Chapter Seven:
Clear Bodies
After school of the next day, Jazmin was standing outside a church with Strika and Lakeda. They were all dressed in black from head to toe. Outside the church there was a picture of Keisha. Jazmin stared at her image, replaying in her head the last words she could have possibly said over and over. As they walked in, they were greeted by a kind, elderly usher that showed them to their seats. Jazmin clutched her purse tightly as she eased her way through, sitting next to Strika towards the end of the pew. Portia was already seated, sitting somewhere in the front with her father, both dressed in black. Jazmin looked over her shoulder to see some of Keisha's extended family walk in—most of them of the Cinccino lineage, but there were a few outliers here and there.
They took their seats near the front with Keisha's mom, who had been weeping quietly to herself. Talon had come through about fifteen minutes after Jazmin and her family arrived. He came alone, dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt, paying his respects to the body and taking his seat behind Jazmin. As the church started to fill up, she noticed people she didn't expect to see taking their seats. Nines had come, dressed in a short, black dress and heels and took her seat by the edge of an empty pew.
It was only then she spotted Uniqua entering just shortly after, sitting next to Nines and letting out a longsuffering sigh. Naz and Andre were sitting in the back, looking through the funeral program, chatting amongst themselves. Vinalia came in with her older brother, sitting in front and looking regal in her violet and black pencil skirt and ruffled black top. When the church was decently full, the funeral service began. The pianist played a mournful requiem to start off the service and everyone stood, to sing along to the lyrics of the hymn. Jazmin stood, but didn't sing. Instead, she saw Sandy and Crystal taking their seats fifth row from the front. Sandy downed some liquor from a flask he had in his black sports jacket and didn't bother sing along or even stand. When the hymn was finished, the pastor gestured for everyone to take their seats. Keisha's mother walked over to the podium to give her speech.
"Hello," she said, her voice tight and choked, "Thank everyone here for coming out. It means so much to me."
Jazmin looked at Keisha's mom. She looked just like Keisha—the warm brown skin color, the beautiful white hair, the short stature…everything. She felt a pang of pity and horrible despondency worm its way through the pit of her stomach when she listened to this woman struggle to keep it together in front of a melancholic audience.
"I…don't really know where to begin…but Keisha, was…my only child. She…" she took a deep, shuddering breath, "Was really dear to me and the way she went out…the way she died…I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."
Jazmin glanced over at Sandy, who was not really paying attention and instead, taking another swig from his flask. Crystal, on the other hand, was on her phone. Jazmin took out her phone and texted Sandy.
Jaz: Yo, meet me in the church's basement.
Sandy felt his phone buzz and he took it out, reading the text and then looked up, seeing that Jaz was staring at him. He put his phone away and smirked, getting up and walking up the aisle to the back, where there had been stairs that led to the church's lower level. Jazmin stood up, whispering to Strika that she was going to use the bathroom and into the lobby, following Sandy into the basement. The stairs leading down were rickety and wooden and the light fixtures were dull and of low wattage. There were old speakers, unused chairs, dusty books that hadn't been opened in decades, a bathroom in the corner and a trap door that led out into the street further in, over some stone stairs. Sandy inspected the place a bit, taking his time to take in the awful surroundings of this decrepit and otherwise, uninteresting church. He opened his flask to take another swig but Jazmin slapped it out his hand and pinned him to the wall.
"Ion think my girl will appreciate this," he said with low grin.
"Fuck you and fuck Crystal," she spat, holding him still, "You knew about Keisha when she was in middle school."
Sandy shrugged, "So?"
"And you dated Azuru."
Sandy stared at her, his ears now erect. He grabbed Jazmin, peeling her hands off of him and pushed her away with ease. Jazmin jerked away, startled as he tried to punch her. He missed and his punch went through the solid concrete of the wall, leaving a hole. Jazmin backed up a bit, her ears erect and her eyes the size of the moon.
"How the fuck you know about Azuru?" Sandy snarled.
"I talked to her yesterday," Jazmin said, kicking off her heels and making sure she was light on her feet, "She said you dumped her."
"That dumb thot broke up with me!" He shouted, "Cuz I wasn't making enough to impress her. Dumb ass trifling ass long eared hoe—"
"She said you broke up with her."
"Yeah? She ain't remembering clearly," Sandy snapped, "Fucking scunt, I'll kick that trifling sadiddy bitch's teeth in."
