Code of the Hood

By Alfred Blue Flowers

Carlton was a thugged-out hustler that headed a mob of youngsters known as BDP (Boston Damn Projects) Crew. They were small time hustlers but notorious nonetheless and involved in everything from robbery, extortion, drugs, and murders. All the petty hustling stopped when Carlton hooked up with the largest cocaine dealer on the East Coast.

Carlton had two problems: he was getting high on his own supply, and there was a rival drug dealer and vicious killer named Carlos (Dawg) who reigned over his crew of killers out of Piedmont Circle Projects.

Latrice, who is Carltons lady, was innocent and unfamiliar to the life of hustlers out of the hood. She had been raised by her grandmother with Christian upbringing and was well educated and spiritually grounded. She enjoyed the money, gifts, and luxuries that came with being Carltons lady, but she had no street knowledge and was naive to the game. She was not mentally or physically strong enough to handle the chaos that was about to change her life forever.

The Code of the Hood takes place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and is full of drama, suspense, and excitement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524526115

Alfred Blue Flowers

Alfred Blue Flowers was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was a product of the same housing project that’s referred in this great urban (short story) novel. He understands that a man cannot move forward with his dreams and life until he lets go of his old lifestyle. He has changed his life greatly after writing this book in 2007. He has given his life to God and wants to continue in the Lord’s will. So with that being said, he is not sure if he will write another urban novel, but he will continue his dream of becoming an accomplished author, though in a different genre. This is such a great novel because this was once a part of his lifestyle and you can’t talk or write about something you’ve never experienced because your readers that have lived or grown up in this environment can and will distinguish what’s real and what’s fake. Blue, what this author is known by, has overcome many adversities to reach his goal of becoming this accomplished author. He actually wrote numerous urban novels incarcerated at different facilities in the North Carolina Penal System for nineteen years and ten months. Now that he has made it out of that storm, hopefully he can see the rainbow. Peace and blessings to all!

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Alfred Blue Flowers.

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-5245-2610-8

   eBook   978-1-5245-2611-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

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.

Rev. date: 11/22/2016

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Contents

Acknowledgments

The Code of the Hood

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

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty One

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Code of the Hood

by Alfred Blue Flowers

Xlibris

reviewed by Brittany Smith

He was overcoming all obstacles in his life but, this one was the hardest. How could he be a man (he thought), if he let Dawg walk around in this city after he had nearly killed Latrice, the woman he loved. So he had to make Dawg pay and he would make him pay with his life.

This riveting and intriguing urban novel follows a group of troubled individuals who come from different families and upbringings, but are all trying to navigate the treacherous and drug-riddled housing community of the Kimberly Projects in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1996. Every character takes one path or another to reach the critical crossroad in their lives in which they have to make hard decisions about what to leave behind in order to change themselves for the better. Many will lose their lives to senseless violence. Some will choose to get out of the drug game for good and never look back. Others throw themselves deeper into the streets because that is the only life they have ever known.

The story serves as a cautionary yet inspirational tale about revenge, corruption, and addiction, and what it looks like to fight through these and come out on the other side. It is also a story about love and family, and how the support of both can push anyone to the finish line. Flowers knows all too well the dangers of the street life, experiencing first-hand the obstacles and pain that overwhelm many disadvantaged youth and force them down the wrong path. He himself hails from the very same Kimberly Projects that serve as the backdrop throughout his novel, and he spent almost twenty years in the North Carolina Prison System. Flowers is now a family man that has given his life to God and wants to continue living out his dream of becoming a successful writer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost I must acknowledge my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for my health and my strength to make it through all my trials, tribulations and adversities.

I want to honor my loving wife for taking a chance and believing in me.

Also I want to acknowledge my church (Glory of God Worship and Enrichment Center)

Giving big up’s to my son Rodney L. Fraley. Keep your head up! God’s not through with you yet. Remember it’s always the darkest before the dawn. Same for my grandson Rodney Fraley Jr. (Bookie).

To all my nieces and nephews love you all. To my nephew Courtland (Rock) Green, we made it out. Jerry McCray my brother – much love for you.

Last but not least – shout out to Talmadge (Tamp) Worthy, down there in Texas.

A special dedication to my Mother and Father, Alfred and Geneva Flowers (R.I.P.)

R.I.P. also Jaqueline Archie, Kay Freeman, Bobby Lee Myers, and Thomas Pee-Wee Barnes. My sisters and brothers that has passed on.

Henry Carter and Frankie Morant my brother and sister that I love dearly.

To the many more that was not mentioned, you know who you are – much love

To my childhood friends from Kimberly Projects, Levi Singletary, Norman Bishop, Ricky Imes, Forrest Black, Aaron Conrad, Walter Clinkscales, Humphrey Parks, Sheila Cain, Deborah Knight, Sherman Funderburk, and the many more I can’t mention them all.

To my Padres that are not here today, Micheal (Butch) Duncan, Jeffrey (Jeffro) Jackson Butch Tillman, Richard (Jack) Jackson, and Vernon (Babe) Thompson. R.I.P.

Big ups to Adolphus Haney, Larry X, Damon (Big D.) Thompson. I can’t forget where I came from. Shout out to all my Homies on Lock. Mack (Big Hulk) Morris, Patrick (Jamal) Cureton, James Gilbert, Richard (Tic) Ridgell, and to all brothers Lockdown.

Donnie Welch - you made it. I’m proud of you, stay focus and keep God first.

One love to my man Anthony (Tone) Turner, take care of Ne-Ne and A.J. Love you man.

Fat Kenny, Rob Hairston, Ayub, and Big Dave, keep holding it down. Love you all

Shout out to my main man! (Detroit David White - May God bless you and Janice

One love to both of you.

