The Art Of the Damned - Chapter One

Preview of the upcoming novel "Art Of the Damned" which is a story of two best friends, Devin Miles and Tyler Holmes, who sell weed in a small town. Both deal with struggling families and other issues

Art of the Damned

Chapter One

 

            I never personally cared for high school football, but my entire town sure did. Each home game was a huge event, with cars piling at the field at the edge of the town. The school band pounded on their drums and blew in their horns. Crowds cheered for the teams. The energy was wild, and while I may not enjoy football, I enjoyed the atmosphere. Not only that, but home games meant big after-parties. And big after-parties were huge opportunities for me and my “business partner” to make a lot of money.

            Me and my partner, Tyler, were deep in the business of selling certain “herbs” to willing buyers. These herbs were used for calming down the mind, and while it had medical purposes, it was wildly used for, well, recreational purposes. We’ve been the town’s best, and practically only “pharmacists” and well proud of that title. I guess because of our straight and serious business attitude. We had the job down to a tight schedule. Tyler, every Sunday would get the herbs from the supplier. I never met our supplier, and I never cared to. All I knew was that he went by “Charger” Then we spent our week driving around and delivering. On occasions like this, we got to make huge amounts of money.

            But enough dancing around the truth. Me and Tyler sold weed. We were two degenerates hailing from Tapisco Valley’s poor neighborhood. Or as most people called it, the whitest ghetto in America. While it was the whitest, it was home to two of the towns three black families. Tyler was from one of those families, The Holmes.

Me and Tyler have always been close ever since I moved to Tapisco Valley in sixth grade. Instantly became friends, as we both played kickball at the town’s recreational center. We grew up, made bad decisions, like most kids do. Through a rabbit hole of these bad decisions, we eventually were offered to start trapping for a close friend. We did that for a year, and eventually were promoted to the designated sellers for our town, Tapisco Valley.

While selling weed seemed like a dangerous life, it was actually quite mundane, especially living in such a small and mostly safe town. It just felt like a job, each week Charger gave us a generous supply of weed, we did what we do best, and split the profits. For us, it was the best job we could get, our families were dirt poor, and jobs around here were mostly family businesses who refused to hire outsiders.

When the home game rolled around, I was excited. My brother Joe told me he and the team were going to be partying at the Water Tower. So while the whole town was at the game, me and Tyler were in his basement bagging up our weed and getting everything together. When it was time, we headed out to the Tower party. Walking through the town, and eventually reached the edge of the forest trail that led to the Water Tower. We began our trek up the mountain

While we walked, Tyler went over the game plan. “You know what to do, we walk up, mingle a bit. Trap, cash out, and bro down.”

“Well, not too fond of the ‘mingle’ part, but it’s part of the job.” I complain, and rightfully so. I didn’t like getting too close with my customers. They weren’t my friends, and only started acting all buddy-buddy when I started selling what teenagers need the most.

“You ain’t gonna be a buzzkill like last time are you? I mean you gotta work with me here Dev, I can’t be picking up the slack for you again.” Tyler starts lecturing me. “It’s a party, and I know we’re here for business, but you’re allowed to have fun.”

“Well it’s a little hard, when in school we’re the ‘bad kids’ but the minute these s**t heads need their fix of Mary Jane, we’re everyone’s best friends.”

“C’mon Devin, you need to lighten up a bit, maybe you’ll meet some cute girls, get yourself a little girlfriend or something.”

“I don’t need a girl, too much stress for me right now.” I tell him. Tyler was always trying to get me a girl, and I appreciated the effort, but I wasn’t too keen on getting a relationship right now. My mind was focused on work.

“Just please don’t be a buzzkill.” He asks me. I just shrug.

“I’ll try.”

“You work on that, but right now let’s just focus on getting to the Tower, this forest is creeping me out, feel like I’m in ‘Nam or some s**t.” Tyler jokes, chopping through some bushes. “Goddamn Vietcong could be right on our asses.”

“You’re a weirdo.” I roll my eyes.

“God forbid�"” He exhales sharply. “Could you at least just fake a laugh for me?” He complains.

