God Has Spoken Page 6

  This was it.

  Chapter Ten

  Suddenly the sky exploded with what sounded like thunderous fireworks. The guns sang hoarsely. The loud sound resonated into the air. The ground rattled. “What the heck?” said the gang leader lying on top of Tiny before he jumped to his feet. Almost tripping over his pants wrapped around his ankles, he hurriedly pulled them up to his waist. Lunging for his 9 mm gun that lay in the grass at his feet, he ran and ducked behind a bench close by.

  Almost simultaneously, his boys let go of Tiny’s legs and arms. Alarmed, they too grabbed their guns and ran to take cover behind some dark trees, returning fire.

  Tiny squealed out in fright. She covered her ringing ears with her hands but was too paralyzed to move. Her mind was stuck on feeling the private parts of the man pressing against her own nude body. Just as he was about to rape her, the shots rang out. Tiny didn’t know who was shooting or why, but they had obviously saved her from being raped.

  Unbeknown to Tiny, as soon as the gang of thugs entered the park that night, most of the homeless people grabbed their meager belongings and carts and fled. They knew trouble was brewing and wanted nothing to do with it. Except one man, who hid behind a tree and watched as Tiny was attacked. Horrified, he sneaked away and ran out to the main road, looking up and down the street for the police who sometimes patrolled the area.

  Minutes went by and he saw no one. The homeless man knew Tiny didn’t have much time, and he by himself was unable to help her. Still wandering the nearby streets, he refused to give up as he looked for help.

  Suddenly the lights of a car turned a corner up ahead. He ran toward it and breathed a sigh of relief as the police car came toward him. Waving his hands wildly in the air, he flagged down the car that stopped at his feet.

  “What’s the matter, man?” one of the police officers asked.

  “A girl is being attacked in the park,” the homeless man informed the officers. “The men have guns. I think they’re going to rape and kill her.”

  “Officers requesting backup at Williams Park, downtown!” the other police officer shouted over his radio. “Woman is being attacked. Men are armed and dangerous.”

  Pulling off at lightning speed, the car hugged the curb and disappeared toward the park. The homeless man wandered in the other direction, hoping they would make it in time to save the nice-looking young girl.

  Police officers fanned out over the park with guns drawn. Dodging from tree to tree, they cautiously looked around for the area where the attack was taking place. Soon one of them saw a girl being held down by four men, while another man dropped his pants, fully exposing himself.

  The officer ran back to a safe distance and relayed the location to the other police officers. Quickly they surrounded the gang members, blocking them in.

  Laughing and giggling, the gang was unaware that they were being watched by the police. The anticipation of raping Tiny filled their thoughts and mind. The police officers watched as the gang leader got on top of a helpless Tiny. Then one of the police officers fired a warning shot in the air. Soon his colleagues were doing the same.

  Scrambling for cover, the surprised gang members returned fire at the police, and a gun war between the two groups ensued.

  A bullet whizzed by Tiny’s head. Trembling in fright, she rolled over to her side and glanced around but saw nobody. Getting up on all fours, Tiny crept alongside a row of trees, her head hanging low. Shortly after, she peeked up and saw the side exit of the park leading to the main road. If only she could make it to the road.

  Rapid gunfire filled the air. The hair on Tiny’s head stood up straight when someone howled in pain. “Lord, please protect me,” Tiny said aloud as she dashed from the park. Bolting through the opened exit, she took off down Kings Street naked as a jaybird.

  Zooming past closed stores and businesses, Tiny continued running for her life. Her breasts flapped heavily against her chest, breast milk seeping down her body. Fear splashed across her face like a neon light. Inhaling deeply and exhaling loudly, Tiny didn’t let up until she came to a small community of tiny board and zinc-fenced houses.

  Panting like a dog in the middle of the street, Tiny bent over with her hands resting on her knees, sucking air into her starved, burning lungs. A few minutes passed before she stood up and checked out the area. She saw no sign of any human life. Walking slowly along the side of the semidarken streets, her hands covering her breasts, Tiny was conscious of her nakedness. “What am I going to do now?” she whispered as she looked around in fright.

