Back in the Hood (13 page)
Authors: Treasure Hernandez
Coming Soon 2009
Flint Book 6:
A King is Born
Chapter One
H
alleigh's body was racked with violent shivers as she hugged her knees close to her chest and tried to hide herself in the shadows of the dreary basement. She had just come to, having no idea exactly how long she'd been unconscious. For a second there she'd forgotten about what had taken place just moments before she blacked out, but when she looked down at her body, she was quickly reminded.
alleigh's body was racked with violent shivers as she hugged her knees close to her chest and tried to hide herself in the shadows of the dreary basement. She had just come to, having no idea exactly how long she'd been unconscious. For a second there she'd forgotten about what had taken place just moments before she blacked out, but when she looked down at her body, she was quickly reminded.
She looked around the room, her eyes darting from one corner to the next, almost as if she were on drugs; but drugs were a thing of the past. She had been perfectly drug-free for a long time. This act of paranoia came from the fact that she could feel someone watching her. Although no one appeared to be in the room with her, she could feel eyes burning through her.
After a few more moments of scanning the basement, she finally spotted what she could sense was there: the eye of a camera. She could see the tiny red blink of a camcorder in the upper corner of the room. Once again, she felt violated. She reached out in an attempt to grab something to cover herself, but nothing was there. She had no choice but to resume her earlier positionâknees to her chest, with her arms curled around her legs.
She rocked slowly until a sharp pain forced her to let out a gasp. That's when she recalled that she'd been bleeding ever since Bugz had violated her, and now she feared for her baby's life. She buried her face between her knees as tears fell from her eyes. She didn't want whoever was watching her to be empowered by her tears, so she felt the need to hide them.
She couldn't help but wonder if anybody had been watching her while she was being raped. Who had sat in front of the monitor and witnessed the horrible act without intervening? What type of person could do something like that? Whoever it was, she hated them. Their voyeuristic sin was cruel, and she was desperate for an escape.
Suddenly, Halleigh lifted her head as a memory flashed before her eyes. In the split second between her being snatched from the shower and a cloth being put over her nose and mouth, she'd looked into the bathroom mirror and saw something . . . someone. Someone familiar.
“Mitch?” the words fell off of her tongue as she realized that all of this was possibly his doing. “I need to see Mitch,” Halleigh whispered to herself.
If Mitch was behind this entire thing, she knew she had a chance to survive after all. As far as Halleigh knew, she'd never done anything to Mitch to prompt him to do something like this to her, so she could only assume that this had nothing to do with her at all, but everything to do with him and Malek. She didn't know what had sparked a beef between Mitch and Malek, but she did know that Mitch had been sweet on her at one point. She hoped that he still was. If so, perhaps she could use it to her advantage.
She knew that his attraction toward her was probably the only way she could ever get out of the situation alive, and she was willing to do whatever she had to in order to ensure her baby's safety.
Where are you, Malek?
she asked herself as her eyes darted frantically around the room. She was trembling in fear. She didn't know what to expect next. It had been a full twenty-four hours since she had been given any food, and she hadn't seen another face besides Bugz's. The thought crossed her mind that now that Bugz had gotten what he wanted from her and she could identify who he was, she would be left for dead.
she asked herself as her eyes darted frantically around the room. She was trembling in fear. She didn't know what to expect next. It had been a full twenty-four hours since she had been given any food, and she hadn't seen another face besides Bugz's. The thought crossed her mind that now that Bugz had gotten what he wanted from her and she could identify who he was, she would be left for dead.
She shook her head in an attempt to erase those dreadful thoughts. She hoped and prayed that Bugz was gone for good, but that someone else would come see about her. Bugz wasn't in this alone; she knew that much. There had to be someone else that had been assigned to keep guard over her, but who? Maybe her eyes had deceived her. Maybe it wasn't Mitch she'd seen before blacking out.
She closed her eyes and ran the scene through her mind; the scene that had happened so quickly. She visualized the shadowy figure that had stood off to the side, and unless her mind was deceiving her, it was indeed Mitch.
