Hellbound

By Jerri Locke

Unis was the child that everyone loved. "That boy is so cute," "Where did he get all that wavy hair from?" "You must have some Indian in your blood," said all the women at the church. Unis was gifted and could sing like he was on an album by the time he was two. By the time he was five, he could set a church on fire as he sang and shouted like an old deacon. At this time, Zonita believed that God had released power upon her son, but she would be quickly discouraged when he would get home and carry on with his devilish ways. Years pass, and Unis grows into a teenager. He has a mouth that is very loose. He holds back nothing and has respect for no one. This will be the time when he finds out that he was deceived by his parents. All hell breaks loose, and he puts everyone around him through hell. He knows how to use his charm to get teachers, girlfriends, and anyone else on his side. He has a plan and doesn't mind pulling others down to carry out the destruction of his mother. After he feels that he has done enough to his mother, he decides to leave her and make her hurt even more. He is not quite grown, but decides he was, as he goes to stay with some family members that lives in Mississippi. He convinces them that his mother never wanted him. Being that most of them were lying in wait of juicy gossip about his mother, they welcomed him with opened arms. Unis has perfected the art of lying. Lying was his life. Many years would pass, and after putting so many people through turmoil, Unis tries to turn his life around, but he can only see fire. He tries to move up, but gravity pulls him down. He then begins to realize that he has done so much wrong he was headed straight to hell. Can you imagine, finally deciding that you are ready to change for the better, but you have rehearsed being bad for so long you can't push through the fire? When those around you kept trying to teach you that all that wrong would catch up with you, but you continued to go in the opposite direction? Unis was a lot like Zonita, only worse, being that he was born into a different time. Zonita had Big Belle, one of the last generations of women with faith of the unseen. Although she was rebellious, the Word of Life lived through Belle, helped her come to her senses. As you read this story, I want you to think about the condition of the mind. What is heaven, and what is hell? Are we all born into hell? Therefore, are we all hell-bound? This is a fiction story, and I'm just a writer with a philosophy about life. Please enjoy my sequel to I'd Rather Go to Hell Than the Heaven that You're In.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645447092

Book preview

Chapter 1

Satan Is in My House

Zonita

H eaven is my goal. Each and every day. Gots to keep on moving. Moving in the right way. That was my favorite song of Big Belle’s, and I sang it with just as much spirit as she had. Unis just did as he always did and looked at my mouth while I sang my heart out. That’s probably why he knew every word and the melody.

First Baptist had changed so much. Darian and Cat couldn’t help but update the church since the congregation was rapidly growing. The church went from squeaky benches to recliner seats. This reminded me of a movie theatre. Well, church became more and more of a show anyway. The dim lights that we used to have were now spotlights that made sure you saw the stage. That’s right, the pulpit looked like a stage for a concert. There was even a sound-check booth so the singers could make sure they were in perfect pitch to perform. They cared more about a perfect sound than they did helping someone to hear the words.

I didn’t seem to fit in with the new choir at First Baptist. I only sang when I was asked, which became seldom. Unis, on the other hand, fit right in at only five years old. Every one enjoyed when I sang the old-school gospel, but what erupted the spirits of the church was the voice of my baby, Unis. Unis could make a joyful noise and any other noise by the time he was two. This caused me to always try playing good songs around him. This little boy could hear a song once in the car and sing it repeatedly at home or wherever. It didn’t take long for his vocabulary of songs to become large.

One day, after church, I invited some of the church family over for dinner. After dinner we were chatting when Unis came, doing some little thuggish dance and singing, Girl, let me smack it. I was so ashamed and just sang loud as I could one of his favorite songs. It worked, and the little boy went into his church mode and shouted and sang for us. I really couldn’t understand how he was singing that song like he knew what it meant. Marqus Jr. often said that the little negro knew exactly what the song meant.

I was glad that at church Unis managed to stay holy. This Sunday at First Baptist was more soulful since I stirred up some Big-Belle spirit. Unis surprised the church when, after getting the mic passed his way, he started moaning one of the old hymns that I sang around the house. Before I knew it, Mrs. Polkey, who had become senile and slept through much of church, was out of her seat with her hands to the sky. Unis had a gift that could raise the dead from the church pews.

As my baby boy again brought the roof down at First Baptist, I couldn’t help but think how the devil would soon attack him. Big Belle used to tell me that the Lord was going to use me for something, which was why I would go through tribulations. Well, the Lord was already using my baby, so I am scared to see what he will go through.

