Plugged 4 Life

By Timothy Threats

The teachings of life come through experiences and the chances we take. This story follows four young friends trying to find their passage in life by sticking to the script and holding each other down. With Ms. Vicks being the voice of reason by providing her wisdom along the way, the friends are able to have some balance in their lives after the streets took hold of them. Chayne, who is in love with one of the friends "Rayson", only wanted him to promise her one thing. Find out how the four friends encounter life from all angles as their losses become their gain and their defeat strengthens them in more ways than one.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 17, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463430283

Timothy Threats

After reading a few classic novels such as Coldest Winter Ever and Midnight (by the beautiful Sister Souljah), Standing at the Scratch Line and Echoes of a Distant Summer(by the brilliant Guy Johnson) I adapted a passion to create a masterpeice of my own. I came from a background where my eyes did not miss much of anything. I have faced many adversities that I have endured and overcome. I feel that my first novel (Plugged-4-Life) will be the seed behind the birth of another brilliant author which will capture the attention and minds of the massive. Just as I was inspired by other authors that used their visions and experiences to put an interesting story together, I hope to do the same. Now follow me as I take you through my home town, the streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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© 2011 Timothy Threats. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 8/24/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3028-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3029-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3030-6 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011912521

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgements

PROLOUGE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Chapter TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Acknowledgements

First and foremost I must give all the praises to God (Allah).

Now to my true earths: Ms. Effie, I love you mom dukes, you are definitely one of a kind. With the struggles came strength and without the storms we will never know how it feels to have sunshine. Aunt Bren: Please forgive me in the delay of my knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the principles and morals you instilled within me during my teen years. Now as a man who has sat back and analyzed life from your angle, I believe it’s the appropriate time to tell you thank you for everything. Now I am stable enough in my growth on all aspects to share those same principles and morals with my children.

Granny: You are an amazing woman, you spared no expense with the right hand of discipline, at the same time ironed my clothes, cooked hot mealsfor me with peach cobbler for dessert, and told me that you love me more than yourself. All that you have done has played a role in my growth. I love you for that.

To my princesses: Tamerah, Essence, Te’Asion, Britni, Tiffany, and Kendra, Daddy loves ya!

To my young prince: Rayson, I got you young gun, hold your head up.

Johnny Davis a.k.a 10th Ward Fatts Been Bout Dat.

Bloodline: Rob, Jerm, Tae Boi., JC, Tudy, Schanika, Felicia, Chanelle, and Jasmine, love is love.

To My Dad: Robert E. Taylor, Thank you for your love and support, God Bless.

Supporters during my life and time of need: Ms. Katherine Roberts, Mr. Robert Blakely, Mr. Joseph Crawford, Ms. Rose, Mr.and Mrs. Tony/Latina Buxton, Ms. Ericka and EnrickaMcElwee, Mr. Joseph Washington Jr., and Brenda Washington.

Now to my Queen: Mrs. Angela D. Threats: Words cannot really express how I feel and what I feel for you. All I know is that you make me better in every way possible. You were definitely the missing piece in my world and I promise always to love honor and respect you until my body becomes one with the earth. I love you my Queen!

A special thanks to my Mudd is thicker than blood fam: Anton Callahama.k.a stiles ‘P’. Good looking big bro for keeping me focused and away from the B.S. One Love.

To my brother from another: Mr. David Davis (BK New York and Grand Rapids Michigan affiliated) a.k.aWiggedy, Chic Luchi and Understanding. We’ve been through it all together. We made a way because we paved the way through all of the adversities that we encountered along this journey. We have elevated mentally as well as intellectually, nothing should stop us now. As you already know L.A.W (Love Always Wins).

Be on the look out for novels to follow by authors Timothy Threats and David Davis.

PROLOUGE

The balcony was crowded and the congregation had been fed their spiritual enlightenment. The high cathedral ceilings glowed under the dim lighting from the gothic looking chandeliers that hung above. Waiting in line, Dirty Red counted to himself because he knew that in a matter of minutes he would be at the pulpit where a lit pool of warm water waited. Butterflies swarmed within his stomach as small beads of sweat started to run down his worried face.

The atmosphere was congested with no cool air surfacing. A person could hardly hear his thoughts, and that was why Dirty Red began to get upset. The young man, who was only thirteen, hated church but soon it would be his time to get baptized by the churches pastor, a person who Dirty Red disliked with a passion.

He knew the man was a phony behind the fake ministry mask that he wore when out in the open. Once Dirty Red had caught Reverend Stone enticing one of his missionaries, who was married to his head Deacon, in a sexual act.

After being spotted Reverend Stone tried to come at Dirty Red with the, you didn’t see anything persona, but Dirty Red didn’t feed into his charades, he just kept walking as if nothing happened. From that moment on, the Reverend tried to keep Dirty Red underneath his wings by giving him bribery rewards.

