Love, Time, Death II

By Taran Helms

Darnell is unable to truly get over the past and the elements that come with it. Realize his pain runs deeper than the ocean's floor, and the diving team wouldn't even be able to bring him to shore. As the endless Armageddon continues between Darnell and the demons of his past, an unimaginable catastrophe occurs that requires a life-or-death dec

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greatest Discovery Book Publishing
• Release date: Aug 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088210857

Book preview

Dedication

I dedicate this book and everything I will ever achieve

to my beautiful daughter Tariana & Legacy Helms,

and my late mother Kimberly Helms.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my father Raymond Spires, you planted the seed, that despite my mistakes and self-inflicted circumstances, will flourish into an immense success and make you and everyone who has sacrificed for me proud. DeVante Clay, Solomon Clay, Switchin Lanes Entertainment, Tyray Helms, Michael Lee, Larry Gray, Norma Helms (R.I.H Granny) and to all my brothers and sisters of the struggle. To my second and late mother, Tanola Crawford (Kimberly), Tonya Gibson, Patricia Gray, Agnes Parker, Lanay York, Cassandra Woodland (BFF), Mr. and Mrs. Winfree. To Mrs. Yvonne Rose and Mr. Tony Rose, Queen T, Charlene, Dr Savoy Walker, Courtney Bryant and Yvonne Bryant (R.I.H), and to everyone who contributed to the growth and development, Deon Glenn and Momma Charlotte, Ashlinn Sykes, JJ. Tanisha Bray, Quianna Scott and family. To David, Larry, Father Allah, and James Patterson.

I appreciate you all, Sister Souljah and everyone who inspired and taught me in one way or another. This and all my books are dedicated to those who have a story and are afraid to tell it or who do not have a way. I am proof that there is always a way! I will be and am more than the mistakes that I have made. I AM what came from the experience. The journey has just begun, and I promise not to stop going in! There are a lot of people I did not mention on accident, but there is even more I did on purpose. If you gotta think about it, I forgot about you on purpose, I probably did (LOL)! Momma, I am onto something, and I promise not to stop; until we meet again, I got US! CERTIFIED – Elite shit!

P.E.A.C.E

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1: Time

Chapter 2: Time

LOVE, TIME, DEATH II

(Legacy Begins) Legacy vs Fate

Chapter 3: Nobody’s Safe

Chapter 4: No Sin Goes Unpunished

Chapter 5: Coming Soon

Chapter 6: Shadow Games

Chapter 7: Dreams and Nightmares

Chapter 8: Family or Foe

Chapter 9: Bad Timing

Chapter 10: Small Window

Chapter 11: Determined

Chapter 12: Time to Apply Pressure

Chapter 13: Mask Off

Chapter 14: Coming to a Head

Chapter 15: ASAP!!

Chapter 16: Surprise

Chapter 17: It’s Going Down Tonight

Chapter 18: Not Enough Time

My Reason

About the Author

PROLOGUE

(Rachel)

Why do you hate me so much? Are we ever gonna get past the past? Because I cannot take this much longer, Darnell! It has been damn near 10 years since everything happened and you still treat me like you look at me with pure hatred and disgust. If that is what it is, why marry me? Why stick around to torture me and to make me feel worse than I already do?!

Darnell closed the bedroom door to his kids’ room because he never wanted Legacy or Miracle to hear or see them feuding, but it had gotten so bad lately between Darnell and Rachael there was no hiding it.

(Darnell)

I don’t hate you! I am just reminded daily when I look at you the part you played in my whole family being gone. You have given me a new family true enough, but….

(Rachael)

I’ve given you all I have, and I am still giving and it’s because I want this, I want you, I want us. But until the feeling is mutual again, me and the kids are going to stay with my auntie Mya. They don’t deserve to see us like this Darnell, we are better than this and you know it just like I do. I love you so much, but your grief and pain are starting to turn you into someone I don’t recognize. Maybe that box over there will help you see what’s truly more important than the hurt you feel… I Love You, Darnell!!

As Darnell walked towards the box, Rachael had sitting on the dining room table, Rachael went to grab the kids. Darnell opened the box; it was a pregnancy test. Rachael, Legacy, and Miracle walked back into the dining room. The kids went and hugged their father.

