Fᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴᴛʜ ɴɪɴᴇᴛᴇᴇɴ-ɴɪɴᴇᴛʏ (ᴄᴏɴᴛ'ᴅ)
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"Y-YOU HAVE MY back, right Q?" Aaron stammered as he raked his hand through his chestnut colored hair. His guilt stricken attitude exuded more than ever as he thought back to the latest events of tonight. Aaron was still unable to cope with the fact that he murdered Pharaoh- the young male who simply yearned to take another breath. Quincy lifted his head up to look to the man he thought to be his best friend as his mind raced- he wondered how this man had the audacity to ask if he had his back as if he hadn't murdered a seventeen year old. It killed him internally- ever since he himself was a teenager he sternly believed that the most unfair circumstance in life was the ordeal of death at a young age. It almost felt as if Quincy died with the young boy but that could easily be proven wrong seeing as though Quincy was still full of life. It must've been his soul that was drained rather than his being. It just wasn't fair. . . and for Aaron to ask such a question was almost just as unfair as the entire tribulation was.
"H-how could you ask me that?" Q's hostility towards him was speedily on display as he picked his back off the wall within the empty hallway of the police station. "Huh? How in the hell could you ask me that shit?" At this point, Aaron averted his eyes towards the clean white floor as the voice of his counterpart boomed in his ears. He knew when Quincy grew angry his language became much more foul as well as disrespectful, so he braced himself as he entered the belly of the beast.
"I just watched you murder a fucking kid and you're asking me, w-what? If I have your damn back? You're fucked up! The fuck even was that out there? You're not supposed to fucking shoot unless you believe the motherfucka poses a threat! I know damn well when I saw those boys I wasn't threatened for shit! Shit, ain't no way they could have been taller than 5'10! For God sakes that boy had his hands up! What? Y-you thought that little boy was gonna kill you? You thought he had a trick up his sleeve? " Q paved on, shouting in a hushed tone seeing as though he didn't want anyone else hearing the argument nor did he even want his coworkers to learn of the predicament that led to it. " Man, you saw how fucking fast his cousin ran! What in the hell made you think he was gonna pull some shit with you when his own fucking cousin was outta there faster than you could count to the damn number ten!" Quincy finished as he placed his hands on his hips as he repeatedly analyzed his surroundings in search for incoming people.
"Look I didn't know what the hell he was gonna pull out! He could've easily reached for a gun and shot me! In that moment I-I just thought about my wife. . . she's waiting for me at home you know!. . . she's waiting up for me. I didn't want to leave her hanging. . ." Aaron uttered with sorrow dancing throughout his low tone of voice.
"Was that supposed to make me feel sorry for you? Was it?" Q challenged causing Aaron to answer with a "no but I was just saying. . ." Allowing Quincy to continue off of that. "Well don't say shit! What you fucking did was wrong! What? You thought that boy didn't have anybody waiting at home for him? Huh? You don't think he got a little sister or brother waiting up for their Pharaoh? Oh- oh or maybe he had himself a girlfriend waiting for him to call her little house phone? You don't know! He had friends waiting for him to enter the school building on Monday. . . he probably even betted money on who would win that big boxing fight. . . probably was on the honor roll. . . probably on the basketball team. . ." Q retorted as he slightly dazed out at the end of his speech. He couldn't help but wonder what Pharaoh's life was like and how it could've been, even if he tried he just couldn't help it. Quincy knew that boy had a life to live and he couldn't help but feel apart of the reason why it ended.
"All these fucking probably's. You don't fucking know what type of life that boy led! He was a teenager! He coulda been a fucking gang member for all we know! He coulda been selling some shit on somebody's block! You didn't know that kid! Stop acting like you fucking did, alright! Look, what I did was wrong- I know, but it was damn near equivalent to what those boys do out there in that fucking jungle! They kill them selves on the fucking daily and these cases stay open for however long, but when I accidentally do the same I catch all the heat! Did you know that about seven murders occurred in that very same area since the beginning of 1990 and it's only the second week of February! Like I said, what I did was wrong, I know! But don't be ready to call fucking- I don't know- Al Sharpton when I pull the trigger but nobody when someone from that same community does!"
Q stood astonished as Aaron allowed those words to spew from his mouth. How was it that this man spoke so lowly of the young boy that he had happened to murder not even an hour ago? Q's eyebrows furrowed as his anger had finally reached the breaking point, he couldn't even begin to fathom the idea of badmouthing the dead; he pondered on just how Aaron was able to do just that with a stern expression upon his face. He even asked himself how was Aaron's once unwavering sorrow quickly transformed into anger and distastefulness. Just how?
"Does that shit make anything better? You think it does? You think you did a service to the community by taking him out or some shit? Nah man! Just cause all these senseless killings are going on don't mean you gotta add to it! I mean look at us, Aaron! We're police officers! The ones that supposed to protect people from all that shit! Police officers for God sakes! Now how the hell do w-" Quincy paused for a second as he contemplated on the last word he was close to uttering: we. Yes, Quincy felt guilty but in no way shape or form was he planning on having the back of the man who pulled the trigger. "You" he corrected himself. "How the hell do you look doing the equivalent to what criminals are doing when we're the ones that are supposed to protect and serve! We aren't supposed to be the bad guys!"
