The day before
“You don’t have it, do you?”
Tyreque still had a problem answering the question. The money just wasn’t there, and he definitely didn’t have enough time to get it all. He looked inside his mother’s eyes. Her sorrowful, sad eyes. He knew that once again he let her down. Their bills were coming up, and his dad’s hospital bills had to be paid. They were a poor family, nowhere near what his dad promised his mother that they would be. Everything was fine until he got sick. He was killing it in the real estate game and they thought they had just got their big break. Tyreque stared at his mother, unable to form his words. He took it. The rest of their savings.
He didn’t steal it. Use it for his own needs. No, those weren’t his intentions. He made a huge investment. The man had told him that their money would be doubled. It honestly sounded like a good idea. The business would explode in just 3 days and they would be rich beyond their wildest. It was his uncle. A man who held him as a baby, changed his diaper, took him to the park and played with him. That was his uncle. A fun, loving man. One who wouldn’t take all your money and run. One you were supposed to be able to trust.
“No. No i don’t. He took it. All of i-”, Tyreque began to trail off seeing that his mother wasn’t paying attention. She was laughing hysterically and kicking and throwing things, tearing up the house. He grabbed her, trying to calm her down.
“That's it! We’re done! Your father will die and we will live on the streets!” She hollered. Shaking him, as if it would help him understand. “It’s all your fault…..” She cried. She cried and cried until her eyes were the color of tomatoes and her mascara drenched her face. This was the first time that she has ever cried. Or as Tyreque has ever seen. His mother was a strong woman.
One who gave orders, got things done, and no matter what, always smiling. But now, tears flew down her cheeks as she slammed her fists against the ground and cried out in pain. In anger and in sorrow. It was too much. She was breaking and the crying broke him. It hurt his soul and his mind. He knew that this was the last straw. He stood up. And walked out of the house. What he didn’t notice, however, was his little brother around the corner, eavesdropping on their conversation. He very much understood the problem that his family was going through. After Tyreque left, his brother Darius, ran out and comforted his mother.
“It’s ok, mom. If he doesn’t fix this, I will.” Darius said this with a cold stern tone, as his mother stared back, her tears stopped. Tyreque knew he had to fix this though. And there was only one place that could help him. His last resort. Something he promised to never do again. Something he would regret. He met up with some people later that night.

“Wait! Are we back on? We’re really doing this?!?”
Tyreque stared at the young man. “Yes. Just one last time, Hert”
A smile broke out across Hert’s face. “YESSSSS! Who else is coming, Geoffrey and Darell as well???”
Tyreque didn’t answer. He was drifting off into thought. This was their old crew. All four of them. The only job they ever did went successful, but that’s back when they were working for someone. They only received small cuts from the job and after…
After Stacy died they swore to stay away from the game. But yet here they were.
Tyreque nodded his head, confirming their arrival. They stood outside an old factory, in the cold of December, waiting for their other members. Soon enough a car pulled up, all beaten down and old, pulled into the parking lot. Tyreque watched as a tall, black man stood out and put on a fedora.
“Why am I here, Tyreque? I don’t have time for this”
Tyreque recognized the voice. Stern and cold. It was the voice of Darell T. The ruthless things he did, would baffle ordinary people. Tyreque watched as he slowly closed his door and made big huge steps over to the two. He glared at him, analyzing.
“T-there’s a job…” Tyreque managed to say. “It’s a big one. The bank on Manwell St.”
Darell glared at Tyreque. Without saying anything, he glanced over at Hert, who was beaming and barely able to keep his smile.
“With just three of us?” Darell asked him
“No. We’ll have Geoffrey as well.” Tyreque responded.
Darell raised his eyebrows. “Geoffrey’s in jail. He got locked up for a homicide back in September. I thought you knew.”
Tyreque’s facial expression changed to something more drastic. This would ruin their plans. They can’t pull it off with just three. Three wasn’t enough. He glanced over at Hert, then back to Darell.
“Hold on, I might just have someone.” Tyreque told the group.

That night, they all understood the basics of the plan. They studied it, memorizing their goals. A ten minute job. They would take out security with a black out and have all hostages in the second room by the first five minutes. Tyreque would rush to the vault and get it open. By eight minutes they would be in the vault. Their fourth person would watch the hostages. The alarm would sound at the ninth, and they would start making their way out. By ten they would be long gone. All in ten minutes. That was the plan.
The next day Tyreque awoke in a pile of sweat. He was nervous. Too nervous. He got up, got dressed and grabbed two pistols.
Tyreque pulled into the driveway across from the bank and saw that Darell and Hert were already there, anxiously waiting upon his arrival. Tyreque got out the car and could hear them yelling at him.
“What the hell! Your brother?! Are you serious he’s-what-16?!” Hert yelled out in anger. Tyreque tried to explain that it was their only choice. Darius stood, understanding that this was the type of person his brother was. Tyreque walked over to him, looking around, then put a pistol in his hands, with Darius almost dropping it out of shock.
“Look. You don’t have to use it. It’s for intimidation and protection. No one is dying.” Tyreque tried to explain, showing him how the gun worked. Darius took the gun, and stared as his brother walked away over to the other members. He could feel the chill of the cold look Darell was giving him.
“If he screws up, we leave him. Point blank.” Darell said this with just a cold face. Tyreque glanced back at his brother. “He won’t.’ He blankly stated. They put on their masks and started to walk towards the bank.

