7 Minutes Of Heaven.
It was some Sunday of some week in the month of August. I can still hear my grandmother trying to wake me up for church. I didn’t go because i had stayed out all night partying with my boy Jah. You see Jah, he was my friend for years. We were so close i can look at him and he’d already know what i was talking about. He could walk in my house and open the refrigerator without my mama saying anything, and boy she yelled at everything.shit… she almost kicked me out for walking in the house with my shoes on. Anyways… Now Me and jah , we both had dreams. He wanted to become the next El Chapo and me… I wanted to have mad sneaker stores. I loved sneakers, i could name every Jordan from the first design to the last. Jah used to say i study them sneakers more then my homework. But i was really just trying to make a dream come true.
I woke up to the smell of my mother preparing Sunday dinner. Gospel music blasting but, clear enough to hear every word. As always I would creep out of my room so that no one could hear me. Lucky me , the bathroom was right across the hall so nobody could hear these squeaky ass floors squeak when I walked. I turned the shower on high, hot enough to fog up the bathroom mirror. I used to practice writing my signature for when I get famous. Right before
I got in *phone Rings* and Siri Said “Incoming call from Jah UglyAss crying emoji”...
I already knew he was calling so I can come to the rec and ball up…. “Yo, Jah wassup bro” “Nothing , you ughhh, you tryna come ball up ?” “yeah, you tryna stay on your losing streak I see, Imma be there at 2” “Nah, come a little earlier like 12:30 so we could get the good court with a net” “Aigh, meet you there” “Meet me in front of the rec” *click*... When I got out the shower i went to change, and rushed downstairs to the front door hoping my mom didn’t question me on skipping church this morning. I put on my Jordan Retro 13’s, the Black Cat’s.. I really think they give me some type of like mike power “Going to play ball with Jah, see you later ma love you” “Elijah , be safe .. I love you to boy”
The rec was right around the corner from where I lived. In Hampton heights , one of the most gang affiliated towns in my state. In front of the rec was the Brimps territory. Known for being the streets most wanted. Each of them probably had been locked up about 5 times…. I stopped on the corner so I could call Jah, he knew I didn’t like being around that area by myself.
“Hey siri, call Jah UglyAss” ………..“Please leave your message for 97”
You know the feeling when your next in line at the supermarket, and your mom isn’t with you? That’s how I felt..
“Hey siri, call Jah ugly a-aaa…..--"
*Boom, boom, boom, boom ,boom….*
I remember feeling a scolding hot bullet break through my flesh. The heat from the bullet boiled my blood so hot it felt like i laid an iron on my back. I saw a pure light, pure as heaven would be. It wasn’t until my best friend walked up to me and took his mask off ,when i noticed snakes didn’t hiss anymore…. You would think the fucked up part is the fact that he killed me, and i saw his face last. Nah , id say it was questioning “why did you do this?” with a mouth full of blood. This nigga kneeled down over me, not saying a single word. He just watched me lose my breath.
As much love as i had for him , I don’t know when did he have time to grow enough hate to shoot me five times in my back. I can feel myself getting lightheaded, my eyes were rolling back from losing to much blood. I guess this is what it feels like to die. I heard my heartbeat getting slower, it sounded like a drumline in far away distance. I felt weak, so weak that I couldn’t fix my hand into a proper fist. Then everything went blank……(pause)
Minute One: I saw myself being born, March 1st, 2000 7:49pm. Nine months later ,Baby Elijah was walking one foot in front of the other.Then came my 5th birthday party. My aunt bought me the coolest Jay’s, I thought i was the shit.
Minute Two: I was nine years old and I went to some shitty ass school called Joycetown prep. I got into my first fight there over a carton of chocolate milk.I found out my dad had cancer and my little sister was born. Her name was Ziyah Nevaeh Hill.
