Wrong Chance by E. L. Myrieckes Page A

give me a job after this one.”
    â€œHang up, Madear.” Africa wept. “Please hang up the phone, Madear. I can’t take this shit anymore.”
    â€œWhat’s a phone? That sounds familiar.”
    â€œIt’s the thing you got stuck to the side of your head you’re talking in.”
    â€œOh.” Then Madear got indignant: “No, I will not hang up. They’re gonna personally put Barack Obama on the phone for me.”
    â€œHang up right now.” Then: “Please, Madear.”
    Madear shushed her again, then she spoke into the phone: “Yup saw it with my good eye, the right one. One of ’em is about four-two and green, an ugly sum bitch.” Madear smiled a toothless smile at Africa. “The other one calls himself Superman; and my so-called daughter-in-law, Africa Taylor, went in there a fairly attractive black woman and came out white. Talk about super powers.” Madear raised her eyes to Africa. “So how long before you send in the military? Barack—”
    Africa unplugged the phone and prayed that Yancee would hurry home.

SIXTEEN
    C hance knew exactly what the Janus-face butt wipe would do next. He counted on it. Yancee always had a problem with keeping his dick beaters off things that didn’t belong to him.
    Yancee shifted his gaze between Chance and the cooler. “On everything, my sons will love these.” He dug in the cooler and scooped up one of the tiny eight-armed creatures and balanced it on his palm. “What are they?”
    Winner winner chicken dinner , Chance thought, then said, “Law 8: Make Other People Come To You—Use Bait If Necessary.”
    Then it happened.
    â€œOuch!” Yancee dropped it back in the Igloo. “The little fucker bit me.”
    â€œDude, you’re such a dupe.”
    â€œWhat?” Yancee pressed down on the bite.
    â€œThe bite. That’s how it starts,” Chance said. “Reason I choose a Blue-ringed octopus is because their poison works immediately and it won’t be found in your system once you’re dead.”
    Yancee rubbed his mouth.
    â€œFirst you feel a tingling sensation in your lips, like you are now.” Chance shrugged a sorry buddy. “Next you’ll go into a state of paralysis. Lose control of every muscle, dude.” Then: “Hope you don’t shit and piss yourself. You’re too old for that.”
    Yancee’s eyes darted around. He started to fall until Chance guided his limp body into the trunk. It took some doing, but Chance managed to twist and turn Yancee’s sculpted body until he was on his back. Chance wanted to see Yancee’s dark eyes.
    â€œChance…what are…” Yancee’s eyes darted back and forth. “What—”
    â€œDifficulty speaking is a side effect,” Chance said, looking down on his frightened friend. “Save your energy because you have a lot of explaining to do. You need to think long and hard about how bad of a friend you’ve been.” He slammed the trunk closed.

SEVENTEEN
    T he silent treatment really got beneath Jazz’s skin in the worst way. She hated when someone igged her and put her on ignore status, especially someone who was highly animated like she was and could run their mouth and talk plenty shit like she could.
    Jazz plopped down on the sofa beside Jaden, going out of her way to disturb him. “Really, are you gonna sit here all day spinning that ball on your finger?”
    He kept the ball’s momentum going with strict concentration.
    â€œDammit, Jaden, talk to me.”
    Silence.
    She said, “Tell me what I can do to make this better.”
    He gave her an I wish you were dead look.
    â€œJaden.”
    More ball spinning. More ignore status.
    â€œI know you’re angry with me.”
    â€œNo shit.”
    She smiled, satisfied she made a breakthrough. “Before the—” She glanced at Jaden, thinking twice about