Neurotic Noir: Part 6 -- "Cracked Safe/Broken Levee" (531 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 2 on 10 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by RyuFu (View user info) at 2005-09-26 16:33:43 EDT
Part 1 - "Hole in the Head" : http://www.ubersite.com/m/75075
Part 2 - "Perceptive Goth" : http://www.ubersite.com/m/75152
Part 3 - "Sex and Tattoos" : http://www.ubersite.com/m/75460
Part 4 - "Shpatë Dragua" : http://www.ubersite.com/m/75602
Part 5 - "A Kiss for Each" : http://www.ubersite.com/m/75721
------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'll tap that ass like no otha', slap yo' face like yo' brotha', I'll smack yo' baby's daddy like I'm his fuckin' motha'!"
"Jetmir, get back in the kitchen! If you want to give your friends half-price burgers, you must cook them yourself! And for god's sake, if you must do that 'rap' crap, try to use nice words--you're scaring all the customers!"
"Alright, Dad! Yo, lemme go do this so my dad will stop barkin' at me."
"Aight," replied James.
"Aight," replied Jimmy.
Jimmy and James. They were just like clones. If I hadn't known them forever, I would have thought they were twins. Spoke the same way, dressed the same way. I emulated them the best I could, short of darkening my skin. I tried tanning a little, but that ozone layer isn't getting any stronger. Nah, it was all about the attitude. Everything was about attitude. Attitude and respect.
"Yo, don't forget to put some cheddar on my burger," James yelled out.
"Yeah, mine too," mimicked Jimmy.
I have many happy memories of Jimmy and James: basketball games, rap tournaments, trips to The Deli. But those are all young memories. Early memories. I...don't remember being friendly with them recently...it has something to do with the rapping. I used to love that stuff; I was great at it.
But now I hate rap...I hate that entire lifestyle.
"J-One will slice you and you done!"
"J-Two will dice you and you through!"
"J-Three will rock the mic and then rock the parteeee, UH!"
"Triple J's'll fuck yo' sista in yo' daddy's station wagon--"
"You can't fuck with us, we the fuckin' Sword Dragons!!"
Shit! Jimmy and James. Jimmy'N'James. JimmyJames'N'Jack...Triple J's! The charter members of the Shpatë Dragua! Well, isn't that strange? I guess I wasn't a gang member at all. And here I was, thinking that I was some cold-blooded killer.
I shot that blind dude point blank and enjoyed it.
Oh yeah.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jaaaack!"
"Holy shit!"
How long have Lilly and I been walking?
"Jack, have you heard a word of what I've been saying?"
"Uhhh...well, no, but--"
"But nothing! You keep getting lost in your thoughts!"
"Actually, it seems I'm finding myself in my thoughts."
Hmm, didn't really mean to say that out loud.
"Ugh, whatever. Look, I was just saying that we're not the only ones with these dragon tattoos."
"'Sword Dragons.' 'Shpatë Dragua.'"
"SSHHH!! You keep shouting that out here like it's a kid's show or something!"
"I don't get it--what's your hang-up with me saying Sh...um, that term?"
"I don't really know why...I just know it's something no one really wants to say out loud in New Red City."
Whoa...I've been here for at least a day and I finally realize what 'here' is actually called. Well, I re-realize it. It's been non-stop nostalgia for as long as I can remember--about a day.
"What, are people afraid to say it like they are in 'Harry Potter' with the name 'Voldemort.?'"
"Okay, why you know about Harry Potter is beyond me, but what I'm referring to is Vin's wrath."
Vin's wrath? Sounds like a video game. Or like Harry Potter. How I know that is the biggest mystery of all.
"Vin's wrath?"
"Yeah, if he or anyone from his 'crew' catches anyone else saying that word, they'll be punished."
"I assume it's not a light punishment."
"Not quite."
"A few quick questions: who is Vin, how do you know him, and why do you have a Sh--the same tattoo as me?"
"Look, let's wait until we get inside."
Jesus, we're back at her apartment already. I'm being crushed under the weight of my mind...it feels so full and heavy. But at the same time, every memory I extract makes it that much heavier. It's like a levee holding trying to hold back more water than it was designed to. Maybe I'm just a fuck-up.
"Okay, now that we're settled let me explain what I know. 'Vin' is short for Vincent Morris, the man that unofficially runs New Red through the Black Pan--"
"Holy shit, the Black Panthers!?"
"No, dipshit, why don't you let me finish? It's the Black Pantheon. Although no one knows exactly how many people are part of it, everyone knows its highest ranking officers, who are all--naturally--black men. Vin is the leader, in case you have some major head injury. The next layer in the group are his top 'executives.' They're really just a bunch of bastards that control the 5 main areas of town..."
Here eyes are filling with tears. I suppose that means she's not too happy about what she has to say.
"Do people know their names?"
"Yeah...Tony, Dave, "
Hmm, sort of familiar, but not too revealing...
"Ronzell, "
Whoa, that's a distinctive name. Sounds made up. Sounds like I used to make fun of it.
"Jimmy, "
Shit. I think I know the next name.
"and James."
Jimmy and James. Former Sword Dragons. Current members of the Black Pantheon. Future unidentifiable corpses, if they're responsible for...if my inkling reflects the truth.
"Jack, our memories are spotty, but you should remember why we both have the same tattoos."
"I can't. I mean, when I think of your tattoo, all that comes to mind is a white dress."
"Yeah...?"
"And I got a small part of my tattoo re-done at the same time."
"You're almost there..."
I need a mirror. If I tilt my head at the right angle, I can see it.
Fuck. There it is, just a bit brighter than the rest of the relatively faded dragon and sword. One of the fingers is the slightest bit greener, and it has something on it. A ring!
A wedding ring.
"Mine has it too."
"So it does. So we're..."
"Married? I guess. Unofficially at least. You never were the traditional sort."
"I guess not."
She skipped a question. I know it was not an accident. Now I'm afraid to hear the answer.
"And how do you know Vin?"
"I never said I knew him!"
"But I have a feeling,"
"Well, fuck your feelings!!"
We just found out we're married and she's already fighting with me. Typical.
"Just tell me."
"What's the fucking use?"
"I want to KNOW!! Now, TELL ME!"
Shit, I scared her...but I have to know.
"He...he made me kill your parents..."
I have to sit--I have to lay on the floor. The levee is broken.
User Reviews
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-03-23 11:23:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Great stuff.
Submitted by Ditka (user info) at 2005-12-27 23:16:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2005-09-30 06:08:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by morontian (user info) at 2005-09-28 22:35:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-09-27 10:37:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-09-27 08:33:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
In case anyone's wondering, the new titles for each part help me organize the series of events as Jack learns them.
Jack's cluttered mind is finally getting cleaned up, but I'm the one that has to do the housekeeping.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-09-26 23:39:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-09-26 18:46:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-09-26 17:11:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Gah -
Frustrating.
Even more frustrating is my spelling issue...
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-09-26 17:07:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Day-um! Dude! I'm SO hooked!
It's grustrating to have to wait for the next installement, but I'm glad I bothered to read from the beginning.