus and receive a middle finger in return. “I’ll miss you too Zoe” I reply which sets me and scout up for another laugh.
As I reach the yellow and black bus that I have to ride almost every day of school Scout asks for the hundredth time,
“Dude wanna hang out today?”
“Aint gonna happen bro you know that my parents are super strict about my safety, I probably won’t be able to hang out until next year”
“Crap, well see you later dude”
“Peace out”
As I walk onto the bus I decide to sit with my friends Leah, Brianna and their group of girls, instead of with my good friend Nikolaj and this new eighth grader named Tina. As I sit down I take off my blue and black hoodie to reveal my black Ed Hardy T-Shirt.
“Out my seat Calvin,” Zoe replies before I can even say what’s up
“Umm I need to sit hear I want Brianna across from me cause we need to talk”
“Whatever,” She replies, I’m kind of shocked I mean usually she would have tried to throw me out the seat or at least yell at me until the bus driver finally tells her to shut up. She takes the seat behind me and begins to talk to Olivia, a white girl that is really nice and kind of thinks off herself as the mom of the bus. When Brianna finally shows up I say robotically “You sit here across from me now.” Instantly she sits down straightening her tight sky blue shirt and yellow skinny jeans her tan skin is veiled by her brown hair.
“What’s up Calvin?”
“Nuthin much, just need to talk to you about well girls”
“You came to the right place, what advice do you need” Brianna replies trying to impersonate Dr.Phil.
“Well theirs this girl that I like and she said that she liked me and acts like she still does, but I’m not sure if she really does like me.” I say in a nice but also nervous tone. “I mean what’s wrong with me I like a girl and she likes me but I don’t want to take a risk and get let down.”
“Well just have someone who she wouldn’t expect ask her for you if she likes you.”
“Oh well then, I never really thought of that. Thanks Bri I guess” I reply nervously because even though Brianna has liked and dated lots of boys she has also been rejected lots of times.
As we reach my bus stop I stand up and give hugs to Tina, Brianna and Olivia which I do everyday and kind of have to if I don’t want to have every girl on the bus start trying to kill me.
As I walk to my house located on Marquette and Ingleside in the south side of Chicago, I think about how many great things I’ve missed out on because I can’t stay after school. How may times my friends have tried to invite me to a party or to go to the water tower but I was unable to because my parents won’t let me stay downtown without an adult that they know and trust. I shrug my shoulders as I approach giant brick house that is meant to be an apartment in the basement and a five family house in the top, but it now holds a five number family including our dog, I know that life’s gonna change tomorrow.
Black Power: Violent Beginnings
ReplyDeleteThe afternoon day echoed with the loud footsteps of shoes pounding against the pavement. Jordan and Avery rushed through the neighborhood that their school was in. Drenched in sweat, the two turned a corner and ran into a 7-Eleven. A Mexican man stood at a register, smoking. “Can we hide in here, Pedro?” Jordan asked. The man nodded his head in response and the two dove behind a rack covered with out of date chips and pop tarts. Just then, six boys in a huddle busted in the store. One stepped out of the huddle. He was wearing a black leather jacket with navy blue jeans, white Nikes, and a black Yankees hat. The boy took his hat off revealing his face. He was African-American with blue contacts. He looked completely normal except for a long scar that ran down the left side of his face. His voice was deep and frightening. “Those punks come up in here, Pedro?” The boy demanded. Pedro smirked. “Just me an’ my boy,” he responded. Pedro groaned and held up a double barreled shotgun, the handle custom with pictures of ladies in bikinis. The boy chuckled darkly, motioned his hand, and he and his crew walked out going the way they came from. When they were gone, Jordan and Avery crawled out of their hiding place and leaned against the register Pedro was that. “Thanks, Pedro,” the boys said in unison. Before Pedro could respond, they ran out of the store.
On their way home, Avery shouldered his book bag and glared at Jordan. “What?” Jordan exclaimed. “You know what!” Avery said jabbing his finger into his brother’s chest. “We almost got jumped!” Jordan laughed. “Not with me around,” he said. Avery grew angrier. “You think you’re so tough, you think you can handle everybody, don’t you?” “Just because you’re so muscular?” It was true, Jordan was muscular. He wore a tight blue t-shirt to show it two. Also, Jordan wore light blue jeans with blue and white Adidas. On the other hand, Avery wasn’t as muscular as his brother. He had rimless glasses. He hand on a green hoody unzipped revealing a white t-shirt with a gun on it. The gun was in the middle of a red circle with a line going straight through it. Avery’s black Levi’s were covered in dirt and so were his white And1s. Jordan laughed again. “Jamal isn’t that tough.”
“But he has a gun.”
“So?”
“He can shoot you.”
“Man that thing ain’t loaded,” Jordan snorted. “He’s a church boy, sweati’n in his $9.99 suit act’ in a fool, “praisi’n the lord” on Sundays.”
“What’s your point?” Avery asked. You still shouldn’t have done what you did.”
Jordan was going to say something but Avery cut him off. “We have to get in the house,” Avery said grimly. So the two brothers jogged up to the big house which was their home.
Triple Threat
ReplyDeleteChapter One
“Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg”
“Ya know I used to like you like you last week” She replies her black hair up in a ponytail. After hearing the shocking information me and my friend Scout laugh like crazy, I even fall into my locker but we keep laughing. In my mind I think that we both probably look like the joker or something.
“What’s so funny huh?”
It’s just that well I used to like you a week ago.” I say while we all slowly walk downstairs toward the busses
“What, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well you never told me,” I say trying to be serious but I still have a smirk on my face from laughing so hard.
“Well you should have asked me first you idiot” She says in harshly but her brown eyes show a kindness and reveal the fact that she never stopped liking me. In anger and surprise the thirteen year old Cuban girl stomps off. Even though she is probably crazy mad at me she’ll forget about it and begin liking me again by tomorrow. I wave goodbye to her once she reaches the bus and receive a middle finger in return. “I’ll miss you too” I reply which sets me and scout up for another laugh.
As I reach the yellow and black bus that I have to ride almost every day of school Scout asks for the hundredth time,
“Dude wanna hang out today?”
