3.93
We took the
main highway to New Orleans, I could look out the window and see everything
that happened that night. I try to focus on Sampson’s taste in music, but it’s
too fresh. A few weeks have gone by an I remember every detail of that night.
The way she marched towards her death eagerly, only pausing to protect me. I
never want to be in a situation where I need someone to protect me again. I
thought spending time with her cult, family, would help me ease the pain of
losing Destiny. It hasn’t, nothing has. I feel like I can at least function
normally, but the pain hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still a dull stabbing in my
heart. I wonder if Sampson feels the same way. He didn’t marry Destiny, but
they were together and she left without ever contacting him. I guess I got the
honor of saying goodbye, about a dozen times. She gave me her diary filled with
all kinds of notes and a goodbye letter. She left me words, and items, but more
than anything she left me with the pain. Every now and then I’m able to come
back to reality as Isaac and Sampson argue.
It's a 95
SS Impala, fully custom interior and full of mechanical upgrades; Sampson keeps
telling us, and remind Isaac of the rules. Isaac just wants to take his shoes
off in the car so he’s comfortable. Sampson doesn’t want smelly feet smell in
his car. Isaac asks me if his feet stink. I’ve never smelled his shoes or feet,
I don’t know. The argument is cyclical and hasn’t stopped the entire time we’ve
been on the road.
“Granny
ain’t here, but the rules still apply on this trip. Don’t do anything to
embarrass her name. More importantly, don’t embarrass me, because I’ll fuck you
up,” Sampson starts giving more rules as we drive through the city. “Stick with
the group, going solo is how you end up dead. Don’t let no pussycat in the dog
house.”
“What,”
Isaac and I ask in unison.
“Stay away
from women, they might get you killed not thinking straight,” he answers with a
sigh.
“So men are
okay,” Isaac asks.
“Yeah, I
don’t care,” Sampson answers to Isaac’s delight. “Wait, just keep your dick in
your pants unless you’re pissing or washing,” Sampson corrects himself.
“What if I
want to add someone else’s dick to my pants,” Isaac quickly responds.
“Get your
friend,” Sampson looks at me.
“Be serious
Isaac. We’re already set, you’re the one who wants to turn into a vampire,” I
join in.
“Adze,
become Adze. It’s like the V.I.P. of Club Vampire,” Sampson retorts.
“Where are
we going,” I ask.
Even in the
dark I can tell we’re entering a rough part of the city. Katrina was a while
ago, and it looks like a few spots haven’t been touched since then. We pass by
an abandoned project building and the people out loitering let me know things
aren’t all legal around here. I try to avoid eye contact with people outside
the car. They’re already watching us, we’re drawing attention. Sampson treats
this car as his child, but it really is a nice car. Black with little silver
flakes of glitter in the paint, some big rims that don’t look tacky and
slightly higher than normal. What do they call it down here? Stunting, he’s
basically stunting, daring someone to do something.
“For real,
where are we,” Isaac asks in the calmest tone I’ve ever heard him ask.
“Home,”
Sampson smiles as we pull past a park slowly.
“Yeah, I
could see how you and Destiny were a couple. You both love those short answers
that don’t answer anything,” I’m irritated, it’s like he’s looking for a fight
with the people here. “What section of New Orleans are we in? Where is our
final destination?”
“We’re uptown,
Magnolia actually. I grew up in the projects, but they’re empty now. They
wanted to tear them down and Katrina made sure they were finally empty.”
“Then why
are we here?”
“I got some
business here, and I need to get reacquainted with the territory.”
“Are you
selling drugs,” Isaac asks, seemingly shocked.
“Not
anymore. Why did you assume I was a drug dealer,” Sampson is equally shocked.
“You kind
of carry yourself like a drug dealer.”
“What?”
“He’s right
this time,” I add.
“I’m not
here to sell drugs,” Sampson goes to smack the steering wheel but stops
himself. “I’ll explain it to you tomorrow night. Actually, you’ll understand in
the morning, let’s go to hotel.”
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