Club Lux

A Story by J.D.Reaper

A different reality within the city of Toronto.

With every story there is a set standard. There is always a beginning, middle, and end. It is quite straight forward to be honest. One character here, one character there, but to make a story interesting it is up to how the writer builds his or her unique path. This path must be full of twists, turns, and heartbreak. It makes readers develop feelings. Feelings get remembered and they get you hooked. This story does not just begin at the beginning, but instead, the end. Our main character is not a hero, nor is he the villain. He is only the friend. This is a tale of how the friend came to be and what went wrong. There is only him and with him there is nothing but death and love. He is simple, his world on the other hand, it’s not so dull.

Now, before we begin at the end, let me just give you a little bit of a summary.

You see, this tale takes place in the thriving city of Toronto. It is a restless place and is in constant motion. People who live here like the warm summers, hate the bitter and dry winters, and love to party…a lot actually. One of the most popular joints in the city is Club Lux. It is run by an up and coming young businessman named Lamar Holt, known more commonly as Marz. He is one of our bad guys. Oh, and Marz also happens to be a local gang leader as well. That’s what makes him the Bad Guy.

Every bad guy has to have a moment when he turns bad. I mean, with Marz, selling cocaine to anyone who can afford it is pretty bad. What I mean is that there is a moment when the bad guy just becomes completely ruthless and is out for blood. Well, the backstory for this bad guy is pretty sad. It starts with the murder of his little brother Jerome and the one person who watched him die.

You’ll learn his name to be James, but we’ll refer to him as Jay. He’s our main character in this side story. He is the Friend.

Jay is actually a fellow member of Lamar’s gang. He is also Jerome’s best friend. What no one knows is that the two boys were trying to leave the city. They didn’t want to be trapped any longer in the abyss of their crooked lives so they chose to climb out. Sadly they climbed out at the worst possible time. A rival Spanish crew from the south side ordered a hit on Lamar, but Jerome and his brother looked very alike. They mistook him for his elder brother. Next thing he and Jay knew was the sound of a gunshot. I guess the boys chose the wrong day to flee Toronto.

Now, to begin, we start with the end of Jerome. This is the tale of the friend, from his perspective.

An utterly overwhelming feeling of despair had completely frozen my body as a high pitched ringing burned through my ears. My heart pounded painfully as my best friend dropped to his knees beside me. The matteblack Benz bolted around the corner and out of sight. I could feel Jerome’s warm blood splattered across my face. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to think. He could not have just been shot.

It didn’t take long for Jerome to pass out, about five minutes, and the ambulance was nowhere in sight. I tried to put pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding…but, the bullet had hit one of his arteries, and I was still in shock. Then finally I saw some flashing lights. The medics arrived! Two giant guys, carrying very large first aid packs, hopped out of their vehicle and ran towards us. I could tell by the expression on their faces that it was bad. Next to arrive were the cops. It was our local scumbags, Officer Mendez and his partner Officer Whyte. They took me into custody, “on suspicion of public endangerment,” they said. Both were as crooked as old men with canes. Speaking about canes and all, I could see that Whyte was doped up, habits so happily supplied by Lamar’s club “Lux.” A bribe as easily received as it was given out, and a currency frivolously used in our city, cocaine.

“Pendejo! Get’chya hands behind your back man. Do what I say and maybe I’ll roll the window down for’ye.” Officer Mendez grinned widely.

“Evans, do what he says or you and Mr. Phonebook can have a real nice chat down at the station,” Officer Whyte threatened and both men laughed. So I spat in Mendez’s face before they closed the passenger door.

“Why you lil -- Hey! Calm down, not here Mendez…not here.”

I was safe for now, but I doubt it’ll be cozy down at the precinct. I really hate those cops. One is a major cokehead, the next is skitzo and both are powerhungry control freaks. Yet they can barely keep themselves together.

In about an hour I was sitting in an interrogation room. I got to meet Mr. Phonebook and man his left hook nearly knocked me out. Mendez really needs to take a f*****g chill pill. I don’t know why I was still here, I figure they’d probably try and blame the drive by on me, but they don’t have any evidence. Plus I would have no motive since Rome was my friend. So with my blood stained Crooks & castles crew neck and black eye, I just sat motionless on an uncomfortable metal chair.

I don’t want to believe it, but I know he’s gone, and I can never get him back. If Lamar had just left the f*****g Spanish crew alone then maybe

A detective entered the room.--

She stared at me with disgust, analyzing me like I was the one to blame, like I was the suspect. A minute went by before she sat down. She then opened a folder and began to speak.

“James ‘Jay’ Evans. It says here, that you have priors; Felony assault, dealt with juvenile detention. Also says a few things about your family; two younger siblings and a junkie mother. Typical if you ask me.”

“…no one asked, b***h…”

“Shut your mouth! Did I say you could talk, no, then don’t. It also says you are known to affiliate with gangs, Lamar, also known as Marz, is a leader of one you visit frequently I see. You have some explaining to--

“Excuse me, Detective, a guardian has signed Mr. Evans out of”"

“Ugh. This was a waste of my time. Make sure they wrote down his statement. Tell Joe I’m taking an early lunch as well.”

“Yute, get up, time to go.”

…wait, guardian? Who signed me out of "

“Jay! You iight pham?”

Oh. It was Casper and Roy. The squad must’ve heard about "

“Jerome…He’s dead. We jumped into the whip when our dukes told us you were in custody.”

I rushed outside and quickly sat down on the 41st Precincts’ front steps. The guys quickly followed after me.

“Spanish pieces of s**t! When we tell Marz ‘bout Rome, ain’t nothing gonna stop him from busting choppers on every Chollo body,” said Roy with a burning fire of hatred in his eyes.

“If Lamar, I mean Marz, gives any form of retaliation…a war will break loose,” I exclaimed.

“Ha. You’re an idiot Jay. This war already begun and it’s been going since before we were even a part of Lux,” said Casper.

“Blood for blood cuz, blood for blood,” snarled Roy.

He was right. Roy, Casper, Rome, and I had been family since kindergarten and we knew Marz would be furious once news of his brothers’ murder caught wind. We also knew that his retaliation would be big and that when it happens a war will break loose throughout the city. Out of love and admiration of a friend and of a brother a war will wreak havoc across the blacktop battlefield. I shall gladly be one of Marz’s soldiers and when I get sent out to fight I will have every intention to spill blood.