“Aint gonna happen bro you know that my parents are super strict about my safety, I probably won’t be able to hang out until next year”
“Crap, well see you later dude”
“Peace out”
As I walk onto the bus I decide to sit with my friends Zoe, Brianna and their group of girls, instead of with my good friend Nikolaj and this new eighth grader named Tina.
“Out my seat Calvin,” Zoe replies before I can even say what’s up
“Umm I need to sit hear I want Brianna across from me cause we need to talk”
“Whatever,” She replies, I’m kind of shocked I mean usually she would have tried to throw me out the seat or at least yell at me until the bus driver finally tells her to shut up. She takes the seat behind me and begins to talk to Olivia, a white girl that is really nice and kind of thinks off herself as the mom of the bus. When Brianna finally shows up I say robotically “You sit here across from me now.” Instantly she sits down
“What’s up Calvin?”
“Nuthin much, just need to talk to you about well girls”
“You came to the right place, what advice do you need” Brianna replies trying to impersonate Dr.Phil.
“Well theirs this girl that I like and she said that she liked me and acts like she still does, but I’m not sure if she really does like me.”
“Well just have someone who she wouldn’t expect ask her for you if she likes you”
“Oh well then, I never really thought of that. Thanks Bri I guess” I reply nervously because even though Brianna has liked and dated lots of boys she has also been rejected lots of times.
As we reach my bus stop I stand up and give hugs to Tina, Brianna and Olivia which I do everyday and kind of have to if I don’t want to have every girl on the bus start trying to kill me.
As I walk to my house located on Marquette and Ingleside in the south side of Chicago, I think about how many great things I’ve missed out on because I can’t stay after school. How may times my friends have tried to invite me to a party or to go to the water tower but I was unable to because my parents won’t let me stay downtown without an adult that they know and trust. I shrug my shoulders “I need to be focused” I say to my self. I have three of the most important things this year happening to me all in one week and I’m not near ready.
My Tears Weapon
ReplyDeleteShe fiddle with her keys, nervously attempting to open the door for us to enter her quarters and cap off our evening. I had her wrapped in my charm like a baby in a blanket. I deceived her with every word that I uttered since we first met. I cradled her and rocked her better judgment to sleep. She was in a reverie of my bewildering charm. My excitement overwhelmed my soul. My soul upon entering the apartment turned dark crimson. She looked back at me as she cracked open the door, as if to say come in without a word. Her undergarments were calling to me even though there lips were shut and sealed. I answered back to her silent invitation by entering the corridor. I slid off my shoes on the rosy mat filled with her high heals. She finally spoke out of her nervous voice, “This way.” I followed her down the endless hall way holding to her fingertips to guide my way. She had no idea what I had in store for her.
“Sit over there?” she suggested to me.
I sat.
“Wine?”
I nodded arrogantly.
She walked to the kitchen so innocently. No swishing of her petite hips. No arch in her slender back. All it was, was a walk. But the innocence in her walk further revealed to me the innocence in her mind and her spirit. Oh yes this would be easy. Her kitchen was immense. Cherry cupboards, marble counter tops, a stainless steel double sink to complement the refrigerator. She has it all, now I just have to take her from it. She returned to the cream couch and accompanied me. She sat fourteen inches away from and handed me the crystal wine glass filled half way with white 1909 wine. I started the conversation, breaking the awkward silence that she had created.
“You have a nice home,” I complemented her with a devilish grin. We talked for about a hour. I made her laugh until her stomach was in knots, and she was forced to cry. She was having a magnificent time and I could tell that she had it set in her mind that this would be her best date ever, but I was the only one in the room knowing the end to this illusory evening. She asked me was I hungry.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Do you like red velvet cake?”
“My favorite,” I said with a smirk. As soon as she turned her naïve hips and eyes away I struck her in the back her head with my wine glass. She fell to the floor in a rush. She had a scarlet gash right above her temple. I reached down and flipped her over and smacked and punched her with all my built up rage from this naïve engagement. She started to bleed from her lip and nose. She floated in and out of consciousness, while her eyes were steadily getting weary. I held her up and turned her away from my face. I held her arms to her side and took her to her bedroom as she struggled to resist me. As we entered the room I kissed her tenderly on her neck. I threw her and my body soon followed to the bed. I looked at her with so much wrath and hate for what she was. “Don’t make a sound.” Her eyes were stunned because of the fear I struck her with. I ripped of her white blouse and pulled off her mid length blue skirt. Her body was beautiful and awe-inspiring to view. I stared at her and basked in her glory. I undid her creamy bra and slid down her panty hose. I couldn’t wait to suck on her on her soft and warm breast.
She started to moan. I clouted her. She shrieked in pain. I crossed the thresholded and enjoyed her screams from my violation of her. She stared to weep and her tears matched the tears of my face. I wept from the sight of her anguish. These painless tears I suffered in my endeavor to diminish, her I enjoyed.
Planet Chicago (Rough Draft)
ReplyDelete“Hey kid, you serious with this?” A tall Italian man about 6’3 with a dark blue suit and a red tie on grumbled to the boy sitting outside a Gallery37 building on Randolph and Wabash in a chair with a canvas in front of him. “This aint New York ya know.”
“Yeah I’m serious,” replied Andrew, “ you interested?”
“Try to keep it under 15 minutes kid, I got places to be.”
“Sure just sit down, portrait or caricature?”
“Eh? Both, let’s see what you got.”
“Sure.”
The man sat down on the stool in front of the canvas and Andrew flipped open his 11x14 bienfang sketch notebook. Andrew glanced up at the man once, then twice, three minutes pasted and Andrew flipped to the next page in the book.
“H-hey! What are you doing kid, I’m not going to pay you for half-assed garbage!” the Italian man complained.
“Yeah, I know.”
Andrew put on his headphones and began to listen to Kid Cudi.
Andrew glanced up once at the man and never looked at him again, three minutes passed then Andrew flipped back to the first page and ripped both out of the notebook.
“Here.” Andrew said as he handed the papers to the man.
The man stood up and snatched the papers disappointedly and looked down at them. His jaw dropped in awe.
“T-this is incredible,” he stammered, “How did you do this and so quickly?”
Andrew stared up with apathetic eyes having experienced this same scene at least 6 times today.
“Ten dollars for the portrait, five for the caricature that’ll be 15 dollars sir.”