Hert took out a small device and out went the lights in the entire area. They poured into the bank, shouting commands and yelling at people to get on the ground. Everything was going according to plan. Tyreque made his way to the vault. He checked his watch. He was early. A good minute. He chuckled and got the vault open. Darell and Hert ran into the vault grabbing as much money as they could. Tyreque helped. It was all going fine until they heard the shot. The shot that rang through their ears and warned them that something was wrong. Tyreque ran out and fell back in horror as he stared at a dead body. It was the manager.
‘H-he started moving! He tried to kill me!” Darius began to fumble with the gun as he took off his mask and tears ran down his cheeks. Darell came running in.
“You’re done.” Darell said with a straight face.
“Wait! Darell don-...” Tyreque was cut off by the shot that was fired. Ringing his ears as he fell to the ground. Darell’s hand dropped and he picked up his bag and made his way out the door.
Tyreque watched as blood continued to pour out of his brother. The blood pooled out and reached Tyreque’s feet. Tyreque screamed. He began to back up, watching as the rest of the hostages sat in fear. Screaming and crying for their lives.
He heard the sirens. Someone said something. They were compromised.
They weren’t far. He continued to hug his brother.
Crying, realizing that this was getting them nowhere. He stroked Darell’s face.
He knew he didn’t have much time.
The sirens got closer.
He ran out of the bank with a bag and across to the parking lot.
He forgot the gun but it was too late to go back. Darell’s and Hert’s cars were gone. As he got into his car he watched with complete horror as he watched his mother walked into the bank. Smiling and on the phone. He drove by and watched as her phone fell from her hand, hearing the scream that sounded the world.

Tyreque took a minute. Driving around his block for the 8th time. It was too much. After what happened yesterday, he couldn’t dare walk in. He finally worked up the nerve and parked. He got out of the car and walked over to the house, but stopped. He ran and hid behind a tree as he watched a police car pull up to the house. Two officers got out and ran over to the house. Banging on the door. He watched his mother opened the door as they barged into her house. Tyreque ran back to his car and pulled off.
He kept calling Darell’s and Hert’s cells over and over again. He began to get frustrated as each and every one went to voicemail. He grabbed his keys and began to drive around the city, searching. Tyreque’s cell finally rang, his mother. Hesitantly, he answered. She asked him to come home because she needed a “favor”. Tyreque pulled up to the house, slowly. He looked in each car on the street, looking for signs of police. He finally walked into the house. His mother was sitting on the couch. Alone. She stared him up and down and broke out a smile, hugging him. He cautiously hugged her back. They both took a seat and faced each other.
“Why? Why did that seem like a good idea to you?”, his mother asked him.
Tyreque stared back. Trying not to say anything.
“Son. I didn’t rat you out to the police. They didn’t even come here for that. “ she said, quietly. “Darius. He told me.” She said with a cold stern look. A look he’s never seen before. It was full of pain and was chilling. “Before he died.” Those words hit Tyreque. They punched him, breaking him apart and exposing him for what he really was. Tyreque watched in his horror as his mom pulled out a fully-loaded pistol.

‘Why d-did you kill my baby boy?!?” Her expression was painful to Tyreque. He couldn’t form the words to respond, or even defend himself. Her lip was quivering, and tears rolled down her eyes. Tyreque stood and tried to hug her.
“NO! Back up, before I blow your goddamn head off!”, Each word she said was followed by her tearing up again. Each word made Tyreque feel like he wanted to die. She was his mother. All the times he screwed up, messed around in school, she had always loved him in the end, forgiving him. She fell back and sat in a chair.
“I can’t take this anymore, Tyreque! Why do you do this to me! You never treated your father this way! Why do you insist on hurting me!?”
Tyreque just stared. He fell to his knees. Begging her to not do this. Assuring her that he always had her on the top of his list. They sat in silence for a good five minutes. The silence was killing them both. She continued to cry. He watched as she began to pick up the pistol. She pointed it at him. Telling him that everything would be alright.
“Mom. Please…” Tyreque was now afraid. Afraid that his mom might really end his life right here. Tears balled down both of their faces. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. His mother would praise him and his father would be healed, thanking him. It was supposed to lead to a happy life. Not to this. Never to this. Then before Tyreque could pray, pray for his dear mother to reconsider what she was doing, reconsider the life-changing choice she was about to make, she turned the gun around and at her head.
And pulled the trigger.