Erase and Rewind (Full Book)

Chapter Twenty Four: Smoke and Mirrors

There were dead rats in the bathtub. Their guts or throats were ripped out and left bleeding. Not the squeamish type, Malik managed to clean it up. There was nothing to prove anyone had broken into the apartment. Nothing of value was stolen, not that there had been anything worth stealing. He dismissed the incident as an overly aggressive cat.

He felt it was karma for setting Noah up. Since Sarah had sent him Noah's leaked hospital files he'd been torn between keeping to himself and actively trying to help. He knew Liz's auntie worked at a youth center and was well connected to social workers. Against his better judgment, he conspired with Liz and concocted an intervention.

Malik massaged the fading bruise on his jaw. It was the only tangible memento he had of Noah. Since that horrible night, Noah was nowhere to be found. He hadn't shown up to work, the Langar nor Windsor Park.

"I need to head to my folks over the weekend." He told Liz in the hallway. "Call me if you see him?"

Liz who'd blubbered after Noah knocked him flat on his ass nodded. She refused to sit anywhere near him in the lecture hall that week. It was easy enough to get by until the weekend. Between midterm preps and team practice, he was too busy for sorrow.

The bus ride to his folks' home was spent sitting next to a shabby man with an overgrown beard. He reeked of sweat and his clothes were caked in mud. Later, the conductor showed up to kick the man out for trying to leech a free ride. Because it was a very Noah thing to do, Malik paid for the broke dude and his stomach turned as he had to endure the man's stench for hours. No good deed goes unpunished.

Stepping into his childhood home Malik had a sense of déjà vu. If only he hadn't tricked him like that...

"Meemo," his mother greeted him with open arms.

"Hey, mama." he wiped at the red lipstick on his cheek.

"What is this?" his mother pointed at his jaw.

"Practice," Malik said he then popped his head inside the house and yelled. "Sarah, are you done yet, or do we come back next month?"

Sarah's voice was louder. "I'm coming, dweeb."

Little feet come running down the stairs and barreling into Malik.

"Hey, buddy." Malik picked up his nephew and placed him on his shoulder.

"Wakanda forever," Jake said punching the air.

"I'm ready," Sarah came huffing, mangy curls everywhere. "Jake, sit in the back seat with your uncle, please. Hey." She slipped on a tan coat over an a-line grey dress and ankle boots.

"Yo," Malik said. They strode to Sarah's mom-van. Their mother rode shotgun while Malik buckled next to Jake who told him about Black Panther being the greatest hero there was.

"Are you sure you got a discount?" his mother asked for the millionth time.

"Yes, mama. It's seventy percent off any five items." Malik said over Jake's punches and kicks noises.

'' There has to be a catch," his mother turned in her seat to face him.

"No. I made a sponsored video and the approached me later again. Radeon got a boost in sales after the video hit three hundred thousand. The coupon is a gift."

"They are giving you a prize for talking?"

"I'm a Youtuber," Malik said. "Plus they should've given me shi—"

"Language," Sarah said, eyes on the road.

Malik rolled his eyes. Sarah was in denial Jake was a sweet angel who didn't know any cuss words. "They should've given me stuff "— Malik signed quotation marks in the air — "for free. I did them a favor."