Dirty Red did what any other youngin’ his age would do, he accepted them, only for the time being. Looking around he could see his grandmother as she fanned herself to keep cool with a cardboard portable church fan. Dirty Red loved his grandmother. She was the only human being that he would listen to and do favors for without wanting anything back in return. Seeing that he was only three people away from his final destination, Dirty Red’s mind started to wander. He felt himself going back to the scene that led him to where he was now stationed.

Rayson, you know nana love you right?

Yes nana, he answered back.

Well you know I’d never do or ask anything of you that wouldn’t be in your best interest right? Shaking his head in agreement Dirt Red knew that she was about to ask him to do something. She continued, Baby, I want you to accept Jesus Christ as your savior and get baptized.

Stuck in a state of bewilderment, Dirty Red tried hard to digest what it was that he was just asked to do. Thinking real hard before rendering his answer, Dirty Red was about to tell his grandmother why he didn’t see it necessary to be baptized. But as he looked into her eyes he saw how excited she was and he knew that if he told her his true feelings it would have stolen her joy. So being as though she was his world, he just went along with her request.

Rayson, step up man it’s on you, Lil Tre’von said as he awakened Rayson from his daydream.

Aiight Tre, just be cool man. Rayson snapped back in a tone that was only loud enough for the two.

It was now the moment that Dirty Red dreaded, but he took a deep breath and concealed his fear. Everyone was watching and he knew that now was not the time to be showing any signs of backing out. He touched the last step and entered the misty looking pool which had his pastor waiting within the middle displaying his sinister looking smile.

Don’t be so tense my son, everything will be fine. In a matter of minutes this will all be over with, and believe me you’ll feel like a burden has been raised off of your conscience. Reverend Stone said in a reassuring way, and to Dirty Reds surprise all his worries seemed to float amidst him in another dimension.

Today we have our little brother Mr. Rayson Vicks turning his life over to Christ! This decision is the best one that he’ll make in life, because now he is trusting in God, and God promises that he will never leave or forsake us. So what shall we say then? Shall continue in that grace may abound? God forbid how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by glory of thy father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Our little brother Rayson is ending one life and entering into a new one! So I take you my son and baptized you with water unto repentance in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit!!!

CHAPTER ONE

The Birth:

Summer of 1993, not only was it hot ass hell outside, it was also the first of the month and the blocks were crowded with the young street hustlers, out waiting to catch the dope heads coming from the bank to cop some work. The first of the month in any hood worldwide was considered a hood holiday cause everybody was happy on that particular day; from the corner stores, crack heads, ghetto children, slumlords, and most of all the dope boys, cause they were the ones with the fat pockets at the end of the day.

Posted up in front of the corner store on Wealthy/Fuller stood Rayson and his crew sipping on a bottle of kiwi Mad Dog 20/20 laced with a half pack of lemon kool-aid. This particular spot was considered their territory to whereas no one else was allowed to get money their but them.

Around the corner from them on Barth ave., which was also part of the neighborhood, was held down by Venny who closely watched his team of young runners scramble from car to car serving up their loyal customers. Venny was one of the fortunate cats from the hood that was eating real good. He was hated by many and loved by few.

Down the block on the one way streets Bemis/Baxter aka Craxter ave., also another branch of Wealthy, sat the crap houses and weed spots which was run by the older cats in the hood.

As the sun started to peak his way through the clouds, bottleman slowly pedaled his bike with the milk crate attached to the handlebars, searching for empty bottles that were in the condition for refunding.

The once upon a time nice neighborhood now took on the look of a hardcore ghetto. Along the streets and yards were tipped over trash cans, broken down cars, bike rims and milk crates nailed to the telephone poles. Burned down vacant houses sat in the middle of the block taking on the look of the old streets of Harlem back in the late 70’s.

But worst of all was the many signs of no life or no hope of ever escaping this small world inside of a world that consisted of the same life that went on day in and day out. Nothing but hunger, poverty, drugs, sex, money, mayhem and a lot of praying to God for relief to help escape this ghetto world.

But we all know the powerful saying behind the terminology of the ghetto, You can take the person up out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto up out of that person.

Some people change, some people don’t, some people progress while some others won’t. The truth is that maybe one out of every hundred may get the chance to exit the hood with a purpose, while others forge their fate into dreaded concrete streets with words of emptiness being left with no more moves.

•-•

Yo Ray, I’m tired of them niggas eating and we just standing up here sipping on wine faking like we slanging big dope, shiiit, between the four of us we can’t even copp a ounce. On some real shit, I could’ve stayed in school for this bullshit. Why couldn’t we just sell this spot to Venny and set up shop elsewhere, at least we would be sitting on a nine piece. Bonds blabbered on as he did everyday while taking the last sip of the wine.

