The witch

Chapter Six

Autumn

I wake from a deep sleep, yawning as I sit up in my bed.

Checking my alarm clock I see that it's 6am.

I'm up early..

Grabbing my remote I turn on my TV to BET & begin to watch reruns of Martin.

"I'm dead" I say laughing as Martin & Pam go at it.

Once the episode ends I decide to do some laundry since I still have about an hour before I have to leave for school.

I grab my dirty clothes basket leaving my room.

I walk through the kitchen and into the laundry room.

Opening the washing machine I dump my clothes inside hearing a loud thump..

The fuck ?

I begin searching through my clothes in the washer trying to figure out what made that sound.

I notice it's the book I got from that hoodoo lady, I had forgotten it was in there..

I take the book out before pouring half a cap of laundry detergent in and starting the washing machine.

"You're up early" My mom says causing me to jump at the sound of her voice because I didn't know she was behind me.

I swiftly put the book into my empty laundry basket carrying it out of the laundry room.

"Yeah, I went to bed super early last night" I tell her.

She nods "That's good"

I walk past her, out of the kitchen and into my room.

I put my laundry basket back in the corner, taking the hoodoo book out.

Sitting on my bed I rub my left hand across the cover of the book before opening it to the first page.

"If you're reading this sacred book there is no turning back from the spiritual path you're about to embark on..

It's not going to be easy or fun but in the end it will be worth it.

It may seem like your whole life is falling apart when it reality it is coming together.

You will feel isolated like the whole world is against you but remember that you're not alone. Spirit has your back along the way.." I read the first page aloud but quiet enough to where only I can hear it..

"What does that even mean?" I say to myself as I start trying to process what I just read.

................

"Have a good day at school" My mom waves as I leave the house.

I give her a closed mouth smile, shutting the front door...

I wait for cars to go by before jaywalking across the busy street to the bus stop.

I take my backpack off sitting it beside me as I sit on the bus bench...

Loud music causes me to look to my left and I see a white BMW suv with tinted windows speeding my way.

The car comes to a halt in front of the bus stop.

The window rolls down and I see that it's Fats.

"Get in" He demands.

I do as told

"We're not making this a thing" I tell him putting my seatbelt on.

He chuckles "What you mean?"

"You pulling up to my bus stop everyday telling me to get in" I roll my eyes "& how many cars do you have?" I question because it seems like he's in a new one everyday..

"A lot" He answers not giving me a specific number.

We get to a red light and Fats directs his attention from the road to me.

"What?" I ask nervously as he stares at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Nothing" He replies with a smirk..

He turns his music up causing his speakers to bang.

"Ain't even been to sleep, dog, I don't need no damn rest
Cut the small talk, run me my damn check
She wanna get in the pool, but she can't get her hair wet
She want French tip, took her to the nail tech'
They ain't cut like us, we don't even see them niggas
Took the Carti' out the freezer, look like a TV dinner
Know you tired of them lames, bae, I know you need a winner
Ass up, in the mirror, she can see me in her" He raps along to some song..

I turn the music down and he looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Sorry I don't listen to that kind of music" I tell him.

He raises an eyebrow "What kind of music you listen to?"

"Gospel music" I answer proudly.

He laughs.

"What's funny?" I ask confused.

He shakes his head "Nothing"

He sparks a blunt, filling the car with smoke.

Great, now I'll smell like weed..

"Oh I have something to tell you" I tell him spontaneously because I just remembered.

"What's up?"

"The detectives came back to my house yesterday" I tell him.

He nods "I know"

"You know?" I question with furrowed eyebrows.

He nods again "I was just waiting to see if you'd tell me. I'm happy you did, that means I can trust you a little bit" He says putting emphasis on a little bit.

"What they said?" He asks taking another puff of his blunt.

"They said they had a few more questions for me" I answer briefly.

"Then they showed me some pictures and asked me if anybody looked familiar even though I had already said I didn't see the suspect" I tell him.

He chuckles "One of the pictures was of me?"

I nod "I pointed at some random guy and said he looked familiar but not from the crime scene, that's when detective Martinez pushed your picture forward and said what about him. I said no" I tell him.

I watch as he uses his turn signal making a sharp right.

"You're their only witness, without your testimony there's no evidence, without any evidence there's no case. As long as you stick to what you're saying the case will go cold" Fats tells me nonchalantly.

I nod "Okay"

We pull up to my school and I attempt to get out of the car but Fats grabs my arm.

"Give me your number" He tells me.

"I don't have a phone" I respond embarrassed.

He looks at me in complete shock "You don't have a phone?" He chuckles.

"It's not funny" I cross my arms.

"You right, it's sad. Why don't you have a phone?"

I roll my eyes "My mom won't let me have one, she says I'm too young"

"You are seventeen right?" He asks confused.

I nod.

He stares at me for a few seconds "I'll be here to pick you up after school, don't get on the bus"

................