  Pop! Pop! Tiny dived through an opening in the zinc fence closest to her, landing facedown in the dirt. With her hands over her head, she whimpered, fearing her attackers had tracked her down.

  Soon the distinctive sound of a car came rolling by her. The car backfired as it zipped down the street. Shaken, Tiny took a deep breath before hesitantly getting to her feet.

  Dusting dirt from her face and the front of her body, she glanced around, noticing that she was in the backyard of a small house. Running from an ackee tree at one end of the yard to a mango tree at the other end, was a clothesline. Hanging on the line was freshly washed clothes. Tiny burst out in tears but quickly bit her lips. Either the house occupants were out at the time or they were sleeping. In any case, she didn’t want to be seen.

  Moving like a shadow in the night, Tiny approached the clothes hanging on the line. She noticed some men’s trousers, shirts, and shorts. Her eyes then landed on some women’s dresses a few inches away. Silently, she reached up and pulled off one of the dresses. The clothespins fell to the ground at her feet. Walking along the clotheslines she looked for some underwear but saw nothing. Tiny went back and took off a pair of men’s shorts from the clothesline.

  Slipping the dress over her head, it fell a little above her knees. Tiny then pulled on the shorts. The elastic waistband surprisingly fit her small frame. Out of nowhere her mind flashed back on a popular Bible verse that Aunt Madge recited frequently, First Chronicles 16:34, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Feeling a little better now that she had some clothes on, Tiny skulked around the side of the house. The roof of the neighboring house provided a dark silhouette which looked safe enough to hide until daylight.

  Sitting with her back against the outer frame of the house, her chin resting on her bended knees, Tiny closed her eyes. Her tummy growled, but she ignored it. Before long, the night’s activities caught up with her and Tiny nodded off.

  “Good morning, Jamaica! Thank you for tuning in to the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation. This is JBC, your favorite radio station.”

  Tiny’s head jerked up in alarm at the DJ’s voice that came through an open window above her head. Wincing at the crick pain in her neck, she used her right hand to massage it. It was daylight. The beautiful rays from the sun could be seen over the top of the trees in the distance. It was also time to go before she was discovered. Obviously, someone was awake inside the house.

  Tiny tiptoed to the backyard. Scanning the area, she saw no one. Silently, she made her way back to the opening in the fence that she had jumped through. Squeezing her body through the tight space, she found herself on the sidewalk.

  The street was now bustling with activities unlike a few hours ago. Vendors rushed their carts loaded down with goods toward the Parade market. Vehicles zoomed up and down the road, and small businesses were opening their shutters.

  “Good morning,” Tiny said to a kind-faced woman who was passing by. “Can you please tell me how to get to New Kingston from here?”

  “Oh, dear Lord. Are you okay?” the woman asked as her eyes ran over Tiny’s bruised face in alarm. “What happened to you, baby? Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Want me to go and get the police?” She fired one question after the other at Tiny.

  “No no no,” Tiny said quickly, shaking her head. “It looks worse than it is. Really, I’m fine.”
She looked at the woman with one bloodshot eye, the other was partially closed.

  “You don’t look fine to me,” the woman pressed on. As a mother of five daughters, her motherly instinct refused to drop the issue. “I think you need medical attention.”

  But Tiny shook her head and turned to walk away.

  “Okay, okay,” the woman’s voice stopped her. “New Kingston is a little distance away. You will need to take the bus.”

  “Oh, I can walk,” Tiny said. “It won’t be a problem.”

  The woman looked Tiny up and down. Her eyes narrowed as she began to put the pieces together. “You are not from around here,” the woman noted. “Where are you from?”

  “Trelawny,” Tiny mumbled as tears filled her eyes. She looked away from the woman.

  “Sweetheart, look at me,” the woman said. Her brows were knitted with concern as her eyes met Tiny’s. “Please go back home. This is no place for a beautiful, innocent, country girl like you.”

  “I can’t go back,” Tiny whispered. “They are going to hurt my aunt if I do.”

