“I am not going to consistently go to work for 8-10 hours a day, only to be made to feel like a slave. Slavery ended 400 and something odd years ago,” Brian uttered to Tisha.
“Well, how else do you expect us to be able to survive? Off the little money we’re getting from the government?”
Brian paced the floor.
Although he and Tisha were very happy together, many issues plagued the two.
They lived in a very low-income environment (even though they were considered ‘middle-class), they had 4 children, Tisha had recently gotten laid off from her job, and Brian was on his last wit with his job.
“Shit, and with this new ‘orange is the new black’ lookin’ ass president, there’s no telling what’s going to happen to that money we get from the government.” Tisha was furious.
“Tisha, what’s with this shit?” Brian threw his tie on the floor. “Slavery comes in all forms, and me having to wear this damn tie all the time, with the white man telling me to do things that aren’t related to my job, is no better than having a noose around my neck. May as well lynch me now and call me Toby. Hell,” Brian slammed the refrigerator door shut, “they barely want to pay me overtime.”
Tisha didn’t say a word. She knew, that at some point, it was best to just sit and listen to Brian when he started ranting.
“And I’ll tell you what,” he added. “I’ll be damned if I let another man, or woman for that matter, talk to me the way that man did.”
“Did?” Tisha asked. “Don’t tell me you quit,” she held a bottle in her infant’s mouth.
Brian didn’t say a word. He got a bottle opener from the drawer under the sink and pried open his beer.
Tisha put the baby down and walked over to Brian.
“What the hell did you do that for Brian?” a few tears began to form in her eyes.
Brian still didn’t say a word. He turned around and faced Tisha.
Fear filled her body. Although Brian had never hit her, she feared that with his 6’8 muscular build against her 5’6 slim-thick figure, he could snap at any minute.
Brian fell to his knees and cried silently.
Tisha shushed him as she put her hands on his head. She started to rub his back when she felt a solid object tucked into his pants.
“What’s this?” she asked as she pulled it out.
It was a gun; a revolver to be exact.
Tisha’s jaw dropped.
“Brian…” she spoke; a feeling of anxiety filled her body.
Brian unbuttoned his shirt and revealed a bloody t-shirt underneath.
“I’m sorry, T,” he spoke with tears in his eyes.
Tisha heard sirens rushing down her block, and seconds later, police were banging on the door.
“This is the Seattle Police Department. Open up,” the sergeant spoke.
“I had to,” Brian whispered to Tisha. “If only you knew the kinds the things that man had me doing.”
Tisha sat on the couch. She was dumbfounded. The kind and gentle man that she once knew, just confessed to murdering his former boss.
“Baby, forgive me,” Brian spoke with the gun still in his hand.
“We’re coming in,” the police shouted as they rammed the door in.
Brian immediately raised his gun and the officers aimed their guns at him.
***