“15 dollars for skill of this level and in mere minutes? You’re crazy!” the man exclaimed.
Andrew’s eyes flickered with confusion for just a moment then narrowed dangerously.
“Pay the amount asked…”
“Ill not pay 15 dollars for this work.” The man scoffed.
Andrew stood up to his full 5’11 height and removed his skull candy headphones from atop his head.
“Ill pay you 50, thirty for the portrait and 20 for the caricature.” The man exclaimed happily.
Andrew looked the man square in the eyes.
“Why?” he asked skeptically.
“Because, you shouldn’t be out here selling such refined services for such a small penance, if it interests you I own a hotel that serves as a tourist attraction here in Chicago.”
The man reached into his suit jackets inner pocked and pulled out a folded piece of paper and scribbled some information on it.
“That’s the address and directions from this spot and actually it seems like you should be in gallery37 instead of outside of it, maybe I can help with that. In the mean time…”
The man reached into his pants pocket and pulled out two twenties and a ten-dollar bill and handed it to Andrew. “Thank you for your services.”
Andrew took the money and stuffed it in his torn jean pocket, lost in thought about the events that occurred.
“No problem.” He whispered and the man walked off into the camouflaged landscape of downtown Chicago. Andrew looked at the sheet of paper with the information on it, folded it and stuffed that into the pocket of his torn jeans as well.
“Another day, another dollar.” He said to himself as he gathered his things and headed home to his dingy one room apartment.
I Hate You
ReplyDeleteI am D’mari, and I hate school! I hate them phony kids! I hate them fake ass teachers that always trying too hate on my swagga and I hate that piece of shit they be trying to feed us in the cafeteria. Today our English Teacher gave us this bogus poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. It was called We Real Cool it was like this:
We real cool. We
Left school.
We lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
I just thought to myself who does she really think she is, telling us we gone die if we do this. I wanted to call her a white supremacists right there but I promised my moms I would stay out of trouble since she just got a third job, so I know she kind of stressed.
The Lot
ReplyDeleteLooking out the window of apartment Steven stares at the empty lot across the street. It used to be a comic book store. Then it was a hardware store, then a gun store, then a flower store. Now it is just an open space with gravel, and dotted with overgrown weeds. On the side of the building next to the empty lot someone had completely covered the wall graffiti. It was hard to make out what it said but I finally figured out it said Adapt. If I was younger and wasn’t drained of so much life I would have made it my business to get it removed. Now I was at a stage in my life where I am more concerned about keeping my heart pumping, keeping my eyesight somewhat clear and not allowing my arthritis to control me. The things that I care about are my kids and hoping to reconnect with my daughter who hasn’t returned my phone calls in a few years. Looking away from the window the calendar on my refrigerator catches my eye. I call my daughter Lorraine to remind her Sean’s birthday is in a week. As usual she does not answer the phone and I leave a message until the answering machine hangs up on me. Looking back at the empty lot I begin to think about my life and I begin to cry...
Sitting in my living room watching Saturday morning cartoons my dad sits next to me. When he sits down I feel the cushion sink under the extra weight. I can hear him gulp down his bowl of Cheerio. I can hear the spoon clank against the bottom of the bowl every time he scoops another mouthful of cereal into his mouth.
“Any plans for the day?” my father asks me while wiping away the extra milk off of his bottom lip while breathing through his stuffy nose.
“Nope” I reply trying to sound more interested in the TV show than his words.
“They open up a new comic book store over there on the corner of Blackwell and Lawrence.” Says my father with a mouthful of Cheerios.
“I could tell my father was just trying to get over the fight we had the night before about coming home after curfew and how all the other kids my age could stay out longer than I could. I decided to play along and talked to him about how cool it is to have a comic book store so close to home. Later that day I got dressed and went over to my friend Doug’s house. He was sitting at home watching TV when I asked him if he wanted to go to the comic bookstore. We bought in comic book and on the way home we noticed an ambulance outside of the house. With a ring of my neighbors standing around the ambulance. Through a small space between two people’s shoulders I saw my father being taken away. “I heard it was lung cancer” said one of neighbors to the other. “Poor guy” said someone else.
Mystery of Watson Street
ReplyDelete“Man this block is so boring ever since we move.”
“It will be okay sweetie give it time” mother said.
As my mother left the room I wonder in my room to figure out what I was going to do the rest my life in this god forsaking room. I tried playing one of my videogames, but I forgot I beat them all. So I went out side and shot some hoop and I enjoyed until the ball bounce off the rim into the neighbors backyard so zoom over there to make sure nothing happen to it. Then when I got over there it was this most beautiful girl and she said,
“Is this your ball?” she said.
“Yes it is” I said.
“Hay! Do you just move next door?”
“Yes, I did” in a response I said.
“So what’s your name?’
“It’s Tracy”
“Well Tracy my name is Cassy.”
“Sounds very close don’t you think”, I said.
“Yeah…..So what are doing in this sunny after noon”
“Shooting some hoop.”
“You”
“Nothing now can I join with you”
“Sure come on over”
When we walk over there we saw this very strange man riding on his bike squeaking as he rode down the block like Debo off of Friday.
“Isn’t that strange” I said
“On this street its normal, he rides around this block all the time. No one knows his story he is kind of creepy. One time I ran into him and he told me this block is curse, and I am like what get away from me and ran back home.”
“Wow” I said in a shocking surprise that was interesting.
We began to shoot some hoops with each other having fun and a wonderful time I was playing with this gorgeous girl. She can shoot some hoop, but her form could be better and she made long distance shots like I did.
It was starting to get late and she had to get back to the house before dark.
“Well I had a great time Tracy I can’t wait to see you tomorrow” Cassy said.
She gave me a little kiss on her cheek and said “good night”
If for Just One Night
ReplyDeleteChapter 1- ?Serenity?
