Hood Ornaments

The waterfront was alive with activity. There was a stage set up with a band playing. Kiddie rides, games, and food stands everywhere. Parents were walking around with smiles; kids with painted faces were giggling and carrying animal shaped balloons.

“Fuck is all this?” Tony asked really not expecting Malik to answer.

“Not sure. It’s too early for the Summer Solstice Celebration.”

“Fuck is that?”

Malik looked annoyed that he had to answer Tony, “You know the Summer Solstice? The longest day of the year? It signals the beginning of summer.”

Tony was frowning because a clown on stilts was headed in their direction. He pointed to some benches that were farthest away from all of the activity and the pair began walking towards them.”

“Is there a Winter Solstice?”

“Yeah, it’s the opposite. The longest night and shit,” Malik changed the subject.

“So you don’t like clowns neither huh?”

“Oh you saw that?” Tony asked through a chuckle.

“Up until today, I thought there wasn’t much I didn’t see.”

“Chu mean Leek?”

“Nah, just my moms.”

Tony became confused again and started looking around the waterfront for some clue as to why all of the festivities were happening.

“My bad dude; we all thought you knew.”

Malik sucked his teeth, “You really are a clueless motherfucker, Tone for real. Of course I knew my mom’s was usin. Shit, sometimes I’d give it to her just so she wouldn’t do no dumb shit to get it. But I found out some shit today; she’s pregnant.”

“Whoa, she keepin it?”

Malik nodded and spat on the ground, “Is she. She been clean a month so she can keep it.” Malik then nudged Tony with his elbow, “Then she gonna fuck around and tell me she gonna marry Dennis and shit.”

“Ol’ dude?”

Malik nodded.

“Ain’t it funny how God works?” Tony stated more than asked.

“Chu mean?”

“Nah, like God will use anything to keep you from hittin bottom or makin a bad decision. Like today when I was in the Verizon store and was told the manager wasn’t in, I was pissed and stormed out. Bumped right into an Army recruiter and stood outside the office contemplatin enlisting.”

“I woulda fucked you up Tone.” Malik said adamantly.

Tony nodded, “I know. So when you called, I took that as my sign not to do that shit. Now thanks to you, your moms, and …what’s his name?”

“Who?”

“Your new step-dad and shit.”

“Don’t call him that. His name is Dennis.”

“Well thanks to Dennis. We both have jobs this summer.”

“True.”

“So this gives me a little time to figure out what I’ma do with the rest of my life,” Tony said squinting still looking around.

“Did you ever fuckin figure out what all this is about?” Malik asked.

Tony pointed to a sign over by the condos that Sticks lives in, “Yeah apparently the city signed a contract to build a new recreational center down here somewhere. Give all these bad ass kids a place to go by next summer. Looks like there’ll be a swimming pool and all that shit.”

“Guess I know what we’ll be helping build,” Malik said.

Tony nodded, “Yeah, but them funnel cakes smell good. Let’s go get in line before the shit gets too long. He then pulled out his phone to text Tori and Dell, but decided against it when he noticed some dark clouds rolling up from the river and hiding the sun.

Even though the sun was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds, Tori wished she had the foresight to have worn her sunglasses. Because as soon as she walked down the block she noticed the plethora of people and fixed her face into a scowl.

She didn’t understand what it was, but every time Tori walked downtown, people would pop out from behind trash cans, bus stops, and even the few mailboxes that were still scattered on corners to ask for spare change or cigarettes. She never understood the concept of “spare cigarettes”. She wasn’t a smoker but even if she did smoke, wouldn’t she smoke all of the cigarettes? Trudy said it was because Tori had a kind face, so people found it easy to approach her. They never approached Trudy. Tori realized that when Trudy walked downtown, she looked like she was frowning. It was such an adamant looking frown that even Tori wouldn’t dare ask her for anything. The downtown area was still filled with vendors when her grandmother and she would frequently go shopping. They had stopped at a cart that sold knock-off purses. Trudy was looking at a mock Coach bag for when school started. When Trudy bent down to look at some other bags, she heard little Tori’s stomach growl. Her eyes became wide when she looked at her granddaughter with a wide smile.

“Are you hungry baby?”

Tori nodded innocently, “Yes Grandma.”

“Well why didn’t you say something?”

“Well you were mad.”

After Trudy finished laughing, she explained to Tori that she wasn’t mad, and why she wore that expression on her face when she went downtown.

They then went to their favorite pizza place and had a few slices.

