Chapter 3

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Within the slums of most cities, there are always certain areas that inspire people to exercise precaution whenever they enter.

No one wants to journey into a place of danger, without knowing something about the area.

East Lake Meadows was a place that most people avoided.

For Lemario Mitchell, it was the only home and safe haven that he knew.

What most people viewed as violent living had become so common that without the drama, people found it difficult to function.

"Ah, Swaylo..." his best friend Corey Coleman called out to him.

Surrounding Corey was ten other guys gathered about a heated dice game, each of them extending a familiar greeting.

His days of being called Lemario were over...

He was known as Swaylo in the streets.

The homage to his dad was only known to close associates and family.

"Pull up, and get in on some of this quick cash, homey!"

"What's the point?" Swaylo asked pulling a crumpled twenty-dollar bill from his pocket.

"Big Ben, point on ten... Drop that cash and scoop a win!"

"Who wanna fade the twenty?" Swaylo asked dropping his bill and dapping up the circle.

"Man what the hell happened to you last night Mickey V... I thought you were supposed to pull up, so we could check on that?"

Mickey Valentine, Brian Beasley, and Corey Coleman had just been released from Milledgeville juvenile reform school with Lemario.

Each of them shared a close bond that extended from the sandbox to juvenile reformatory school.

"I'm not going to lie to you kid, Paula Purefoy called me over and I've been laid up in it since about an hour ago!"

The group of guys began to laugh and tease him, but Swaylo understood exactly what he meant.

Paula was a thirty-year-old MILF that resembled Mrs. Parker from the movie Friday.

Her past time was spent getting drunk and freaking off on younger men.

After a visit to Paula Purefoy's apartment, a man could get a pass with that mention...

Auntie got active.

"We need to talk. " Swaylo stated with a dap to Corey Coleman.

"Right now I need a double-up, homey!"

"Y'all heard my homey... Clovers!" Corey announced as he shook the dice.

One-Eye Willie dropped a twenty to cover Swaylo's fade.

When the dice were released from his hand they sailed to the wall and danced amongst the circle of gamblers.

Everyone watched in anticipation as the dice fell like two clovers, five showing.

Gathered about the outer wall of Wanda Wilcher's apartment the eleven gamblers were the workers and drug runners of Alston Drive.

They spent most of their day selling drugs and gambling.

The win meant more to Swaylo than any of the other gamblers.

He swiped up his win and grabbed Dorian's hand.

"Let me get my brother to his bus stop, and I'll double back."

Crossing through the grass slope, before the building, they watched Tonya Wilcher burst through the storm door of her mom's apartment.

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