“Okay. Please stop! Oh my gosh it's getting late look at the time. I really think you need to leave.” Amiya says. “Girl, stop playing with me. You know you want it as bad as I do.” Exzante replies. “Yeah, you know I do. But baby, I told you I'm not ready to take it there yet.” Amiya exclaims. “Iight, boo. I understand. Dang. Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much. Ahah I guess I love me some white girl.” Exzante lovingly replies while kissing Amiya. She then puts an end to this madness by saying “Exzante Cook, you need to go! I already told you. And my mom gets off at 11:00 p.m. it's nearly 12:00. Bye babes.” “Bye sweetie cake. Really I need you to be ready for this like tomorrow. Iight?” Exzante dryly responds. She just kisses him goodnight, and he is on his way.
A straight A+ student, and charming person, Exzante has come to face a huge dilemma. He is a 17 year old African American boy, looking for love in the right places. All while making the wrong decisions. He is madly in love with Amiya Brook. She is beautiful, very intelligent, very optimistic, caring, and a great cheerleader captain. Although all his friends tease him because she is “white” he loves her still. Amiya is white, 5.7 in height, kind of thick, (plenty of meat on her bones) and is fine as heck. Exzante Cook; 6.1 in height, star football and wrestling player, 10th in class ranking, He is very popular, and a very outspoken person. This is where his issues arise. He is in love, with another girl; Mc’kayla Monroe also known as M.
It was a late summer day, when they first met. It was at football camp, Exzante was very parched. So he walked over to the drink stand to get some water. All the girls went wild, pushing and shoving, all trying to get to the water first, to be able to give him his water. It was crazy, like wild animals over a fresh piece of raw meat. While all this was going on, it was one girl who would not be taken so easily. Her name was Amiya Brook. She had a nice body, full round lips, and a behind that was out of this world. Instantly he thought to him self (she is defiantly going to be the one.
If for Just One Night
ReplyDeleteChapter 1- ?Serenity?
“Okay. Please stop! Oh my gosh it's getting late look at the time. I really think you need to leave.” Amiya says. “Girl, stop playing with me. You know you want it just as bad as I do.” Exzante replies. “Yeah, you know I do. But baby, I told you I'm not ready to take it there yet.” Amiya exclaims. “Iight, boo. I understand. Dang. Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much. Ahah I guess I love me some white girl.” Exzante lovingly replies while kissing Amiya. She then puts an end to this madness by saying “Exzante Cook, you need to go! I already told you. And my mom gets off at 11:00 p.m. it's nearly 12:00. Bye babes.” “Bye sweetie cake. Really I need you to be ready for this like tomorrow. Iight?” Exzante dryly responds. She just kisses him goodnight, and he is on his way.
A straight A+ student, and charming person, Exzante has come to face a huge dilemma. He is a 17 year old African American boy, looking for love in the right places. All while making the wrong decisions. He is madly in love with Amiya Brook. She is beautiful, very intelligent, very optimistic, caring, and a great cheerleader captain. Although all his friends tease him because she is “white” he loves her still. Amiya is white, 5.7 in height, kind of thick, (plenty of meat on her bones) and is fine as heck. Exzante Cook; 6.1 in height, star football and wrestling player, 10th in class ranking, He is very popular, and a very outspoken person. This is where his issues arise. He is in love, with another girl; Mc’kayla Monroe also known as M.
It was a late summer day, when they first met. It was at football camp, Exzante was very parched. So he walked over to the drink stand to get some water. All the girls went wild, pushing and shoving, all trying to get to the water first, to be able to give him his water. It was crazy, like wild animals over a fresh piece of raw meat. While all this was going on, it was one girl who would not be taken so easily. Her name was Amiya Brook. She had a nice body, full round lips, and a behind that was out of this world. Instantly he thought to him self (she is defiantly going to be the one.)
To be continued......
Triple Threat
ReplyDeleteChapter One
“Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg”
“Ya know I used to like you like you last week” her black hair shaking as she talks. After hearing the shocking information me and my friend Scout laugh like crazy my navy blue Levi skinny’s making me trip into my locker, but we keep laughing. In my mind I think that we both probably look like the joker or something.
“What’s so funny huh?”
It’s just that well I used to like you a week ago.” I say while we all slowly walk downstairs toward the busses
“What, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well you never told me,” I say trying to be serious but I still have a smirk on my face from laughing so hard.
“Well you should have asked me first you idiot” She says harshly but her brown eyes show a kindness and reveal the fact that she never stopped liking me. In anger and surprise the thirteen year old Cuban girl stomps off her black hair swaying on the back of her sunshine colored dress. Even though she is probably crazy mad at me she’ll forget about it and begin liking me again by tomorrow. I wave goodbye to her once she reaches the bus and receive a middle finger in return. “I’ll miss you too” I reply which sets me and scout up for another laugh.
As I reach the yellow and black bus that I have to ride almost every day of school Scout asks for the hundredth time,
“Dude wanna hang out today?”
“Aint gonna happen bro you know that my parents are super strict about my safety, I probably won’t be able to hang out until next year”
“Crap, well see you later dude”
“Peace out”
As I walk onto the bus I decide to sit with my friends Zoe, Brianna and their group of girls, instead of with my good friend Nikolaj and this new eighth grader named Tina. As I sit down I take off my blue and black hoodie to reveal my black Ed Hardy T-Shirt
“Out my seat Calvin,” Zoe replies before I can even say what’s up
“Umm I need to sit hear I want Brianna across from me cause we need to talk”
“Whatever,” She replies, I’m kind of shocked I mean usually she would have tried to throw me out the seat or at least yell at me until the bus driver finally tells her to shut up. She takes the seat behind me and begins to talk to Olivia, a white girl that is really nice and kind of thinks off herself as the mom of the bus. When Brianna finally shows up I say robotically “You sit here across from me now.” Instantly she sits down straightening her tight sky blue shirt and yellow skinny jeans her tan skin is veiled by her brown hair.
“What’s up Calvin?”
“Nuthin much, just need to talk to you about well girls”
“You came to the right place, what advice do you need” Brianna replies trying to impersonate Dr.Phil.
“Well theirs this girl that I like and she said that she liked me and acts like she still does, but I’m not sure if she really does like me.” I say in a nice but also nervous tone. “I mean what’s wrong with me I like a girl and she likes me but I don’t want to take a risk and get let down.”
“Well just have someone who she wouldn’t expect ask her for you if she likes you.”
“Oh well then, I never really thought of that. Thanks Bri I guess” I reply nervously because even though Brianna has liked and dated lots of boys she has also been rejected lots of times.