"What about Keisha?"
"Fuck Keisha and fuck you—y'all all hoe ass thots to me," he said, dismissing her. Jazmin growled at him, her eyes turning gold in the low light that was becoming bright as they flickered. Sandy looked up at the light fixtures and then at her.
"You think that shit scares me, bitch?"
"What happened with Azuru and Keisha? You knew she transferred…is that why you dropped out?"
Sandy snorted, giving Jazmin an intimidating stare.
"I ain't scared of you either, fuck nigga, so tell me what happened."
"Ain't nothing happen except Azuru a big ass slut and Keisha a slut. That's what you going hard for—bunch of a fuckin' trifling thots who don't mean shit to anyone in the long run?"
"Why you drop out?" Jazmin insisted.
Sandy stared at her again and she repeated herself.
"Why did you drop out nigga?"
"Fuck you, bitch—that's why."
Jazmin looked up at the light fixtures and back at him, her eyes going from dark brown to a luminous gold. She let out a primal scream and released a blinding discharge of electricity from her hands and body. The energy went through Sandy, giving him a sudden shock. His hair, ears and tail stood on end for a brief second as the pain seared through every fiber of his body. However, Jazmin noticed it didn't do much. It hurt him, but it didn't leave much of a scratch. Sandy shook off the electrocution like it was nothing. He had grounded himself and grass-types could eat electrical moves all day. He took off his singed sport's jacket and tossed it on the ground.
"Is that the best yo ass can do?"
"Uh—"
He tackled her to the ground and pinned her down. She tried to push him off, but to no avail. He was physically stronger and heavier and so she let out another discharge. It was enough to stun him for a second and she got out from underneath him, racing towards the stairs but Sandy grabbed her before she could go up them and swung her back against the wall, almost knocking her unconscious. He swung at her again and she ducked. He cracked the wall with his fist. When she began running towards the trap door, vines began snaking around her ankle, tripping her and dragging her back.
"FUCK—"
A vine snaked around her neck and mouth, forcing it shut and muffling her screams. His leaf-like tail swished side to side, eventually hardening into a bladelike sharpness. Jazmin struggled against the vines, her eyes wide as he was about to slice her face open with his leaf blade.
NO…
NO!
Sandy was tackled to the ground and the vines slithered off of her as that happened. Jazmin got to her feet, taking a catching her breath, touching her neck for any strangulation marks. She looked up and saw Talon grappling Sandy, down. He took off his gloves and slashed him in the face with his clawed. Sandy yelped in pain and tossed Talon, slamming him hard on the basement's wooden flooring. With the strength he threw the sophomore, the floorboards dislodged, popping out of its placement. Sandy cried out in pain, holding his face, blood soaking his hands. Talon got up, limping. His hawk-like eyes turned bright red-orange and the room started to heat up as cinders started to appear and swirl around him. Jazmin grabbed his hand, risking burning herself as she did. Talon looked back at her and she shook her head. Using any fire type move right would burn down this whole church, especially if he tried flare blitzing Sandy. Sandy stumbled towards the trap door exit out into the street, where there was sunlight.
"He'll be okay," Talon mumbled, "He'll use synthesis or some shit and his face will be fine."
Jazmin remembered that some grass-types could regenerate from flesh wounds by simply absorbing sunlight. Sandy, luckily, had been one of those. But she wasn't done—and so, she ran after him, out in the street. Talon followed her, sucking his teeth and shaking his head. Sandy was on the sidewalk, absorbing as much sunlight as he could. Jazmin observed the deep slash marks that Talon left across his face began to stitch themselves up. The ligament and tendon regenerated right in front of her eyes, even the seeping blood was reabsorbed into the closing wounds. Sandy felt the energy reinvigorate him, his body becoming stronger in the slowly setting sun. The pain began to vanish as he allowed each cell in his body to perform an advanced form of photosynthesis. Jazmin watched intently as the slash marks were reduced to nothing but pin-thin, harmless scratches on his face. Those would fade on their own in a few days. When he finished he snorted angrily, looking over his shoulder at Jazmin and Talon both looking at him. He scowled at them.