"Ah here you go with the bad guy shit like we Batman and Robin or something. Give it a break, man! Now look, that kid's not the first to be shot by an officer. . . Like I said, I thought he was pulling a firearm on me and I had my reasons for believing that." Aaron concurred as he thought back to the train station incident in which he and his wife were called all types of names by Pharaoh and his cousin. Aaron truly believed that in the moment he gained his pride back as he readied himself to make an arrest, that he would ultimately lose it as he thought Pharaoh was attempting to make a move as if it were a part two between him and Aaron.
"And why was that, huh? 'Cause the little fucking boy was black, huh? Is that it? Is that why you murdered him, Ron? 'Cause he was black right?" Q continuously challenged Aaron causing him to respond with a harsh shake of his head as he readied himself to further his claim.
"N-no it's nothing like that. . . you've been my friend for years and you know it's nothing like that!" He stammered.
"N-no?" Quincy mocked Aaron's nervous tone of voice. "Well how the hell am I supposed to know it was nothing like that, Ron! You killed a young black man with your white hands! Had it been a few more years down the line that young black man could've been my Elijah! Now you tell me how I'm supposed to feel when I watch a youth that coulda easily been my son die! Tell me, Ron! Tell me!" At first Aaron stood quiet as Q's gaze remained unrelenting, but momentarily he once again gaped his mouth to utter his conclusion.
"That wouldn't have been your Elijah." He whispered, instantly striking a nerve within his counterparts body. Instead of saying anything more, Quincy allowed his hand to slam the wall as he was overcome with such rage. He couldn't even look at the man he spoke to so harshly once more; the act would simply bring him further displeasure. He couldn't stand his presence any longer so he swiftly turned on his heels as he raised his hands in defeat, signaling his departure. No, Quincy was not supposed to leave seeing as though the Lieutenant wanted to speak with the pair but he just couldn't wait any longer. He ignored Aaron's call outs for him as he rapidly cut the corner in sought for the exit. He was so angry that it almost seemed as if his tunnel vision increased this being the reasoning for accidentally pushing Tobias as he walked the police department.
"Yo, Q what the hell wrong with you?" Tobias asked as he dropped down to pick up the files that Q had pushed out of his hands. Quincy didn't respond as he still treated for the exit. "You don't hear me calling you Q!" Still, Toby received no answer. He briskly picked up the last of his papers, then running after his uniformed friend as he just happened to reach the door. "What the hell is up with you, Q! Pushing me like you don't got no damn sense! A brother couldn't even get a 'sorry'! Lookin' all mad like my black ass did something." Tobias yelped, obviously unaware of the issue.
"I have to go Toby."
"W-what? What's wrong with you?" Toby inquired in all seriousness as he was concerned about his friend and co-worker.
"Look, I'll see you when I see you, but right now. . .I gotta fuckin' go." And with that, Q was gone.
He trekked over to his assigned police car and got in hastily. He couldn't stand to be at the station any longer. He placed the keys in the ignition, placed his seatbelt on and readied himself to leave; and within a moment that's just what he did. His head began to hurt, subtly antagonizing his ride home. He thought of all the things that went down tonight. . . he couldn't help but feel like he could've did more. He wished Aaron was the one who ran after X. He knew things would've went much differently if he was the one in charge of apprehending Pharaoh. . . he would've still been here. For a jail cell was far better than a death bed and that was the pure fact of the matter. He wished he could've saved him. Although Pharaoh was the only one who reached his demise in the event, Q couldn't help but think of two other people. One being his late sister Mylene who was fatally shot back in '86 though she wasn't murdered by a cop but yet by an ex-boyfriend of hers. . . oh how he couldn't bring himself to cope with it. He wished he had protected her. . . just as he had wished he protected Pharaoh. And in that moment of watching Pharaoh fall to his knees- Quincy thought of Elijah. In that moment- ever so vividly, he saw his son. He saw his son on his knees- for him and Q's nightly prayer. In that moment Quincy could've sworn he was seeing things and for a quick second he could almost hear his son reciting "Our Father who art in heaven. . ." He could've sworn he did. It was so surreal, he almost couldn't breathe. . . just as Pharaoh longed to take yet another breath.
It was almost as if Quincy died with his son.
Finally, after about twenty-five minutes Quincy arrived at his home, parking the car in the driveway once again. The drive felt as if it were hours, Q thought as he unbuckled his seatbelt and took the keys from his ignition. He hopped out the car once again feeling the brisk winter weather as he walked to the entrance of his house. He braced himself mentally while he took a couple deep breathes just before reaching in his pocket for his house keys; and after a jingle to the right he was in.
"Now, where were you?" Quincy's wife Leandra inquired as she closed the television she happened to be watching as she waited up for her husband. "I left your food in the oven just like you asked but damn I wouldn't have if I knew you were gonna come in this late!" She scoffed, making sure to keep her voice low seeing that Elijah was supposed to be fast asleep. Little did they know that he was listening. . . attentively.