Minute Three: School just let out and the hood uncles put the basketball hoop up. The fire hydrant was on spraying and you could hear that ice cream truck saying “Hello”.... Jah just moved on my block. When we met we clicked quicker then i did with most people.We ended up going to the same school, and we hung out everyday after school.
Minute Four: *go rams, go Rams go Rams* The crowd was louuuud this game. I got my first touchdown on the Seahawks in the 2nd quarter. Jah was right on the side line because his ugly ass broke his arm. I got my license and my first job at kids foot locker. Days after my 15th birthday my dad died.
Minute Five: Honesty….I met her in the hallway of my high school. She was standing there as beautiful as ever. She had the lightest eyes, her hair was always done right. I knew her schedule and she knew mine. She was always at my games, cheering the loudest even though she didn’t even know what was going on. We wore royal blue to prom, and celebrated graduation at Joe's Crab Shack.
Minute six:I was standing on the corner of my block when my best friend shot me in daylight. My life ended Sunday August 16, 2018 at 12:28PM.
Minute Seven: This minute wasn’t a back flash. God gave me 60 seconds to say goodbye to everybody I loved. First stop was my mom, she was still blasting her gospel music singing I wonder if she felt my touch. Second stop was my grandmother , still sitting in church alongside her was my sister. God I pray that she grows up to be a humble young lady. Last was honesty, she was still sleeping, as I expected her to be. Next to her bed frame was two pregnancy test. They both read positive. I wondered how was she gonna tell me now.
…..the end
7 Minutes Of Heaven (Part 2)
The thing about gangs is that they find a way to test your loyalty by turning your heart cold. It’s one thing to randomly kill, but it’s another to know exactly who it’s going to be.
My name is “Jah” short for Jahmir. Growing up in the streets of Hampton Heights, I never really had a name that rung bells, but I had a goal to change that.
“You know the drill jah, take ya shoes off” “yes ma’am”
Whenever I walked in Elijah’s house his mamma wanted shoes at the door. She ain't play that shit. I remember always staring at the pictures in Elijah’s living room. A big happy family, even after his father died. It was a picture frame of us in a school play together they had hung up too. He played Romeo and I had a couple of lines. His house always had a smell of a home cooked meal in it. I was amazed how the inside of a house in the hood can look like that. There was no way the streets would let him live. He had it all.
In his room he had all these big trophies, metals hanging everywhere, honor roll certificates. Sometimes I didnt even know why he hung out with me. The only dream I had was to be the next big trapper.
“Yo Jah, you tryna play me in 2k ?” “yeah, if you lose you gotta make me a plate” “Aigh bet, but if I don't you gotta make ya own damn plate”
*Jah’s phone chimes*_____________________
Jigg -- Elijah or your moms, come get it.
“Yo E , I gotta go make a sale real quick” “Aigh, you good, imma be here all day”
I hauled ass out the door, A million questions running through my mind… “Do I really have the balls to do this ? “ “What choice will i make ?” “ Is this really worth it ?” when I got inside of Jigg’s house my body was hot, filled with anger and fear. “What kind of bum ass decision is that, Jigg ?” “One that’s gone determine if you got heart or not, Shadow”.
“Shadow Shadow ,hahaha” I remember the kids from school used to call me shadow for a while. I got that name from following Elijah around. No matter what he did I was right there , like his fucking wingman or something. Hearing that name brought back so many memories. And in every single memory I was a shadow.
“Put your hands out” Jigg said He handed me a gun covered in a towel size blanket. It was love at first sight, it weighed heavy in both of my palms. When I peeled back the blanket the side of the gun read “Smith & Wesson” on a silver plate.
It was something about this life that can change my mind in seconds.
It was exciting that i can relate my first homicide to my first fortnite kill.
“Now go home, but one of them better be dead by tomorrow"
When I got home I peeked in my moms room and saw her sleeping. She was right there, I could’ve ended it. But I wasn’t her shadow.. It was Elijah’s game I sat on the sideline for. It was Elijah who had to find me a date to double date with. It was Elijah who was better then me a every sport. It was Elijah who had every sneaker you can think of. It was Elijah who stopped my shine growing up. He was the city's finest, not me. His name rung bells not mine, I was always gonna be that “boy that's with Elijah”...