Look cry baby ass dude, it ain’t about how much dough we’re clocking it’s about holding shit down until the storm passes over and not selling your soul, Cutting Ray off, Wildman jumped right into the heated conversation.

Yeah sun, sort of like how the lions hold their shit down. They so ill that they even kill off all other male offspring that isn’t theirs. Word up sun, so you better get some of that wild kingdom up in you cause cats are going to come test your manhood sooner or later or vice versa, Wildman stated.

What you mean vice versa? Bonds asked not understanding where Wildman was coming from.

Just what the fuck it means duke!

Yo hold up, we are all family around here!

Nah sun you got the game twisted thinking that them cats see us as family, because if so then they’ll be breaking bread with us instead of trying to push us out of the way and we ain’t having that Wildman said looking into Bonds eyes.

Look, and me personally don’t have no other family besides ya’ll and my G-moms so fuck everybody else. So Bonds you can’t have a heart full of sympathy for these niggas or this street shit because the streets and 99% of the people that smile in your face will be the same one’s to bring you down or body you, Rayson said.

Now Bonds, Ray said as he got directly in front of his comrades face looking into his eyes, Dog these streets ain’t for you so why don’t you exit this lifestyle now and never show face again unless you ready for whatever!

Yeah little nigga, why don’t you go on back home cause I know that fine ass sister of yours is worried about you, Black suggested. Nah, I’m not leaving, fuck that I am the streets, Bonds snapped back.

Yeah that’s what’s up sun, Wildman butted in while putting out a half lit Newport on his fresh pair of construction color Tim’s.

I knew you had it in you sun we just had to bring it up outta you. So now that we got that shit clear from here on out it’s all about us, we gone be the Bishop’s of the hood like Tupac in Juice, ain’t no backing down and niggas is gone start breaking bread or off with they head!

Yo check out that black Benz, I know whoever is pushing that can’t be copping no bags. Rayson stated.

Shiit, that’s exactly what it looks like, that or either they are undercover! Black responded.

Yeah I’ll love to be pushing that whip and fall through the rank sun, puffing on a fat ass spliff nah-mean! Wildman snapped.

Yeah I’m feeling that, but the thing is you’ll still be rocking them dusty ass guess jeans that you have on four days out of the week stanking up the whip! Bonds gabbed on at Wildman.

Yeah whatever nigga, I bet the Tim’s is spank though. Anyways a bitch don’t look at the jeans they check a niggas feet out first virgin-boy", Wildman spat back at Bonds.

Yo chill, I know that whipped I seen it around before word up! Rayson said.

Yeah nigga, on the car lot somewhere, Bonds stabbed at Rayson.

I see you got jokes today and believe me we ain’t on that shit right now, Ray snapped back.

Ayy dog, if you cats is done with all that lip boxing about the next niggas shit then I got a way for us to really get some money in a matter of minutes if ya’ll are serious, but before I go into the depths of things we need to get something straight, there’s no turning back so if you in you in, if you not kick rocks now! So are you down or what? Black asked.

Yeah i’m down sun if it’s about getting that spinach, Wildman replied.

Yeah man count me in too, Rayson said while his eyes were still focused on the black Benz.

So what’s up Bonds? asked black

No doubt I’m rolling. Bonds retorted.

Good, so now that we are all on the same page I’ll fill you in on the lick…

After abreasting everyone of their positions and going over every detail carefully making sure everyone was on point and on the same channel, Black felt that everybody was good to go but he had a gut feeling about Bonds. Looking into his eyes Black could sense the fear within Bonds demeanor but blew it off cause in order for them to pull this lick off a fourth party was needed and Black didn’t trust nobody else outside the trio that stood before him, so he decided to just keep a close eye on Bonds.

Yo check it, give me a couple of hours to round up the heat and I’ll meet ya’ll back at the spot, Black said as he walked off headed to meet his gun connect.

What up youngin an how can I be of service to you today after all I do owe you one right"? Diamond spoke as he sat behind the counter of his candy store picking at his nails with the teeth of his afro pick with the black fist.

Everything hood ol’ head but buss it I came across a nice little lick that’s fosho to get me paid but the only thing is I need some heavy artillery.

Like what youngin’, because I got enough shit to start up world war 3, Diamond said as he reached under the counter and pulled out two hand grenades and tossed one to Black. Being use to Diamond always pulling out new gimmicks and showing them off, Black caught the grenade and started pulling at the pin.

Go ahead and pull young brotha, just remember this I’m Diamond baby, and Diamond done lived his life, he said as he reclined back in his chair smiling at Black.

"Yo chill ol’head, I’m just fucking around.