Opening her eyes, Halleigh wished to God this had all been just a bad dream, but the fact remained that she was still being held hostage. The torment of being locked in the basement reminded Halleigh of when Manolo had imprisoned her in his basement for weeks. It had been sheer torture, and she truly believed that a part of her had been forever locked in that basement. When she was finally released, she was a partial image of the person she used to be. She could only wonder what kind of emotions this time would bring upon her. How much of her soul would she leave behind this time, if she made it out at all?
Everything in Halleigh just wanted to get up, go beat on that door, and cry out for help, but she was all out of screams. There was no fight left in her. All she really wanted to do was just go home. She would do anything to be back home, safe and sound in her bed, next to her man.
She closed her eyes once again, and instantly, Malek's face appeared behind her lids. Her heartbeat began to speed up as she thought about the possibility of never seeing him again.
She couldn't understand for the life of her why it seemed as though the two of them were always lingering on the edge. Why was it that their love was so hard to keep? Just when it appeared as though they'd picked themselves up and dusted themselves off again, they were being kicked back down. There was always something in their way, trying to keep them apart.
Perhaps, Halleigh thought, she and Malek simply were not supposed to be together. True love couldn't possibly be this hard to maintain, could it?
Tears ran down her face as she kept her eyes squeezed shut. She could see him smiling at her. He was holding her babyâtheir babyâin his arms. A sob escaped from her lips as she imagined Malek staring lovingly at her, rocking a baby boy back and forth in his arms. Halleigh had never seen that much joy in Malek's face, and she was mesmerized by the child he was holding. He was beautiful ; the most beautiful baby boy she had ever seen. His smooth chocolate skin was flawless, and his big doe eyes were innocent and sweet. She fell in love at first sight, even if it was just a dream.
As quickly as she fell in love, grief took over. She saw Malek fall to his knees with the baby in his hands. A look of pain donned his face, and the front of his white T-shirt filled with crimson blood. Halleigh reached out for him, but she couldn't get to him. She heard her baby crying, but she couldn't move. The only thing she could do was cry.
Halleigh's eyes shot open at the sight of her love dying, and she stared into space. “God, please help us,” she pleaded.
She couldn't help but think that her vision was some type of premonition.
That's why he hasn't come for me yet,
she reasoned in her mind.
Please, God, let Malek be okay.
Her love for him was just that deep. Even while she was in distress, she prayed for his wellbeing. Even if a part of her was angry that he wasn't there for her, she still couldn't help but love him. They were soul mates, and her love for him was unselfish and unyielding. It was evident that no matter what, she couldn't force herself to not love that man. Only death itself could keep her from loving him. She hoped, though, that wouldn't be the case
That's why he hasn't come for me yet,
she reasoned in her mind.
Please, God, let Malek be okay.
Her love for him was just that deep. Even while she was in distress, she prayed for his wellbeing. Even if a part of her was angry that he wasn't there for her, she still couldn't help but love him. They were soul mates, and her love for him was unselfish and unyielding. It was evident that no matter what, she couldn't force herself to not love that man. Only death itself could keep her from loving him. She hoped, though, that wouldn't be the case
Mitch entered the trap house, his authority causing his henchmen to straighten up and pretend as if they hadn't just been distracted by the game of NBA Live they'd been playing for some hours. Mitch stood in the living room in his Pelle jacket, black hoodie, and Sean John jeans, with a Styrofoam food box in his hand.
“Turn that bullshit off,” Mitch stated in his low, serious tone. He walked over to the TV monitors and looked at Halleigh on the screen. “She ate?”
“Nah,” Bugz replied distractedly as he continued to play the game.
“Since when?” Mitch replied as he pulled his baggy pants up on his waistline.
“Shit, I don't know, man. Yesterday I think,” Bugz replied, refusing to turn his attention away from the game.
“Why not?” Mitch asked calmly as he went over to where Bugz and two other corner boys were sitting.
“The bitch ain't got no act-right in her,” Bugz said as he hit the blunt that was being passed around. He chuckled as he thought about his sexual tryst with the captive.
Mitch walked over to the game and snatched the cords out of the wall, interrupting their tournament. “Fuck am I paying you niggas for? Huh?” Mitch asked. “Didn't I give y'all strict orders? Why didn't y'all feed her? She's pregnant !”
Bugz frowned and shot back, “Damn, fam, I didn't know we was running a luxury hotel out this bitch. We kidnapped that broad. So, I forgot to feed her. I don't see why we hanging onto this bitch anyway. I say we pop her ass and pop that bitch-ass nigga Malek.”
