Street Soldiers Read Online Free

Pastor and Mrs. James are a force to be reckoned with.
    I step down the front porch steps toward my mom’s Mazda Protégé and silently unlock the doors via the remote keychain. When I open the passenger’s side door to set my backpack and purse down, Mr. Gatlin frowns at me from his front yard across the street—the feeling is mutual. I shut the car door and walk around to the other side ready to roll. After we exchange a tense look, he turns his attention toward his ex-girlfriend’s yard. Mr. Gatlin stares forlornly at our neighbor, Esmeralda’s house where her new beau, Rousseau exits the black front porch gate with a bucket and rubber gloves like he’s about to wash the car they don’t have.
    “Bonjour, mi amor,” Rousseau says, slamming the iron gate behind him.
    I can’t see his eyes through his dark sunshades but I can still feel his piercing stare. There should be some sort of law against harassing your neighbors no matter how subtle the attack. Even Mr. Gatlin disappears into his home at the sight of his replacement.
    “I’m not your love, no matter what language you say it in.” I’m tired of Rousseau’s strange ass and his canine crew. If I don’t get out of here soon I’m going to be late for school and I still need to grab a muffin and some juice from the student store. There’s only cereal and no milk for breakfast—typical.
    “Oh, mi petite,” Rousseau says. “Why so rude? You did not rest well last night, I assume?”
    Assume my ass. If he’s anything like his woman he knows exactly why I can’t stand his ass. I attempt to ignore Rousseau but his gaze is too strong, much like Esmeralda’s.
    “Esmeralda needs to keep her pets on a tighter leash before they get hurt,” I say, staring back. I’m over being afraid to look folks in the eye. My ancestors are too powerful for that shit.
    “What is that supposed to mean?” he asks, tossing the dirty water from the bucket out onto their front lawn.
    “It means I’ve got something for your ass if you don’t get off of mine.” Rousseau tried to get to me last night through his dogs. If there’s a next time, I’m not running. The spirit book has to have something to deal with his kind once and for all.
    “Sounds intriguing, young queen.” Rousseau smiles, displaying his yellow fangs. “I anxiously await the opportunity to see what exactly it is you’d like to share with me.”
    “Is everything okay, Jayd?” Mama asks as she and Netta pull up in front of the house causing Rousseau to retreat back inside their creepy menagerie.
    I often wonder where Misty and her mom sleep. I’ve been in Esmeralda’s house on a few unfortunate occasions and it’s smaller than ours with a literal zoo inside.
    “Yeah, just rushing off to school. I don’t want to start the week off late.” I want to tell Mama all about my morning but it’s not the right time. “I love you, Mama. I’ll call you later.”
    “You need to come back here after school, Jayd. We’ll need all the help we can get at the county jail. I also want to keep a close eye on you until we figure this out,” Mama says, glancing next door. I understand the urgency in her voice, but my gas tank is on empty and my pockets are hurting.
    “But Mama, I missed all of my clients in Inglewood this weekend and I have homework to do.”
    My grandmother looks from her best friend to me, completely unmoved by my pleading.
    “I’ll see you this afternoon, Jayd,” Mama says.
    Netta shrugs her shoulders in sympathy but she knows as well as I do that ultimately it’s Lynn Mae’s show. Well, damn. I guess that’s that. My stomach’s growling too loudly to continue stating my case. I guess I’ll see her back here after school.
    *
    I haven’t spoken to any of my friends—Keenan included—since our individually dramatic weekends. I know Mickey’s still beside herself about Nigel leaving her and Nickey at Rah’s house after he found out she was still in contact with her ex, but what