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Back Hood Rat Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. Part Two
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. Part Three
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. Sometimes It Goes Down Like That
  49. Also by K’wan
  50. About the Author
  51. Newsletter Sign-up

Jah and Spooky tore around the corner of 134th like they had the devil on their heels. The police hadn’t arrived on the scene yet, and there was actually no telling how long it would take them. Considering that the closest precinct was only a block and a half away, you’d think they’d have been on the scene at the first sound of shots. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case with the NYPD. When it came to matters in the hood, they tended to take their time.

Jah stopped unexpectedly at a corner payphone. Spooky shouted for him to come on, but he ignored him and punched in some numbers. “Nine-one-one emergency, how may I help you?” the voice came through.

“Yeah, a white dude got shot coming out of the funeral home on 135th.” Without waiting for the operator’s response, Jah took off running up the block. He couldn’t give Eight his life back, but at least he could make sure he didn’t have to lie in the gutter any longer than he had to.

26

Marlene sat on the edge of her bed with the television tuned to the Cartoon Network. P.J. sat on a stool, between her legs, as she cornrowed his hair. The boy’s locks were so soft that she had to do some braids over as they kept coming out. Normally kids his age never sat still for anyone to do their hair, but she had made sure to supply him with a bucket of Gummy Bears to keep him occupied.

Her cell ringing gave Marlene’s tired finger a break. “Hello?” she said, cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder. Her face twitched once, then resumed its cool demeanor before telling the caller she couldn’t talk.

“Who was that?” Paul asked, entering the room. He was dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

“Audrey. I wanna finish P.J.’s hair before I get caught up on the phone with her talking ass,” Marlene said, snapping a rubber band on the end of a braid.

“Daddy, we going outside today?” P.J. asked, popping another Gummy Bear into his mouth.

“Yeah, we can hit the streets in a hot one, smell me?” Paul rubbed the boy’s head.

“Paul, I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Marlene told him.

“Do what?” he asked.

“Talk to P.J. like he was one of your boys. Do you want him to grow up using improper grammar?”

“Marlene, the li’l nigga is only three. He ain’t gonna remember this shit when he’s older.”

“Watch your mouth! Don’t you know that kids are like sponges at this age? It’s bad enough that his M-O-T-H-E-R is ignorant as all H-E-L-L, but he doesn’t have to end up that way.”