  “Come on.” The woman grabbed Tiny’s hand. “I’m taking you to the police station. You are going to tell them who threatened your aunt and why you had to run away from your home.”

  “No!” Tiny’s voice was laced with panic. She pulled her hand out of the woman’s. “Please. I just need to get to my friend who works in New Kingston.”

  “Fine. What does your friend do?” the woman asked skeptically.

  “She works at a club there,” Tiny answered.

  “So you are going to be staying with her?” the woman asked with apprehension. She was still bothered by Tiny’s situation.

  Tiny nodded her head. “Once I get to her I’ll be okay.”

  “All right then.” The woman reached into her handbag and pulled out some money, which she handed to Tiny. “This is enough to get something to eat and for your bus fare to New Kingston.”

  As if on cue, Tiny’s stomach grumbled its appreciation. Embarrassed, she took the money. “Thank you, ma’am.” Tiny expressed her gratitude. “I promise I’ll be okay.”

  “I’m still praying that you will go back home soon,” the woman told her. “You don’t want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Come on, let me show you where to get the bus.” Again, she took hold of Tiny’s hand and they walked toward the bus stop.

  Approximately an hour later Tiny hopped off the bus on Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston. Her eyes traveled up the modern, high-rise buildings as she took in the hustle and bustle of the busy financial sector. But unlike the day before when she gazed wide-eyed at everything, Tiny wasn’t that impressed with her environment any longer. She knew that despite the glitz and glamour, danger was also lurking around the corner.

  Tiny got directions to the club from a passerby and hurried toward Dominica Drive where it was located. It was early morning but maybe someone was there who could give her some information on Dolly. “Please be open,” Tiny mumbled as she walked. “Please, God, let there be someone in that club who can tell me where to find Dolly.”

  But there wasn’t anyone. “CLOSED” read the sign hanging on the front door of the “Champion Girls” club. Tiny’s shoulders dropped in frustration. She would have to wait until eight p.m. when it would be opened.

  Tiny felt a sharp cramp in her tummy, a reminder that she hadn’t eaten in hours. Slowly she walked away from the club onto Trinidad Terrace. Across from an insurance building, she noticed a small restaurant. Crossing the street in a hurry, Tiny opened the restaurant door and went inside. The strong smell of the Blue Mountain coffee, fried dumplings, ackee and saltfish, and other tantalizing dishes tickled her nostrils. Her stomach growled in anticipation.

  A few customers stared at Tiny curiously as she quickly walked to the back of the room, her head hanging low to the floor. Taking a seat in a corner with her back toward everyone, her face to the wall, Tiny picked up the menu off the table. She decided to order the cheapest thing on the menu. Before long a waitress came over and took her order, barely glancing at Tiny’s injured face. Returning fifteen minutes later, she placed the food on the table in front of her. “Enjoy,” the waitress mumbled before hurrying off to attend to the next customer.

  A groan escaped Tiny’s lips after she took a big bite of the fluffy fried dumpling. Biting, chewing, and swallowing, the four dumplings disappeared in record time. Tiny sat back contentedly in her chair and took a few sips of the hot mint tea. A loud belch resounded in the room. She quickly looked down at her empty plate embarrassed. She felt eyes digging into her back, but she ignored them as she drank the rest of her tea, draining the cup.

  Moments later, Tiny stood up and walked to a register at the front of the room. “How much is it?” she asked the cashier.

  “Two dollars.”

  Tiny took out some money from her jeans pocket and counted out the two dollars, leaving her just a few dollars to spare. She exited the restaurant and stood on the sidewalk in uncertainty. What was she going to do until eight p.m.?

  Tiny was exhausted and quite frankly, her body was still aching from the beating she took the night before. Now that she had something to eat, some sleep would be nice. She decided to just walk around and look for somewhere to sit and wait.

  Back on Knutsford Boulevard, Tiny noticed some long benches under big trees alongside the busy main road. Walking across the soft, manicured grass, she wearily sat down, stretching out her long legs. It was broad daylight, and she felt safer. As she watched the vehicles zooming up and down the road, people scurrying in every direction, her eyelids grew heavy.

