➪➪ FLASHBACK ➪➪
|MONDAY| JUNE 11th| 7:16 pm
➪➪➪ FLASHBACK ➪➪➪
In the midst of their financial struggle, Tammy's frustration was palpable as she held the meager $1,000 envelope, which was far from enough to cover their mounting bills. The stress had become a constant companion, and she threw the envelope onto the table in frustration, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Dre This ain't enough?" Tammy said holding the yellow envelope that had $1,000 inside.
Their expenses, including rent for the New York apartment, car payments, and Zane's school, had pushed them to the brink. It had been days, even weeks, since they had enjoyed a proper meal. Despite the dire circumstances, Tammy did her best to provide essentials like clothes and food for Zane.
Dre's lack of support was a recurring issue. He only seemed to care about their problems when it concerned his own interests, like the threat of losing custody of Zane. The eviction notice and overdue car payment had pushed Tammy to the brink, and she needed Dre's help now more than ever.
"Fuck you expect me to do about it?" Dre yelled
Dre's callous response and indifference to their plight further fueled Tammy's frustration. She couldn't comprehend how he could disregard their shared responsibility as parents.
"We have a whole son we BOTH need to raise and fucking feed and you're acting like this shit doesn't affect you at all!?"
he shrugged and looked at the envelope "So you gon take that shit or give it back? cause I don't have time to deal with the bullshit Tammy."
He stood up and waited in front of her for a response. "Leave me alone Dre"
Dre was very manipulative and toxic and never cared about someone else's problems unless they had something to do with him and his money and Tammy never knew why he was the way he was. But what they both didn't know was Zane picked up on all of his ways and everything he did to his mom Zane thought that's how all women should've been treated.
"See that there.. I don't appreciate how you speaking to me Tammy!" Dre said Raising his voice.
She looked up nonchalantly and scooted back into her seat. "I ain't your dog! you not gonna tell me how to talk Dreshawn!"
He laughed before reaching his hand back and back handing Tammy in the mouth making her fall back onto the wall. As the warm tears flowed down her face she lowered her head to the table to hide her face.
15 yr old Zane came out of his room he could see his mom crying as his dad mushed her head and walked out. He looked over at her with disappointment and tears in his eyes. "Just say sorry ma."
Tammy looked up and scrunched her face at him. "Zane baby.. Did you see all that?" she asked.
he shook his head and poured him a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal, Zane wasn't affected by his parents arguing because this had been happening for a while now.. or at least he never really showed it.
Dre's manipulative behavior had taken a toll on their relationship, and it was clear that Zane was absorbing some of his toxic traits, leaving Tammy deeply concerned about his future.
Seeing that it was a green light to go, She rushed up and started packing their bags taking this chance to leave and never look back.
Several weeks later, Tammy found refuge at her mother's house, where she received much-needed support. Meanwhile, Zane, influenced by the turbulent environment he had grown up in, found himself embroiled in a dangerous situation.
"Yo wassgud little jit?"
"Stop calling me that shit like we aint the same age" Zane shouted
They all threw their hands up and laughed "My bad little bro, Since you so bad and bold you must be ready for what's bout to go down" TJ spoke handing Zane a Glock 19. Zane held it in his hands loving the way it felt when he re-positioned his finger on the trigger and how the grip fitted perfectly in his palm.
"You ready?" TJ asked.
Staring at the gun and taking in a deep breath Zane swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded his head. "Yeah. I'm ready."
Glancing at his crew, TJ nodded and passed Zane an all-black ski mask. Aware of his mother's struggle to pay bills, Zane took matters into his own hands, deciding to rob the bodega he had frequented since a little kid. His familiarity with the store's layout and operations gave him confidence in the endeavor.
"We stick to the plan Ight? Don't use that shit unless you have to." TJ warned.
Adjusting his black puffer coat and securing a mask over his face, Zane and his friends stealthily traversed the street, slipping through the backdoors of the bodega. Connected to an almost abandoned building, the bodega's walls bore the scars of years of neglect, with leaks seeping through, creating a hole in the back closet.
Though Zane had discovered the passage during his childhood adventures, he had never dared to crawl through it. But as he and his friends matured, their street-smart sensibilities grew, and they became more daring.
Crawling under the boxes filled of chips that was placed in the restocking room he turned to look at TJ for more directions to see he wasn't there behind him and had went another way. Knowing he had to do something quick as he heard footsteps coming his way Zane's heart began to thump and he started to panic.
Glancing down at the gun that was placed in his hand he quickly gripped the gun in his hand, Zane faced a split-second decision. Not being able to process it all the way through he acted out of emotion and picked up his gun.
"Who he-" Consumed by fear, he acted impulsively, firing multiple shots into the man's chest, watching in horror as gravity claimed the lifeless body, blood staining his jacket.
Zane's eyes widened at the terrifying scene of what he had just caused. Stunned by the aftermath of his actions, Zane stood frozen as the man convulsed and coughed up blood. Seeing the front door open and TJ run through he looked back down at the man.
"Fuck! Grab the money Leek and let's go!" TJ shouted as he witnessed the lifeless body lying in front of Zane.
Watching as they left Zane quickly rushed over toward the man and dug through his pockets retrieving $50 from him and followed behind the rest of them.
Hearing a knock at the door Tammy turned around thinking it was the pizza she ordered and got up from the table to unlock it. But to her expectations it wasn't what she thought it was.
"Dre? Wha-"
In another turn of events, Dre's return brought unimaginable horror, as he fatally shot Tammy in a fit of rage. Two shots went off one entering her chest and the other in her head, Her lifeless body flew back onto the hardwood floor as blood began to cover everything surrounding her.
"What the fuck! you thought you was doing taking my kid Tammy!" Dre shouted before running off.
"Tammy? what was that no-" Her mom asked before getting cut off by the scene of her daughter's dead body at the bottom of the stairs.
"My God!!"
______________________________________
I never knew how to love anyone else that came into my life like my momma taught me to because of the shit he showed me. I grew up hitting women and entering myself into toxic relationships because of him.. The pain and trauma from that day on stayed with me for 27 years and the only thing to help with the pain I was dealing with was drugs and getting involved with illegal activity. But the only thing that stopped me from healing was knowing he was still alive and my mother wasn't..
Thoughts?
I coulda did better but its coo.
💕💕- NI