(Miracle)

We still having a cookout for Ja’Melia’s birthday tomorrow? Right dad?

(Darnell)

Yes, baby.

(Legacy)

Everything’s gonna be alright Pops! You always tell me that and it is true, now it’s your turn to believe me.

(Darnell)

You got it son, I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow…Hold it down.

The kids grabbed their belongings and headed to the back door. Darnell went to Rachael and grabbed her, pulling her to him.

(Rachel)

No D, this can’t be us putting a Band-Aid on the bullet wound again. We have to work on truly healing and growing together, or this… Us. Isn’t gonna….

(Miracle)

MOM…

Darnell and Rachael’s attention shifted from each other to their daughter. Miracle tried to take off in a sprint from the kitchen towards her parents, but then two gunshots rang out.

Pweh... Pweh…

Miracle hit the ground instantly. You could hear tussling as Rachael ran towards Miracle. Darnell took off towards the couch where he knew in the cushion was a gun. Before he could make it, he got hit in the leg and dropped. Pweh….

The fact that whoever this was had silencers on the gun, Darnell knew they had murderous intent, so he fought through the pain in efforts to make it to his weapon. Rachael was screaming and Darnell heard a loud thump, turned around to see Legacy who had been fighting with one of three masked men now lying on the kitchen floor, Not moving.

(Ringleader)

Aggh…Aggh…Aggh. I would stop while I’m ahead if I were you, or you’re gonna be the reason everyone in here dies, it only has to be you. Your daughter needs medical assistance, so we can make this a drawn out I don’t know what you talkin’ about and somebody dies situation, or you can hit a few buttons, say your goodbye’s, I kill you and we outta here. Your choice….

(Rachael)

NO!! PLEASE!! DON’T JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!

Darnell picked up quickly on the southern accent, the one talking had to be the ringleader because the other two were waiting on an order as they stood ova Legacy and Rachael, who was holding Miracle in her arms.

(Ringleader)

SHUT THAT BITCH UP!!! Disloyal bitch! Now here…

The ringleader tossed Darnell his phone that fell out of his pocket, as the other assailant grabbed Rachael by the face, after slapping her, put the barrel of his gun in her mouth.

Time is too precious for you to be wasting, my guy. I’m gonna give you this account number and I want you to transfer the money in the amount recently posted into it… AYE! Stop standing there looking stupid and go search the crib.

As soon as the third assailant turned his back, Legacy, who was playing possum, jumped up and grabbed the skillet off the stove and hit him on the head, as he was going down, his gun went off. Legacy grabbed the knife off the counter and started stabbing the second assailant, but not before his gun went off right as he was taking it out of Rachael’s mouth. She fell on top of Miracle who hadn’t moved since she was shot, blood was everywhere. Legacy closed his eyes and kept stabbing, but the Ringleader’s bullet put an end to Legacy’s heroics. Two shots rang out and the bullets hit Legacy in the chest, but not before Darnell grabbed the gun that the third assailant dropped. He hit the Ringleader in the back twice, even though the second assailant was leaking from the stab wounds, he managed to raise his good arm and hit Darnell in the arm, chest, and stomach. The commotion caught the attention of the neighbor, who was also Darnell’s friend Marco. He came in, bust’n through the front door. Too many shots had already rung out for him to think that anything but more gunfire was gonna help the situation.

(Assailant 2)

Come on Unc, we gotta get outta here…

(Ringleader)

This ain’t ova, pussy!

They would run out the way they came in after the ringleader spit on Darnell on his way out. They tried to help the third assailant, but they had no time. Marco, after seeing his friend lying on the ground barely hanging onto life, the kids, and Rachael took off towards where the other two assailants had just run, firing at them. The sirens got closer as the third assailant finally was coming to, as he tried to stand, Darnell tried to speak, but Marco was already on ’em. He stopped moving and put his hands up as he looked down at the barrel of Marco’s .38 special. Darnell flipped on his stomach and slid towards his family, but his injuries got the best of him. Everything went black as he thought to himself. NOT AGAIN.

Time

Darnell woke up after surgery with Marco at his side. The pain was overwhelming, but his seeing that scene again, realizing that what had really happened wasn’t a dream, or nightmare, hurt worse than any amount