"I ain't through with you nigga," Jazmin said, rubbing her throat, which was starting to bruise, "If you don't start talkin' ima tell everyone that you—"
"Shut the fuck up and lemme talk," he said, reaching into his pocket for a pre-made blunt. He lit it and took a puff. He then walked over to a random stoop a few feet up, sitting on it. Jazmin and Talon walked over to him.
"Any day now, nigga," Jazmin pressed.
Sandy gave her a look and took another puff, "Me and Azuru broke cuz I wanted to trap and she didn't want nothing to do with that. But I needed money to buy the drugs. So I got Keisha to fuck and suck for me."
"…What?" Talon muttered.
"I pimped the dumb bitch," Sandy said, "Twenty for a blowjob, fifty for a fuck—all that shit. Niggas were with it—she fucked the whole basketball team and shit. They pay me… I'd get her to fuck. First, I had to see how good her head skills were so I convinced her to blow me. Yeah, she pretty good. She had big ol' crush on me too, the dumb thot."
Jazmin felt sick to her stomach.
"She was crazy," Sandy said, "Think she had like…borderline something, something, ion know, but the bitch was not all there.
"So that's why you dropped out—cuz…"
"…Cuz I got caught pimpin' and I got enough to start trapping full time. I didn't need to be in no fucking school."
Jazmin sighed, shaking her head.
"The fuck you care for? You ain't friends with her," Sandy said, "Stop sticking yo' nose where it don't belong, you dumb scunt."
"Shut the fuck up or I'll set yo bitch ass on fire," Talon warned, "I will do it too, nigga don't play with me."
Sandy sucked his teeth and got up, pushing them out the way and headed back to the church. Jazmin looked at Talon who looked exhausted and dejected.
"…Thanks," Jazmin said, hugging Talon. He hugged her back tightly, sighing as he did. They walked back to the church to finish the service.
At sundown, everyone was back at their homes—save for Talon, who was skateboarding through the streets. The street lights were turning on as he went on his way, taking a drag of his cigarette. He lowered his body, increasing the speed from a cruise to a sail. He eventually skidded to a halt when he reached his destination—a rundown, rickety old crack house where gangbangers were chilling out in the front porch, smoking and drinking. He walked to the front gate, throwing up a gang sign. They invited him in as he did and greeted them. He opened his bag, showing off his merchandise and began selling. Within thirty minutes of selling to the potheads that hung around this part of Los Lados, he made around 1300. When he finished, he was back on his skateboard, heading towards a small shanty that was located at the edge of 16th Ave. It was five blocks from his destination and he continued smoking as he did, excited about the amount of bread he was able to scrape up in a single night of dealing. Life ain't easy but this shit is kinda fire, not gonna lie, he thought as he felt his spirits lift a bit.
He managed to make 2500 tonight from selling. When he reached the intersection of 16th Ave and Purim Place, he got off his skateboard and jogged towards the dilapidated shack of a house that was sitting between a closed down liquor store and a former crack den. It was covered in graffiti and the yard had two broken down cars in it, made disgusting by bird shit and loose litter scattered all over the weed infested, overgrown lawn. He walked up the broken up path and knocked three times on the door. A lazy yellow light switched on and he heard the lock on the other side of the door unlatch. The door cracked open and a young man whose eyes were red from bong rips, peered out, coughing a bit.
"I got X's cut," Talon said, giving the man 600. He unlocked the chain and opened the door fully, counting the cash. When he finished, he gave him a nod and a pound of weed, patting him on the shoulder and then shutting the door without another word. Talon placed it in his backpack and started making his way home, skateboarding without a worry or care. At least, 'til something hit him against the back of his head. He fell off his skateboard, wiping out and rolling in the street, scraping his elbow and his cheek. He groaned, holding the back of his head and looked around to see what was thrown and who threw it. He saw a brick lying a few feet away from him, but when he attempted to grab it, he was clocked in the head again and his backpack was snatched from him. He fell almost on his face, only breaking his fall with the side of his arm. He quickly got back up to see someone rifling through his shit.
