The Riots ( SLOW UPDATES )

chapter two.

same day, 8:39 PM

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" MRS. THOMPSON ASKED AS AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND CONFUSION FILLED THE ROOM.

The friends all gave each other nervous looks, Allen's grip on his younger brother's shoulder tightening. Another boom went off. It sounded like it came from down the street where the main road was.

"Y'all stay here." Ms. Thomspon said quietly, taking off her apron and reach for the door knob. Before Ms. Thomspon could turn the knob to open the door, Chris immediately stood in front it, preventing his mom from going anywhere.

"I'll go ma, you heard the news; it's too dangerous out there." Chris interjected, holding out his son, CJ, for his mom to carry. His mom hesitated before grabbing CJ and holding him on her hip.

"I'll go too." Allen said, the thought of his older brother going out there worrying him a little.

"Nah, lil' bro. You just stay here and make sure Malcolm X  over there doesn't get into trouble." Chris said, staring at Marcus as he said it. Marcus stopped pacing back and forth and biting his nails to roll his eyes at Chris and suck his teeth.

"Be careful-", Ms. Thompson said before Chris turned away and closed the door.

As Chris closed the door, Allen's mother turned to the living room full of kids sitting in her house, sighing.

"Look, I'll drive y'all kids home. Your mothers are probably worried sick. I know I would be." Ms. Thompson said, mumbling the last sentence as she rubbed her forehead in stress.

"It's okay, ma. They rode their bikes here, anyway." Allen said, getting up and rubbing his mom's back.

She gave him a crazy look that said aw hell nah. "Oh, no. There's no way I'm letting y'all kids ride your bikes home-"

"Ma, it's okay." Allen reassured his stressed out mother. "I'll walk everybody home. And, Chris is out there anyway. "I'll walk back with him. We'll be 'ight. I swear."

She gave the kids the same look she gave Chris as he walked out the door. She felt uneasy letting them out the house, all exposed. Especially in a neighborhood like this with the rioting going on, as the news said. But, another part of her new that they all were smart. They had to be in order to live out here.

"You better call me when you on your way back. I swear to God Allen Quincy Thompson, I'm not playin' with you." Ms. Thompson said, giving Allen a weary look as all his friends got their stuff together.

"Okay, ma. I will." Allen responded, understanding where his mom's fear is coming from.

"Thanks for dinner, Ms. T." Dwayne said as Allen held the door for him. She gave him a small smile, still uneasy. The rest of the them said the same as the all made their way out the house. Allen smiled at his mom before following behind them and closing the door.

The street was dark. The only light you could see was the red and blue police lights coming from down the street. The air smelled like smoke. You could hear people's screams and yells coming from the same way the police lights were shining.

"Always somethin', man." Dwayne mumbled, unlocking his bike from Allen's gate.

"I can't believe those pigs got away with that shit. And now look, South Central is up in flames." Regina commented, gesturing towards the sirens of firetrucks. Malia shook her head in agreement.