“But we know the fuckin’ cops are gonna be on our asses once this storm blows over and they learn about the crash. You don’t think the prison is gonna wonder why a bus of twenty-some inmates just never showed up?”
Kadeem sighed with a knowing nod. “You’re right . . . Fuck, mane,” he hissed. “What’s the plan?”
“Find shelter until the storm blows over, and keep your head on a swivel, nigga,” I instructed.
I still had no idea how we’d find one another once all this shit did blow over, but my brother and I had a connection like no other, so I knew where there was a will, there was a mothafuckin way. Besides, the way I saw it, God had given us a second chance to live our lives. We’d be stone-cold fools not to take it.
I looked around, still unable to take in my surroundings due to the low visibility and debris flying through the air and rolling along the highway. My heart thudded inside my chest as I wiped the water from my eyes. Blown-down trees were blocking the road, which was flooding more and more by the minute. I glanced to my left and studied Kadeem’s face. He wore a grim look. Looking at him was like looking in the mirror for me. We had the same dark chocolate complexion with tattoos covering almost every available inch from our necks to our torsos. We both had low fades and full goatees. The only visible difference between us was the scar on his left cheek, which he had received from falling and scraping it on a fence when we were kids. By the scowl he wore, I could tell he didn’t like my plan, but I knew if we stayed together, there’d be a greater chance we’d get rounded up. And if we didn’t start moving soon, we’d wind up dead. Without saying another word, he tore his eyes away from the road ahead of us to look over at me.
“The woods,” he said, pointing across the highway. “You go one way. I’ll go the other.”
I dipped my chin. “Bet. We’ll find each other after the storm. Whatever is the closest convenience store or gas station to here. That’s where we’ll meet.”
Kadeem dipped his chin in a nod. “Good luck, twin. Love you.”
I stood there, my adrenaline coursing through my veins. “Love you too, mane,” I replied, pulling him into a quick hug before turning to disappear into the woods.
The sheet of rain continued to fall, soaking everything in sight, including me. My uniform had gone from flapping and ruffling against my body in the wind to clinging to me like a second skin as I walked for what felt like miles through the woods.
The smell of cedar, pine needles, and wet soil wafted past my nose as I forged ahead. The snapping of small branches around me broke the silence. I was unsure whether it was due to the heavy rainfall or animals seeking shelter, just like I was.
I trekked faster over the uneven ground, my cheap-ass slip-on shoes sloshing with water. I did my best to push my thoughts of my brother to the back of my mind. All I wanted was for the both of us to make it out of this shit alive, because we didn’t have plans on going back to prison.
I stopped for a second, leaning against a nearby tree to catch my breath. After looking all around, I saw what looked to be a faint light breaking through the trees. My pace increased, pushing my stamina to the max. No matter how tired I was, Icouldn’t stop until I had a roof over my head. A fresh pair of drawers wouldn’t hurt either.
My stride halted at the edge of the woods, and I found myself staring at an apartment complex from about twenty feet away.
“Jackpot,” I mumbled.
Another branch snapped, and I jerked my neck in the direction of the sound over my shoulder. Another animal? The cops? Whatever the case, I had to keep moving. I was too close to having cover.
I raced across the field, keeping my head low and face shielded from the rain. My shoes slopped with water as I drew up to the patio of an apartment on the first floor. I quickly hopped over the railing and rooted my feet at the door. The blinds were pulled back, and I could easily see inside, even though no lights were left on. It didn’t look like anyone was home, which was better for me. Without a second thought, I peeled off my white T-shirt, wrapped them around my hand for protection, and then busted the screen and glass, letting myself in.
The minute the glass shattered, I was met with the aggressive, yipping sound of a small brown dog who’d come barreling down the hallway with a great push of its legs.
“Fuck,” I muttered, bracing myself for its owner to be in tow.
I’d already had a hard enough day. I didn’t need to add bite marks from a rowdy wet rat of a dog to my list or catch another body.
The dog growled and howled at me, alerting its owner, who seemed to be nowhere around. “Yo, chill, mothafucka.” I hissed at it.
It responded with another growl while inching forward and then backward when I bucked at it with a clenched fist. The little nigga had the nerve to cock his fluffy ass head to the side while he barked, as if to ask me what the fuck I was doing in his house.He was lucky I didn’t huff and puff and blow his ass over. We had a silent standoff for a moment before I raced down the hall. My drenched shoes slid against the aged hardwood floor, and I almost busted my ass. I heard the pitter-patter of paws chasing after me, and I darted into the first room I saw. Upon instinct, it followed me inside, and I quickly darted back out and slammed the door behind me to trap the mutt inside. Finally, a nigga could breathe.
I started by kicking off my wet shoes and peeling off the orange uniform bottoms along with my wet drawers and socks. Everything sat in a crumpled pile on the floor while I walked around, scoping out the small place. I felt like Goldilocks creeping through someone else’s home, but a nigga had to do what a nigga had to do. I needed a place to stay overnight until the storm passed. Hopefully, my brother had found somewhere to lay low too.
That annoying ass dog continued to howl on the other side of the door, scratching at it as if that would make me change my mind and let him out. Hopefully, he’d tire himself out and shut the hell up sooner than later. I flipped on a nearby light in the living room before heading down the hall toward the only bedroom inside the apartment, which meant I’d trapped the dog in the bathroom. Shit. Hopefully, I didn’t have to piss anytime soon.
I continued into the bedroom. Although there was a pet in the home, the place smelled good as hell, like lemons and fresh linen. I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes for a split second. Between that, the pink flowery comforter, and the living room decor that looked like it had come from a high-end thrift store, I knew the person who lived here had to be a woman.
I pulled open the nightstand drawer and saw a red rose vibrator lying inside. I smirked to myself. Whoever lived here was single. I marched into the closet, pausing when I found asafe in the back. I didn’t touch it, figuring there was a 90 percent chance there was a burner in there. A nigga wasn’t trying to go back to jail or have my face on a T-shirt. Instead, I found a wooden baseball bat at her bedside, chuckling as I picked it up, just in case I was wrong about the owner being a female and had to cave a nigga’s face in.
My eyes traveled around the space—the perfectly made queen-size bed, the purple dog bed at the foot, and the tiny closet stuffed with modest work attire and heels that didn’t go over three inches. Everything seemed to be organized, clean, and in its place. It was a big ass difference from the bunk, razor-thin mattress, and aluminum toilet I’d called home over the years.
In a perfect world, the owner, whoever she was, would be away all weekend, and I could have the place to myself. It would be a blessing not to have to go upside anybody’s head and just be able to lay low and chill while I figured out my next move. Shit, I might’ve even slid the dog some food and water if his ass acted right. I stepped outside the bedroom to see the stackable washer and dryer across the hall. A slow smirk crept up one side of my mouth as I went to pick up my wet clothes.
A nigga could get use to this.
“Attention passengersof flight A-C-two-four-five-nine to Miami. We have just been informed by air traffic control that all outbound flights have been canceled due to the current weather conditions in and around the city. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are here to help you reschedule once the storm subsides. Thank you for your patience and understanding and for flying with Omega Airlines,”the uniformed female airline worker announced from behind the information desk.
