Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
As soon as she grabbed the knob, I spoke, “Hey. Where are we?”
She turned my way and opened her mouth in shock. “Why are you up here?”
“Because. . .” I glanced around the hallway. Something unsettled me about this place. “Because. . .um. . .I was following you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“You should just wake up.” The little girl opened the door and walked inside.
“But, I am up.” I followed her into a small living room.
The scent of frying chicken hit my nose.
Dark green paint peeled and cracked on the back wall. The wood floor creaked from my steps.
“What are you doing?” The little girl collapsed onto a green couch with faded brown cushions.
“What is this place?” I scanned the space.
In the right corner, a small TV played the news and sat on top of a DVD player.
Intrigued, I walked towards the TV.
On the screen, a Black woman with a blonde weave reported about a ten-year-old Black boy who was kidnapped. Apparently, it had been three weeks and the police had just decided to start searching for him.
“Oh no.” I stepped closer to the TV. “Maybe. I can help. I could get Harlem Crew to—”
The screen switched to cartoons—Batman running after the whole cast of the Proud Family.
“What?” I blinked and turned to the little girl.
She held a black remote and swung her legs back and forth. “You need to go.”
I shook my head. “Why did you turn from the news? I could probably find the boy—”
“Like Daddy said the police don’t care about no Black kids.” She kissed the top of her teddy bear.
“Don’t say that. We could save him.”
“He’s probably dead by now.”
“But. . .” I went over to the couch and sat next to her. “Listen. Even if he is dead. . .then. . .I can. . .take care of the person who did it.”
She gave me an odd look. “That’s not how this works.”
“What works?”
A little boy walked in from the hallway and sat down in front of the TV. He wore black jeans and a black shirt.
But that face. . .it made my heart stop.
I widened my eyes. “Daryl?”
Chuckling at the TV, he didn’t turn around. “Get them, Batman!”
“Wait a minute.” I covered my mouth with both hands and whispered, “This is a. . .dream?”
Daryl laughed more and began hitting the floor. “He’s going to get them!”
“This must be a dream. But, then who are you?” I turned to the little girl, but she was no longer on the couch.
Instead, she stood by another door next to the hallway and peeked inside.
“What are you doing?” I left the couch and went to her.
“Shhh.” The little girl opened the door another inch.
I leaned that way and checked to see what she was looking at.
A strange guy fucked a woman with a curly afro. She was bent over a dresser. The man appeared thoroughly pleased. His soft moans echoed through the room.
“What the hell?” I caught the woman’s reflection. She looked bored and ready for the sex to end.
And it did.
The man trembled for a few seconds and then let out a deep sigh of relief. Then, he pulled his wet dick out of her, yanked up his pants, and set something on the dresser.
I tried to figure out what the object was, but the little girl closed the door fast and rushed back to the couch.
I turned her way and lowered my voice. “What the hell is going on?”
The man left the room and walked right through me like I was made out of nothing.
I held up my hands. “Wait. . .Maybe, this isn’t a dream. Am I a ghost?”
The little girl let out a low chuckle.
“Oh no.” I nodded. “I must be dead.”
Then, the woman walked out of the room, stepped through me too, and frowned at the little girl like she was in trouble.
Meanwhile, Daryl continued to enjoy his show.
Next, the man left the apartment without saying goodbye to anyone.
“Okay.” I lowered my hands. “If I am ghost, then this must be hell. But then, Daryl isn’t talking to me. Or is that Daryl?”
The woman went to the little girl and glared. “Come here.”
Sighing, the girl grabbed her teddy bear tight, got off the couch, and walked over to the woman.
It was weird. Although I stood right next to the woman, she never acknowledged me.
I waved my hands in front of her. “Hello? Hello?”
When the little girl got to her, the woman bent over and whispered, “You keep your mouth closed, Lunita.”
I shrieked and stepped back. “Oh shit.”
The woman continued, “I saw you open that door. Always got your nose in grown folk business. Don’t you say anything to your daddy.”
“I won’t, Mama.”
“Don’t forget.” The woman rolled her eyes and headed in the opposite direction. “Curiosity killed the cat.”
“Wait.” I pointed at the woman as she disappeared into what I assumed was the kitchen. I swore I caught the glimpse of a stove with a boiling pot on it.