Chapter 2: The Yellow Envelope

The next day I awoke to the doorbell chiming. I was still out of it; from the news I received the night before. I got my boxers on and proceeded downstairs to answer it. When I got there the person disappeared, I initially thought it was kids playing a prank until I saw an Envelope taped to the door, with my name on it.

I went inside fearing what it was going to be. I decided I needed to take a shower and make myself breakfast before I opened it. In my head I had a feeling of what it might be enclosed but I was in denial on what I saw the night before.

About an hour later I had just finished washing the dishes from the breakfast I made. I no longer had an excuse to not open the envelope. Frightened, and if I am being honest, aroused. A state that brought its own shame. It took me about thirty more minutes of staring at the table in silence before I grabbed it and headed up stairs to my computer.

As I sat down in my chair by my desk, I pushed the power button on my computer. While it was booting up, I decided to open the letter. My stomach turned hard when I started reading.

Hey loser,

I am glad you won that trophy. I want you to think of what I am sending you every time you look at it. Your mom is a very good cocksucker. Thank you for being such a neglectful son that you let her fall into our clutches. But no worries I have several surprises for you coming soon. I am not going to spoil them now. So I will just start sending you the first set of. Enjoy, you might want to get the popcorn, or a Kleenex and lotion. Hahaha.

Until next time Loser,

Your Daddy, Steve Eccleston

The computer finally finished its update and had a home screen. I plugged in the flash drive. The flash drive had multiple folders. They all are around the time of when my mother started to work at Deacon High School.

First Folder Labeled Chit Chat.

It appeared to be a camera inside the principal’s office. The principal of Deacon High School, was a huge black man who was built like solid rock, he had no hair. He understood why he was principal there, if those kids were tough, he was tougher, the man looked like he could break up a riot by himself. Nope Calvin Anderson was one of the toughest hard cut hombres you could ever meet.

The feed was showing him talking to my mom. She was dressed in one of her work outfits. A longer dress that went a little longer than mid-calf, flats, and simple white blouse.

“I do not care Stephanie. You are soft and they are running all over you!” Calvin barked in a harsh tone.

“But sir!, I was handling the situation. I was giving him a chance to do the right thing, one last time.” My mother said with a hint of compassion in her voice.

“Handling the situation? Handling the situation? He groped your butt, and you were about to let him get off with a warning. Damnit Stephanie these kids don’t give a damn about referrals, you trying to talk to them like that is not any kind of threat. That course of action will end up with you getting devoured alive. You must be assertive, do not take any backtalk.” Mr. Anderson said. Just then a person got thrown into the lockers down the hall. Mr. Anderson just grinned and nodded his head towards the commotion.

“Here you go, your first chance. Deal with that.” Anderson said pointing at that altercation.

My mom could yell harshly when she wanted to, and she did so loud the entire hall got quiet. The boys stopped fighting. My mom then said, “Both of you in my office now!”

“Why are you wanting some alone time with them? Going to get them expelled like you did me?” Steve came into the picture he had two more friends with him.

Video Feed timestamped 30 minutes later...

“That is the last straw young man! I am going over tonight to speak to your parents. I will not take you disrespecting women in this school got it?” My mom said her face was red as can be.

Steve just looked back with a grin and said, “Whatever you say? I just warn you this once, do not go to my house.” Steve said before walking off before my mother could respond.

“Unbelievable. Can you believe him?” My mother asks Mr. Anderson who was just grinning at the exchange.

“That is more like it. I knew you had a hard center and I already know you care.” Mr. Anderson said as he crossed is arms over his chest looking over the students he is in charge of.

“So, are you actually going to go over there?” Mr. Anderson asked with his eyebrow raised.

“Well, he will think he is immune to consequences if I do not, nor will he take any threat I make seriously again.” My mother said back.

“True he will not respect you anymore if you do not follow through on your threat, but you are not in Ivory Hills anymore. This is one of the toughest places in the country. If you do not feel comfortable, I will understand. We will just have to deal with the repercussions.” Mr. Anderson said.

“Normally I would be scared, I am not going to lie Calvin. But this kid also was in Ivory Hills as little as a year ago.” Mom said trying to counter act his argument.

“Alright, alright if you think you got this, I will not try to make the situation anymore scary than it already is. Just watch yourself, you are fresh meat to some hombres down there.”

“Calvin I did not come down here to be a scared little school girl. I came to give back to this community. They do not need help in Ivory Hills, they need it here!” She barked passionately.

“Ok, ok. Just be careful ok, don’t leave me here by myself finding a new Vice-Principal” Mr.Anderson said.

“Don’t worry no matter what happens I will be here the entire year. I am no quitter” My mom said.

The Video Clip ended there.

I hit pause as I felt it was getting harder to breathe. I looked at my mother and realized she does not dress the way she does in that video anymore. I am not going to lie, I was afraid to resume the viewing of what was on this USB drive. I went to the bathroom threw and cold water on my face and steeled myself to continue watching.

