"Politricks"
Javier
|37|
"Mi a duppy a'ready." Everything and everyone in the room stills as all eyes fall on me, all looks of concern. The heated discussion they were all engaged in quieted down to nothing but quiet mumbles and murmurs as they tried to comprehend what I'd just said. Just like that, I was the centre of attention again.
The smoke warmed my insides as I take a long drag of the spliff before finally letting it free giving my lungs a brief relief.
There wasn't anything more to add or take away from my statement, really. It was that simple, that's my exact view on all this. I had meant what I said, I was dead already. . .figuratively speaking.
Between all my unhealthy habits whether it was the violence or all the substance I abuse, there wasn't much life left in me. I'd accepted that a long time ago.
So while everyone was here getting worked up about reinforcements, to soothe their egos and fearful minds, I wasn't. If this was what they planned to do after every small altercation then they didn't belong here, but there was one way in and there's only one way out of this life. They knew what they were bargaining for when they signed up for this.
They didn't stop to think that maybe the other side was even more worried than they were, they were outnumbered and lacked a proper leader or support system for that matter. I could go on for days about all that was wrong in their camp. Their defense is weak and played out. I've seen all their plans before they even get a chance to execute them.
They acted impulsively and messy, both of which were reasons they were slowly crumbling.
We didn't even have to do anything to bring them down. We could just watch from the sidelines and they would tear their own selves down to threads right before our eyes.
"So all uno a kill up uno self bout this and that. . ." I zero my gaze on all of them one by one, only pausing to take another pull of my weed. ". . .it nuh mek nuh bloodclaat sense." I said, coolly.
"Mi dead a'ready." I repeat with more assertion in my tone. "Wah kinda war uno a talk bout'? Wah uno mean 'bout who dem go plan fi go fah next or kill?" I almost laugh but I don't. Yes, it was true that they might be stupid enough to come for me but let them come. "Better uno rest dah argument deh caz' it all bigger dan uno."
There was no war until I said there was one and it wasn't up for discussion either.
I was a dead man walking and anyone who dared to contest that was given the fate as well, good as dead.
They all look like children being reprimanded for misbehaving. Dandre sat in the far corner on his phone, he didn't care about anything that didn't involve Arielle.
The only reason I wasn't expressing how angry I was with their weak display was because I didn't want to kill my high.
But it was slowly starting to annoy me so I had to put a stop to it completely.
"Look like uno tired, go home and get some sleep or fuck a one gyal, do sumn. This nuh look good at all." I dismissed them, calling it a day. They start filtering out of the room one after the other, leaving just Dandre and I.
Dandre looks up from his phone finally realizing that we were the only ones in here. "Mi hear yah mek some likkle fuck up talk, 'bout dead a'ready like yuh naav' nothing and nobody a live fah. Mi nuh rate dem ting deh."
He got up giving me a small nod and with that he left the room without a word more. He wasn't the talkative type but when he did speak, he made sense.
I guess he was paying more attention than I'd initially thought.
I sat here alone a while longer turning the words over in my head. Maybe he had a point and maybe it was selfish of me to say that. The fucked up part of it was that in order to not hurt those around me I'd have to care a little more, even if I had to start with caring for myself.
After seeing so many deaths in your lifetime you either cared a little too much about living or life slowly loses its meaning.
If anyone could die in a blink of an eye, was all of this worth it when it's all said and done, or was it all meaningless? You know, just another means to an end. . . the ultimate end.
I can't help but think that all that came with this life were distractions or just things to keep us occupied while we avoided the inevitable.
The more I thought about it, the more lost I felt.
Maybe it was just all the weed in my system.
I left the location and I was cruising through the streets of Monetgo Bay. The traffic was at an all time high today, but when was it not? Dem people mussi nuh ave no yard. Mi nuh ave time fi all a dis.
I take another route hoping that it would take a little less time.
As I drive along the road I spot a billboard advertisement with Kalíanna's father and it all clicked. I knew he couldn't be trusted especially, after what she had told me but he was just another missing piece of the puzzle.
With his upcoming campaign, he needed the extra support and as for me, well I just needed more people in this corrupted system on my side. Nothing was clean about politics it was full of twisted games and a whole lot of tricks.