“Haha”

“F**k you.”

In due time, the muffled music in the distance grew louder, until the trail opened up in a large opening. The music blasted from a yellow Dewalt speaker, while I saw my brother and the team chugging from solo cups. Girls were off in one corner taking pictures. It was a teenage wasteland filled with hormones going wild. An absolute f*****g nightmare.

“Here, take you’re your bag.” Tyler takes out a large Ziploc filled with dimes of weed. “And here, I’m sure Mr. Loko will help you open up.” He pulls out two  24 oz. cans of Four Lokos for me, gold flavor.

“What a nice surprise, My fav’” I crack it open, and he opens his forty. We cheer, take a drink and split off. Him to the guys, and me to the girls.

Luckily, I didn’t really need to mingle to sell. The girls saw me approach, and I was hit with a wave of loud greetings and hugs. Like I said, bad girl in school, but when they needed it…

“Devin, My BFF! I’m so glad you came! I didn’t see you at the game, you didn’t go to see your brother?” One of the girls asked me. She had a number on one cheek, and an eagle (our school mascot) on the other, painted with red and white face paint. She was pretty, but like basic pretty. The only thing that differed her from the rest of her gal pals was her flaming red hair. Her name was Taylor… I think.

“Well, me and Tyler had to do something, we were a little busy so I couldn’t make it.” I tell her, and she pouts.

“Your brother did amazing! If it weren’t for him making those tackles we would’ve lost!” She tells me and I rolled my eyes. Joe wasn’t even on defense, he was a receiver.

“Yeah, he’s pretty good, I get reminded that everyday.” I say, taking a big swig from my can.

“So Devin,” another one her friends comes up, “You got loud?”

“Always do, what y’all need?” and it starts. When one person buys, then everyone follows. The girls gave me their money, and I gave them their weed. I didn’t have time to count, I pocket the money. I chat with the girls a bit. Well, more drinking than chatting. I didn’t relate to their boy problems, or their cheerleading problems, or how their mom took their car keys away for a week. But I just drank and politely nodded. Soon, I was drunk enough to not care.

After a bit of that, I decide to check up on Tyler, and I walk over to the boys, where I see Tyler being held up by my brother and a friend, doing a keg stand. The boys cheer him on. On one hand, I’m mad at him for not sticking to the plan, but I didn’t wanna be a buzzkill, I promised him that much.

After they’re done. I walk up to Joe “Enjoying the big win?” I ask him.

“Yeah I am!” He shouts, and chugs a beer. I laugh, never seeing such a powerful display of testosterone. “Hey um, you still sparkin’ me up?” He asks.

“Well, I promised if you won that I would.” I tell him. I probably would’ve sparked him up anyway, he was my brother after all.

“Great, just let me know.” He tells me, and goes back to chugging his beers. Looking around the crowd, I spot a familiar face. Sitting against a tree, with a cup in one hand, and looking at his phone.

“Ryan?” I ask, and he looks up, surprised. Ryan was a timid kid. I could tell he didn’t really wanna be here.

“Oh hey Devin.” He greets, I give him a look and he reads my mind. “Yeah I know, Jeff dragged me here, says I need to get out more.”

“Well if you ask me, if Jeff was a good friend, he wouldn’t let his buddy ‘ol pal waiting under a tree.” I say.

“Don’t worry I’m fine, just chilling. I only really came here to paint the Tower.” He tells me, gesturing to his plastic bag filled with cans of spray paint. Ryan was a graffiti artist, and a good one too. The town was filled with his art.

“What’d you paint?”

“Just my tag, just wanted to get up there and tag it real quick. But some day I’ll figure out something great to put up there.”

“Put up a pot leaf, like in 70s show.” I joke, and he laughs, it was his favorite show.

“Just hope I won’t fall like Kelso.” He laughs.

“You wanna catch this spark with me Ty and Joe?” I ask him, and he shrugs.

“Yeah, why not.” He says, and I tell him Ill call him when we’re ready.

