Words of Expression

By Yusuf A

Part 1: Tragedy Breeds Change

In a story about justice, race and society, two worlds collide and lives will be changed forever. Darius, Jayson and Eric are friends living in Lansing, Michigan. Following their studies, they are ready to embark on the next phase of their young lives. On the other side of town, rookie cop Jalen Daniels shadows his Field Training Officer William Trent.

Part 2: Jealousy With a Side of Envy

It's a modern-age love story involving jealousy, deceit and the harmful effects of social media. Jacob and Angela are two people with baggage trying to find their footing while living in The Bay Area. They both unexpectedly find love, only to deal with unexpected obstacles from people, to their pasts. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vault Media and Publications
• Release date: Aug 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386428336

Yusuf A

Yusuf is an author of three books, podcast host and an award-nominated freelance writer. He currently lives in Toronto, Ontario. You can connect with Yusuf via his social networks!  https://www.facebook.com/YusufAOfficial/ Twitter: @Yusuf_AOfficial Instagram:@Yusuf_AOfficial

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Copyright

Vault Media and Publications, 2017

COPYRIGHT © 2017 BY Yusuf Abubakar

All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Vault Media and Publications

www.vaultpublications.com

About the Author

YUSUF IS A CANADIAN author that wrote Clarity: A Personal Collection of Poems. He also graduated from York University with a degree in Political Science. He currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, and frequently travels to Michigan & California. You can connect with Yusuf via his social networks!

https://www.facebook.com/YusufAOfficial/

Twitter: @Yusuf_AOfficial

Instagram:@Yusuf_AOfficial

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Acknowledgments

CREATING THIS BOOK was never an individual effort, but rather a collective one. With that said, I’d like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the following people for their endless support and motivation:

Ahmed Abubakar

Stanley Adjetey

Adam Ali

Mr. Alio

Vahid Amani

Rami Arafah

Aaron Billz

Shane Campbell

Deb Cooksey

Fabulous Faith

Tracey Gee

DJ Karim K

Mo Matik

Jolie Noor

Deka Nur

Sadiya Nur

Zazu Oke

Rudy Persaud

Davisha Sutherland

Ramo

Tragedy Breeds Change

Part 1

POLICE AND AMBULANCE lights illuminated the outdoor basketball court, which was surrounded by yellow tape and observers watching the entire thing unfold.

They were asking, What happened?

Who is that?

In this affluent neighbourhood of East Lansing, Michigan, this wasn't an ordinary scene. The curiosity of each passersby stemmed from how rarely things like this occurred. The event unfolding before their very eyes would create an unexpected divide across the city and country.

Chapter 1

IT HAD BEEN A BUSY spring session, as students worked on final assignments and studied for exams. They had spent the majority of their time preparing for the final stretch, and if they weren’t busy doing that, they went to the flooded local lounges and restaurants to cheer on their beloved Spartans, who were competing in March Madness.

This relatively small city was vibrant, and they were all united in their support.

Jayson Watson, Darius Thomas, and Eric Sheppard were lifelong friends. They had accomplished a milestone they once believed to be improbable, hence they nicknamed their trio The Overachievers. They recently completed their undergrad at Michigan State University, and they practically had their lives figured out.

Darius, a young black male, arranged for an internship with a tech company based in Seattle. Jayson, who was also black, was set to travel before working in the booming tech industry in Silicon Valley.

Eric, the sole white guy in the group, was in a transitional period in his life, hoping to move out and start a new life in New York. Life at home for him was difficult. His mother, Kelly, had a boyfriend, Robert, whom he found to be unbearable. Tensions had been mounting ever since he moved in. Things reached their boiling point when they inevitably came to blows. They used to argue and go back and forth, but in this particular incident, things escalated, severely.

Eric was known for his stubborn attitude and smart mouth. Being one of the few white guys in a particularly poor, predominantly black community in Lansing naturally forced him to develop a level of intensity only rivalled by those in the military, and gladiators.

On that particular night, he was missing a textbook for one of his courses. He was expressing his grievances to his mother upstairs, while Robert was sitting back in the living room and overhearing their yelling. They usually had spats like this, but Robert had always opted to remain silent. This time, however, he decided to weigh in.

Eric came downstairs, visibly annoyed, and Robert snidely remarked, All you do is work a couple of hours a day at a pet store, and hang out with your friends. You contribute nothing to this household, and yet you have the gall to complain and get upset with your mother?

Not one to mince his words, Eric immediately fired back, "At least I’m productive with my life. All you do is sit around, watch sports highlights, smoke weed, and collect government cheques. You always talk about the things you want to do but can’t because of your disability. When’s the last time you applied for a job, or had an interview, you fucking bum?"

Robert had been involved in a nearly fatal car accident, a while back, which had sidelined him for quite some time. He had required surgery on his right knee and back. But due to complications from his back surgery, his mobility had become restricted, and he was required to smoke marijuana medicinally to relieve the occasional back flare-ups. As a result, he was deemed unfit to return to work, and was forced to claim disability.

Nerves were touched, and egos were bruised. Eric and Robert stood face to face, intensely staring each other down. Robert, wearing an undershirt with shorts,