It would give me the leeway that I needed with everything that's been going on.
But if he's so hell bent on being the enemy then that's exactly what I'll make him out to be.
I dial Trap's number disconnecting my phone from the car's speaker, always cautious. "Change a plans fi tomorrow." You could hear the amusement in my voice. "Wah fi gwaan?" He asked, matching my energy. I explained everything to him completely scrapping our original plan.
We were supposed to provide protection to Stevenson and his crew, he wanted to travel through some of the more unpredictable areas of town like Salem, Norwood, Salt Spring—do his little motorcade, festivities and false promises, whatever people like him did.
Except, without our help it won't go over so smoothly. These people didn't like people showing up in their territories and he wasn't just an enemy, he was the enemy. A government official, that is.
I was supposed to make a few calls, maybe be on scene myself throughout the course of the day, I would have seen to it that he wasn't touched. But without my intervention he's going to be eaten alive.
Imagine if some of these people were of the opposing party, he's going to be in a real sticky situation.
I wasn't going to warn him about my withdrawal either.
He'd just have to find out himself.
• • •
Trap was going through some of the papers on my desk making sure my signature was on the ones he needed it to be. One of the secretaries, Sasha I believe, returns with the assortment of food we ordered from KFC. We have been here all evening trying to organize some paperwork.
"All working deh pon' pause." Trap spots Sasha and drops the papers he had in his hand on the mahogany desk. She laughs resting the food on the coffee table. She adjusts her pencil skirt for about the umpteenth time tonight before sitting down, it was far from an appropriate length.
Trap looked to her then to me and I simply shook my head knowingly, nah pree har like dat.
I got up from around my desk becuase truth be told, we all deserved the break.
Plus, a long time mi nuh eat some KFC.
"Trap tek up him food and gone suh, deven look, him look back." She joked chuckling lightly. She reaches for her cup of soda and takes a sip before resting it back on the table before us.
I was seated on one side of the couch while she sat on the other end. Her focus was on me but I was only concerned with my food. The sooner she realized the better it would be for us both.
Trap had left the minute he got his food, leaving just the two of us in the room. Him naav' nuh chill, him reallg think mi woulda' fuck one a mi employee dem? Learnt from past mistakes.
I was finishing my box of wings and I had a BBQ zinger before this. We sat in silence but I didn't mind.
"A long time we deh here don't? Like from after 5?" She questions and I nod in confirmation. Trap had told me that we had quite some work cut out for us, today. Maybe we should have came in earlier. Procrastination at it's finest.
It was now 8:22 p.m. maybe we could be out of here by 9. . .9:30 being the latest.
"Yuh nuh talk?" She speaks again, highlighting the fact that I didn't give her a verbal response. She was trying desperately to fill the silence.
"Yuh nuh fraid' yuh bite yuh tongue?" I asked, throwing her a glare. Sometimes, it was best to stop talking and as of right now, it was one of those times. She went quiet again but it didn't take long for her to conjure up something else to say.
"Can see seh yuh nuh friendly. . ."
"Yah sparks man." I said sarcastically, giving her a mocking smile.
When I was finished with my food, I returned to my desk to finish up. The faster we were done, the faster I could leave. . .the faster I'd get to see her.
Kalíanna
|37|
"Mi nah do dat again, eno." Arielle complained as we walked towards the locker room to get our gym bags. We too likkle bit and? Nuff. The gym girlies should have warned us about all the sore muscles that came with this lifestyle.
I was not prepared to say the least, I only came dressed in a cute black two piece from Nike and my Stanley cup. That's it, that's all.
Our trainer was done with us the minute we walked through the door, we were complaining before we even started.
Every look yuh look, we cya bada.
"Cya' seh we never try." My feet were killing me, my body felt numb. I needed a shower, my bed and the man that isn't necessarily mine yet. I grabbed my bag throwing it over my shoulder. I take a long sip of my water hoping that it will rejuvenate my body.
I texted Javier before our workout and our session ended a while ago and there was still not a response. I turn my phone off slipping it back into the pocket of my bag.
"We can go buy Burger now, or that look too bad?" I asked as we walk through the doors, for what I hope is the last time. A me and Arielle alone tek up we self come over here, Rihanna wasn't game.