The rest of the night sort of flew by. We drank and drank, and everyone got drunker and drunker. With the help of “Mr. Loko” I did eventually loosen up. Singing with my “friends” and even got in a picture with everyone. Eventually people stopped buying. And Tyler came up to me after a bit.

“Cash out?” He asks.

“Bro Down.” I tell him. I go and grab Ryan, and Tyler grabs Joe. We head off to a small trail. Tyler and Joe singing together, stumbling all over the place. Me and Ryan watch and laugh at them. Eventually we reach a small cliff, that overlooked the entire town. It was an amazing sight, that I was too drunk to appreciate. We sit on the large rocks that littered the space. Me and Tyler start rolling up two Backwoods, Joe holding his phone with his flash on for a light. Eventually, the woods are rolled up, and we spark them up, and I instantly calm down.

“Southwest side boys.” Tyler cheers with the wood. “And uh, girl.” He gestures to me. Southwest was where our neighborhood lied in town.

“You know, I know I don’t really chill with y’all much, but I love you guys.” Joe mumbles. Laying back against a tree.

“No worries my son, You may be a football player, chillin’ with the big boys up Northside, but you’re still a Southwest boy at heart.” Tyler tells him.

Ryan takes the Backwood, and takes a hit, coughing up a storm. “Jesus Christ, how do you smoke these?” He croaks.

“Backwoods only baby.” I tell him. Backwoods were strong, but they hit like hell. I already felt high after only a few hits.

“You know what, I’m glad Jeff dragged me up here. Tonight was a great night.”

“Yeah, tonight was better than I expected.” I admit, and Tyler laughs.

“Oh, I thought you hated everyone, and that they were all customers?” Tyler jokes, and I hit him.

“Oh shut up, just be glad I didn’t buzzkill your night.”

“God I’m fucked up.” Joe announces. His eyes closed, still leaning back.

“Well you better get un-fucked up. We still gotta take this walk home.” I scold him.

“Jesus, you’re right.” He wakes up instantly. Shaking himself up.

“I always forget about the walk home whenever I drink.” Tyler complains.

Ryan shrugs. “Sometimes the walk home is the best part.”

“Not when you’re shitfaced.” Joe points out.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t drink too much.” Ryan jokes.

“Maybe you need to drink more my friend.” Joe mumbles.

“I’ll pass.”

Tyler pulls out a wad of cash, and starts rubbing it on him, “God, sweet, sweet cash.” We all look at him concerned.

            “I’m sure charger will appreciate having his money rubbed all over your sweaty body.” I joke. I pull out my money and start counting and straightening it. I made a lot, and when me and Tyler put our money together. We both end up with about five hundred dollars.

            “Jesus Christ Devin.” Joe exclaims.

            “All in a days work bro.” I slap Joe with my money. I take a rubber band and band up my cash.

We finish smoking after a bit, and we all just sit and look at the town for a while. Right below us down the cliff was Northside, which was filled with big houses, pools, gardens. It was where the rich a******s lived. Across the river that split the town in two is where the Eastside Historic district and Southwest where located. Eastside was Tapisco Valley’s downtown. Every year it was growing, with stores and cafes popping up left and right, which had Southwest constantly shrinking. Southwest was our home. It’s house were dirty and poorly built. The roads cracked, the grass not so green. It wasn’t pretty, but it was home. I figured it wouldn’t be long before it was gentrified out of existence.

Eventually, we had to head home. When we got back to the tower, everyone had already cleared off. We walked down the trail, which was much easier going down, thankfully. Tyler and Joe pretended to be G.I.s, traversing through the “jungles of ‘Nam.” We reached the edge of the forest, and walked down the winding clean roads of Northside. We sang rap songs, and laughing as we saw the neighbors fearfully peek out their windows and close their blinds. We cross the bridge at the river, walking through downtown, which was brightly lit with streetlights and neon signs.

While we walked down one of the side streets, Tyler loudly sang some Kendrick song, when we heard the unmistakable bleep of a cop car. I saw our shadows shoot out in front of us as a spotlight shone from behind us. I panic, releasing the amount of money and weed we had on us. I look to Tyler for help but he kept his face straight. He turned around to face the cops as their cruiser pulled up to the side.

