fade to gray (frank ocean)

crack rock.

       "lonny, baby, speed up the car! SPEED UP THE DAMN CAR!" her voice rose to a soprano, and she tapped on my shoulder, like that would make the acura gain wings and carry us off to safety. i hated that she was in this situation because of me, and i hated that i was also putting my unborn child in danger by speeding off. my whole life was in this car.

       "i am, i am! damn!" i growled, frustrated at myself and wishing i could just turn around and shoot the niggas chasing us. my foot was resting on the gas, and i had no regard for the stoplights here. fuck cali, i thought, fuck all the snobby rich niggas who pushing benzos and didn't have to break out in sweat once. fuck all the girls who are gonna be late to their tanning session because of me, this shit is life or death. that brown glow gone have to wait.

       in a split second, my hand somehow slipped from the wheel. "oh, shit." was all i could say, whispering to myself as i careened off of the highway. now we were all headed for a ditch- me, anise, our child, and the two 'tico taco yayaya' motherfuckers chasing us. i was no longer in control of the car, or over the situation i'd brought us all into, and this was nobody but my fault. all this was supposed to be was a hustle, something to tide me over until i got a good job so that i could marry her, provide for her and my kid, and get some job benefits so that i wouldn't have to stress if the baby broke their arm or some unplanned shit like that. still, even in a moment like this, my first thought was to protect my kid, so i threw my body over her stomach and waited on the crash. i felt it, but it wasn't as strong as i anticipated since the back of the car hit the tree as opposed to any of the sides, and the car was still running.

       as for the other car, it was totaled. dumb fucks tried following us, and they ended up fucking up their ride. now was my chance to fuck them up, and my chance to see who exactly was chasing us. "you okay, baby?"

       "yes," she responded softly. she sounded dazed and shook up, which added to my anger. don't fuck with her if it's me you want, pussy asses, i thought. "don't worry, baby's okay."  she rubbed her stomach, and gave the smallest smile her full, succulent lips would allow. i kissed them before hopping out with both of my illegal heaters in my pockets. one for each of them, i decided. i opened their car door, and dragged both of their bodies out, with nothing but adrenaline running through my veins. the blood had once went from human to animal, and the rage i was feeling was nothing human. primative.

"hey, vato, we sorry man, it ain't us that have beef with you, homes." one with a low ponytail pleaded after i threw him in the sand. 

       i tossed his seemingly unconsious homeboy next to him and stood over him, snatching his dingy white collar in my fists. "then who the fuck does, huh?" my heart thumped in my ears, and there was nothing but a bird cawing somewhere in the distance making noise before i punched him in the jaw, and released him. "who?"

       "i can't tell you, man. if i tell, he get my daughter." he writhed under my grip. probably estimating how much it would cost to get him another shirt, since he got blood and grime on it, and i stretched the collar.

       "so you getting my wife and future child is okay? listen, cabron," i growled, throwing the limited spanish that i knew in his face, "i'll let you go with this warning." by then i was totally done with talking, and my fists wanted to get a few words in. how dare he and his homie chase me out of california and into nevada, working for some unknown fuckboy who couldn't settle anything man to man. 

       i didn't even notice her at first, but some woman was screaming for me. "lonny!" it was anise. and her scream got closer, and i saw her curls flash in the corner of my eye, then her screams turned into a shrill cry. "LONNY!"