"I-I just got caught up with work, that's all." He fibbed while he placed his coat on the hanger by the front door along with his hat- not once looking at Leandra nor into her blue eyes.
"Oh come on, you're an hour and some change late! You had Elijah waiting for you!" She kept at it in a hushed tone as she walked closer to her man. She wondered why he wouldn't even look at her. . .she sensed he was lying or at least that there was something more behind his story. . . and there definitely was.
"Eli. . . I-I gotta see him. I g-gotta say I'm sorry. I have to." He whispered frantically as he attempted to push past his wife.
"No, no you don't! He's asleep Quincy! You could tell him in the morning! What's the rush? What the hell is wrong with you?" She continued, slightly growing louder.
"You don't understand! I have to see him! I just want to say sorry!" Quincy pushed on causing his wife to continuously push him back as he still tried to go up the steps. Leandra had to get to the bottom of this. She didn't want their son to see his father in such a disorderly manner.
"Q, it's okay! Calm down! It was just a boxing match!"
"I-it's more than tha-" he was cut off as he took notice of his son coming down the steps in his plain white shirt and red pajama pants. "E-Eli. . ." Quincy began just before he ran up the few remaining steps to reach his child. "I-I'm so sorry." He whispered as he grabbed his son and hugged him with all he had within himself. "I'm so sorry." Both Leandra and Elijah furrowed their eyebrows, reacting to such behavior displayed by Q. It was peculiar seeing as though it was only a boxing match that he had missed.
"Dad, it's okay. It's okay!" Eli came about saying as he wondered why his father was acting this way. Tears left Q's eyes uncontrollably as he buried his face in Elijah's boyish chest.
"I'm so sorry."
•✧•
"I'M SO SORRY Pharaoh. . ." X uttered amongst his tears that failed to stop flowing as he sat in his holding cell. His heart was beyond heavy as he thought of his cousin who was also his best friend, his brother even. He and Pharaoh had been close to one another for as long as he could remember- growing closer after the incarceration of both of his parents back in '85 thus leading them to have to live together. Even though Raoh was a year younger than X, he always the first one to offer words of wisdom to his older cousin. Raoh was the quiet one though. . . the steadfast one. . . the rather timid one as opposed to his loudmouth, fast reacting and quick tempered cousin. But still. . . there was nothing in this world that they thought could tear them apart.
Who would've thought that a gun would do the honors?
Truthfully. . . X did.
He always presumed that if anyone were to die between the two it would be him. He had no doubt in his mind that that would be the case if such an ordeal were to occur. He knew Raoh was a good kid. . . not once did he think he would be the one to go. He had a lot of things going for him, he had dreams. . .big ones. He wanted to be a painter but then again he wanted to be a DJ but then again he wanted to be a basketball player or maybe even a pediatrician- for Raoh loved kids, he wanted a big family when he grew up. So many things he wanted to do. . . so many things he wanted to see and experience.
It hurt to think about, but X couldn't stop. He felt like it was his fault his cousin was gone. He truly did.
"Raoh- Raoh I'm so sorry- if you could hear me man, I'm sorry! I should've never asked to go finish the mural tonight. . . I knew how late it was. I-I didn't care. You even told me we could do it tomorrow but I just wouldn't listen." He croaked while he spoke aloud, hoping that someway, somehow his cousin was listening. "Is this some type of fucked up Karma? Huh God?" He continued, his anger increasing as he switched the conversation over to God. "Is it God? Huh, did I deserve this? Did I? It's like all you do is take from me! It's like you never get tired of it God! First my parents and now my baby cousin! Stop giving me the fucking run around and take me already! God, take me! I should be the one dead! Not Pharaoh! You got the wrong one God! Oh God, take me!" Xavier wept.
"All you fucking do is take from me. Just finish the story and take me!"
"Xavier! Xavier!" He heard the familiar voice of his Aunt Stella, leading him to lift his head as if on cue. He looked up to see her and a dark skinned police officer baring round glasses that apparently came over to unlock his cell. "Open this damn cell officer!"
"Auntie Stella." Xavier croaked while the officer did as told. "They killed my Pharaoh. . ." X uttered as he ran into his aunt giving the tightest hug he had ever given in his whole lifetime.
"I know baby, I know." Stella responded as she wiped some of her own tears- mourning the death of her son. "We're gonna get my boy justice." She calmly stated just above a whisper allowing the officer that had just opened the cell for him to hear the exchange as he walked away. He was intrigued by the case but he failed to understand just who that murdered the boy the two mourned. He suspected it was gang violence or maybe even a stray bullet. He couldn't know for sure so of course he planned to do his research. He yearned to know the answer to the question.
Who killed Pharaoh?
- Hey y'all! I'm actually in love with this story like I got a lot of muse for it. This book is my baby. But yeah I hope you guys enjoyed and please remember to vote and comment! Oh and don't forget to tell me what you guys think.