Another video started.

It was my mother dressed in her work clothes.

“This is his house?” I asked myself. It was a rundown wooden house that looked like it should be condemned. Not to mention it looked like it was packed with people. It looked like a crack house. She knocked on the door and looked as serious as a heart attack. There appeared to be a speaker at the door. I could see my mother pressing it over and over again hoping someone was going to answer her. Then an answer finally came.

“What!? The voice uttered on the other side. It sounded like a black man. Which was odd because Steve is a white man. I paused the video and zoomed in. It looked like a symbol of some kind near the front side of the house on the other side of the door. It looked like an inverted stylized SVS with the V made of jagged spears.

Then it hit me, that must refer to the Salvage District Savages. The Savages were one of the most feared gangs in all the city. I suddenly got very worried. The Savages had been a mainstay of the Salvage district for the better part of the last 50 years. However, it was not until ten years ago when they really blew up. Their leader, who was still unknown, did away with gang colors, nor did they really favor any race. Just about every ethnicity was represented in their gang. The only requirement was that all Savages had to live in the Salvage district and have their Sigil on their body. They were giving law enforcement fits. Without the easy profile of race or color scheme the police were having lots of trouble dealing with them. Because they had to get tattoos, the tattoo artist could identify anyone who did not come to their studio. The police had to stop sending undercover agents into the Salvage district.

“Oh mom what did you get yourself into?” I thought to myself. I felt helpless as I realized this already has happened. I cannot do anything to help her but watch.

I resumed the video.

“Does Steve Eccleston live at this residence?” My mom asked, her courage sounding like it was leaving her.

“You Five-0?” The other side asked.

“No, I am the vice principal at Deacon High School.” My mom said trying to sound as official as possible.

“Lady, Yes he does, to answer your next question we are not going to let you in here. Please go!” The rough voice on the side said.

My mother was a woman who would not take no for an answer. So typically, when she gets mad she barks out without thinking, “Like hell I will, if you do not let me in this second I am going to call the police and say that I believe you are performing illegal activities at this residence, do not think I don’t smell the pot.

No sound came from the speaker. She was worried they were just going to leave her on the porch. It was quite for almost a full minute before the reply came.

“Come in” the same voice said from the other side.

The camera showed my mother enter the residence. Then the clip stopped.

The next clip.

Another feed started playing. It looked from inside the house. There were stacks of cash sitting on top of the desk. It looked like there were eight people inside of the living room. The person my mother was facing was hidden behind a recliner all I could see was a recliner and a blunt or stogey he was smoking.

The video that started out as silent suddenly had volume indicating the obvious, that the video was edited.

“No bitch ... you already saw too much. You done fucked up. Steve told you to stay away and you had to prove how tough you are.” The black man in the chair reiterated.

“Look, I made a mistake. I spoke out of turn. Just let me go and we can forget all this ever happened.” My mom was saying with a shaky voice. I saw the people behind her they all had very large guns strapped to them.

“Nope, you are not leaving until I am satisfied you are not going to talk.” The voice said.

“Look if you kill me every police officer will come looking for me. You will all go to jail. No need for any of that. Let’s just let bygone’s be bygones. Trust me I will not tell a soul about what happened.”

“Who said anything about killing you? And I don’t trust you, not yet anyway. Nah, you are not going anywhere. But you need an attitude adjustment. A big one. You came here and challenged me in my own kingdom. Bitch I am the King and you are in my court.” The voice said. He must have given a signal of some kind because after a pause two big gangbangers each seized an arm of my mother.

“No.no ... no don’t please!” My mom spat out very scared.

“Too late. Steve get the strap! You two strip the bitch and prepare for her attitude adjustment.” The man ordered. He got up and he was 6’8” of pure muscle.

The video flickered and jumped to a short time later in the feed. My stomach turned hard. Bent over one of the dilapidated couches was my mother, only she was naked from head to toe as the day she was born and her butt was facing out, her hands were tied in front of her to the far couch leg stretching her arms out so she could not move.

Then I saw it. Steve Eccleston come into the frame, he had his shirt off, he was very cut. In his hand was a leather strap that looked like a belt missing its buckle. He had a deranged look in his eye.

“You got me expelled. You had me cast out of your paradise. Then you come to my new home and try to take me down again. No more. You are going to learn respect right here right now! Just like my half brother said.” Steve explained.

Whoa Steve’s half brother was that tank of a black man that was running this place.

“Please ... Steve let me go, I learned my lesson this does not need to go further I will not bother you again.” My mom pleaded with tears in her eyes.

“Nope. I am afraid I cannot do that. Besides we have to make sure you are not going to bring the cops down on us.” Steven said.

“Let me go and they will not come.” My mom answered back.

“Oh I know they will not come now.” Steve said as he cocked his arm back and slammed the strap hard on my mother’s creamy butt cheek. I saw her skin immediately jump right at the same time the room erupted in a sound of snapping leather.