Also big up’s to Bobby (Hootie-Hoo) Carpenter, and Eric Dillard

John May, I saved you for last - Dawg we always got ours from the dirt, we made mistakes and fell and I mean fell hard, but we back and on our way up. We’ve done everything wrong when we were soldiers in the devil’s army. Now that we serving a new master it’s time to get right. Let’s take advantage of our 2nd chance. Love you 4-life Lil-bro.

THE CODE OF THE HOOD

Carlton was a thugged out hustler that headed a mob of youngsters known as BDP (Boston Damn Projects) Crew. They were small time hustlers but notorious none the less and involved in everything from robbery, extortion drugs and murders. All the petty hustling stopped when Carlton hooked up with the largest cocaine dealer on the East Coast.

Carlton had two problems; he was getting high on his own supply and a rival drug dealer and vicious killer named Carlos (Dawg) who reigned over his crew of killers out of Piedmont Circle Projects.

Latrice who is Carlton’s lady was innocent and unfamiliar to the life of hustlers out of the hood. She had been raised by her grandmother with Christian upbringing and was well educated and spiritually grounded. She enjoyed the money, gifts and luxuries that came with being Carlton’s lady, but she had no street knowledge and was naïve to the game. She was not mentally or physically strong enough to handle the chaos that was about to change her life, forever. The Code of the Hood takes place in Winston Salem, North Carolina and is full of drama, suspense and excitement.

CHAPTER ONE

As Carlton drove his 380 SL Convertible Mercedes Benz Down University, Johan watched the intensified expression on his face.

Yo son, what up wit ya? Johan said.

Ain’t nuthin, I’m good. Carlton replied as he tried to get a grip on himself, hoping Johan couldn’t detect how fucked up he was. He yawned loudly trying to play it off like he was tired. But the synister laugh Johan gave made him feel like he had been exposed.

Does he know I’m high? Carlton thought to himself. He kept one eye on Johan and one eye on the road, as he continued Down University towards the Holiday Inn.

Carlton had mad respect for Johan and someday wanted to reach the status of the South Bronx bred dealer. Johan was one of, if not the largest drug dealer on the east coast and had grown up in the game since he was 13 years old. He started out as a lookout on his set in Forrest Projects on Trinity Avenue in the Bronx. Carlton was honored to be associated with the notorious Johan Freeman and was willing to work hard to stay connected.

Johan had chosen Carlton because he needed another connection down south, since his man Renaldo had been knocked off by the fed last summer. Carlton’s name was ringing in the Bronx as the number one recruit by the mules that were making the drops in the south. It was felt that Carlton and his crew could move the weight that Johan needed to distribute in that area.

Carlton’s crew was known as the B-D-P crew out of Boston Projects in Winston-Salem, N.C.. At this time he and his crew were doing a lil’ something in the dope game, but not enough to put them on the map. So they improvised by doing petty stick-ups, stealing cars, and extortion.

Johan agreed to meet with Carlton the next time he was in the area.

In the summer of ’94, Johan met with Carlton at the embassy suite on I-40 between Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Johan was already there when Carlton arrived driving a silver jeep grand Cherokee. Johan watched him arrive as he stood in front of the large window of his suite looking out at the parking lot. Johan gazed down at him as he approached the entrance of the hotel. Johan was always judgemental and he saw Carlton as the thugged out type and a lil’ too flashy wit the shines. As he got closer to the hotel, Johan got a better view of him and could see he was wearing baggy jeans, a pair of what looked to be tims, and a black and blue Carolina starter jersey. He swung his right arm out each time he stepped off his left foot, making his walk look hard. Johan could tell he was a little rough around the edges but he was willing to see what he was working with.

Carlton stepped through the lobby entrance while reaching inside his coat for his cell phone. He dialed the number that the mule from the Bronx known as (Rico) had given him.

After the second ring, Johan growled into the cell, be right down, and hung up.

Johan got off the elevator when it reached the lobby and walked towards the hotel’s four-star restaurant as he noticed Carlton sitting to his left in a leather highback wing chair. He didn’t acknowledge him and just walked on into the restaurant. He sat at a booth where he could keep his eyes on Carlton. When the waiter came over he ordered a bottle of Dom P.

Carlton kept glancing at the brother who had just walked into the restaurant, not wanting to be conspicuous. But he was sure that he had to be Johan, he could tell by his swagger.

Johan was wearing a pair of black Gucci slacks and a black and white Gucci button-down shirt with platinum buttons that he wore untucked. He also wore a large-face presidential Rolex on his left wrist and a platinum Gucci link bracelet on his right wrist. As the waiter came by he pointed towards Carlton sitting in the lobby and told the waiter to go and have him join him. As Carlton came in and looked around, Johan raised his left hand and motioned him over with two fingers. Carlton couldn’t help but notice the clarity of the ice flashing in his Rolex.

Yo, have a seat son, I’m Johan, he said, reaching out his right hand with a closed fist as he remained seated.

They dapped each other as Carlton sat on the opposite end of the booth.

Johan and Carlton discussed business with each other for about an hour as they sipped on the Dom Perignon and ate king crab legs supposedly from Northern Maine. They hit it off pretty well and Johan dug the business mind of Carlton, he reminded him of Renaldo.

Carlton put him down with how his crew operated and assured him of his loyalty as well as the loyalty of his crew.

Carlton kept eyeing the two big beefy brothers sitting in the lobby near the entrance of the restaurant. Even though they were sitting down, Carlton could tell they were huge, both were at least 6’5" and they both were well over 300 lbs.

Yo, don’t sweat that, youngsta, Johan said as he noticed Carlton peeping his bodyguards.

"They on our side as long as you’re on