“Tara justdeliver this,”he lifts up abox and Ismile. Must uncle Orionsend this, himalways love the surprise or gift thing. I move over tothe porch andopen the boxand when I dothere’s a metalpart inside with a note onthe side.
“Wah this?” Zara asks. behind me.
“Mi nuh know yet,” I answer. I decide toopen it and when I see what’s inside Ipush Zaraback but I guess shealready saw itbecause she’s screaming.Shit!
It’s a head, a head ofsomeone very close to me.
Wah happen, Zara!?” Guttaand the others rush out,voices sharp, but their noisefades the longer I stare.Everythingaround me blurs, my chesttightens, andmy eyes water. This really hurt you..
How could-
“Nature?!” Rick shouts,coming close to me. Howcould they dothis to him? How couldthey do this toyou? He wasthe only father figure left foryou and hewas yourmentor. Besides,Orion.
“Oh My… God!”Zaracries out until Iblock outeverythingcompletely, staring at hishead. It’sNature. Mysecond father. They reallykilled him. Someonekilled him and sent his head to me? Jah know. Mi cyaabelieve this.
“Zara let him go and easy nuh!” Gutta says as Zara’sarms wraps tighter.
“Him need meright now!” She’s crying loudly with her faceresting on my back.
“Why would someone dothis to him?”She cries.
“People a godead enuh,” Gutta saysangrily.
“Jah know,”Junior says. I don’t evenknow how to feel. I can’t even feel.
I’m numb.
“Babe,” Zaracalls and I ignore her. All I can hear ishis voice inmy head, allhis jokes, hisadvices, his voice at my wedding and memories replaying inmy mind. I clench my fist,staring at it. I take up the note andimmediately recognize the handwriting:
“You’re next.”
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PART TWO
I finally let him go, watching as he closes the box. His eyes flutter for a few seconds before cutting over to Gutta. They’re bloodshot red. Gutta catches it right away and steps closer.
“Get rid a’ this,” he says, voice low, grave, before heading inside.
“Yow, Keno wul deh side ya.” Gutta slips his spliff between his lips, lifts the box with Keno.
“We a put it inna the trunk,” I hear him mutter. Nickoi drags himself up the stairs, every step heavy. I let him go. Instead, I stay out on the porch, watching Gutta and Keno carry the weight toward the Crown. The energy is draining…
Rick looks lost, nostalgia eating him alive. Junior’s eyes are fixed on nothing, like the air itself carrying memories. He must’ve been close to Nature too.
“Jah Jah,” he breathes, turning his head away. The heaviness settles in my chest.
“You have the note?” Keno asks.
“The G have it,” Gutta answers, pale, his voice stripped of its usual edge. For the first time, he sounds… broken. This shake up everybody. Gutta is always the one smiling, always joking, even in the worst moments. I used to think he was coldhearted, but now I see it’s just his way of coping.
Junior slips inside and shuts off the games. I sigh. Just a while ago, we were good, laughing, chilling and now the mood flip so quick.
So life go, man.
“Mi just wah know a who enuh!” Keno growls. They’re by the car, voices low but heavy.