"The fuck!" Talon shouted. The person who snatched his backpack had super pale curly lavender hair that hung in front of their face, bright neon red eyes and skin the color of concord grapes. They were tall and thin, dressed in black jeans that were rolled up by the foot, converse and a distressed black t-shirt. He lunged after him but this boy, who couldn't be older than fifteen shifted out the way and was levitating. With that, he flew off with Talon's stash. Nah! Fuck that! And fuck this! He wasted no time getting on his skateboard and following this punk bitch but he flew faster than he could roll. A Gengar, he realized, knowing that these ghost types were not common in Los Lados. He skidded to a halt and lifted up his skateboard, putting it under his arm and jumped up, taking off. His feathered wings sprouted from his back and he followed the teen for at least eight blocks. He was fast, but Talon was intentionally lagging behind to see where the hell he was going. Eventually he landed in front of a familiar house that was dimly lit by the streetlight. In front of the house was Sandy, who took the backpack and gave the kid a fifty. The Gengar kid gave him a pound and seemed to melt away in the shadows as Talon arrived, landing gracefully in front of Sandy's little trap house.
"Yo! Fuck boy!" Talon shouted, "That's my shit you got."
Sandy, who was smoking a blunt, turned around, "Nigga fuck you and yo whole set. Don't ever in yo life come up to my shit and start bossin' up like you own the fucking place."
"You got my shit bruh," Talon said, setting down his skateboard, "So pass it back."
Sandy rolled his eyes, sucking his teeth.
"You mad cuz I'm gonna outsell yo ass soon? Or are you mad cuz I beat yo ass earlier today?"
"You sucker punched—sucker scratched me dumbass! Ol' hook ass nigga, go fuck yo self. And you? Out selling me? Nigga not even in your dreams could you outsell me."
Talon stepped forward, going closer to the stoop, "I ain't asking again. Pass my shit back, bruh."
Sandy lifted his shirt, showing he had a handgun tucked into his pants. Talon stepped back a bit, unnerved.
"Yeah nigga, that's what I thought." Sandy turned around, heading back into the residence, but Talon was not about to let all that merchandise get taken from him. Without a second thought, he ran up on Sandy, tackling him to the ground and knocking the backpack out his hand. Sandy shoved him off with ease, reaching for his gun. When Talon got to his feet, Sandy had it pointed at him—sideways, but at him, nevertheless. He took off the safety as he did.
"I will kill yo ass nigga…don't think I'm afraid to blow yo fucking brains out."
"Bust a move then," Talon snapped. Sandy turned it from sideways to straight, lifting the gun higher until it was squarely pointed to the sophomore's face.
"You really gon' die over some reggie, my nigga?"
Talon stared him down, feeling sweat run down his forehead.
"Nigga take this L and go. Bitch ass—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Talon rushed him, grabbing his wrist and knocking the gun out of his hand. Sandy slapped him—so hard that he recoiled and fell over. But before he could snatch back up the gun, Talon kicked it out the way and tried tackling him again. They fell over but Sandy was a lot stronger, with a higher attack and a defense stat. With that, he lifted Talon with ease and threw him square against the asphalt, kicking him repeatedly in his ribs.
"Ol' corny ass nigga!" Sandy shouted, spitting on him. Talon groaned and gasped in pain, feeling blood rise in his throat and seep through his mouth. Sandy got the gun and let off a few warning shots which made Talon scramble backwards in the street, his eyes wide.
"I done told you to bounce nigga," Sandy snapped.
Talon shook his head and got up slowly, limping as he did. Sandy sucked his teeth again.
"This nigga…"
Talon's eyes became red-gold underneath the street lights and he lit himself on fire, embers surrounding him, burning off his shirt and vest. Sandy, too startled to fire, was not fast enough to get out of Talon's way as he blitzed him. The fire burned though Sandy's clothes and cooked his flesh. Within seconds Talon defused, the flames dispersing into a deluge of flickering embers. Sandy was on the ground, screaming in pain. His shirt was seared to bits and he had a huge, ugly fourth degree burn on his upper torso that spread onto his chest. He grabbed his backpack and got on his skateboard, giving Sandy one last look. As he started to skate away, Sandy shakily lifted his gun, gritting his teeth through the excruciating pain as he laid on the half burnt lawn. He let off two rounds.
One caught Talon in the back.
The ambulance bleared on into the night, getting two bodies. But it was twilight when Talon opened up his eyes. He was in the Pokemon Center. The bullet was removed and his wound was completely healed, but he saw that he was handcuffed to the bed. Officer Jenny was standing outside the recovery ward, talking to his half sober mother. She was also of talonflame descent, with a full head of loose, orangey curly hair, tan skin and auburn eyes. Her lids were dark from drinking, her lips berry-blue from smoking so much. His backpack was missing and he groaned, realizing that they confiscated it and the money he earned that night. He laid back down in his pillow, sucking his teeth. His mother hobbled into the recovery ward with Officer Jenny beside her. Talon glared at the both of them.
