The Streetz

Cartier's Prologue

September 4th, 2008

               The sound of glass breaking followed by screaming and the voices of someone yelling woke up a young Cartier out of his sleep. Letting out a deep sigh, he sat up flipping the covers off himself to see what was going on. Stepping out of his room he could faintly hear the voices of his parents already realizing what was happening.

"I'm so sick of this shit!" He thought to himself.

Everyday it seemed as if there was always something going on between them, it was never peace within' their home and Cartier was becoming fed up with it all.

Walking towards the stairwell he noticed pieces of broken glass and stains of blood scattered across the living room floor. Trying to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to witness, he took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes.

Jogging down the steps following the sound of where the noise was coming from, Cartier stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

Looking over at his older brother Quentin who was laying down in the corner of their kitchen holding his waist as he cried out in pain, he quickly reverted his attention to his mother who was pinned up against the wall being choked to death by his father.

Watching as his mother struggled to pry his hands off of her as tears streamed down her face, while pleading for him to stop. Cartier's blood started to boil and his anger continued to rise. Everyday his father came home drunk out of his mind and in full rage and at this point Cartier just wished things could go back to how it used to be.

Their father wasn't always like his though, but it seemed as if the moment the drug game was introduced into their lives shit changed. When it came to the money and the lifestyle he was now able to provide them it was all good, but things fell to the worst everywhere else in their lives.

Everyday they watched the money change him and turn into this heartless cold-hearted monster.

Becoming fed up with everything at the moment Cartier grabbed the nearest item he could find, which happened to be a mason jar and immediately lunged the jar towards his father missing his head by an inch catching his attention.

"Nigga have you lost your damn mind!?" He yelled.

Although Cartier was scared of his father he knew he had to do something to protect his mother. "Get the fuck off my mama!" Tears threatened to fall from his eyes as he stared back at his father with his fist balled and eyes full of hate and anger.

Stunned by his son's outburst, Carter let go of his wife Joyce and ran towards his son in a drunken rage. "Carter! Stop, please leave him alone, he's just a kid!" His mother yelled as she fell to the ground holding her neck where his hands once were.

Not wanting to show that he was scared, Cartier stood up firmly despite him only being fourteen years-old standing there at five-foot three inches tall, weighing about 112 pounds ready to take on his father.

"Please don't hurt him!" Joyce cried out between gasps of air.

It was clear just by the way his dad was stumbling over his own feet, he was too drunk to even focus and Cartier was going to use that to his advantage.

"Mama I'm good." Cartier replied, not once taking his eyes off of his father. Cartier didn't really care about what was about to happen to him as long as his mother made it out okay.

He would rather take a thousand beatings if that meant his mama never had to struggle or experience any type of pain ever again.

When his dad swung at him, Cartier ducked causing his dad to lose his balance when he missed. Barely even having time to catch himself and stand up straight, Cartier started sending punches his way repeatedly until he was on the ground before stepping back.