I cut my long drive down by twenty minutes. When I got on the scene, there were police everywhere. Everyone was outside being nosey and the store was taped off with yellow tape. When that was pulled out, it only meant one thing. My eyes scanned to see if I saw my brother anywhere. I didn’t see his car or anything. I always taught my boys that as soon as the police got involved, clear the block.
“Whodie, got hit twice,” I heard someone say. “Nigga ate that shit, though. He hopped in his ride and pulled off.”
They had the street blocked off so bad you could barely see anything. I was relieved when they said he rode off. Now I needed to know why the yellow tape was up. My phone started going off inside the car, distracting my thoughts.
“He’s safe,” Hollow said.
“Where the fuck is he?”
“I got him with me at the mortuary.”
“The mortuary? Hollow!”
“Adore, calm yo’ ass down. If you wanna see him before I burn his body, you better come on.”
“Hollow…please!” I cried.
“Adore, bring yo’ crazy on. I got the nigga on morphine.”
Sometimes Hollow didn’t know when not to be an asshole. This was not the time to be playing with my emotions. I got in my car and rushed to Hollow’s mortuary. My heart was telling me that I needed to apologize to Whodie, because I could’ve easily lost him today. My conscience would have eaten me upknowing we were on bad terms with each other when we’re practically best friends.
“FUCK!” Whodie yelled.
“Nigga, you the one that don’t wanna go to the hospital. So, now you gotta sit here and take the pain while I get this shit outta ya’.” Hollow dug the long silver tool back into Whodie’s leg.
“I need a perc or something, shit!”
“No, you don’t.” I reached out to grab his bloody hand.
“Bullet missed a major artery in this nigga leg. I still feel like he needs to go and get some blood. He lost a lot driving his ass over here.”
“I thought you were heading to him?” I asked Hollow.
“Shit, I was until I saw this muthafucka swerve heading towards me.”
I looked back at Whodie.
“What? I wasn’t ‘bouta sit up there shot up, waiting on the pigs to pull up and ask questions. Better believe when I find the fuck out who did this shit, they’re dead. Whole fuckin’ family.”
The sound of the metal hitting the table was a sign of relief. I looked over at him again because the dude said he took two shots.
“Where is the other one?” I asked.
“Other what?” Whodie asked.
“Shot. They said you took two shots.”
“That one just grazed me.” He showed me his neck that Hollow had patched up.
Watching my brother sew Whodie up only showed the crazy shit my brother was into. The nigga can kill you and bury you. The pulling of the skin was making my stomach queasy, so I walked off until he was done. The medical shit was something I knew wasn’t in my calling.
“Now, you gotta stay off that leg for at least two days. Let yo’ body heal a little.” Hollow gave him instructions.
Hollow pulled his gloves off and stared at me as he walked out to give us some space. My mind was already made up that I would stay with him for those two days at his condo. No need in making the nigga come back to the home we shared after packing all his shit up.
“I’ll stay with you for two days at your spot. You know, just to help you.”
“Adore, I’m straight. You ain’t gotta adjust yo’ time or schedule for me. This lil shit ain’t nothing.”