As we reach my bus stop I stand up and give hugs to Tina, Brianna and Olivia which I do everyday and kind of have to if I don’t want to have every girl on the bus start trying to kill me.
As I walk to my house located on Marquette and Ingleside in the south side of Chicago, I think about how many great things I’ve missed out on because I can’t stay after school. How may times my friends have tried to invite me to a party or to go to the water tower but I was unable to because my parents won’t let me stay downtown without an adult that they know and trust. I shrug my shoulders as I approach giant brick house that is meant to be an apartment in the basement and a five family house in the top, but it now holds a five number family including our dog, I know that life’s gonna change tomorrow.
“Aaaaa, stop, get off him, it don’t take all of y’all,” a young lady’s voice echoed down the street as she yelled to try to get some guys to jumping on some other boy. This wasn’t anything new for me, her either if she’s from around here I thought as I continued about my business.
ReplyDelete“Dis shit don’t make no sense, she proceeded. I bet he would whoop all y’all ass one on one.” When she made that statement I knew she was a native to this more than corrupt hood we dwell within.
“Dis nigga shouldn’t talk like he tough den,” one of the about fifteen boys said as his foot landed on the slim boys head, neck or shoulder area again.
“Dat’s what dis is about? Talking, people cant talk these days?”
“Nah, now keep it moving broad fore talking get you hurt.” Just I paused a little to see what would happen next.
“Yeah aight dis ain’t what you want lil boy but I’m gone head walk off. You aight?” she said helping the boy up from the ground.
“Yeah, you decent,” she said answering her question based on his face which was not badly bruised at all taking that so many guys were on him. The both of them started to walk in my direction and I slowed down gently so they wouldn’t notice. I wanted to hear what they might talked about but they didn’t say anything. The female just walked along side of the young man holding her arm around him. They continued walking in the same direction as I did but they were still silent. I came to the bus stop and so did they and when I we got on the bus I still wanted to here the boy’s reasoning for those young thugs jumping on him but I waited to see if the lady would ask him any question and for a while she didn’t. Although the bus was crowded and kind of loud it seemed to be silent even if just for the time of me waiting for conversation between the two. Finally, after I guess she got up the confidence which I couldn’t build up fast enough.
“So why were they jumping you young man? Why they pick you?” She double questioned the boy.
“It ain’t nothing,” reluctantly answering.
“You can tell me, I want to help.”
“Dey just hating man it ain’t nothing.”
“So you the guy those dudes were jumping on? I suddenly asked rhetorically.
“Yeah dat was me, dey ain’t do shit though I’m aight.
“Yeah you good, you wouldn’t be able to say you got jumped looking at your face.” I said trying to give him back some of the pride that was taken from him by answering questions he didn’t want to but it was true as he had one truly visible scar across his jaw and a small cut in the corner of his lip. Otherwise he look perfectly fine which made me laugh on the inside.
“You good though don’t worry about it now dey look silly cause you barley look bruised and it was all of them on you.”
“What dey hating for?” The lady turned to him and asked when I finished talking.”
The boy hesitated to respond as the bus approached my stop and I wanted to wait and here his answer badly just to see if it was the reason I somehow felt I knew but I exited the bus and thought to my self I’ll see him again.
“Watch yourself,” I yelled back onto the bus.
LoveSick
ReplyDeleteOfficer Rodger Fredrickson
Chicago Police Department 11th District
June 25, 2010 3:11am
Silence ran rampant over West Harrison Street. Black bags floated along the curb, as vagrants loitered without a purpose. The daunting red bricked building stood as a constant reminder of order. Police cars filled the parking lot, for a Friday morning, it was usual, but the eerie feeling of something terribly eminent cast over the town.
“Oi! Fredrickson, we’ve got a big case here!” exclaimed McLaughlan, his heavy Irish brogue and 6’ 5” figure, and spiky, burgundy color hair was intimidating none the less, almost perfect for his job. The pearl white offline lined with desks and file cabinets looked boring. Only 5 people sat at the desks, and all were officers.
“Fax it over McLaughlan,”
The fax machine hummed and buzzed until several pieces of paper filled the tray.
Chapter 1: De' Andre Lopez (D.S.R)
ReplyDeleteDing! Ding! Ding! Dismiss. Sometimes I wish if I left my phone on vibrate I would still wake up but in a peaceful way. The sun found a way into my bedroom and right into my eyes. I groaned as I realized I was no longer in my dazed state of mind that most human beings would call 'sleep'. I call it D.A.Z.E: Dizzy Absentminded Zoo-like Events. That's what I call it at least.
"Hey dude you got to get up if you want to put this work in real quick."
"Hold on, give me a second Haze."
I sat up on the side of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I reached up to my head and scratched my D.U.R.I.N.G: Dumb Unusual Riled-up Insufficient Nappy God-given hair. I looked at my night stand to check the time on my charging iPhone. It was 4:23 a.m.
"Haze, are you kidding me bruh? You woke me up at 4 a.m. to put in work that could be done way easier after school?"
"Chill man, I been up since 1 making you this dope beat. You got to put in the hard work as an artist the way I put in the hard work as a producer. You feel me?"
"Work smarter, not harder." I leaned back on my bed getting ready to go back into my D.A.Z.E. I was closing my eyes. Closing. Closing.
"Do what you have to do now so you can do what you want to do later."
Awake. I sat up again in my bed and looked at Haze. He was smirking. Since I was clearly defeated I slowly climbed out my bed and onto the floor where I immediately slipped into my slippers. Haze walked out of my doorway as I followed behind him. Down into our basement. We call it the lab. I call it work. He calls it his personal heaven. He lays down the canvas. I paint him a picture. It's the special and spiritual bond between producer and rapper.