Tori donned the same defensive scowl ever since that day. It didn’t stop the occasional cat calls or whistles, but the scowl kept people at a safe distance.

For the most part.

It must have been the way the dress hugged Tori’s hips, because bammas were brazen that day even with the scowl. One guy actually stopped his car in the middle of the block and got out to talk to her. Much to the surprise of the neighborhood girls, Tori kept walking.

The girls started talking.

She think she better than everybody.

Think she cute.

Who that bitch think she is?

Fast ass hoe.

That was the other part Tori never understood. Because she didn’t socialize with females, she often overheard remarks like those. She kinda agreed with the first two.

No, she didn’t think she was better than everybody, just the hoodrats who had the audacity to part their lips to say that shit.

Yes, she did think she was cute, because if she didn’t she would rely on the accolades and compliments of others, which would damage her self-esteem. She knew better than to hand over possession of her self-esteem like that.

What irked Tori was being called out of her name.

She never gave anyone any reason to call her a bitch. She spoke to females when they spoke, but maybe her brevity with them was misconstrued as being rude?

And to be called a hoe?

That was just crazy considering she was the exact opposite.

After trying to heckle the unfazed Tori for about a half a block, the guy, who reeked of weed and Hennessey, finally got back into his car and took off.

She focused her attention on getting to the Post Office and quickened her pace. Weaving in and out of the people who appeared to be coming back from the waterfront, was when she noticed the clouds rolling in from the city across the river.

A storm was comin.

Shit.

She finally got to the middle of the block and pushed on the Post Office door. It didn’t budge, so she pushed on it again, and this time it rattled with a metallic echo. Her eyes darted up towards the top of the door and she read the hours.

It was Saturday 8:30am-12:30pm.

Tori didn’t own a watch, so she flung her knapsack in front of her and pulled out her cell phone to check the time.

12:33pm

Well damn really?

Fuck, shit, fuck!!!

She made her way down the block towards the pharmacy because she knew they had stamps. She felt the drops hitting her shoulders. At first she thought it could have been run off from the gutters, so she wrinkled her face up and shuffled towards the street. Then the drops became larger, and she saw the flash of lightening. It wasn’t until the ominous crack of thunder, however, caused the remaining peppering of people to scatter like roaches back to their origins of safety. Tori ducked for cover inside pharmacy and called Dell.

“Yo!” Dell yelled into the phone over the sound of the pouring rain.

“Jesus, you got caught in this?” Tori said as loudly as she could inside the store.

“Yeah I was headed back to your house where you at?!”

“Getting stamps. Stop at the corner store and pick Trudy up some vinegar for the greens?”

“Aiight, one!!!”

Tori purchased the stamps and attempted to look out the window but it was fogged over. Then she heard what sounded like the roof caving in, but it was the pouring rain. Bored, she browsed the store until the rain settled down. The sky made downtown appear as though a shade was pulled over it.

Fuck it, she thought. Her hair was already frizzing up because of the humidity. What difference did it make now?

She stepped out of the store careful to avoid the puddles. But she didn’t avoid walking right up the back of Platypus’ new sneakers.

She didn’t even know it was Platypus when she apologized. Just like he didn’t know it was Tori who stepped on him until he whipped around scowling. Then his scowl turned into the most devious grin she had ever seen.

The only thing that seemed to move on Tori were her eyes. She saw Cliff and Will. She noticed the flashes of lightening in their eyes as they came near her. She saw the glowing sign from the donut store and attempted to reach for the door handle when Platypus grabbed her and pulled her behind the building.

“Oh so now you want to speak, bitch,” he said as he tossed her onto the pavement. Tori’s face scraped across the loose gravel and glass.

She attempted to spit the dirt from her lips.

She felt his knees on her thighs.

Felt her dress lift above her hips.

Raindrops hit her ass.

Heard the sinister laugh.

Her face forced flush to the pavement.

Thighs pried open as he thrust inside her.

He pushed her head down by her ear.

But she still heard.

Every word.

Every moan.

And all she could do was attempt to scream.

But that excited him.

He thrust harder.

Moaned louder.

Came.

Then the pain stopped briefly.

Someone else got on.

Thrust.

Moan.

Cum.

Repeat one more time.

This time it didn’t hurt so much.

What was hurting her more was her father’s ring being shoved into her navel.

Daddy’s little girl.

She felt her head yank upward

She vomited.

And before she blacked out she heard them all run away.

Scattering.

Like more roaches.

Her world now seemed infested.