We piled six deep into Smokey’s Chevy Impala and headed over to crab territory to pick up Reddy’s car. I was a little reluctant but I was the one responsible for having it stranded. Five minutes into the ride I glanced over at Kool Aid and he was sound asleep. Flintstone, Kool Aid and I were sitting in the backseat. Smokey was driving with Reddy and Slow sat in the front seat. When we pulled into the shopping center to my surprise the Cadillac was still parked in the spot we left it. Slow let Reddy climb out of the car on the passenger side and she checked to see if there was any damage.


“Everything is straight, Blood.” She announced before climbing inside.

Smokey made his way back to the closest gas station. He had a gas can in the trunk of his car. When we made it back to the shopping center Reddy handed the gas can to me.

“You the nigga that ran out of gas.” She smirked.

I grudgingly put the gas in the tank. Smokey left the car running while he watched us put the gas in the tank. I decided it would be more comfortable to hop in with Reddy when we left. I was hoping she didn’t talk any shit.

“Aw Cuz, what set ya’ll from?”

I glanced around to see two Crips walking towards us. I had on the same clothes from the night before so it was obvious that I was a Blood. Reddy wasn’t as obvious as me but she had on red shoelaces and a matching red belt. The two Crips were older than Reddy and me by at least four or five years. They were sporting their colors as well. One of them had a little size on him like he had done a bid in prison. He was the one that hit us up. The second Crip wasn’t that much smaller. He had some size on him in the muscle department as well. They both stood about six feet in height. I turned around for a confrontation forgetting that the homies were four deep in another car.

“East Side Holly Hood Leuders Park Piru Gang, Blood!” Reddy announced

“What the fuck did…”

Before the first Crip could finish his question I heard five or six gunshots let off. The stockier enemy was hit and fell to the ground hard. The second one quickly ran for cover ducking under another car. As I advanced toward the passenger side my eyes turned toward Smokey and he was the one waving the pistol.

“Let’s roll Blood!” He yelled.

Reddy started up the engine and sped off in the parking lot after I hopped in on the passenger side. Everything happened so fast that I didn’t have time to think. We were following Smokey in a direction I wasn’t too familiar with but he found his way to a freeway entrance. We were in a two car caravan all the way down to the 91 freeway until we exited Atlantic Avenue. I was on pins and needles wondering if someone noticed us. In broad daylight Smokey had shot that nigga. If he wasn’t dead he probably was seriously wounded. Reddy acted like she had taken a shot of adrenalin.

“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about Blood. We was in that crab nigga's hood and we still served his ass. That’s how we get down Double H for life.” She yelled.

I stared at her like she was crazy. I was tired and sleepy and the last thing I wanted was to get bumped up by the police and I hadn’t had any real sleep. My wounds were okay but they were still tender. A good six hour nap would do me some good.

“What’s wrong with you nigga? You act like you had love for that crab nigga.”

“I ain’t had any sleep and I’m still wearing the bandage from when I was stabbed. Last night was enough excitement for me.”

Reddy busted out in a loud laughter. There was nothing funny to me. She leaned back in her driver seat once we turned on Holly Street.

“I know where you coming from Grumpy. But that nigga hit us up first. It wasn’t like we started that shit. We was gon’ put gas in the tank then roll back to the hood.”

“Yeah that shit just caught me off guard. When he started blasting on that crab nigga I was like what the fuck now? I need to take my ass to sleep.”

“Alright, I’ll roll you to yo house on the circle.” She smiled.

It was pleasant to see Reddy smile. Sometimes I would be reminded how pretty Reddy was. She was a gangster so to get her to smile was difficult. She was different to me because she was one of the few gangster girls that I would love to fuck. It was girls that claimed the hood or other sets that were down to put in work, carried themselves butch. The feminine women were just fucking one of the homeboys but they wasn’t really down to put in work like Reddy. When she pulled up in front of my house I climbed out then leaned down in the window.

“Bee up Reddy.”

“Holly Love Blood. And don’t worry we gon’ serve them little niggas for running out on you.” She assured me.

I stumbled into the house and headed straight to my bedroom. I left a trail of clothes from my bedroom door to my twin sized bed.

It would be six hours before I woke up from my sleep. A sharp pain on my side let me know that the night before wasn’t a dream. After staggering into the kitchen for a glass of water my brother knocked on my door. My mother must have thought I made it home last night because she hadn’t said anything to me. I opened the door and Flintstone walked in.

“We whooped those little niggas’ asses for running out on you and Kool Aid. They were in violation for real.” Flintstone leaned on my dresser.

“They didn’t try to deny that shit?”

“You know they did. Loko tried to say that he was stabbed also but he didn’t make it to the hospital. He and Timmy-Ru and Boney-Ru rolled in a car Loko had stolen. They all claimed that they rolled back around looking for ya’ll but couldn’t find ya’ll. Smokey was like ‘Blood you shouldn’t have ran in the first place.’ Nuck was in the background cracking up the whole time.”

“Aw shit I bet you that made it worse. That nigga got an irritating laugh. What did Reddy do to them niggas?”

“She just watched me, Smokey, Slow, Kay-Kay and Ronnie-Ru knot them little niggas up. I told you that little nigga Kool Aid was down. I know when niggas got heart and when they are scary. Now Grumpy, now that you’ve seen the other side of this game you now know where you stand. Any nigga can claim to be a gangster but the streets will show what you really are at some point in time. A bitch nigga won’t stay true to what he says he is.”

“I know Blood.” I replied arrogantly.

He shoved me in a playful way. All I could do was laugh because I wasn’t in the mood for fighting. Even though I was asleep for six hours my body was still drowsy. Besides I appreciated Flintstone showing his love for me even though I wouldn’t admit it to him.

“Well I’m going back to the other room before I have to fuck you up.” He stood totally erect.

“Or get fucked up.” I quickly replied.

He turned around as he headed for my bedroom door and smirked. When he opened the bedroom door I stopped him.

“Why didn’t mama say anything about me not coming home last night?”

“I told her you were asleep and tired as hell so she wouldn’t bother you for the night.” He nodded.

“Good Looking on that.” I nodded.

He threw up the Blood sign with his right hand then closed the door behind him. Staring at the door for a few seconds made me crack a small smile. After that long ass day I knew where I stood with my brother. The glass of water was quickly swallowed right before my eyes closed and sleep had me again.