“Oh my God, I did not come up here to die!” she panicked, clutching the sheets. “This is how people die in movies, Bryce! First, there’s a mysterious noise, then somebody goes missing, and next thing you know, we’re all getting picked off like it's a Netflix horror special! I saw a documentary just last week. The girl went missing, and all they found was a Croc and her bonnet!”
I ignored her theatrics, grabbed my piece from the nightstand, and threw on a hoodie over my bare chest.
"Bryce, what are you doing?!"
“What the fuck does it look like I’m doing? I’m going to see what that noise was. One of us gotta live to tell the story… and it’s gonna’ beme.”
“Wait! You can’t go out there! What if something’sreallyout there?” she muttered.
“Then you better hope it’s not faster than you. And don’t include me in yo’ scared-ass autobiography. Look, either stay yo’ scared ass in here, or come quietly. Pick one.”
Isis tossed the covers over her legs, hopped out of the bed, and grabbed her robe.
“Oh, I’m not staying in here by myself! You crazy?! We’re in this together!”
I grabbed three more things off the dresser—a flashlight, my phone, and a backup mag. I slipped the safety off and crept out of the room with Isis all on my ass, barefoot and breathing like she was in labor and nine centimeters dilated.
Soon as we stepped out of the room, my phone screen lit up.
Chesteria.
Her name was still saved in my phone, right where I left it two years ago. I never deleted it, any texts, videos, or pictures. It justsat there, quiet and untouched, like a wound that never healed right, and was just waiting to bleed again.
I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Chesteria, you good?!”
“Chesteria?” Isis repeated, confusion settling into her voice, irritation following close behind.
I ignored her.
Chesteria’s voice came through the line cool, calm, and completely unfazed. “Kitchen. We have a Code Brown.”
Shit.
Code Brown meant bear.
“Aight. I’m on the way down.”
The moment I ended the call, Isis started in. “I thought y’all were exes? So how do y’all still have each other’s numbers?”
“Isis, mind yo’ damn business. Now is not the time for you to be pressing me like you my woman and shit.”
She sucked her teeth. “Well… what did she say? What was that noise?”
I picked up the pace, already halfway down the stairs. “We got a Code Brown.”
Isis tugged my shirt sleeve like a toddler about to snitch. “What the hell is a Code Brown?! What does that even mean?!”
A bear, Isis… a whole damn bear.I wanted to say, but I knew if I told her that, the sound that came out of her mouth next would be half gasp, half scream, and one hundred percent annoying as fuck.
“It means don’t scream again unless you trying to get your obituary written tonight,” I warned.“And don’t be looking at me like I’m your hero. You been ignoring everything I said since I pulled up to yo’ crib. If something drags you out by your robe, that’s gonna be between you, it, and whatever angel on night shift.”
Isis slapped both hands over her mouth, finally showing she had at least three brain cells left.
Once I hit the bottom and rounded the corner, I spotted Chesteria and Adrian near the kitchen, displaying two completely different energies.
Chesteria had her legs planted, shoulders squared, and gun aimed like she trained exactly for that moment.
Okay… she was.And she was trained by the best… me. Yup… I brag a lil’ different.