The next day i waited until i knew he was up to call him to come ball up. “PHONE RINGING” “Yo, Jah wassup bro” “Nothing , you ughhh, you tryna come ball up ?”“yeah, you tryna stay on your losing streak I see, Imma be there at 2”“Nah, come a little earlier like 12:30 so we could get the good court with a net”“Aigh, meet you there”“Meet me in front of the rec”
MINUTE ONE : I called Jigg to be ready as driver, i knew what i was gonna do already. I practiced in my mirror what i wanted to say to him before i killed him. How would I shoot him. How I would hold my gun, I practiced smacking him across his face with it
Minute two : *re-Loads gun* This was my sport. If i couldn’t dribble a ball as good as Elijah i knew i could reload a gun better than he could.
Minute three: *Jigg pulls up* “so who you choose ?” he said . “You’ll see”
Minute four : we pulled up right next to the corner Elijah stood at. He was walking a couple of feet behind the car. I watched him stand there and look for me. He had this look on his face, like he knew he was about to die. I felt him stare me dead in my eye through the tinted windows on the car.
Minute five : *Incoming call from “E” …
*Decline*
I waited until he turned his back to the car, then i hopped out and...
Minute six : *Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom* i shot him five times in his back. I took my mask off slowly and watched him choke on years of pain i felt in his shadow.
Minute seven : I pulled my mask back on my face. His struggle was becoming weak, and it felt good to watch him die. I closed his eyes with my fingers.I can still feel his last breath hover underneath my hand.
7 Minutes of heaven (Part 3 )
Sunday August 16, 2018 at 12:28PM. -Elijah’s Death Date
5 days later--Friday August 21, 11:45PM
“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take” Amen.
I said my prayers every night after I killed Elijah. I Figured it would help save me from any karma. I just got the cities biggest kill. The famous Elijah. This kill made me rich. I got paid that caaassshh. I had all the new Jordans, I brought a new phone, all my jeans was designer, and i never had no bummy ass shirt on. I was looking like a new nigga.But this new nigga look was drawing to much attention. NIggas was starting to talk.The hood was sad right now , and i just came up out of nowhere, I had to lay low for a couple of days.
Sunday August 23, 11:00am- Elijah’s Funeral
It’s a week later , I wore all black to Elijah’s funeral. I came in the best tux , slim fit with a Silver rollie on my wrist , Black suede turtleneck and a silver Jesus chain around my neck. Nice shiny collar on my blazer. On my feet was Prada, damn I'm looking like I just caught a lick. When I walked inside I saw his body from far. They had a collage of pictures with everybody he was close to. I saw the picture of us when we was in the school play together they had in their living room.
Elijah’ s mom noticed me and buried her face into my chest *Jahh, Jahhh, my baby is gone Jah. My only son* (she said crying loudly ) I didn’t talk to Elijah’s mom since he died , so I didn’t know what to say. All I could see is the image of me burring bullets into his back. *I'm gon' get whoever did this ma*
Ma was a church woman, she didn’t play nun of that violence or any type of gang related activity around her. When I said that, she just shook her head and said okay. You could tell she was hurt. She walked me down the aisle to Elijah's body. His eyes looked like there were gonna open. The funeral home shaped his mouth into a smile. It made him look so innocent. So happy, full of joy.
A lot of the girls from high school was walking up to me hugging me.
*Im sorry for your loss* (Girl #1) * Keep your head up , i know you guys were best friends* (Girl #2)
I didn’t know to act sad or not. A lot people from the block was at the funeral. They all was looking at me weird. Like they knew something. His funeral was packed because he was so known. People he didn’t even know was allowed to view his body because of this tragic loss.
