Chicken Little: Haunted Blood (An Urban Story) Vol. 1; Part 2
copyright K. Omodele 2016
The minute Glass’ gun popped out, I realized – we got set up, plain and simple. How they, and them alone, get guns up in The Turntable?
Then, soon as Mongrel grabbed the tool from out coward-rass Glass’ hand, Bull got low and dashed for the bar. That man dove head-first like some Olympic diver, clear over the counter. And the same time Bull moved right, me, Doc, English and them girls took off to the left. Which exposed Shortman with that half-built spliff in his hand.
He looked up but it was too late. With his back against the wall, all he could do was duck as Mongrel and Boo aimed at him.
Then the shots thundered. BADAP! BADAP! BADAP! BRAP! BRAP!
Over and over, booming over the music, ’til even the music stopped dead.
Then, all you could hear was shots. BLAM! BLAM! BRAM!
People scrambled for the door. No screaming, just silent, frantic like ants. I turned sideways, squeezing myself behind a skinny post that couldn’t be no more than six-inch wide. Buddy-bye and Mammal ducked behind two tables. Doc and English and the rest of them? I didn’t even see where they’d run and gone.
Shortman was taking shots. He tried to run, but the shots penetrated, twisted and turned his body, like he doing the Rocking Dolly. Then he dropped, his navy-blue Sergio Techini sweat suit turning black with blood.
Then, all of a sudden, the shots stopped. Them dutty niggas backed up a couple steps, looked around like they snap out a daze. Boo turned and dumped two shots into the bar before all of them ran to the door, guns held high. Before they exited, Mongrel swerved his tool around, threatening.
Then they were gone.
Two, maybe three minutes; that’s how quick the whole bangarang played out – from the time Bull pointed them out to the moment they hauled rass out the door. Later, Shortman said that the first time he noticed something wrong was the instant Bull started yapping with Glass. Everything after that was a blur to him.
Looking back, it seemed longer; but that’s because I remember every little thing. I don’t panic, even in the middle of chaos. It don’t matter if it feels like you stewing in a pressure cooker, you can’t allow your emotions to swallow you up.
With them fools gone, the remnants re-surfaced from various crevices and corners. A set of girls ran out babbling, down from the DJ booth. My ears were buzzing and my eyes and nose were runny from all the lingering gun smoke.
I instructed myself: settle down! Find the crew! Don’t rush outside into another ambush like some lamb to a slaughter! I looked around the dancehall carefully.
English, Doc, Mammal and Buddy-bye gathered round and I saw adrenalin pumping through their temples and flaring open their nostrils. Bull stomped over from behind the bar and we began searching for Shortman, but couldn’t find him on the floor.
The Women’s bathroom door was wide open so, slowly, we peered in.
The dingy-white and black tiles had a path of smeared blood leading to a stall. Three girls squeezed together by a sink, flinching when they saw us. One of them hollered out.
“He crawled in deh. He in there!” Pointed at the stall.
Shortman was curled up, hugging the toilet like salvation. His head propped awkward on the side of the bowl, his torso tensed. He was dry-heaving and his sweatshirt was soggy wet. His footballer’s legs lay sprawled like some pick-up stix. When Bull pried his arms from the toilet and pulled him out the stall, Shortman had tears streaming down his face but he wasn’t crying; his eyes just shifted looking around the bathroom.
I knew exactly what he was thinking – we got set up.
I nodded.
Bull grinded his teeth hard like he was chewing wire.
Shortman gurgled. “Water. Thirsty.” He struggled to breathe. “Gimmie some water.” His teeth pink with blood and slobber.
Suddenly, sirens wailed and someone yelled.
“The Beast.”
Everybody with us turned to exit, except Shortman, of course. Half of we had warrants, the other half, illegal; so, none of us wanted to take a check. As we filed out the bathroom, fire fighters streamed through Turntable’s front door, followed by a gang of police and EMS.
I pulled my Kangol brim low over my brows and walked out, calm and natural, right past them. I kept thinking, don’t freeze up. Don’t look away but at the same time, don’t stare at nobody! That ole crow see fear, it will take set and prey on you; might make this a longer, colder, sitting-behind-bars night.
At the door I turned and saw them people lift Shortman out the restroom and lay him on the floor in front Bob Marley, smiling with his guitar. I wondered what Bob might’ve been singing – Woman hold her head and cry??
The EMS converged on Shortman like a pack of wild dogs and cut his pants off him.
I stepped into the night and the air slapped me in the face. A news camera’s light blinded me. I looked down, brim down; said nothing, just kissed my teeth and sidestepped the bag of excitement. I darted down the alley to where I’d parked round behind the nightclub. Bull had done cranked up his whip and had pulled beside my beamer, waiting. D.C. was bout to run red. Board box under ground by time we done.
The Harshness had stolen our night.
COMING SOON: Haunted Blood – Volume 2 (Chicken Little Sagas Continue)
Read the preceding episodes:
Chicken Little and The Carrion Crow (the Introduction)
*(this is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual persons or situations are coincidental and unintended)
You know what? Your story is like a modern day, "The Harder They Come"… That 1970's movie starring singer Jimmy Cliff…I watched that movie a few times, its a great movie… sad, but great….In many ways, this story- the way it's unfolding- reminds me of that movie, a modern day version of it…
I felt so bad for Shortman… Yes, to everything in life there is a consequence, but I still felt pity for him….Then that scene with you trying to make a calm getaway from the madness, hoping no one noticed you, that was a nail biting moment, lol and the news crew all in your face lol… It's like watching a movie, but it's on paper instead… High impact…
I can see "Chicken Little: Haunted Blood" actually becoming a movie someday, there's so much potential in your story… Well done, my friend!
Thanx for your kind words, Arose. Jimmy Cliff is one of my favorite singers and The Harder They Come is also up there for me, one of the GOATs. Its a series, so stay tuned. I gotta figure out how soon and frequent to post.
Chicken is introspective but wait 'til you get a load of Bull… 🙂
Mos' def… and You're welcome. 😀