Concrete Rumble

Concrete Rumble (Short Story)

CONCRETE RUMBLE

"What the fuck! How has that happened?" One voice barked in a growly London accent. On a winter's night in February 2010, a group of young Black men are engaged in a fight with some Chinese British gangsters. The Chinese appear to have the upper hand as their defense is stronger. The leader of the group of young Black men known as Shower Squad is twenty-five year old Garrett 'The Don' James, who is of Guyanese descent. He waits patiently outside the warehouse for his team to finish their mission. Unexpectedly, one of the Shower Squad members is thrown through a window and lands mightily hard on the ground. The Shower Squad abort the mission and run out of the warehouse. Angered, Garrett follows his team.

Later, the team are all gravely bruised, leaving Garrett disgusted.

"You guys, this is the fourth fucking time we ain't got shit done."

"Don, man, those Chinese were next level. We weren't prepared for that shit." Waylon stated. Twenty-three year old Waylon 'Dark' Adams is second-in-command of the Shower Squad and is of Guyanese descent.

"Yeah, like, how the fuck was we suppose to fight against them numbers? It was four against like, twenty." Another member of the team growled in agony. This is Mikhail 'Bold' Hunter, who is of Sierra Leonean descent. He is badly hurt as he has a large gash on his right shoulder.

"I admit, I didn't expect the Chinese to roll deep like that, at this time of night." Garrett sighs.

"Alright, so what do we do now, Don?" Twenty-two year old Parker 'Sharp' Myles asks. He is of Jamaican descent. He feels his forehead in distress.

"I'm not even sure at this point," Garrett sighs, as he takes out a weed blunt and lights it. He takes a puff, "Guys, I think it's time for me to call it a day."

"Wait, what? Call it a day?" Twenty-one year old Kareem 'Sharp' Kelly is taken aback. He is also of Jamaican descent. "Don, are you serious?"

"Kareem, I'm as serious as a heart attack." Garrett declares.

"Kareem? We're going by government names now?" Mikhail asks as Garrett passes him the blunt. He takes a puff.

"Yeah, man. I'm just done with this shit. We've botched so many things as a team, and the feds are hot on us, so I'm done with all this shit." Garrett states.

"I respect that, Don. We've had bumps on the road, but if you can't hack it anymore, it's all good." Parker replies, taking the blunt from Mikhail. Parker, Mikhail and Kareem visibly agree for Garrett to leave Shower Squad. Waylon is abnormally quiet.

"Yo, Dark?" Mikhail taps on Waylon.

"You know what, Garrett," Waylon begins in an angered manner "You're a fucking coward, that's what the fuck you are."

"Watch it, Dark," Parker states as he takes the blunt back to smoke.

"Shut up, Parker, man," Waylon barks back before squaring up to Garrett, "Don't think for a second because your brother is going out with my sister, I'm gonna accept your bullshit. You are The Don, our leader. We've had some rough patches, but what clique doesn't? You just can't leave, where does that leave us?"

"Waylon, stop making this deeper than it is, alright?" Garrett states, before he takes back the blunt and he smokes it, "Bottom line is, I got a family. Two daughters, and I can't do this shit anymore. It's not making me money how I'd like, so I'm bouncing. I love you lot, goes without saying, but I can't do this shit anymore."

"You, Garrett James, are a fucking coward!" Waylon barks before he tackles Garrett to the ground. The two young men engage in a vicious fight. Parker, Mikhail and Kareem are powerless to stop the young men. Garrett gains the upper hand and pummels Waylon savagely, before bringing out his box cutter and holding it to Waylon's neck. A bloodied Waylon shakes and closes his eyes in a petrified manner. Garrett views Waylon, before looking at Kareem, Mikhail and Kareem. Garrett then thinks of his two daughters, and his girlfriend. He then drops the box cutter on the floor and gets off of Waylon, with Waylon's blood on his shirt and walks away. Kareem attends to Waylon and helps him to his feet. Waylon hastily pushes Kareem to the floor. Garrett proceeds to shake hands with Mikhail and Parker. The team then gives Garrett a hug instead and wish him farewell. Kareem does the same and hugs Garrett. Waylon timidly approaches Garrett and they have an intense stare down. Garrett then raises his hand in peace. Waylon then hesitantly shakes Garrett's hand. Garrett faintly grins as he ropes in Waylon and they hug.