We could have been part 1
ReplyDelete“Wake up…Wake up now Iffy!” “Okay, ma.” Iffy gets out the bed standing at 6’2, 215 lbs. “I’m leaving for work, breakfast is on the table don’t miss the bus” mom says. “Sure thing” Iffy finishes his shower, gets dressed and eats his towering pile of pancakes, with a tall glass of ice cold milk. “That must be the bus time to go,” Iffy speeds down the street in a matter of seconds and hops on the school bus just as the doors close. “I made it as always” Iffy says to the bus driver, she responds “I’ll get you one day,” “no you wont I’m one of the top high school hoopers in the Chi, I don’t get to be that good by being slow and un athletic.” Yo tube, sup tube, what you been on tube, several kids yell out when Iffy gets to the back of the bus. The new girl Sasha says to a random person on the bus “why do they call Iffy, TUBE,” the kid answers “because a day has not passed when a kid from JJ high school has seen him without tube sox.” “Seriously,” “yea, a tube raise your pants leg up right quick.” Iffy responds “ok” and lifts it up and there it is tube sox raising all the way to his knee cap.
In class now flirting with the new girl, she’s giggling, smiling and loving every word he says, Sasha tells Iffy she really likes him after he asks her out. On the intercom “All, Varsity basketball players proceed to the Locker room your coach is waiting.” “Gotta go says Iffy” to Sasha, “go to the bathroom” she replies “no, I’m on the basketball team.” Sasha yells “You are, Varsity!” “yup.” Iffy leaves the class with a gloomy look on his face, using his swag walk. Now he’s walking down the hallway thinking to himself I cant believe she likes me even though she didn’t know I was on the team. “Hey, Joe wait up” Iffy says screaming down the hallway. “C’mon If we got a playoff clinching game today against our rivals the Crocodiles, We gotta get to the gym and warm up early,” “Okay then lets go.” “Iffy I heard you go with the new girl now,” How did you hear that it just happened last period, their not out yet and your on a different floor.” “Boy, this is the 21st century we have texting.” “Oh, well yea I just met her but I think im in love.” SMACK! The loud sound of Joe’s hand making contact with Iffy’s now bright red cheek. “You just met her your not in love you better snap out of it we gotta get to the locker room ASAP nor well be running extra today!”
We could have been part 2
ReplyDelete“Yo If, what’s up you ready for the game tonight I heard your starting.” “No way, you kidding right Joe” replied Iffy. “Naw man I just talked to the coach, he liked how you played the last couple of games!” Iffy says so this means I’ll be starting over,”……….. Joe answers “Yes, you’ll be starting over Andrez Zeus Munoz.” “You’re lying he’s been starting since his sophomore year, he’s a senior now and I’m just a freshman.” BOOM! The door shuts close “Okay, I’m not happy we lost are last two ima make some changes Zeus you’re out If you’re in, Zeus yells “how am I not starting “ you are 2 for 27 in the last two games and I think you need some time to rest, practice and get your groove back.”
Iffy crosses over leaves his man on the floor 3… Pulls up 2… Fakes the shot and dishes it down low 1… The layup goes up and in, aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The JJ tigers clinch their playoff spot with a games winner by Joe Clouds and the assist from Iffy Taylor. Back in the locker room Zeus sitting there with the saddest look on his face. The whole team congratulating the two freshmen Joe and Iffy for winning the game. They earn the nickname 9th grade duo, together they were becoming two of the most popular high school basketball players in the state of Illinois.
“Hey ma, Hey pop did ya’ll like my game” Pop replies yea you played good but don’t rely on your basketball, you have a great talent but you still need to finish school just in case so you can have something to fall back on.” “Of course, Dad.” Mom says “Are you hungry, if so what do you want to eat” “No, I’m ok I had a big lunch today, but can I borrow some money I have a date tomorrow with a girl named Sasha.” Mom replies “sure how much do you need,” “Fifty dollars for the movie theatre and dinner.” “Ok then here you go I want to meet her though,” Iffy says ok mom I’ll bring her over before we take the bus to the movie.
Sitting on his dirty yellow sofa with orange daisies David takes another long drag from his cigarette. Flipping through the channels he sees an infomercial for a wallet made out of sandpaper and how it is supposed to deter criminals from pick pocketing you.
ReplyDelete“If I saw some dude with a sandpaper wallet I would picket pocket him just for being stupid for thinking they actually work.” With a final grunt he began his journey for an interesting TV show on his six channels two of which were in Spanish. Sitting on the top of the kitchen counter top his cat watches him mummer angrily like it has for the last two days. This is because the cat is dead but David is to lazy to notice the now rotting corpse laying on his kitchen counter top. He could hear the volume of his next door neighbors TV through the thin drywall that separated his living from Gertrude’s living room a foot away. The whole in his wall from coming home drunk one night and drop kicking a fly on the wall did not help him to ignore the weather forecast Gertrude was listening to either. Finally ending his TV journey via remote Dave decides to watch Cheaters. He sees a woman coming at her husband from behind with a tight open hand. Dave begins to eat his bowl of Cheerio’s he prepared half an hour ago. “OOOHH!” he screams as he watches a woman slap her unsuspecting husband in the back of the head. He watches closely while he wipes the droplet of milk off his bottom lip. “She slapped that goofy smile right off his face!” he chuckles. “At least when my wife found out I was cheating I was ready.” With a few more quiet laughs Dave takes another gulp of his soggy Cheerios. Half an hour later the show finishes and Dave stares at the large load of wrinkled dirty laundry sleeping in the corner of his small apartment. Dave slowly gets up places his half empty bowl next to his cat and grabs a big bag of quarters from the top of his refrigerator. He grabs an empty laundry basket shoves his load of heavy clothes in and walks out of his apartment. Across the street he sees a brightly lit business with a big bold red sign that says Cleaners. Placing his basket on an open table he sees a woman ten years younger than him in her thirties folding her undergarments. Licking his lips he picks up his basket flips it upside down and throws the basket to the floor. It fails to catch her attention. He throws his clothes into a washing machine remembering he still had his wedding ring on. With a few twists and turns it slips right off. As he shoves his quarters in to the machine he sees her drop a black pair of underwear on the ground. With out any noise he goes over kneels down and picks them up with one finger. “These wouldn’t happen to belong to you?” Dave says twirling them on one finger. “Ummm yes they are.” says the large heavy set woman with an afro with a scared look on her face.
Silence ran rampant over West Harrison Street. Black bags floated along the curb, as vagrants loitered without a purpose. The daunting red bricked building stood as a constant reminder of order. Police cars filled the parking lot, for a Friday morning, it was usual, but the eerie feeling of something terribly eminent cast over the town.