No matter how much Unis helped the good spirit move around the church, he became hell at home. As I prepared my home for the return of Caleb, Unis sensed that he would be sharing me with another man and became determined to stop it from happening. Marqus Jr. was hardly ever at home, so Unis often pretended to be scared to sleep in his own bed. I felt he was faking since he was too bad to be scared of anything. However, one night he aroused my curiosity when he, who had never seen Be-Ma, said that a lady would come pinch him at night. I chuckled, thinking, Be-Ma only pinched dark-skinned kids. It was probably Big Belle trying to get his little high-yellow butt to act better. Well, he better get out of my bed before Caleb comes home. I thought as he lay there looking so innocent and cute.

Marqus Jr. didn’t see anything innocent or cute in his little brother while others thought the world of him. Unis managed to fool the kindergarten teachers enough that they thought his bad actions were cute. They laughed and let him do whatever. It also helped that he was smart. Heck, they didn’t have to teach him; he was teaching them. Yes, he was smart, but I didn’t feel he did what he should; but they passed him to the first grade anyway. Now he was on summer break, and when he wasn’t with his godparents, he was with Marqus while I worked.

Every single time Marqus kept Unis, he fussed about how horrible he was. Momma, maybe if you didn’t buy that boy everything, he wouldn’t be so spoiled. After explaining to Marqus that I didn’t, and his godparents did, I told him how much I appreciated him watching his bad little brother. I also assured him that his spending time with Unis will help them bond, and he should get his self together so Unis can look up to him. He could start with getting a job, I thought as I gave him that mother-to-grown-son look.

Marqus hadn’t worked since he quit his last job because they were so-called prejudice. I knew of the black man’s excuse for leaving a job.

But when I asked, Did they fire you? Better yet, Didn’t they pay you? Now, how do you plan to survive?

Marqus was a good-looking grown man that thought he knew it all.

My women will take care of me, he said.

Every time I turned around, Marqus had one of his women at my house. He could have probably spent some quality time with his little brother if he wasn’t always hugged up with some loose girl. On top of that, he was just like his father; the girls were normally white or other, which was not black or white. I didn’t allow this behavior in my house, so often I came home furious and began to curse him out. However, he could always flip the conversation on to how bad Unis had been that day.

Momma, you not gone believe what your pride and joy did today.

He then went on to first say how Unis stole money from the girl’s purse.

Seeing that I was in disbelief that my son was now a thief, he said Yes, I found it in his room, where he stashed a lot more money.

By the time Marqus started describing how after disciplining Unis that Unis went on to pull his little wee-wee out and told them all to suck it, I was irate.

I don’t want to hear another word, and if you are not my child, then it is best for you to get the hell out. So whoever the hell her name was ran out.

Meanwhile, Marqus Unis and I all stood in the living room like we were in an every-man-for-himself wrestling match. I felt a blank out coming on, so these niggas were about to get knocked out. I was so angry at Marqus. He had to be the one who taught his little brother oral sex. A six-year-old couldn’t just imagine all that.

Of course, Marqus could always ease his way out of the ring by making me feel guilty and worried. I knew that Unis was hell on wheels, but the nerve of Marqus to throw it in my face.

Momma, I swear I’m tired of you blaming me for the reasons why your baby is Satan. We all know why he is so damn bad.

I knew that Marqus insinuated once again that it was because Unis was overcompensated by his godparents since one was his real parent. So as usual, he eased his way out the door behind his girl, and I was left with the demonic-looking child.

Overwhelmed with the feeling of being a failed parent, I decided that I needed to look back into my past and remember some wisdom from Big Belle to get me through this life. Caleb was due home in a couple of months, and something had to give. He couldn’t be on parole and come to my dysfunctional household.

While going through Big Belle’s things in search of some counseling words, I stumbled over a bottle of healing oil.

Thank you, Jesus, I cried.

You see, I believed in this oil. Big Belle said it would heal, deliver, and protect. It was just what I needed to cast Satan out of me, my kids, and my home.

After sending up my own prayer, I began to shine up my house with Big Belle’s blessed oil. I went from one end to the other. I then laid hands on Unis as well as myself. I put plenty on the doorknob so Marqus would have to touch when he got home. I felt better knowing that I covered my house. Now all I had to do was wait on God. What’s