"Mi woulda' eat two." Arielle admits without shame.
When Dandre finally comes to pick us up we were seated on a curb. We had reached an all time level of low. My feet simply didn't have the ability to stand up anymore. Truth be told, this was worse than the aftermath of me and Javeir fucking.
Dandre mocks us for most of the drive.
"Fucka' uno." He chuckled, looking over at Arielle who was in just as much pain as I was. I was laying on the backseat while she layed in the front. "Shut up." I hissed. I could fall asleep right here. The leather seats beneath me were cold from the air conditioning and it was a really comforting feeling.
I check my phone again, still no answer from Javier. I'm trying my hardest to not allow this to get under my skin and be upset about it, but is and I am.
I dial his number and goes straight to voicemail.
"Yuh hear from Javier?" My question was directed at Dandre. They worked along side eachother it was possible that he had seen or heard from him.
"Did mek a one link todeh, a wahm?"
"Nothing, just nah get him."
He only hums in response.
I didn't expect him to say much about it. If it came down to it, I know for a fact that he'd have his best friend's back without a doubt. Dem love pick up fi eachother foolishness.
I let it rest.
"Where are you coming from?" I look up and my father is standing in the entry way. He's made himself at home, again. He's back to his regular routine of popping up late in the nights and leaving early in the mornings, we don't usually cross paths.
"Went to the gym." If it wasn't obvious enough. I bend over to unlace my sneakers before slipping them off my feet and taking them in my hand. I look up and he was still standing there, seemingly contemplating about something.
"Is that all?" I asked, waiting patiently for him to move out of the way.
"I'm having a campaign, tomorrow. We're starting around 9 in the morning, I'd like it if you could be there with your mother and I."
That explained a lot.
There was no way he just coincidentally returned just in time for his big campaign.
"I'll see." I had no intention of going anywhere.
He nods acknowledging my statement, he takes a step to the side allowing me to walk past him and towards the stairs.
I drop my bag and shoes and just as I'm about to go to the bathroom, my phone starts ringinging, it's Javier.
I walk into the bathroom, accepting the call. I put the phone on speaker, putting it down on the counter. I begin washing my hands as I wait for him to speak.
"Wah yah do?" I paused, because I'm sure I missed the part where he explained why he didn't respond to my messages or my calls.
"Excuse mi?" He seemed distracted becuase he trails off again, seemingly in conversation with someone else. I recognize a female's voice in the background and I let out a humorless laugh. Him serious? "Thanks again, good night."
"Good night." He responds. "Kali." He finally returns his attention back to the phone.
"Doh call mi phone when yah chat to yuh bloodclaat gyal dem, Javier." The smile on his face was pissing me off, "Wah yah chat 'bout?" I was going to hold my mouth but it got the better of me.
"When mi call yuh when mi man ave mi pon' a backaz, maybe yuh wi' know wah mi a chat 'bout." The grin on his face fell into an awful scowl and I almost burst out laughing.
Who laugh last, laugh best.
"When dat can happen and yuh live?" He hissed in frustration, his features ridden with displeasure.
"Nuh worry 'bout dat, worry 'bout yuh gyal wah yuh just drop off."
"Which gyal dat?"
"How mi fi know dat? A you fi' tell me." I wrapped up my hair with a claw clip, putting on my shower cap. I stared down at the phone screen admiring how attractive he looked whilst angry.
"A she mek yuh couldn't answer yuh phone, when mi a call yuh?" I provoked him futher.
"Mi did deh a work, a one a mi employee dem mi drop off, Kali."
"Anything yuh want seh." I muttered under my breath in my best nonchalant tone.
"Mi ago bathe, mi soon call yuh back."
"When since yuh affi' hang up eh phone? Continue fuck around. . ." The low threat was followed by the loud slam of the car door.
I didn't hang up my phone during my shower, only because I didn't feel like to.
It had nothing to do with Javier's prior warning. There was nothing he could do to intimidate me over the phone.
"Wah yah do tomorrow?" He asked, watching as I applied my lotion all over my body.
"Probably affi do some campaign sumn' wid mi fada, why?"
"Tek dat off a yuh mind."
"Wah mek?" I asked, defiantly. I didn't like being told what to do, he knew that.