Out of Control

“Deidra don’t go. I told you I won’t let anything happen to you,” Harry said to a slamming door.

Deidra pushed her way through the crowd of gamblers and knew that she would have to do whatever it took to save her life and turn this around.

Jamaica and his men sat across the street from Harry’s spot and waited. “There go Deidra Walker,” Alfred said.

“Give it a minute ’fore Harry Walker come run behind her big ass,” Leonard added. As promised, a minute later, Harry came running out of the spot. He got to the car in time to watch Deidra drive off in his car. Harry went back inside, but came back out quickly. He got in another car and drove off.

“Now we wait,’ Jamaica said.

It was a little after five in the morning when the last gambler left Harry’s spot. “Dexter come out in a minute,” Jamaica said and Leonard and Alfred got out of the car.

When Dexter, who ran the spot for Harry, came out with the money, Alfred walked up behind him. He put a gun at the base of his skull. Leonard stepped out of the shadows and relieved him of the money. They walked him to the car and used plastic cuffs to secure his wrists and ankles, then blindfolded Dexter before they put him in the car with Jamaica. Alfred got in the front seat and started up the car. Leonard went and got something out of the trunk before getting in the backseat with Dexter.

“I know you can’t see it but I have a gun pointed at you,” Jamaica said as Alfred drove off. “If say or do the wrong thing, I put a bullet in your head.”

Dexter didn’t say a word. He just prayed that he would live through the night. “Ouch!” Dexter screamed as he felt something on his neck.

“Take the blindfold off him, Leonard,” Jamaica ordered.

Leonard took off the blindfold and Dexter jumped a little when he saw the big yellowish-green snake in Leonard’s hand.

“In case you don’t recognize it, that is a Black Mamba. It is one of the deadliest snakes you can find. You can tell a Black Mamba from the black coloration inside the mouth. It was the bite of the snake that you feel. But not to worry, the snake bite won’t kill you—it’s the venom that will take your li

fe,” Jamaica said. “But not right away.

Leonard got out and put the snake back in the trunk. He came back with a bucket and sat it on Dexter’s lap. “You may need this soon,” he said and laughed. Jamaica told Alfred to just drive around. While they drove Leonard explained to Dexter how he was going to die. “You gon’ start to feel dizzy.”

Jamaica looked back at Dexter. “Look at him. Him dizzy now,” he said as Dexter eyes seemed to glaze over and his head began to sway from side to side.

“Then you begin coughing and you have difficulty breathing, and you heartbeat, mon, it gon’ go crazy,” Leonard told him. “I hear of some case, ya no, when the Mamba bite you, it cause paralysis. Death come from suffocation from paralysis of the respiratory muscles. But most times the victim has received a large amount of venom, death come in an hour from cardiac arrest.”

As they continued to drive, within thirty minutes, Dexter’s symptoms began to manifest. His sweating increased, and he would holler from severe abdominal pain. Leonard knew that nausea and vomiting would come soon. “Gon’ hold the bucket, Leonard. He look like he ready to go,” Jamaica suggested. “I don’t want it all over the car.” Almost on cue, Dexter began vomiting.

“You gon’ die soon,” Jamaica told Dexter, but he already knew that. “Drive to Harry them house.”

When they arrived at Harry’s house, Leonard and Alfred helped him out of the car and then cut the plastic cuffs that bound his waists and ankles. “You be sure to tell Harry Walker that Mike Black sends his regards,” Jamaica said and fired one shot in the air. Dexter walked toward the house as best he could. Harry came out with his gun in time to see Jamaica drive away.

When Dexter reached the house, he fell into Harry’s arms. “What happened?” Harry asked.

“Snake bite.”

“Who did this to you, Dexter?”

By that time, Deidra had gotten to the door. She came outside and saw the puncture marks on Dexter’s neck.

“You know damn well who did it. I told you we should have taken their offer. Now we’re all gonna die for your stubbornness, Harry,” Deidra said in disgust and went back in the house and thought about packing a bag and heading for Miami.

“Dexter! Dexter!” Harry yelled and shook him. But it was too late. The venom had done its work.

CHAPTER NINE

By the time the sun went down the following evening, everybody who needed to know had heard that Dexter had died from a snake bite. Harry had spent the better part of the day making sure that Jamaica hadn’t killed any more of his people or robbed any more of his spots. When Harry returned home, Deidra was sitting in the living room with her bags packed. “Where are you goin’, Deidra?”

“I’m going to Miami,” Deidra said and stood up. “I didn’t want to leave without saying good-bye.”

“Why you want to run to Miami?”

“I’m not gonna sit around here like a fool and wait for that man to kill us.”