Ghetto Heroes: Meanteam

By Andrew Hair

Ghetto Heroes: Meanteam is the origin of four teenage African-
American males in a Southern Mississippi housing project that
discover a hidden location near their living quarters. In that
hidden location, they are introduced to an alien technology that has been keeping watch over their world waiting for the ultimate evil to resurface and that technology informs them of their destiny and purpose to protect their world and the universe from the rise and conquest of Evil. They are told that they had seen reference to the Evil in their religious book written to tabulate their worlds history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465398468

Andrew Hair

Born in March of 1973, Andrew Hair is a African-American male hailing from his birthplace of Chicago, IL. His mother, Clayteen Harwell Gray, moved him and his sister to Mississippi at very young ages to get them away from the violence of the city life, only to suffer poverty in Mississippi while struggling to make ends meet. Clayteen kept Andrew and his young sister in church and into their schoolwork so that they would not find any reason to hang out on the streets and get into trouble. Andrew experienced some city life by staying with uncles in Illinois before having to return to Mississippi and finishing high school in Oxford, Mississippi.

Book preview

EPILOGUE

I never thought our lives would change so drastically in a small space of time during the period in our lives where we seemed to experience the lowest point of poverty and depression. My friends and I have always watched different cartoons and sitcoms about superheroes that made a difference in the world because it kept us believing in something greater than what we saw around us, but never imagined that such a gift and responsibility would be bestowed upon people in our situation.

Before I tell you the story of how we happened to be given this great opportunity to make a change in the world, let me tell you about my friends and I and how we lived before we obtained these precious gifts. My name is Drew and I was born in Chicago, Illinois. When I was still very young, I had moved to Mississippi with my mother and sister and started attending the local city’s junior high school, being that we lived in the urban apartments for that area.

There I met Gerio and Marvin (whom everyone jokingly called Jeffro after the goofy son of the ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ show) along with my cousin Cedric, who attended the county school before being transferred to the city school where the rest of us attended.

Jeffro and Ced were Mississippi natives while Gerio had moved from Michigan when he was still a toddler, so most of his adolescence was spent learning and growing up in Mississippi. We met each other for the first time in a federal housing project that was named C.B. Webb Apartments while Gerio, Jeffro and I were enrolled in high school.

From the first year we all played together and hung out, we became so close that, for a while, we assumed we were related, but later found out that this was not so. However, it never changed our friendship and the loyal pact we had formed with each other in so short a time.

The first time we all decided to start our own basketball team and play against people in our projects, Gerio and Jeffro showed us a faster way to get to the activity center through the train tracks that were used to transport wood and other materials behind the apartments so we could avoid the bullies of our neighborhood. From that day on, we used it whenever we wanted to get to the activity center and tested ourselves by racing each other between the apartments where we stayed to the activity center and the main road leading to the same location.

From here, I’m going to let you see everything else unfold and watch as one amazing thing after another changed the lives of four young men forever. How our lifestyles and mannerisms changed for the best, once we were given the responsibility to care for more than just our families.

CHAPTER 1

It was an early summer day Thursday in the late month of May. Drew and his friends, Gerio and Jeffro, had gotten off the school bus and were waiting for Drew’s cousin (and Jeffro’s half-brother) Ced to get home from football practice so they could play a prank on him.

It was the last two weeks of school before they were released for summer vacation. Drew would be graduating this year, while Gerio and Jeffro had two more years to go and Ced was ending his freshman year in high school.

Man, I will be glad when this year is over with! exclaimed Jeffro as the three of them walked towards their apartments to put their backpacks away.

I know what you mean, Gerio replied and added, I had so much trouble in most of my classes this year that I hope summer lasts longer than usual so we don’t have to go back to school too soon.

What about you, Drew? Aren’t you glad you’re graduating this year so you’ll have a break from school for a while? Jeffro asked Drew as he noticed him lagging behind in a daze.

Drew was the smartest, most creative person of the group and very linguistic, partially from his Northern upbringing and participating in class activities, plus his mother was very strict with her children concerning education because she wanted to see her children do better and have more than she had.

Many people in his community had labeled him as a nerd and teased him during his entire time in high school, but he continued to make good grades and not let their opinions deter him from success.

Gerio and Jeffro, however, always wanted to have fun when it was time to be serious. So that by the year they reached the 12th grade, their GPA’s wouldn’t be able to get them their dreams jobs. All of them knew if they couldn’t get out the hood, they would die without any success in life like many others still living in the ghetto who had accepted their destinies and wouldn’t even attempt to change it.

Ced seemed to be the only one who seemed to be liked by many of the people they went to school with, mostly because he was a football player. He also kept his grades at a reasonable average so he could strive to own his private business one day.

