Red White and Black

Chapter Twenty Five - Part B

Sadie

He led her past the row of cubicles to the bed of a heavily bandaged patient whose face was so bruised and swollen, his identity remained a mystery. The obligatory tubes and wires snaked from his body to an adjacent bank of machines and equipment, each quietly whirring or buzzing in a manner Sadie found disconcerting.

"This is why I was so concerned when I saw you. I thought somehow Markus might be involved."

This statement confused Sadie. "I don't understand, Brother Gibbs. What does Markus... who is this?"

Brother Gibbs looked down at the still form and his eyes brimmed with tears. "This is another one of God's lambs that done wandered away. He done got beat up so bad they had to identify him by his driver's license."

Fear coursed through Sadie. "Tell me who this is. Brother Gibbs, I need to know."

"Chris Thomas. Markus's friend." His eyes never left the young man before him.

Sadie peered at the damaged face peeking through the bandages, looking for handsome young face she knew so well. Tears filled her eyes when she realized the boy was so battered nothing about him was recognizable.

"Are you certain?" She made her way to the bedside and gently picked up a limp hand, one of the few places without obvious damage. "I can't tell a thing, Brother. We need to call his momma. Are you positive? Oh, his momma gonna be torn to pieces."

"There's no question sister. He wakes up now and again." Brother Gibbs patted Sadie on her shoulder, unable to comfort her any more. "I already called Sister Thomas and she gonna be here soon."

Sadie held the hand of a boy she had known for years, unable to fathom who or why someone could so cruelly beat him. He was one of the teens she hadn't minded as a friend for Markus; not into gangs or drugs, always respectful and always obeyed his momma. The notion someone like Chris had received such a beating filled her with trepidation for Markus. If it could happen to Chris, it meant Markus was vulnerable. The reality of life in Gary rose up once again to slap her in the face.

"Brother Gibbs, who did this to this boy?"

For a moment there was silence as he refused to meet her eyes. Then, drawing a deep breath, Brother Gibbs answered in a voice just above a whisper. "His own friends done this. Jay C and that Derrick. They done ganged up on the boy and nearly beat him to death."

His words chilled Sadie. Fear for her Markus welled up and refused to be controlled. "No. That can't be. Jay C couldn't do nothin' like this. I'd known that boy since he was a 'lil thing. He coulda never done this."

An immense weight descended on Sadie and she felt her knees begin to buckle. She wanted to believe her own words but her heart told her otherwise. She had long thought Jay C was walking down a road he ought to be avoiding and here now was the proof of that fear. Even as she realized her concerns had now been confirmed, the magnitude of how far Jay C had fallen began to sink in.

Brother Gibbs sucked in another great breath, almost making a whistling noise as he did. "Never forget that our Great Enemy is wanderin' around lookin' for good folk to devour. He don't ever sleep and he don't ever give up. Jay C and Derrick now livin' proof of that."

The boy in the bed stirred and moaned. His eyes fluttered opened and fixed on Sadie for several moments before recognition set in.

"Miss Sadie?" he asked in a weak voice. "Is my mother here?"

Sadie patted his hand. "She gonna be here soon. You get some rest and everything gonna be alright."

Chris stared into her eyes and grew agitated. His breathing became ragged and hoarse while he tried to kick off the thin blanket.

"She'll be here soon, Chris. You got to calm down and rest, you been hurt real bad and you just need to be still."

Hot tears erupted from his eyes. "That ain't it, Miss Sadie. That ain't it t'all." His voice trailed off into a whisper.

"Chris, I know who done this to you. You ain't got nothin' to be ashamed about, it's alright."

Chris remained silent for a long moment, his irregular breathing calming down until Sadie thought he might be ready to drift back into sleep.

"They gonna kill your neighbor." The words came out in a flat monotone voice, quiet but filled with conviction. They startled Sadie and she looked to Brother Gibbs to see whether he had heard the same thing.

"What? What you talkin' 'bout, Chris? Who's gonna be killin' who?"

Sadie felt his hand grip her own with a strength she wouldn't have believed him capable of. "They planning' on killin' your neighbor. That white guy. Morris."

Sadie stood beside the bed not knowing what to say or how to respond. Brother Gibbs drew close, concern deepening the lines in his already careworn face. As Sadie and he floundered, Chris continued. "Jay C got Derrick all believin' he gonna be some kinda hero if he takes out Morris. He's gone and manipulated that fool into thinkin' it's gonna be cool with everybody."

"Lord, have mercy," said Sadie, her head hanging low. "I know'd that boy been messed up awhile but I'd never thought it got this bad. I should'a done somethin' 'bout this months ago. I knew trouble was comin' and I did nothin' 'bout it. Oh Lord, this gonna be on my head."

"Sister Sadie, you don't be thinkin' those thoughts now. You hear me?" Brother Gibbs wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You start thinkin' like that and the enemy done already got you beat."

Her words dissolved into tears before she could form them. She turned away from Brother Gibbs in shame, feeling hopeless and guilty. The thought of Jay C, a boy she had known since he was in diapers, planning a murder scared her like she hadn't ever been before and threatened to pull her into a quagmire of sadness and despair. She had watched him grow from a toddler, playing with blocks and toys into a young man and a lifelong friend of Markus's. It was surreal, realizing he was capable of this evil, and it left her miserable.

"Brother Gibbs, I got to get back upstairs to Estelle. Sooner or later, Mr. Morris gonna get back and I can warn him 'bout this." Sadie said in a mechanical voice. "You let me know if they's any change, alright?" She patted Chris on the hand and turned to leave, then stopped as if to add more. She started to speak several times, looking at the floor and unable to look them in the eye. Emotions rolled over her, filing her with confusion and uncertainty.

Finally, she just shook her head in sorrow and shuffled away.