"You got caught with a pound of weed on you," the Officer said, "If you're tried, that's twelve years in prison."
Talon frowned and sighed. Jenny looked through his wallet, looking at his school I.D.
"Terice Flame," she said, laughing, "Your real name is Terice…nice."
"Bruh…I'm tired," Talon grumbled, "What's going to—"
"Look," Officer Jenny shook her head, "You're a first time offender, alright? And you're underage—probably got caught up in the wrong shit. I think a few weeks in juvie is enough for you, not twelve years in a super max prison."
"A few weeks," Talon muttered. His mother looked distraught, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're lucky it's not a few months. You badly burned that Leafeon boy."
"Yeah? Well he fucking shot me!"
"He's going to be tried as an adult," Jenny said, "Because he practically is one. Also he has a rap sheet. He's been to juvie for selling illegal narcotics…twice."
Talon groaned, putting the pillow over his face.
"Life comes at you fast."
"Who's pressing the charges?" His mother asked.
"The LLPD and I'm filing them," Officer Jenny said, "Sorry kid. Next time, make better choices." She paused for a moment and threw him a shirt, "Here, got this from the lost and found. You old shirt was burnt off when you flare blitzed."
He grumbled a thanks and sighed. Officer Jenny walked out, leaving his mother, Maria Flame, alone with him.
"H-how could you do this, miho?" She snapped, "You know drugs is bad—why would you—"
"Cuz I'm tryna support your drunk ass and go to school at the same time!" Talon shouted, "I'm trying so hard to have food in the fucking house. All you do is smoke, drink and collect unemployment…which you blow half of it on fucking booze and smokes and the other half ain't even enough to keep the fucking lights on or food on anyone's plate, including Taheha's plate!"
"She's only three… don't bring her into this—"
"She's my baby sister and she's fucking underweight because you can't feed her and all she eats is fucking candy and sunflower seeds!"
Maria looked distraught, looking down at her gloved hands.
"Tried working at the fucking retail store in the stockroom, tried hustling poke puffs and shit at my school and it ain't enough," Talon said, his voice cracking, "It ain't never enough!"
"I'm sorry miho…I'll do better…"
"Yo, you always say that but better never comes!" Talon said, laying down, feeling tears roll down his face, "Damn…when I get the fuck outta juvie I'm getting my own fucking place. And I'm takin' Taheha with me!"
"Miho…"
"Nah ma, I'm done. I'm fucking done."
Maria sighed, weeping to herself and left the recovery room to sit outside. Talon reached in his pocket for his phone, seeing he got a text from X-Large.
X: Heard u got busted.
Talon was about to respond, but X double texted.
X: My lookout saw how it went down.
Sandy stole from u, tryna set u up.
I get it.
Sneaky nigga.
Talon responded.
Tal: I'm going to juvie, prolly.
X: No u ain't.
That Officer Jenny a whole ass crook.
Ima slip her a few benjies
and u scott free my nigga
Tal: Wait, deadass?
X: Yea.
She got no record of arresting niggas.
She only tellin u that so u reach out to me.
Beside she on the down low fuckin' one of my homies anyways.
Talon let out a sigh of relief.
Tal: She gon' drop the charges?
X: She just gon' 'misfile' some shit and the charges gon' be drop on a technicality.
Tal: Wha'bout Sandy?
X: Wha'about him?
Fuck dat nigga.
Ol' stank ass bitch.
He ain't shit and he going to jail as far as I'm concerned.
I'm done stickin my neck out for this hook ass nigga
Talon sighed again.
Tal: Look X, I'm sorry. I won't fuck up like this again.
There was a long pause before he texted back.
X: You better not.
Once you fully restored,
u go back to Cheems and u start whippin up the pots and pans, got it?
And this time, don't get caught.
I ain't finna help u out a second time.
Talon sighed. He couldn't push his luck. He had to be careful. Weed was just step one. The harder shit was step two.
X: also when u get better
Need u to move some weight
10 pounds into Brightwater
Give it to a contact named No Snitchin'
Got it?
Talon: Yea, gotchu
He laid his head back in the pillow and sighed, closing his eyes.