Contorted: A Twisted Life

By Juliet Carr

Sharmeka Jackson is delt a horrid hand of life's adventures as she struggles to maintain normalcy. She is forced into a world where no child should ever go after she is left alone to care for her brother and sister. When poverty, drugs and murder take over her life, what will she do to survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Juliet Carr
• Release date: Oct 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452409740

Juliet Carr

For years Juliet Carr has had the joy of writing poetry and short stories. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and a Master’s degree from Freed-Hardeman University. A teacher in an inner-city school system, she has taken writing courses at the University of Memphis and the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Juliet has recently published first novel, Beneath the Surface, which takes you through the life changing events of a young girl in the south. "As an educator, I've encountered vast experiences in the classroom, enough to give society an inside look at the ongoing struggles of others both positive and negative." Some of these struggles are revealed in her new novel entitled Contorted. Juliet currently resides in Arlington, Tennessee with her husband and children.

Book preview

Prologue

You li’l heifer, I’m gonna beat you to the white meat when I catch you!

The dirty red headed broad from the Pak-n-Snak came from out of nowhere holding something long and shiny. I wasn’t waiting around to see what it was or to get beat down with it. The night air brushed against my face as I ran down Fourteenth Street towards the complex. I could feel drops of water rolling under my chin. I couldn’t tell if it was sweat from running for my life or if it was from the tears of fear. After about a block, I checked behind me. When I didn’t see anybody I stopped at the corner where the number thirty-five runs to catch my breath and check my pocket.

Damn, I dropped my stash! All of this for nothing!

That red head must have snatched it up, that’s probably why she stopped chasing me. What was I thinking anyway? I ain’t no thief, but I needed that money. When I saw the tiny red pouch in the basket, I jumped at the opportunity. Never thought her crazy ass would chase me down. I sat on the concrete bench trying to figure out how we were going to get food to eat for the next couple of days. Things are getting bad and momma is missing again. The only food in the house is five slices of bread, some peanut butter and half of a Mickey D’s burger that Junior didn’t finish last night. I can’t let Grandma know that we’re alone again with no food card.

My thoughts were interrupted when the bus pulled to a stop and a crowd got off. I looked at them and wondered where they had been and what kind of home they were going to. I wondered if they would be going home to hot meals with all of the fixings from the food pyramid. Man, we would be lucky to have meat on the table some nights.

Meka, what you doin ova here?

A familiar voice brought me out of my trance. It was one of those heifers from the misfits at school. I couldn’t stand her or her trouble making friends. Why you all in my business?

I guess you came to visit yo momma huh?

What? My momma don’t live over here she’s at home, so mind your own business and get outta my face. Does she know something I don’t know? Has she seen momma hanging around?

Whateva, lil girl, she said, and walked away laughing.

I’ve always tried hard not to let anybody know that momma was sick and so far, it had worked. Now momma’s sickness has me doing stuff that I wouldn’t normally do. It was getting dark and the complex was another three blocks. There was no way I was gonna be caught out in the hood alone after the sun went down.

There were so many abandoned buildings in the hood, too many places for thieves to grab young girls and take advantage of them. I could hear loud music coming from inside a building across the street. Muffled voices filled the air, and I could smell the medicine way over on the other side where I was. I always wanted to know what went on in that place but grandma had warned me to stay away from it. Places and people like that were the reason momma was so sick. Still, I was curious and had to see what the noise was about.

Most of the windows were boarded up. I went to the side so no one would see me. Some of the boards were loose so I was able to see a little bit. The smell was awful and people were lying around in every corner. Old mattresses and couches were pushed against the walls, and one side lamp lit the dark room. There was one guy that seemed out of place. He sat in a huge chair watching TV and drinking something wrapped up in a brown bag. He had a huge ring on his hand and a watch so big that I could practically see the numbers from where I was standing. I could barely see the person that came into the room while I was peeping, but I could hear what they were saying.

C’mon in Lady J. I was wondering when you were gonna make your rounds. I know I can always count on you to pay me a visit. I’m like the oven providing the heat while you’re the frying pan waiting to be heated. We’re a great combination! No matter how you try to avoid the heat, you just can’t stay out of the kitchen. Now step on over here and tell me what you need!

He was a big guy and talked like he had cotton in his mouth. It was probably 'cause he had too much fat around his neck.

Man what you talking ‘bout? I can stop a-n-y-time I get ready. I could stop tomorrow if I wanted to.

I couldn’t believe my ears, it was momma. I wanted to run inside, grab her and take her home with me. But, not only would it not do any good, I was afraid that I would be in trouble for being around this place. I just stood there peeping in between the broken boards on the window.

Yeah, yeah, he let out a laugh. That’s what they all say Lady J. Look at your friend over there; she said the same thing two years ago. Where is she? Yep, right here, the same place. Look at her sitting over there on her lil colorful mattress. Anyway, what- da- ya- want- today?

I want my usual, gimme the blue bag.

Show me your usual blue bag money.

She handed him a wad of bills and some coins. He counted it out and handed her a package.

Wait a minute, I ain’t ask for no red bag of whateva this is! And it’s small, what happened to the rest of it?

Lady J, just be glad I’m giving you this, cause yo money is short. It’s a recession, so I can’t just be giving stuff away! The other customers that ran short of money had to buy that cheap stuff from them low down dealers, you know the stuff with the bleach and polish remover mixed in. The same stuff that’ll have you itching like ants been nibbling on ya. Now you, I won’t sell you anything less than the best, the good stuff. I know you want nothing but the best right Lady J?

