Poison.... Yeah, that's what they call me now; I wouldn't mind you calling me that too. See I've become someone else now, something else; let's get back to the story, shall we?

Two years later, I'm awake, strong and cold hearted, I mean you would be too right? A best friend killing your own sister in cold blood, that ought to change you right? Well it did to me, I was a whole new person these past years; I met Frank a year ago, told him everything that happened, he felt sorry for me, he introduced me to the gang, they became like family to me; I met the boss, Eli, he said he liked me and gave me an invite to join, what do you think? Of course I said yes this time, they were going to help me kill that traitor of mine. I'm not the same, not anymore. Recently, we hear Jamal's back in town, he's at a party flirting with some girls, taking them on different rounds. I got ready, me and my crew, we got into our ride and arrived at the scene, and there he was, coming out drunk and wasted; I was so irritated at the sight of him, I rushed down and attacked him, multiple blows, I even lost count; just then we heard gun shots, his brother came to help after I knocked Jamal to sleep, he tried to attack one of my guys, I took a knife and stabbed him in the back, heading back to finish Jamal off but then Eli came, said the cops were coming and that we had to go and so we did. Looking through the mirror, I saw Jamal standing up and running to his brother, serves him right; maybe now he'll know how it felt.
The next day, we hear that Jamal's brother, Jay is stuck in a wheelchair and is not gonna walk again for the rest of his life, we celebrated the good news, Jamal was definitely getting wasted by now. Later that night, I get a call from an unknown number, picked it up and heard his voice, every sound felt like virus on my skin, an irritation that one would just wanted to burn; he told me that he was coming for me, that he wouldn't stop until I was dead for what I did to his brother, I smiled and hung up on him, looks like it's about to go down after all. I told my mother to find another place to live, I wasn't going to lose any more family cause it was about to get bloody; she begged me, told me I'm going the wrong way, that joining a cult wasn't going to bring Priss back, and then she started with the God thing, to have mercy and forgive like Jesus forgives and all that crap, also saying that all those who sin go to hell, blah blah blah; I wasn't hearing a thing, I just sent her away, she said she'd pray for me, I didn't care. If Jamal could do that to Priss? I wasn't going to have mercy on his evil heart, he was going to pay; I'd sworn the day I watched Priss die with no mercy, he definitely did not deserve it.
And so it begins, the Ghetto gang attacking the graylands gang, and them attacking us. Every night was someone's death, either from our side, or from the other side non-stop. We became serious cases on the news, highly dangerous criminals feared in the night. Streets became empty every seven pm, and then it got bloody till five am; we designed a new strategy, to attack in the day, Frank was down with the idea, he was ready to make them pay, I guess he was the real friend after all, the one mama said would put me in a mess; he was the spy guy of our gang, always fetching the latest information about the other side and he had been my friend, always reminding me of how it was going to be okay, then he'd say after that traitor bleeds. Well all the gang was on board with the plan, even at the risk that we could get caught by the cops, it became a ride or die situation and we were down for it. We attacked the graylands gang in broad daylight; hit them where they didn't expect, shot about fifty guys dead; Jamal wasn't there, we had prepared a lovely present for him. The next day was a big party for us as Frank came with the news of the other side attacking themselves, we celebrated! It was a huge success, and then I stopped and thought how it would be if Priss were here, what she would say; boy I miss her like crazy, she was going to be famous, get into her dream school and join that designer's agency she always exclaimed about, and those her silly dances, they all came running back in my head, it started to hurt again, reminding me that the one who took it all away is still breathing. For a week it was silent, the other side didn't attack, it was weird; and then the following week, they raided us, fortunately for us, Frank got the information in time for us to prepare our defenses but they were more than usual, they outnumbered us; they left some of our guys dead. Eli got so mad, he started to say it was my fault, then I got mad too, Frank came in between to stop us from attacking each other and so we left separate ways. That night, Eli knocked at my door, said he came to apologise for blaming me, we made up. Later Frank messaged us about the graylands new move, and that Jamal was there; we got into Eli's car and met Frank on the way there, I sat in the back seat with Frank and Eli in the front. We arrived at the scene and Eli got down to search the place, Frank got down too, I told him to help me with the door, he said he was coming, he was really pressed, so he rushed off to ease himself; so I sat there, preparing myself for Jamal, a few minutes later, it's quiet, I shout Frank's name but nobody answers, what's going on? Then I start to hear gunshots and also Eli's voice, he was yelling traitor! And so I thought it was Jamal and I began hitting the car to get out, turns out it was jammed; then I saw Frank walking towards the car, I told him to help me out but he grinned and stepped aside, then Jamal walked up to the door saying he finally got me. I saw them standing side by side and couldn't believe it, I asked why Frank would do this to me, deliver me to my enemy like this, and you know what he said? For money; Jamal offered him a hundred thousand to offer me to him and he agreed, I mean is that all I'm worth? A hundred thousand? I got so mad, but I couldn't do anything, I was stuck in a car and it seemed like it was intentional, cause they began to pour petrol round the car to set it on fire, I screamed over and over; Jamal screamed back saying it all my fault, my fault? I didn't kill my own sister! He then paused a little in his steps as if he suddenly remembered her, then began to hesitate, but that Frank of a guy wouldn't let him, started reminding him of his brother, how he was in a wheelchair and all because of me, and that he was going to let him down if he didn't kill me and so he listened, he lit the fire and the car began to burn with both of them standing and watching the scene. I was hitting the doors over and over watching them laugh at my pain; in that minute a gun shot was heard, Jamal spat blood out of his mouth as he fell to the ground, and then I saw him, Eli, he stabbed Frank in the chest and left them both to die; he began pounding on the doors trying to get me out, it got hotter, he couldn't stay close and I was running out of air, I began to choke, then those words came in..

Stay awake! Stay awake Peter!....
But I couldn't, I heard sounds of metal and saw Eli banging the door with a rake; I saw the despair on his face, he didn't want me to die, and I didn't want me to die either but I became weak and I passed out. Eli finally came through, he opened the car and brought me out, he kept tapping me to keep breathing, saying that he was sorry, then I became sorry, I told him to leave me, that the cops were going to be here soon but he said he wasn't going anywhere, and that if he had a second life, he wouldn't choose to be a gangster anymore; he said that he was going to do it for me, he was going to tell young teenagers to stay away from cult, that the end was always going to be misery and pain. I didn't know when tears started falling from my eyes..... He was my true friend and he stayed.... The cops arrived and took him, he cried saying that they should help me but I had passed out, for good this time.... I was no longer breathing; I remembered my mother, I pictured her praying for me like she said she would and then I wept, she was going to be all alone... If I didn't desire revenge so much, if I listened to my mama and the people she said would give me no luck, I wouldn't be here, I would be with her, in college living like Priss would want me to.... If only those choices weren't made, I wouldn't be dead.
So what do you think? Why don't you be like Eli and share this story? To every teenager and youth out there, that cult is never the answer... It just drains you of the good and leaves you with regrets and lots of dead bodies.
So from this day, join the parade: Say no to Cultism
#writers #prose #writerscommunity #thriller #blogger #story #educative #delightwriteup #storybyme