The only thing I’m glad about is that I don’t have to worry about getting detention with you two for stuff I should’ve known better to be around for. I might get some well-deserved rest and have a little fun for once, he jokingly replied to Jeffro as he neared his apartment door.

But you know you love hanging with us, and what fun would you have without us around anyway? asked Gerio as he turned and ran to the apartment where he stayed to put his backpack away.

Let’s meet back outside in 10 minutes and wait for Cedric to get off the bus so we can scare him a little, Jeffro yelled as he also sprinted across the parking lot to the apartment where he stayed with Cedric and his half-brother’s grandmother.

I’m going to put my things up too, but I’ll be right back out, Drew said and walked to his apartment door where his mother had dinner already cooked for him and his little sister.

Jeffro ran into the apartment and spoke to everyone sitting in the living room before running upstairs and putting up his things. After washing up and grabbing some food that was done cooking from the kitchen, he sprinted out the door and headed for Drew’s apartment.

When he arrived at Drew’s apartment the first time, his mother informed him that Drew was still eating and it would be a minute before he was finished. As she closed the door behind her, Jeffro turned around and saw Gerio coming from behind his apartment building.

I guess we’ll have to do this without Drew cause he’s still eating and the bus will pull up in a minute, Jeffro informed Gerio so they maneuvered around the other apartment building until they reached the backside of the apartment office.

They were just hiding good enough to not be seen when the bus pulled into the loop where it stopped and dropped the children off. They saw Cedric exit the bus and start towards his apartment. They tried to walk as quietly as they could until they reached him to grab him, but something alerted Cedric to their presence and he spun on them.

You guys didn’t really think I forgot that you got out of school earlier today. I know how you two are and expected something like this, Ced told them as they looked silly at him and joked while they walked toward Ced and Jeffro’s apartment.

Where’s Drew at? he asked them when they reached his door.

He should be finished eating by now and had mentioned that he wanted to train some today, Jeffro answered and continued, I’ll go see if he’s done while you put up your things.

I’m going with Ced to speak to grandma and then we’ll be outside, Gerio said and followed Cedric inside his apartment.

Jeffro walked once more across the parking lot and knocked at the door and Drew heard Jeffro asking his mom if he was busy.

Andrew, are you done eating yet? One of your friends is out here waiting for you, Clayteen, Drew’s mother, asked him as he stuffed the remains on his plate in his mouth.

Yes momma, I’m done, Drew answered and walked past the door she was holding open to join Jeffro outside.

As the screen door closed behind him, she yelled out, Today is your day to wash the dishes, so make sure you come in before it gets dark.

As they walked along to meet up with Gerio and Ced at their practicing area, Jeffro told Drew about the prank they had attempted to pull on Ced while Drew was eating.

You missed trying to help us scare Ced when he got off the bus. We waited behind the bushes near the mailboxes until he got off the bus and past near them. Then, we jumped from our hiding spot and you should have seen how wide his eyes got, as though he thought a stray dog was trying to attack him. We laughed at him all the way to his apartment and he hasn’t come back out yet, so we think he may be angry with us.

I’m sure that is not the case, guys. If I know my cousin from the times we have talked and kicked it, you two should worry about if he is planning a good way to play a trick back on you, Drew sported with them, We can’t do this too long today because I have to wash dishes and study for finals next week. I have to make up for the Ds I got the last semester and have a good GPA, if and when I decide to go to college.

Jeffro and Drew waited at the end of Drew’s apartment building until they saw Ced and Gerio emerged from Ced’s apartment and they started walking together toward the practice area they had designated.

Man, your mom is super strict with you! Gerio said.

She’s no stricter than your mom is! Drew responded.

That’s so true! Gerio replied.

What’s up, cousin? Cedric said to Drew.

Not too much, cousin! Did anything exciting happen with you today? Drew asked Cedric with a smile on his face.

Not unless you’d like to count Gerio and Jeffro thinking they could scare me when I got off the bus. They don’t realize that our family have brave hearts and fear nothing besides God himself, Ced told him as he darted his eyes from the two of them to show them he hadn’t forgotten what they had tried to do.

They had reached the practice area specifically picked out by Drew and Cedric for their different martial arts training that they wished to keep secret from the other kids in the neighborhood.

Drew had taken two years of Ninjitsu training and Cedric had taken four years of Isshinru karate. They were practicing with their two friends and teaching them the basics of their learned fighting method.

You know I knew better though. Oh well, let’s get started and make sure everyone takes it easy. We don’t want any marks on anyone that will not heal over the weekend or have to explain to anybody, Drew said and then gave each a respectful bow, as was customary before sparring with an opponent, and then dropped into his tiger stance.

Whose turn is it to be the enemy this… ? Ced was asking when Jeffro suddenly tried to strike him in the chest. He narrowly blocked the attempt and their practice