Mitch shook his head in disdain and then lunged at Bugz, hemming him up by his collar. He pointed a threatening finger in his face. “You feed her because I say feed her, nigga. I'm boss. You don't need to know why we hanging onto her. I'm not paying you to be sitting around with these mu'fuckas glued to an X-box. Understand?”
Bugz snatched away from Mitch, embarrassed by the fact that he had been degraded in front of his peers, but he humbled himself and replied, “Yeah, I got you, fam.” He brushed his shoulders off as if Mitch had gotten dirt on him by touching him. “Damn . . . my fault, my nigga. I'll go feed her now.” Bugz headed toward the kitchen.
“I got it,” Mitch said as he grabbed the food he had intended for himself and started down the stairs to give it to Halleigh. He mumbled to himself about how incompetent Bugz was as he made his way to the bottom of the steps.
The loud noise his Timberland boots made as he descended the steps sounded identical to Bugz's footsteps, and Halleigh cowered in fear, huddling farther into the corner of the basement.
As Mitch reached the bottom of the steps, he could see her through the darkness. He looked up and fumbled around before he pulled the string hanging from the ceiling to illuminate the room. A yellow glow shone throughout the basement, and a funky smell, like fresh blood, filled the air. Mitch immediately frowned up and walked toward Halleigh.
“Halleigh, come and grab some of this food,” Mitch stated, his voice causing her to turn around.
“Mitch?” she called out weakly.
He didn't respond.
Halleigh blinked a couple of times, adjusting her eyes to the light. Once she could see clearly, it was evident that Mitch was the person in the basement with her, confirming that she had been right all along. He had been the second figure she'd seen after being snatched out of the shower.
“Mitch, please let me go. Why are you doing this to me?” she asked from the floor. She wanted to stand, but her body was in too much pain.
Mitch swallowed hard, coaching himself the entire time not to let Halleigh's sweet voice get to him. “Come eat,” was all he said.
He squatted down near her and put the food on the floor. There was a look of terror in Halleigh's eyes, and Mitch tried his best to avoid eye contact with her as guilt bombarded his soul. The last thing he had ever wanted Halleigh to do was to look at him as though he was nothing but a monster. It definitely wasn't the same look he'd seen her give Malek. He'd secretly longed for that look, not the one he was receiving now.
As Mitch looked downward, dodging Halleigh's eyes, he noticed dried blood between her thighs. He could smell sex and sweat in the air. He frowned as he lifted her chin and rubbed her hair gently as if she was his woman.
Halleigh closed her eyes. She couldn't stand to look into his eyes like that. She could still feel him staring at her, though. She began to shake, thinking that he, too, may force himself upon her.
He observed the torn shirt as well. Between that, the blood, and the smell, Mitch's hands began to shake as he put two and two together in his mind. His eyes scanned Halleigh once more. Her once confident swagger was replaced with fear and an insecurity that he hadn't seen in her since her days as a Manolo Mami. The blood on her thighs only confirmed his suspicions.
No wonder Bugz hadn't fed her. He was too busy trying to fuck her.
Son of a bitch! Mitch thought about his hardheaded, horny worker.
“Mitch, please . . .” Halleigh whispered, interrupting his thoughts. “I need to see a doctor. He raped me, Mitch. He hurt me real bad. I just need to make sure my baby is okay. That's all I want to do. Please, Mitch,” Halleigh pleaded.
Mitch clenched his jaw and rose to his feet. He was too pissed for Halleigh's soft words to even penetrate him at that moment.
He emerged from the basement and stood near the door as he motioned for Bugz to approach him.
“Yeah, uh, what's up, fam?” Bugz stammered. He could tell by the menacing look on Mitch's face that Mitch wasn't too pleased with him. He'd already gotten on him about starving the poor girl, so certainly he was over that and on to something else.
“Why is she bleeding?” Mitch asked Bugz, staring him straight in the eyes as if daring him to try to lie.
Bugz attempted to laugh the tension away and answered, “I told you the bitch ain't got no act-right.” Bugz grabbed his private parts. “So a nigga had to put some up in her.” He snatched at his crotch obnoxiously and turned to walk away.
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