Just another Sunday, on St.Richard Blvd. Its the hottest day of the year. The jail bars have always been cold, not even 90 degree weather could make a 8 year sentence  seem shorter. If I could take it all away, realize how fast things were falling, I wouldnt have touched the blunt. When the outcome is income, you do anything to shine in the ghetto. It was almost science, If I kept grinding like how I was, I would have been set for life.

	Two weeks ago, I was with my boy Jerome, I always knew it was gonna be me and him against the world. If I had 5 dollars, Jerome had 2.50. We been looking out for eachother since the 3rd grade. We would be running ball almost everyday. And if we wasnt running ball, we was watching it. Everyday he was on some stupid plan, him being my friend, I explained why it wouldnt work. But one day, his idea seemed perfect. No holes in it at all.

	Were chilling at the corner and we get to talking.  "Chris, man. We can be made for life if we work for this guy down in Florida. He said these last two workers he hired make bank." "Stop lying. This just sounds like another one of your plans imma have to fix when it all goes bad." "Im serious this time, we getting paid." "Explain it then, if you know so much about a person you never met." "We hit up this one guy who can supply everything. after that we just meet his quota and get a lil bit of the profits back." "For once jerome, this dont sound dumb. We bout to catch a lot of heat if we dont do this right." "Trust me. I got you this time."

	And just like how Jerome said, it all went down smooth. For 3 months we was selling it in big amounts. Im talking colombian-across the border type deals. We eventually became the suppliers and ended up recruiting people just as we were. In 3 months time Ive seen people die in my arms. When youve seen everything go down the way it does, seeing people die everyday just doesnt affect you. Wether it was about how much he took from the stash, or how he spoke to a man, you go numb. You lose your ability to rationalize it.

	Me and Jerome were in the car discussing the next deal,"Im telling you Chris, if he short on the cash this time imma light him up." "You lying b, you aint even pull ya gun on the last deal when he " I was driving and he was in the passenger seat. This black car came out of nowhere, and in a split second Jerome got lit up with 30 shots and I was hit in the shoulder. I didnt have no time to realize what went on, all I could focus on was getting off the road with a dead body in my front seat. Ill always remember how much blood was in the car.

	Im probably doing 80 mph and cant even look at my best friends body lying there. Lifeless. The same friend im always getting out of trouble, and I couldnt protect him when it mattered. I had to dump his body myself in the woods by Fleetwater Crossing. Apparently, I didnt do it well enough. and as the story goes, now im here in this interrogation room.

"Thats how it all went down Chris? With this confession youll serve 4 years minimum."
"I understand. And I cant give out other names man. They know my family."
"How about I pin you for obstruction of justice and raise your sentence another 4 years?"
When he said that one line, I really had to think for a minute. Do I want to protect my family and almost spend a decade in prison, or comply and lose all I have left? I kept my mouth shut and let him add me for 8 years.