Sunday August 23, 1:30pm- Elijah’s repast
After the funeral everybody went to Elijah's house to eat and pay our respects.
*i heard some people been talking* (Boy #1) "Who been talking about what ?" *Word is
you took Elijah out* "Man, Elijah was my best friend, get outta here with all that bullshit". I walked away from the crowd and went in the bathroom to call Jigg.
*Please leave your message for*...(Phone ringing)*Please leave your message for* (Phone ringing)*Please leave your message for*....
Jigg wasn’t picking up, I left the party and ran up the street to my house. I Tried to call jigg one more time, this time he didn’t answer so I left a voice message. "Yo Jigg, hit me back you on some bull shit niggas is talking and you playing !"
**Suspect wanted in the Elijah Hill shooting. The suspect goes by the name of Jahmir Battle.**
I saw my face slide across my T.V screen. My exact name, down the the correct spelling. I packed my bag with all of my money, my drugs, my guns, and my clothes. *Phone ringing* "Hello?"
"Yo, Honesty I need somewhere to sleep tonight can I park my car in your garage--it's an emergency."
"Yeah, Come over,"...
When I got there, I circled the block twice. Just to make sure it wasn’t honesty who set me up. "What’s wrong, what happened ?" "Nothing I just need to stay here for the night" She looked at me with fear, like she had something to say to me. Or maybe she was scared of me."I..I.I have something to tell you Jah" *Phone chimes*
___________________________________________
Blocked number - Jigg was talking to the
cops.
__________________________________________
I was confused. I was stuck. I just stared at my phone. My heartbeat was going at a speedball MPH. But why should I believe this ? He made me kill him, he gave me all of this money as a reward. He celebrated with me on my first kill. He drove the getaway car. I killed my best friend for nothing. "Jah , are you listening to me ? Jahhh... Jahh" All I could think about was my 2nd kill. Who would’ve thought it would have been Jigg.
I thought about mad different ways I could kill him. I could shoot him how many times he ignored my call, or I could ring the bell and shoot him straight in his face. I could strangle him or stab him for being a bitch ass nigga.
Monday August 24, 7:30pm - the next day
I pulled up right in front of Jigg's crib. I could see him at the top of the house in his room. I sat and watched him for a couple of minutes. He must’ve been expecting a visit because he kept looking out the window. I got a text from Honesty , but I just slid it up and loaded my gun. I got out the car and rung his bell to see if he would come outside. Then hid behind a fence right on the side of the house so if he did it was close enough to shoot him. He pulled the front curtain back to see who was on the porch then went back upstairs. So I rung it again, this time I hid in a bush in his front yard. This time when he checked the door he came all the way out and *BOOM*I took my shot.
Jigg ain't fall, he started looking and shooting everywhere. He didn’t know where the shot came from. Shots bussing back and forth. Both of us trying not to get hit. Then Jigg fell. I got up and walked slowly into the doorway on his porch. I stood with two legs over him I raised my gun and shot him in twice in his chest.
"That’s what snitch ass niggas get"
*Woop woooop woop*. I turned around and about 4 cop cars were in front of his house. "Put the gun down!!" If i try to run, they’ll shoot me in my back. But if I don’t I go down for two murders.
I stood with the gun in the air and my hands up for about thirty seconds. *I said put the gun down* All these thoughts in my mind. *30, 29* FUCK I’M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I look directly in the sky and pray to god * Lord, god you are attentive to the voice of our pleading *28, 27* *Let us find in your son, comfort in our sadness, certainty in our doubt *26, 25* and
courage to live through this hour. Tears started to pour down my face, memories of Elijah going through my head. I knew my time was up. Maybe this lifestyle wasn’t for me, maybe I should’ve chose a different path. *24, 23* Make our faith strong, Lord Christ our lord. AMEN * I raised the gun and pointed it directly at my head. This pistol on my head, cold as stone, I felt my body catch chills.
*Blaaow*
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