Beauty In The Struggle

Let Me Carry Your Burden

Days had gone by Aaliyah wasn't getting any better. Maliyah was keeping ice packs on her and not sleeping to keep an eye out for her. But she couldn't ignore the fact that her sisters bruising was getting worse.

Maliyah. I'm going to have to take you to the hospital now, I'm sorry Liyah

Aaliyah. No I'm sorry to be a burden

Mal pushed some hair out of her sisters face and got up off the bed.
She swung the door open getting ready to carry her sister out when she seen Travis on the other side.

Travis. We need to talk
Maliyah. I can't right now, I have to take her to the hospital

Travis. What's wrong with her?
Maliyah. I don't know ... but it's bad I have to take her now before it gets worse

But he pushed her back in the room.

Travis. I'm afraid I can't let you do that

Maliyah. What the fuck move ! She has to go!

Then he slammed the door and locked it from the other side.

Travis. You can't leave, I have to call the boss and tell him what happened first and he'll decide how to deal with it

Maliyah. Deal with it?! She could die!

Travis. This is the way things work Maliyah, I fuck with you but... I can't go against his orders

Maliyah. Let me the fuck out now!!
She said kicking and banging on the door.

Maliyah. Fuck!!!
She knocked over a nearby chair.

Aaliyah. Are we going to the hospital now?
She said faintly.

Maliyah. Soon Liyah, just rest okay, just rest

She scanned the room for anything she could use to get out. She took the chair and threw it at the door a few times but it wouldn't budge. She looked out of the window they were three stories up.

Maliyah. Aaliyah I'll... I'll have to jump and bring back help

Her phone was dead and there was no one she could call the only option was to leave her sister in the house alone.

Aaliyah. No, Mal please don't leave me here

Maliyah. I have to get help! I have too!

Aaliyah. Nooo
She started to cry.
Aaliyah. What if they come back... I can't defend myself

Maliyah threw her fist at the door in frustration
And she sat on the bed and held her sister.

A few hours later she could hear keys on the other side of the door.

Maliyah. Wake up Liyah! Someone's coming to help !

Aaliyah was laying her head in Maliyah's lap and she slowly opened her eyes.

The door opened to see a man standing there... he was ... oddly familiar.

Maliyah. I... I know you

Casey. I know you too

Maliyah. You work with...

Casey. Yeah your brother
He said closing the door behind him.

Maliyah. No matter... she needs help we have to take her to...

Casey. Shhh shh shh
He said waving his gun.

Maliyah. We haven't done anything

Casey. Here's the thing, Lamar owes me money, Diamond ran off and well we killed her parents or one of them.. and instead of coming home to me she ran off again, I had her followed I know she's with Lamar

Maliyah. I don't know anything about that ...

Casey. Sure you do! See this little runaway gang belongs to me and I'm sure you met my father JR the one who cuts peoples fingers off

He said waving his hand showing her his missing finger.

Casey. Now Diamond has escaped and all of a sudden Lamar's twin sisters show up here like perfectly wrapped gift, what are you doing here? I know he put you up to this

Maliyah. He didn't... he didn't, we were fighting and we just we left... he doesn't even know we are here...

Casey. He doesn't huh? That doesn't sound very brotherly... now does it?

Maliyah. No I just... I know Travis and I ran with him

Casey. It's just the timeline you see
He sat up the chair in front of the door and sat down on it.

Casey. I think that Lamar sent you to distract me here so that all my attention would be on my little juvenile delinquents instead of focusing on where Diamond is and what they are up to

Maliyah. We aren't distractions, fuck you

Casey. I knew the minute you got here who you two were I told Travis to break one of you, so that you couldn't leave

Mal looked down at her sister who was frozen with fear. She moved her sisters head off her lap and on to the bed as she was getting ready to negotiate for their lives.

Maliyah. Travis.. but why would he do that...

Casey. He's my son, he does what I tell him to do, you see this gang is a family affair. My father JR used to beat the shit out of me
He said laughing.

Casey. So I found the runaway gang, even tho they were less of a gang when I met them more so runaways trying to hide but my dad found me and he cut off one of my fingers for running and well he's not one to turn down a business opportunity so he took the little rug rats in and fed them and brought a house for them to stay in and he would continue to do so as long as they made money for him and that's been the arrangement for years. Then of course when I got older I took over the street gang and when I met Roxane I had Travis and Roxane works for me and Travis runs things when I can't be here

Maliyah. I don't think Lamar knows that.. he doesn't know any of this.. we didn't even know Diamond was out of the hospital, but I won't tell him anything we aren't even speaking

Casey. I'm not stupid, everyone must think I'm stupid I know you'll tell Lamar so he can come after me and that bitch Diamond

Maliyah. Im begging you let my sister and I go, or just let her go! I'll stay and do whatever it is I have to

Casey. Well, you see I already had that arrangement and now the three of us are here
He said getting up from his chair.

Casey. The thing is I was already going to let you go but

Maliyah. But what...
Casey. I need one favor from you little girl okay? Nothing major, nothing major

Maliyah. Yeah okay anything...

Casey. I need you to send a message to your brother

Maliyah. A mess....

Before she could finish her sentence Casey raised his gun and shot Aaliyah on the bed.

Maliyah. Noooo!!!!!
She screamed.

Casey. Tell him not to fuck with me and bring me what's mine

He walked out the door and Maliyah continued to scream and cry.

Maliyah. Aaliyah nooooo! Please wake up wake up !!!!
She screamed.

Maliyah. I'm sorry, I'm sorry wake up Aaliyah

She shook her sister and looked at the bed and herself covered in Aaliyah's blood.

The shock caused her to collapse on the bed still holding her sisters body.

A few hours later she woke up again. She opened her eyes slowly and she looked at her hand, still bloody. She was hoping it was just a bad dream but she could still feel the weight of Aaliyah's body on her. She sat up tears still running down her face, her sister was dead in her arms. The door was open now and it was quiet. She let out a few more sobs and Gathered the strength to stand. She picked up Aaliyah's body and she started out the door.

It was dark now. Her phone was still dead but she had to get out of there. The streets were dead and it was foggy. Aaliyah was usually pretty heavy to her but she felt nothing. She didn't even know how long she was walking for she just kept walking...