DNIF FLESROUY

“They’re not your friends man.” Brodie spoke firmly to the young man.

“What’s it to you man?” The young man shot back. “These are my boys, I would ride or die for them.”

“Deon, I have been where you are at.” Brodie spoke calmly. “Young, good looking, smart, talented, and worst of all, innocent. Just looking to have a good time. Willing to lend a hand to someone needing one.”

The woods were quiet and dark. A fire lit up in the background giving away life. Usually there was drinking and music in these conditions, but not tonight. Tonight something was amiss.

“ The rest of the world is not as kind as you. People are not what you think they are. If these guys were your friends they wouldn’t be feeding you pills, powder, or ice man.”

Deon looked shocked as if a bombshell had been dropped. He threw his hands up in disbelief.

“So what? At least I’m not strung out like you! At least I don’t have to beg people for a damn thing like you!”

The words stung like a wasp attack. Brodie felt anger, Brodie felt himself slipping away. He couldn’t let him get in his head though. This was a good kid and he wouldn’t let his potential be wasted to the streets like his had.

“Your right and that’s why I won’t let you continue this lifestyle with these people.”

“These people? I knew it man, just a black man judging me for hanging out with white people, because you have race issues, because you are living in a segregated world trying to drag us into it.” Deon stabbed again at Brodie.

“Do you hear my accent? People are shocked that I have black skin and call me white, so that was a swing and a miss.” Brodie joked before returning to stoicism. “ No these are lame people. And your not lame.”

Deon turned his back while shaking his head but he didn’t walk away. Brodie knew he was paving a way now.

“Man that night you gave me a ride and you started freestyling in the car, man that was fire. Man you could be something.”

“You were pretty good too. Damn good. You could be something too.” Deon smiled thinking about their impromptu session.

“No I can’t. Because I wasted my time with people like the ones you called friends.” Brodie felt sad thinking about it. “And people warned me, like I’m warning you now. And I shrugged them off.”

The wind rustled leaves and trees swung hard. A storm was coming, almost out of nowhere.

“Ultimately though it falls on me. I can’t really blame them, I chose to put those things in my body. I told myself I wasn’t addicted. Friends died from overdose and suicide. Others were locked up trying to get their fix.”

“Yeah I have started dreaming about the stuff. I wake up in sweats, and I don’t know man, I feel like I am in control but.” Deon was cut off by a loud voice.

“Yo D come back to the party bro. Girls are going to be here soon.” A tall white boy in a camo jacket and your overalls ordered while giving Brodie a funny look. “And the bum can’t come.”

Brodie started toward the belligerent, but Deon cut him off.

“Greg chill bro I will be there in a second.”

Brodie looked at Deon like he was crazy. He was really going back to the ‘party’.

“Hey man look” Brodie spoke in a whisper of sorts. “ When I was your age I was being recruited by the military, while my best friend was being recruited by a hate group. He was just like him man. He is using you. That friend was the one who got me on hard drugs.”

Deon shrugged and started to walk off before Brodie pulled him back around and continued talking.

“I think that’s what they do man. They target the ones with potential. They try to poison us to diminish our dreams. That. Is not. Your friend Deon.”

“ I hear you man, but I told you. That’s your world man.”

Deon walked away and Greg smiled as they disappeared into darkness.

“Where’s the location of your emergency?”

“It’s uh the woods behind Grant road. My friend has been attacked, his wounds are severe come quick”

“Sir!”

Brodie hung up the phone and added more pressure to Deon’s wounds. He had carried him far enough to the road, away from danger, but enough to be seen by emergency services.

“I should had listened to you, I’m going to sleep now.”

“No no you did nothing wrong, nothing wrong.” Brodie wanted him in peace but he couldn’t let him go to sleep either since he could have a head injury. “ Let’s not go to sleep buddy, we are okay, but it’s not sleep time.”

“ Okay. Why did they do that to us?”

“I don’t know Deon.” Brodie did not want to get him excited, people has him that his energy or passion could sometimes be overwhelming.

“Why would anyone be that cruel.”

“Deon again, I don’t know”

“Well I don’t know about staying awake” Deon chuckled before coughing and briefly agonizing in pain.

“If I had a son, man he would had been just like you.”

“Well why don’t you have a son, and don’t say I don’t know.” Deon spit out before Brodie could object.

“Okay”

The night was starting to get cool. Lights could be seen in the nearby neighborhoods illuminating their scenery. Huge pine trees, that appeared to be dying with their patchy skin stood high, only growing taller and stronger within each year.

“I didn’t have a dad growing up, I mean he lived in our town, he was a pee wee football coach, but I saw him maybe three times as a child. And I always swore if I had a child I would marry his mother and be there for him, no matter what. My son would have a strong father figure, he would know he was loved, he would know someone would always have his back against what or whomever. If I was not there for him another man would be, and if I loved my child then why would I put them in a situation like that.”

“So you didn’t want the baby mama drama you wanted the American dream?” Deon asked

“I don’t know what I wanted. I just knew I wouldn’t leave my child out there alone. I wanted to have a career first, I wanted to be financially stable, I didn’t want to bring a kid into a chaotic world and I myself am not stable.”

“That’s smart man, most people don’t have that type of self control or patience.” Deon complimented Brodie while slightly shifting.

“No. It wasn’t smart. It was cowardice. I stopped my child from coming into the world because of worries, because of fears. Instead of being alone right now, I could have a best friend, a reason to live, to fight, to do right. Instead I killed my kid.”

“Wha- what do you mean killed your kid, you would never.”

“But I did” Brodie cut him off . Emotions ran through his body, and he knew he had to regain control.

“I had a gorgeous woman, pretty inside and out, but sassy and bougie as well. Funny, smart, could cook. She was my dream girl.” Brodie remembered how much he loved her, and how much it hurt when she left, but he no longer felt anything for her. “Well she ends up pregnant. She was scared to have another baby and do it on her own again. I didn’t go to any of her doctor visits. She comes to me, to get money for a abortion. And I gave it to her. I killed my boy.”

“No you…” Deon started to object before convulsions began. His eyes rolled in the back of head, red and blue lights flashed around while Brodie pulled Deon into his arms. Words were shot out, but they were incoherent to the two men on the ground. Guns were drawn, but neither of them responded to that action.

“You fought hard Deon. You fought hard.”Brodie cried low to the dying boy. “I will get them. I will get them.”