Hood Ornaments

The clouds wisped across the sky covering it in a thin gray veil giving a slight chill to the afternoon when the breeze picked up from the river. It would first blow calmly, and then it would slap Rondell's face as he walked towards the waterfront. The wind was his excuse for his scowling expression. But there was no excuse

for the pounding in his chest. It was as if his heartbeat was the bass track to his emotions. His footsteps stomped in time with his heartbeat. The only other sounds were the hissing of traffic from the city on the other side of the river, his own breathing, and the awkward vibration that came from Rondell's phone inside his pocket

He was trying to ignore the conversations in his own mind.

He recalled his uncle's anger, for it still left its imprint on his throat making it hard to swallow.

The same anger caused Sticks to swallow more than one glass of brown liquor as he was perched on his desk.

At that time he talked business.

Business seemed to make Sticks more cheerful.

Yet he was serious and he never let Rondell forget that by ruffling his feathers.

Rondell would cower.

Sticks would thinly smile and chuckle to himself.

But to Dell the chuckle was a loud cackle.

Now it was time to share what his uncle told him to his closest friends. He was going to bring his friends into the fold with him. Together they were going to make enough money to leave home.

At least he was.

The veiled sky now cloaked as the river's edge. He looked into the water searching for his own reflection. There was nothing there. Just lapping liquid the color of discarded ash.

It was at that time his heart stopped pounding, and he was able to hear the shuffling of footsteps. He pretended to ignore them, for he knew the sounds were announcing the arrival of his friends. He leaned on the cold, steel railing caging his city off from the river.

Anthony, who everyone called Tony, had a boyish, yellow face with wild, black eyebrows. Those brows were the only evidence his face could grow facial hair.

Malik was the exact opposite of Tony. His stature was of a full grown man. Dark with a thick moustache and beard. His friends chided that he had been growing since the age of thirteen. The trio stood in silence for several moments as they gazed into the ashy river. The lapping and the hissing were finally interrupted by a cracking voice. If the trio weren't friends, it would have been deemed hostile.

"Can you please tell me, why the hell you made us come all the way out here?" Tony’s face mimicked the same scowl as Rondell.

"I spoke to Sticks," Rondell answered more to the city than to his friend.

"And you made us walk all the way out here to tell us that?"

Rondell sucked his teeth and then chuckled, "Well yeah, can't exactly tell you this over the phone."

Malik lowered his head and muttered.

"What-chu say Leek?"

Malik shook his head.

"Nothin man, you say that like you somebody of importance. Like someone actually listenin to anything you have to say over your phone."

Rondell shrugged and then leaned up against the railing with Tony.

"You never know."

"Nah, we know," Malik retorted. "You coulda came to the crib to tell us you talked to Sticks."

Tony interrupted, "Well are you gonna tell us what you and Sticks talked about before it starts to rain out here?"

Rondell took a deep breath as a huge Cheshire grin took over his face.

"We in fellas."

Tony frowned. "In what?"

Rondell rolled his eyes and threw his arms up in the air in frustration, "We in man. Sticks let us in."

Malik stood straight for the first time and shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets.

"Who said we wanted in? You want in."

Tony, now upset, asked again, "In what!?"

Rondell chose to address Malik first, "Oh so you mean to tell me you got a summer job all lined up? That you beat out all the white cats from the suburbs who are willing to intern for free? Is that what you telling me?"

"I'm tellin you I ain't never ask you to talk to your uncle, that's what I'm telling you."

"So what else you gonna do Leek? Seriously, what are your other options?"

Malik stood in silence looking past the ashy river and into the city.

"Is someone gonna tell me what the hell y'all talkin about?" Tony squawked now standing in front of Rondell and Malik.

Rondell tilted his head matter of fact to one side, "Yeah Sticks gonna let us work for him this summer."

Tony blew into his hands and rubbed them together. "Cool, that's what's up. How much we makin?"

Malik sucked his teeth and leaned back on the railing while Rondell spoke very carefully about the details of their new endeavors. Tony nodded his head in understanding while Malik shook his head intermittently and smirked constantly. When the conversation ended, Rondell perched back on the railing and ruffled his feathers.

"Any questions?" Rondell asked.

"Nah, I'm straight," Tony shrugged.

Malik just chuckled.

"What now Leek?" Quipped Rondell.

"Nothin," Malik answered as he spat into the lapping ashes.

"Nah, dude, speak on it," Rondell said with a little more adamancy than he should have.

Malik turned his head and raised his eyebrow at Rondell, "Da fuck you talkin to?"

Rondell put his feathers down and rolled his eyes again, "Seriously, man what's the problem?"

Malik sighed and stood straight again pointing at Tony. "You have a future ahead of you. I can't believe that you are willing to risk that to be some weak ass look-out."

Tony shrugged, "I don't see the problem. We just gonna be sitting on the stoop all summer anyway. Now we just gonna be getting paid for it."

Rondell's feathers poked out proudly, "He has a point."

Malik smirked, "You would say that. Sticks probably giving you more of the cut."

Rondell frowned, "I am family."

Malik blew a disgusted exhale out of his twisted smirk, "That's some bullshit." There was silence for several moments until it was broken by the humming of Rondell's phone.

"Look Leek you ain't gotta do it. I'm just telling you the opportunity is there if you want it. You ain't gotta do nothin..."

"I know I ain't gotta do nothing..."

"Yo Dell your phone is ringin..." Tony said tryin to interrupt.

"I was just sayin what I would look like if I didn't bring my boys along. We been down since kindergarten."

"Yo Dell…" Tony said again.

"Mighty righteous of you, Dell," Malik snapped back.

“Why you gotta go there?" Rondell said with his wings now spread.

"Yo Dell!!!" Tony now yelled.

Rondell turned around sharply, "Damn Tone, can't you see I'm talkin? What?"

Tony looking taken aback and defeated, pointed to Rondell's pants pocket, "Your phone..."

Rondell took his phone out of his pocket still vibrating, "I feel it."

"I'm just sayin, it might be Sticks."

Rondell looked at the phone and shook his head, "Nah, I don't who this is."

Malik smirked, "You might if you answer it."

Rondell didn't want to give Malik the satisfaction, but his curiosity got the best of him. He pressed the button on his phone,

"Yo."

Tori's face took on a look of shock on the other end,

"Yo? I know we went to school together, and I know your mama taught you how to answer the phone."

"Tori?" Rondell's voice went up half an octave.

"Yeah."

"Whose phone is this...?”

"It's mine Dell, look I'll explain when I get to you. Where are you?"

“At the waterfront with Leek and Tone," Rondell answered confused.

"Don't move, I gotta talk to you. I'll be there in fifteen." With that Tori hung up the phone.