Free Zero Degrees Part 1 by Leo Sullivan, Nika Michelle

his eyes as he took a step toward me.
    I gave him a subtle shrug and turned away. I didn’t want my eyes to portray what I was feeling. I looked out of the window, but all I saw was a murky image of my reflection in the classroom that day as my mind took a trip down memory line. I thought about my dad and remembered the last day I saw him. He was so happy and full of life. For some reason I reached in my purse and pulled out the silver bracelet he had given me. On it was the pendent with his picture inside. I looked at it and felt my eyes well with tears. I pushed them back, turned to Buff and handed him the bracelet.
    “This is why.”
    He looked at it exclaimed with a smile on his face, “Damn who is he, your twin?”
    “That’s my daddy.” I choked up and swallowed the dry lump in my throat.
    “Wow, you look just like your old man.”
    “I know. Everyone used to say that. He was my everything…everything I loved.” I felt my bottom lip tremble. I missed my dad terribly. Every once in a while I would go through bouts of longing for him.
    Buff passed me the pendent. “You okay? You wanna tell me what happened?”
    “Well, my mom has reason to believe that they killed him. I don’t know for sure, but from what she told me drugs were the motive. I just want them to die for what they did. They took something from me that I can never get back. I know I wasn’t locked up in the pen doing hard time, but while I was there I vowed to kill them. I owe that to my dad and myself; revenge. I used to read all kinds of books when I was in prison on how to torture and kill. These two snakes are first on my list.”
    Buff nodded as if he understood. “A’ight sis, we can arrange that.”
    I studied his face to see if he was serious. “We? I can do it myself. This is personal Buff,” I said passionately. Absentmindedly, I balled my fists up tightly.
    “I’m sure it is Killa. You ain’t gonna be able to do it yourself though. These two Cuban fucks got more security than the President. We have to come up with a fool proof plan.” He gave me the picture back. “We’ll talk about it later”.
    Zeus went to handle some business. Another one of our trap houses got robbed. Then he got to go to the club ‘cause the zoning inspector is still giving us hell about the license permit. They hate to see two young niggas getting legit money. He should be back in a little while. Did Peaches get you a phone?” Buff asked and for the first time I saw the stress and strain on his face. That was the second time that month one of their traps had been robbed.
    “Yeah, I left it at the crib on the charger. I don’t have anyone to call anyway.”
    “Cool. Did you go see you moms?”
    “Yeah, I went to see her first when I got out. I can’t live with her though. She’s a religious fanatic now.”
    We laughed.
    “It’s good to have you back around Killa. Shit the way shit lookin’ we might need you on the team. You’re the realest bitch I know,” he said.
    “That’s a compliment coming from a real nigga like you. Zeus had mentioned that one of your workers got murked and robbed a month ago.”
    “Yea, they didn’t even have to kill him over a couple ounces of hard and four grand.” Buff shook his head solemnly with his lips pressed into a tight formed line. He then changed the subject.
    “Let me go check up on my girl,” he said and walked out of the room.
    I followed him and we joined Peaches in the living room. She was watching an episode of Jerry Springer.
    “Why the hell are you watching that bullshit baby?” Buff asked picking up the remote from the coffee table as he sat down.
    “It’s funny babe. Don’t turn,” she whined.
    “Listen, since I got both of y’all attention I’m gonna keep it one thousand wit’ you. This life style has been good to us. It’s how we’ve been able to eat and lace y’all with the finer thangs, but it comes with a cost. A nigga gotta watch out for the shady muhfackas that come