Mr. Petey you should be ashamed for cheating us like this.

Awe, get yo goody bag and join yo friends over there.

Momma walked away mumbling something under her breath that I couldn’t hear.

Who’s in my spot? Move ole man, this is my place.

Seeing momma like that made me sadder than I already was. Tears started to fall and I heard myself crying. I didn’t want to see anymore, but I couldn’t move. It was like my feet were glued to that very spot. I guess in some way I wanted to make sure she was ok. That way, I knew she would be coming back home to us.

Yeah, this is some good stuff, I heard momma say as she put the glass stick up to her mouth again. Yeah, it’s good stuff but that Petey, umph, he getting over on us. I gotta get it together, but not today 'cause I’m starting to feel gooood….hee hee.

You must’ve said that a hundred times Lady J; you know you too weak. You weak like the rest of us.

Speak for yourself, ole man. Just 'cause I might be weak today, don’t mean I ain’t gone get strong. I’m tired of dealing with Mister Petey anyway. He talkin’ about a recession; a recession means he needs to give us a break on his prices.

Weee! This is some kinda high ole man; I’m rising like a hot air balloon. You need to hold to my legs or something!

Lady J, it looks like Mister Petey did you right. I might need a lil of that in your red bag.

I really don’t wanna share but since you stopped me from floating away, I’ll give you a lil bit.

Momma passed the glass stick to the old man. I couldn’t watch anymore. I was crying harder now, and I didn’t want anyone to see or hear me.

I could hear momma singing as I ran away. She would always sing when she was in a good mood. People always told momma that she had a beautiful voice and it’s natural like a bird’s chirp. Back in happier times, when she wasn’t sick, she used to sing in the choir. The choir director always gave momma a solo to sing. We haven’t been to church in a long time. The steps would probably catch on fire if she even attempted to step through the doors.

I reached the apartment and found April and Junior sitting in front of the TV eating the bread we had left. April had managed to scrape enough peanut butter out of the jar to make a sandwich for both of them.

Hey Meka, where you been?

I was just hanging out with some friends from school.

Momma’s not home.

Ok, just finish your food and get your bath.

I grabbed Junior to get him ready for bed. Visions of momma in that nasty place made me sick to my stomach. I just wanted to take a shower and wash tonight’s happenings away.

One

Two Months Later

It’s Monday! Mrs. Wallace the human piranha is standing in her usual spot, the middle of the hallway ready for attack. There’s no hello or good morning. I only hear the silent greeting, Sorry for the skin you’re in.

Have a seat, shut up, and I’m not dealing with your attitude this morning Sharmeka!

I’m not dealing with your attitude either. Don’t bother me and I won’t bother you, I said to myself. I was tired and not in a good mood. Momma didn’t come home again last night, so I had to deal with Junior and April. Junior kept me up most of the night whining with a terrible cough and a high fever. I was hoping he didn’t have pneumonia again. I was half out of my mind from worry by the time grandma got there with a brown bottle of something that looked like thick syrup. I grabbed it, poured it down his throat and prayed it would quiet him down.

By the time he finally fell asleep, the sun was telling me to get up and get dressed for school. So yes, I have an attitude. I have a right to an attitude! She should be glad I dragged my body into this boring classroom. It took a lot to stumble inside this place, and for what, to sit here and listen to some nonsense about how school can make your life better? Most of the great students on the wall at school are either on the streets smoking weed or driving old cars to their minimum wage paying jobs.

Most of the grown folk don’t have jobs; they hang around the hood all day everyday like it’s the weekend or something. On the walk to school the older guys are usually outside hustling kids about making them some kind of sale; on the way home from school they’re not too far from that same spot waiting to collect. The hookup lady starts working early in the morning. She rolls around the complex selling her knock-offs like she’s the local Macy’s. She might not have the skills or reputation to work in the high classed department stores, but she has mad skills around the complex. They shoulda got her to work for them because she’s selling all their stuff anyway!

She takes orders too; if you can’t buy it today, she’ll hook you up the next week. Rico bought me two shoulder strap Coach Bags from her last week, one brown and the other red. Rico is the boy that lives across the hall. One day while walking home from school, we saw a kid take a brutal beat down at a bus stop. The next morning he knocked on my door to walk me to school. We’ve been walking buddies ever since. He’s pretty cool. I think he believes he’s my protector or something. To tell you the truth, I do feel a lot safer when he’s around.

Most of the guys in the hood have felonies from pushing some kind of meds. They’re in business like your neighborhood Walgreens. You can find them on every corner. The only difference is you don’t need a prescription, just the loot. One cough to some guys means the purchase of a bottle of syrup. Most folk use a spoon, not them; they take out the bottle and turn it up after emptying something inside. I frown at the sight because I’ve never liked taking meds of any kind whether it’s liquid or a pill.

The old people sit on their front porches pretending they’re trying to catch a cool breeze in the early morning. They’re really making sure they don’t miss the peddler. After the guy wearing a green scrub suit makes his weekly rounds, you’ll see them pulling out plastic bags full of earthly grown herbs. They say it helps their eyes. All that haze should have them seeing like Superman. This is what Rico and I see each morning on the way to school.

Good morning Sharmeka!

Oh God, not today. I’m not in the mood for Lita’s