“Hey what’s up?” Tyler asks.

“Do you know what time it is?” The cop asks.

“It’s pretty late I assume, we were just on our way�"

“You know people sleep right? No one wants to hear you singing this loud at two in the morning.”

“Right I’m Sorry I just�"

“Have you been drinking? Let me see your eyes? Smoking too?”

“Uh maybe a bit to be honest it’s just�"

“You know what happens if I find any of you in possession of marijuana? Right?” He begins and is about to give us a whole speech before his partner next to him shouts.

“Oh hey that’s Red Leg Joe!” He shouts, addressing my brother.

Joe’s face looks up. “Oh hey! Officer Brady!” He reaches in the window and shakes both their hands.

“You kids must have been celebrating right?” Officer Brady laughs. “Crazy kids, I remember those water tower kegs back in the day.”

“I’ve heard stories, my mom used to tell me about them” Joe laughs up with the cops.

“Well, you kids get home safe, I’m sure Joe here should be getting some rest for Monday’s practice.” Brady bids us farewell, and drives off, his partner seemingly salty about the whole ordeal.

Me and Tyler let out a sigh of relief. “Jesus Christ.” I exhale.

“Lucky y’all had me with you.” Joe laughs.

“I honestly could’ve handled it if he would let me speak.” Tyler shakes his head, clearly upset.

“Hey c’mon man, we got lucky, tonight was a great night.” I assure him.

“I don’t know. I guess. That s**t bothers me. The way he talked down to me.” Tyler just kicks a can on the ground and goes silent.

Walking down a few streets, the houses slowly began to look more slumped. The roads filled with potholes and weeds, and it got much darker. We were home, here in Southwest. It looked like s**t, but I felt a bit more comfortable nonetheless. Eventually, we begin to split off. First Ryan, Then Tyler, and finally, me and Joe reach our house

Joe stops in his tracks, his face almost instantly sobering up. “They’re fighting again.” He mutters. I focus, and sure enough, I hear my Mom and Step dad fighting on the inside. I sigh, the comfortable feeling of being home flees my body. We stand their for a bit, before walking up the steps and walking in.

They stop when they see us walking in. A bit shocked. “Oh, uh. Joe congrats on the win!” Our mom greets, giving Joe a hug.

“Great job kid.” My stepdad, Arnold, mutters. “We’re proud of you.”

While they talk about the game, I slip up stairs. Trying my best not to seem drunk. I start walking to my room, when I stop myself. I take a peek in my sisters room, where she lies awake in her bed under the covers.

“Hi Alyssa.” I greet.

“You’re home?” She asks, and I nod.

“Yeah I’m home. Are you okay?” I ask her, walking in her room and sitting at the edge of her bed.

“Yeah.” She answers. “Mom and Arnold are fighting.”

“I know.” I tell her.

“They’re really mad.” She says. And I nod. And she laughs a bit nervously. I look around her room. She had a lot of collectable Barbies, and other various dolls that lined her rooms. Alyssa had autism, and loves her dolls. I tried to buy her one every week. Her collection was almost complete.

“Try to get some sleep Alyssa, it’s late.” I tell her.

“Oh no.” she utters

“Yeah, tell me about it.” I laugh. “Goodnight Alyssa.”

“Goodnight Devin.” She says, and I leave, shutting off her lights behind me. I walk into my room and just flop in my bed. Struggling with the spins. I’m about to fall asleep, but I feel a huge lump in my sweatpants. I’m confused, until I pull it out and realize its my money. I reach under my bed and pull out my safe box. Unlocking the padlock, and throwing my money in with the rest.

Laying in bed a bit more, I start to drift off when I hear my mom and Arnold start up again. I simply take a pillow and cover my eyes, blissfully silencing out their failing marriage. While it bothered me, I think about the money in my safe box, my only motivation that gets me through nights like these.

Author's Note

There may be grammar issues, this is still a rough draft from the entire book. Any criticism is welcome.