ReplyDelete“Oi! Fredrickson, we’ve got a big case here!” exclaimed McLaughlan, his heavy Irish brogue and 6’ 5” figure, and spiky, burgundy color hair was intimidating none the less, almost perfect for his job. The pearl white offline lined with desks and file cabinets looked boring. Only 5 people sat at the desks, and all were officers.
“Fax it over McLaughlan,”
The fax machine hummed and buzzed until several pieces of paper filled the tray. In this technological age, they still had to do paperwork… it was outdated, but foolproof. Fredrickson was a small guy, 5’ 10”, but had enough muscle to be a bodybuilder. Jet black hair, and a goatee to match, it was obvious that the dyed his hair. Fredrickson shifted through half reading all the boring parts of the paperwork, usually the last two parts were the only important ones. What he read he knew was Class A information. The infamous serial killer, Fransen was back on the prowl, and he was back with a vengance. He kidnapped women and hid them in random places around the city. Leaving almost no trace of himself, after his job was done. He was a resident of the CCIA since he was 9. 14 years later he was released and he began a killing spree starting with police officers. He’s been on Illinois Most Wanted list for 5 years straight…but no one knows what he looks like, so no one knows what to look for. A perfect disguise, and invisible face. He’s back, and he’s taken someone close to Fredrickson… his daughter.
Silence ran rampant over West Harrison Street. Black bags floated along the curb, as vagrants loitered without a purpose. The daunting red bricked building stood as a constant reminder of order. Police cars filled the parking lot, for a Friday morning, it was usual, but the eerie feeling of something terribly eminent cast over the town.
ReplyDelete“Oi! Fredrickson, we’ve got a big case here!” exclaimed McLaughlan, his heavy Irish brogue and 6’ 5” figure, and spiky, burgundy color hair was intimidating none the less, almost perfect for his job. The pearl white offline lined with desks and file cabinets looked boring. Only 5 people sat at the desks, and all were officers.
“Fax it over McLaughlan,”
The fax machine hummed and buzzed until several pieces of paper filled the tray. In this technological age, they still had to do paperwork… it was outdated, but foolproof. Fredrickson was a small guy, 5’ 10”, but had enough muscle to be a bodybuilder. Jet black hair, and a goatee to match, it was obvious that the dyed his hair. Fredrickson shifted through half reading all the boring parts of the paperwork, usually the last two parts were the only important ones. What he read he knew was Class A information. The infamous serial killer, Fransen was back on the prowl, and he was back with a vengance. He kidnapped women and hid them in random places around the city. Leaving almost no trace of himself, after his job was done. He was a resident of the CCIA since he was 9. 14 years later he was released and he began a killing spree starting with police officers. He’s been on Illinois Most Wanted list for 5 years straight…but no one knows what he looks like, so no one knows what to look for. A perfect disguise, and invisible face. He’s back, and he’s taken someone close to Fredrickson… his daughter.
If for Just One Night
ReplyDeleteChapter 1- ?Serenity?
“Okay. Please stop! Oh my gosh it's getting late look at the time. I really think you need to leave,” Amiya says. “Girl, stop playing with me. You know you want it just as bad as I do,” Exzante replies. “Yeah, you know I do. But baby, I told you I'm not ready to take it there yet,” Amiya exclaims. “A'ight, boo, I understand. Dang. Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much. I guess I love me some white girl,” he lovingly replies while kissing Amiya. She then puts an end to this madness by saying , “Exzante Cook, you need to go! I already told you. And my mom gets off at 11:00 p.m. It's nearly 12:00. Bye babes.” “Bye sweetie cake. Really I need you to be ready for this like tomorrow. A'ight?” Exzante dryly responds. She just kisses him goodnight, and he is on his way.
A straight A+ student, and charming person, Exzante has come to face a huge dilemma. He is a 17 year old African American boy, looking for love in the right places. All while making the wrong decisions. He is madly in love with Amiya Brook. She is beautiful, very intelligent, very optimistic, caring, and a great cheerleader captain. Although all his friends tease him because of her color he loves her still. Amiya is white, 5.7 in height, kind of thick, (plenty of meat on her bones) and is fine as heck. Exzante Cook; 6.1 in height, star football and wrestling player, 10th in class ranking, He is very popular, and a very outspoken person. This is where his issues arise. He is in love, with another girl; Mc’kayla Monroe also known as M.
It was a late summer day, when they first met. It was at football camp, Exzante was very parched. So he walked over to the drink stand to get some water. All the girls went wild, pushing and shoving, all trying to get to the water first, to be able to give him his water. It was crazy, like wild animals over a fresh piece of raw meat. While all this was going on, it was one girl who would not be taken so easily. Her name was Amiya Brook. She had a nice body, full round lips, and a behind that was out of this world. Instantly he thought to him self (she is defiantly going to be the one.) Any who, he kept on his mission; water. The girls were falling everywhere being pushed aside by the next girl. It amazed Exzante that all of this was going on in hopes of getting him something as simple as a cup of water. (NO!) He thought to himself, if they are this eager to get water, then they will be real eager to spread them legs. Easy is something he won’t stand for. Amiya is the one girl over there standing to the side. Not even trying to fight to get him water. He approached her.
“Hi, I am Exzante Cook.”
ReplyDelete“Yes, I know who you are. Who do you think you are though? You think you can come over here and disrupt my girls, because you CAN? Ugh. Jocks are so infuriating.”
“Well, first off, I didn’t ask for the attitude, second off I did not tell your cheerleaders to be easy going whores. I approached you because you seem different. I don’t mean to interrupt your practice, I was thirsty, just wanted some water.”
“I cannot believe you just called my troops “whores” we are ladies. We are beautiful, smart, and the countries best team. How dare you disrespect us like that?”
“Okay, I admit, I was a little over the top on that one. But I really would like to take you out. And miss I will not take no as answer. What is your name by the way?”
“My name is Amiya Brooks. And I'm not sure if I can go out with a asshole, I'm sorry I just can’t seem to find it in my self to do it. Maybe another day when we meet again, because as of now, your first impression has left me with a horrible taste in my mouth.”
“Okay Miss Amiya, I am truly sorry for my previous statements. I am. But yea, I guess so. I can’t believe I messed this up. Oh wow.
