...From Chapter 10
A Memorable Summer …
Santee, Starr, Charlene, Ray-Ray, Eddie and Benny were inseparable, but this summer day everyone was doing their own thing. Santee was spending time at Starr’s house with her sister Candice. Starr was at a classmates house hanging out. Charlene was at her summer youth job. Ray-Ray was upstairs braiding her boyfriend Donovan’s hair, and Benny was nowhere to be found.
It was about ninety degrees and the humidity was at eighty percent, it was hot. The sun was beaming, and everyone and their families was outside. The streets were blocked off from one corner of Faille Place to the next. The block party was in full force. The music was pumping, Mr. Softee was selling ice cream, the piragua man was selling icees, the puppeteer was putting on a show, and the sprinklers were on, cooling off the kids as they ran in and out of the cold water. Eddie and his teammates were playing softball while everybody laughed and enjoyed themselves. From the fire escapes in the courtyard, you were able to see the happenings on Faille Place. The block party was definitely on point this day. The food was on the money and everyone was having a blast, until the unthinkable happened.
Santee was standing on the fire escape in front of Starr and Charlene’s window chilling out waiting for Candice to come and join her. She was wearing a pink and white terry clothe short set with the back out, matching sneakers, and two pig tails with big pink and white ribbons. She was looking just as cute as she wanted to be. Santee danced to the beat of one of Idi Chacon’s songs; she had a thing for Latin music. While practicing her salsa steps, she noticed her prince Benny, he who was not looking so charming this afternoon. Benny seemed different, this day. He had a zombie like stride, his entire persona appeared to be melancholy, and his eyes dazed. He looked up to Santee with a half smile as if it would be his last one. Saddened and concerned by the prince’s somber façade, Santee started to question him, but decided to give him space, not knowing she would live to regret her actions. Benny walked through the tunnel of the next building, which was abandoned, she did not find it to be bizarre because it was the place everyone went to clear their minds.
Continuing to dance and sing as if her life depended on it, Santee envisioned being spun by an invisible partner. She was feeling the music as it invaded her mind and her body. The girl had moves that would knock Idi Chacon off the charts. Latin music brought out the Latina in Santee. She was able to read, write, understand and speak the language. Santee even borrowed their accent, which became natural to her because Starr and Charlene were Hispanic and Santee was raised within their culture.
As Santee’s invisible partner spun her for the second time, she lifted her head towards the heavens, and that is when she saw her world crashing down upon her. Like a baby bird being pushed from its nest to fly for the first time, Benny jumped to his death. The hairs on every part of Santee’s body stood at attention, and her face turned as white as a ghost, her feet cemented to the fire escape. Santee became dehydrated as her screams roared with the defiance of thunder crackling through the sky. It swept through the yard, leaving no brick untouched, it fearlessly skirmished its way through the streets. The sound echoed through the community knocking them over. His death let everyone know that the festivities had just ended, as well as Santee’s life.
