Hello My Name Is...
The First Tragedy
THAT SAME DAY, OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING....
William was standing outside with Bobby. They were talking about what had happened the other day with Sloop and Dag.
"Listen okay, and listen good. Those two are going to get you into a lot of trouble aight? They don't know right from wrong, and they get themselves caught up in a whole lotta shit. The last thing you wanna do, is become a part of dat shit aight? You're a good kid, you got a lot of potential. I know dat, yo brotha knows dat. Hell, even your teachers know dat. So don't be screwin yo life up just to impress other people kay?"
Bobby nodded, his eyes looking at the damp morning ground.
"Look at me Bobby, dis is serious. I know I ain't perfect, and I've made my own mistakes in the past. Your brotha included. But we made those mistakes and learned from dem so dat you and others don't make those same mistakes ye dig?" William said, lifting up Bobby's chin so he could look him in the eyes when spoke.
"Yeah dawg, I got you man," Bobby said, his voice said and reluctant.
"You gotta realize guy, it don't matter what others think of you, it's how you think about yourself, and how you present yourself aight? Cause in the end, all dis stupid high school bullshit ain't gonna be dick when you's a grown man got it? And if you keep hanging out wit those meat heads, yo gonna end up being nothing, jus like dem."
Bobby nodded again, "Yeah William, I got what you is sayin. I got a whole life ahead of me, why should I fuck it up now right?"
William smiled, he was finally getting through to this lil nigga, "Exactly lil man, exactly."
William playfully pulled Bobby's ball cap over his eyes, both of them smiling and laughing.
"Yo, who is that?" Bobby asked, pointing at a tall figure who had just stepped out of the main school building and was heading towards them.
"I dunno.." William said, moving in front of Bobby, "Hey, what you want?!"
The figure kept advancing towards them, his dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. He had on a heavy looking backpack, a military looking rucksack. William saw the figure reach around his back, as if to fetch something.
A loud 'crack' startled them. William immediately knew what had caused the sound. He had heard it many a night in the hood, and to this day it stuck with him.
"Move Bobby! Run!" William cried as he pushed Bobby forward.
Another gunshot sounded, kicking up the dirt around their feet. Then another, and another.
The shooter wasn't that accurate of a shot, his shots were all misses. Still though, William knew he had to get himself and Bobby out of there and to some place safe.
"Keep running Bobby! Move yo ass!"
William turned back, to see how far away they were from their attacker. The figure raised his rifle to his shoulder and fired again. William saw the muzzle flash, heard the percussion of the weapon, then tripped over someone. He got to his feet quickly, saw Bobby had tripped and fallen, and went to help him to his feet.
"C'mon lil man, we gotta get outta here now!" William said, trying to lift up Bobby.
The shooter advanced, only a couple yards from them. William grabbed Bobby and rolled him over, to find the boy staring back up at him. His eyes were half closed, as if here half awake. His mouth was open but he wasn't breathing. William saw the large bullet hole in the boys chest, blood spilling out of it.
"Oh no no no no!"
William grabbed Bobby, trying to drag him, but the shooter fired again, placing a bullet in Bobby's cheek. The boy was dead, and William realized there was no point in dragging a corpse. He reluctantly dropped the body and ran. He ran as fast and as hard as he could, fear, anger, and sadness fueling his lungs and muscles to overwork themselves as he ran into the building via the back cafeteria doors. He ran down the long hallway, making his way towards the stairwell that would lead upstairs. He didn't bother to look back, he didn't want to look back....
William was standing outside with Bobby. They were talking about what had happened the other day with Sloop and Dag.
"Listen okay, and listen good. Those two are going to get you into a lot of trouble aight? They don't know right from wrong, and they get themselves caught up in a whole lotta shit. The last thing you wanna do, is become a part of dat shit aight? You're a good kid, you got a lot of potential. I know dat, yo brotha knows dat. Hell, even your teachers know dat. So don't be screwin yo life up just to impress other people kay?"
Bobby nodded, his eyes looking at the damp morning ground.
"Look at me Bobby, dis is serious. I know I ain't perfect, and I've made my own mistakes in the past. Your brotha included. But we made those mistakes and learned from dem so dat you and others don't make those same mistakes ye dig?" William said, lifting up Bobby's chin so he could look him in the eyes when spoke.
"Yeah dawg, I got you man," Bobby said, his voice said and reluctant.
"You gotta realize guy, it don't matter what others think of you, it's how you think about yourself, and how you present yourself aight? Cause in the end, all dis stupid high school bullshit ain't gonna be dick when you's a grown man got it? And if you keep hanging out wit those meat heads, yo gonna end up being nothing, jus like dem."
Bobby nodded again, "Yeah William, I got what you is sayin. I got a whole life ahead of me, why should I fuck it up now right?"
William smiled, he was finally getting through to this lil nigga, "Exactly lil man, exactly."
William playfully pulled Bobby's ball cap over his eyes, both of them smiling and laughing.
"Yo, who is that?" Bobby asked, pointing at a tall figure who had just stepped out of the main school building and was heading towards them.
"I dunno.." William said, moving in front of Bobby, "Hey, what you want?!"
The figure kept advancing towards them, his dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. He had on a heavy looking backpack, a military looking rucksack. William saw the figure reach around his back, as if to fetch something.
A loud 'crack' startled them. William immediately knew what had caused the sound. He had heard it many a night in the hood, and to this day it stuck with him.
"Move Bobby! Run!" William cried as he pushed Bobby forward.
Another gunshot sounded, kicking up the dirt around their feet. Then another, and another.
The shooter wasn't that accurate of a shot, his shots were all misses. Still though, William knew he had to get himself and Bobby out of there and to some place safe.
"Keep running Bobby! Move yo ass!"
William turned back, to see how far away they were from their attacker. The figure raised his rifle to his shoulder and fired again. William saw the muzzle flash, heard the percussion of the weapon, then tripped over someone. He got to his feet quickly, saw Bobby had tripped and fallen, and went to help him to his feet.
"C'mon lil man, we gotta get outta here now!" William said, trying to lift up Bobby.
The shooter advanced, only a couple yards from them. William grabbed Bobby and rolled him over, to find the boy staring back up at him. His eyes were half closed, as if here half awake. His mouth was open but he wasn't breathing. William saw the large bullet hole in the boys chest, blood spilling out of it.
"Oh no no no no!"
William grabbed Bobby, trying to drag him, but the shooter fired again, placing a bullet in Bobby's cheek. The boy was dead, and William realized there was no point in dragging a corpse. He reluctantly dropped the body and ran. He ran as fast and as hard as he could, fear, anger, and sadness fueling his lungs and muscles to overwork themselves as he ran into the building via the back cafeteria doors. He ran down the long hallway, making his way towards the stairwell that would lead upstairs. He didn't bother to look back, he didn't want to look back....