(What? I can’t believe this. She is going to be the one. She stands up for herself and what she believes. Then on top of that she is definitely playing hard to get.Amiya Brook. one day you will be mine) Exzante thought to himself as he joged back to football practice.
Triple Threat
ReplyDeleteChapter One
“Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg”
“Ya know I used to like you like you last week” her black hair shaking as she talks. After hearing the shocking information me and my friend Scout laugh like crazy my navy blue Levi skinny’s making me trip into my locker, but we keep laughing. In my mind I think that we both probably look like the joker or something.
“What’s so funny huh?”
It’s just that well I used to like you a week ago.” I say while we all slowly walk downstairs toward the busses
“What, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well you never told me,” I say trying to be serious but I still have a smirk on my face from laughing so hard.
“Well you should have asked me first you idiot” She says harshly but her brown eyes show a kindness and reveal the fact that she never stopped liking me. In anger and surprise the thirteen year old Cuban girl stomps off her black hair swaying on the back of her sunshine colored dress. Even though she is probably crazy mad at me she’ll forget about it and begin liking me again by tomorrow. I wave goodbye to her once she reaches the bus and receive a middle finger in return. “I’ll miss you too Zoe” I reply which sets me and scout up for another laugh.
As I reach the yellow and black bus that I have to ride almost every day of school Scout asks for the hundredth time,
“Dude wanna hang out today?”
“Aint gonna happen bro you know that my parents are super strict about my safety, I probably won’t be able to hang out until next year”
“Crap, well see you later dude”
“Peace out”
As I walk onto the bus I decide to sit with my friends Leah, Brianna and their group of girls, instead of with my good friend Nikolaj and this new eighth grader named Tina. As I sit down I take off my blue and black hoodie to reveal my black Ed Hardy T-Shirt.
“Out my seat Calvin,” Zoe replies before I can even say what’s up
“Umm I need to sit hear I want Brianna across from me cause we need to talk”
“Whatever,” She replies, I’m kind of shocked I mean usually she would have tried to throw me out the seat or at least yell at me until the bus driver finally tells her to shut up. She takes the seat behind me and begins to talk to Olivia, a white girl that is really nice and kind of thinks off herself as the mom of the bus. When Brianna finally shows up I say robotically “You sit here across from me now.” Instantly she sits down straightening her tight sky blue shirt and yellow skinny jeans her tan skin is veiled by her brown hair.
“What’s up Calvin?”
“Nuthin much, just need to talk to you about well girls”
“You came to the right place, what advice do you need” Brianna replies trying to impersonate Dr.Phil.
“Well theirs this girl that I like and she said that she liked me and acts like she still does, but I’m not sure if she really does like me.” I say in a nice but also nervous tone. “I mean what’s wrong with me I like a girl and she likes me but I don’t want to take a risk and get let down.”
“Well just have someone who she wouldn’t expect ask her for you if she likes you.”
“Oh well then, I never really thought of that. Thanks Bri I guess” I reply nervously because even though Brianna has liked and dated lots of boys she has also been rejected lots of times.
As we reach my bus stop I stand up and give hugs to Tina, Brianna and Olivia which I do everyday and kind of have to if I don’t want to have every girl on the bus start trying to kill me.
As I walk to my house located on Marquette and Ingleside in the south side of Chicago, I think about how many great things I’ve missed out on because I can’t stay after school. How may times my friends have tried to invite me to a party or to go to the water tower but I was unable to because my parents won’t let me stay downtown without an adult that they know and trust. I shrug my shoulders as I approach giant brick house that is meant to be an apartment in the basement and a five family house in the top, but it now holds a five number family including our dog, I know that life’s gonna change tomorrow.
Chapter Two
ReplyDeleteI walk in to my house and I’m instantly tackled by Carter our Doberman Pinscher. “Hey what’s up Carter” Carter wags his stub tail and his droopy ears lay flat against his head. “Hey dad I’m home, Is Stokely home yet?” “Ask him your self Calvin” his voice muffled saying that he’s still in his office working. “Bro where are you” I say as I walk down stairs to the basement/apartment that we transformed to a game room and guest area with their own room and bathroom. I see my brother playing the new Skate It game that we bought. He’s been waiting to get this game for almost a year.
“Hey bro”
“Shhh I’m in the zone”
“Whatever, stay black, I’m goin to get ready for….”
“Calvin take Carter to the Bathroom NOW!”
“O.K Dad”
I walk to the back door and grab Carter’s Squeaky ball. The small little squeak that the ball utters calls the dog like a siren and he’s down the stairs so fast I was scared he would run into me, but at the last second he swerves to the right and runs into the door. “Ha Ha!” Now your probably thinking that it’s harsh to laugh at your dog like that but honestly he could have broken that door and plus he’s really strong and smart so I’m not really worried. And just like I thought he was up and trying to get the ball from me in about two seconds. I open the glass and metal door that is now slightly dented and my dog sprints into our gated back yard. “Carter come,” Right when he is a foot from hitting me I sling the ball far down the yard but he’s their right after the first bounce. We do this simple routine over and over again until he’s finally too tired to run right when I take him in I get a phone call, Bri. Crap I forgot her mom was dropping us off today at . “Umm hey Bri”
“Where are you, were right outside your house?!”
“O.K one sec I’ll be out side in five minutes K?”
“Hurry”
I hang up and run to my room, I throw on a new green and black Alien Workshop T-shirt my Black skinny’s a black Sox hat to cover my uncombed Fro and my green Lakai’s while yelling bye to my dad and bro and run to her car. “Hey Bri, Hello Mrs. Ruby”
“Hello Calvin”
“You jerk!” Smack I feel the sting of an angry black girls hand across my face. Wow I always thought that people were exaggerating about how when you get slapped by an angry black woman that it was like getting hit by a railcar to the face but they were telling the truth.
“Dang, girl you crazy” I say trying to sound cool even though I can feel the red mark on my face shaped like a hand burn my skin.
“Fool were gonna be late now”
“Wow like two minutes man you act like the worlds gonna end gosh the party starts at 7:00 and it’s barely 8:00. Just calm down we’ll still be at least their for ohhhh maybe Four Hours!” She thinks of saying something but decides against it and were quiet for the rest of the ride.