  Maybe I should go home. But just as quickly as the thought entered her mind, the angry face of Beverly Gregg filled her mind as well. She saw Officer Gregg’s furious eyes as he almost choked her to death, and finally she remembered the teeny creature that came from her body. Tiny shuddered. No, she could not go back home.

  Moments later, Tiny groggily curled up on the bench, her knees pulled toward her chest. Soon she succumbed to the exhaustion, her troubled thoughts put to rest . . . at least for a while.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tiny woke up suddenly. Her heart pounded in her chest. Wide-eyed she jumped to her feet and frantically looked around. She was by herself under the tree.

  Night had fallen. New Kingston was brightly lit and still full of life. The workday had ended for most, and it was now time to have some fun. Tiny walked down to the street and asked a lady passing by for the time. It was eight thirty p.m.

  Yay! It was time for her to see Dolly.

  Excitedly, Tiny made her way back to the club, which was just on the other street. As she got to the front door, the sign now read “OPEN.” Finally.

  Tiny pushed the door inward and was welcomed into a semidark room by vociferous voices. The melodious sound of Beres Hammond streamed from loud, hidden speakers declaring to everyone, “I’m in Love with You.”

  Small, round tables with occupied chairs were scattered about. Thick, heavy smoke slithered in the air from the cigarettes and cigars that dangled from their mouths and fingers. As Tiny looked around she noticed the large mugs of beer and glasses filled with gold and white liquid. Also, most of the patrons were men with only a few women hanging around. Where was Dolly?

  Tiny walked toward the counter at the front of the bar. Three women and a man dressed in black were behind it, scampering around as they poured and mixed drinks. Rows and rows of liquor and wine lined the wall behind them.

  “Excuse me,” Tiny said as she waved her hand, trying to grab their attention.

  “Yes?” the man snapped impatiently as he paused to look at her.

  “I’m looking for Dolly. Is she here?” Tiny asked hopefully.

  “Later.” The rude one-worded man walked away. He grabbed a bottle of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum off a rack and hustled over to the other side of the bar.

  Tiny was ecstatic as she made her way to the back of the bar. She heard a few whistles and catc
alls, but she ignored them. At least she found Dolly. Sitting at an empty table, Tiny waited.

  It seemed like forever to Tiny as she waited for Dolly. She twisted her neck around and around to loosen the crick in it. Tapping her fingers on the table she glanced around the crowded room again. No Dolly.

  Suddenly the dim light went out, throwing the bar into total darkness. Tiny gasped and her heart leaped in her chest. She quickly jumped to her feet as she peered into darkness. The previous night flashed in her mind, and she began to tremble uncontrollably.

  She had to get out of here. But her steps were halted by the loud cheering and shouting that echoed around the room as the front of the club lit up with multicolored lights. Tiny stared in amazement at the small stage that she hadn’t noticed before.

  And there she was. Tiny’s mouth dropped open as Rockin’ Dolly danced her way onto the stage; naked as the day she was born. Her big breasts flip flapped as she pumped and grinded to the music.

  The club exploded in even more cheers and applause.

  “Simmer down: can you hear what I say? Simmer down,” said the voice of Bob Marley and the Wailers over the yelling. But Rockin’ Dolly was just too hot to take heed. She spun around, her back facing the audience and the two basketballs behind her began to jiggle. Up. Down. Together.

  The crowd went wild. Dollar bills rained down on the stage like confetti at a New Year’s party.

  “Go, Rockin’ Dolly!”

  “Rockin’ Dolly, marry me!”

  “I love you, Rockin’ Dolly.”

  Dolly grinned in response as she gyrated to the music. She whirled around and gravitated closer to the front of the stage, the sparkling light washing over her pretty face.

  “Lord, have mercy,” Tiny whispered behind the hand covering her mouth.

  Dolly did a split. One leg was pointed to the east and the other to the west. Bending over backward with her long braid fanning out behind her, Dolly swayed in slow motion. Her small waist going around in circles, she ticked, she tocked.