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    Griot
    Griot
    Griot
    Ebook91 pages1 hour

    Griot

    By Saleem Little, George Hopkins and Shavar L. Thompson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Griot Includes the stories:

    BATTLE OF THE MINDS by George Hopkins
    Battle of the Minds is a psychedelic tale of the dangers of too much seclusion and isolation. What happens when the lines between reality and illusion are blurred and the figments we create become our real companions? Travel through the mind of a convicted prisoner named Ruk as he battles with himself to stay sane.

    THE MISSION pts. 1 & 2 by Shavar L. Thompson
    The Mission is a series by Author Shavar Thompson centered around the underhanded dealings of a corrupt politician and the myriad repercussions that come along with his greed for power and money. 

    COCAINE by Saleem Little
    Cocaine is the personification of the drug that reeked havoc on the US and abroad. Told from the view of the drug itself, Cocaine is an interesting account of the production of cocaine and its distribution worldwide. 

    INVISIBLE CHAINS by Saleem Little
    Invisible chains is a tale of domestic abuse and the dangers of not escaping in time. Katrina is in love with the father of her son and Marcus is in love with Katrina. Understanding her situation and the magnetism and often - misguidance - of Love, he's patient as waits for her to come to her senses and always there when she needs him if he can. What happens when he can't...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLEXINGTON PRESS
    Release dateDec 24, 2018
    ISBN9781386482604
    Griot
    Author

    Saleem Little

    Writer, Poet, Publisher - Saleem Little is the author of over ten novels, including the critically acclaimed "Get In, Get Out" and "Crying for Tears", and founder and Owner of Mitanni Publishing LLC. Some of his interest include: writing, reading, traveling, painting and spending time family.

    Read more from Saleem Little

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      Book preview

      Griot - Saleem Little

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      SHORT STORIES

      BATTLE OF THE MINDS BY GEORGE HOPKINS

      THE MISSION pts. 1 & 2 BY SHAVAR L. THOMPSON

      COCAINE BY SALEEM LITTLE

      INVISIBLE CHAINS BY SALEEM LITTLE

      GRIOT

      Battle of the Minds

      GEORGE HOPKINS

      ––––––––

      Some of the greatest battles will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.

      -Ezra Taft Beson

      ––––––––

      It was a beautiful day out on this Saturday afternoon. The sun, which looked like a giant ball of fire, was beaming so intensely it forced Ruk to wear a pair of glasses, and a fitted hat to block the rays as he walked along the bank of the Susquehanna River with his best friend Dios.

      There weren't many people in the immediate area, but in the not too far distance, you could see people scattered here and there. Dios and Ruk were always altogether. Every day they were practically inseparable, and today was no different.

      Na! I see what you're saying, but you too, have to understand my position, said Ruk, while he and Dios continued their stroll alongside the river.

      "Especially knowing the feelings of abandonment, betrayal, disappointment and or

      loneliness. I mean you experienced it too, first hand, right?"

      Before answering Dios thought about what his friend had said, and he didn't know it, but his face had suddenly darkened and the lines in his forehead were. readily visible. Just thinking about being in prison had an effect on him that was tantamount to a woman being raped! However, the ill effects of prison pushed Dios to change for the better instead of becoming a liability to his family, and Humanity.

      Dios was always one to choose his words carefully, so he thought about the best way to convey his message. He started out,

      "A Ruk listen Fam, the position you

      stand on is really no position at all. And please don't think I'm trying to invalidate your feelings because I am not. I'm fully aware that a person's feelings can become their perception and that their perception can become their reality, but If..."

      Dios for you to say that is basically invalidating my feelings! How you can accept what these fake disloyal jokers did is beyond my imagination. It's almost as if you're on their side, but you are supposed to be my mans.

      It is sometimes hard for a person to accept the fact that the very ones they looked out for in the past were not there for them when they needed support the most - especially when one was in prison. Ruk, who had recently come home, was one of these people that couldn't let go of being left alone in solitary confinement with no bridge to the outside world. He went in at the tender age of twenty-three but wasn't released until he was forty-three. There was so much built up anger, resentment and disappointment in him.

      Since he had been home, he was doing good. Working, staying out of trouble, making the necessary appointments to his Parole Officer and being a good father were all top priority to him.

      Saturday's and Sunday's were his days off, and ever-so-often, he would go through spells of depression- which always caused him to recollect on his past life. Ruk continued to mewl over what his dear friend had said in his head. He thought that Dios was messing with him because anything other than that would classify him as a fool, and he was so far from that as the east is from the west. Just thinking about the situation pissed him off even more, however, no one - except Dios - would've known because of the look of joy on his face that acted as a thick layer of mascara.

      There is a saying that the outer world is a direct reflection of the inner world, but this isn't true for everyone. Right now, the sky was streaming blue, with next to no clouds, birds were flying and chirping, bees were buzzing and honey making, and people were out and about enjoying the weather and life altogether. For Ruk however, it was the complete opposite.

      Dark clouds of rain formulated and the wind chill was so cold it froze his heart. The sun wasn't out and that's normally when he felt like it was him against the world. Which was something he frequently wrestled with.

      Ruk reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a perfectly rolled white owl and put some fire to it. As he inhaled the reefer Dios looked with a certain sadness in his eyes - a sadness that would've crippled the gayest person.

      Ruk! What are you doing?

      What do it looked like I'm doing? Said Ruk.

      It was more of a rhetorical question than a response to Dios’ question. Yet and still Ruk answered as if he was doing nothing wrong.

      Fam! You still on parole, right?

      Ruk kept on smoking - inhaling the smoke, deeply, through his nose - the same way a person would do upon entering a home that was permeated with the finest smelling thanksgiving dinner. The only difference was he walked with his head down - as if in shame or to concede to the fact he was wrong.

      As these two went back and forth it looked as if Ruk was talking to himself. This was something that he frequently did anyway - as most people do but were to ashamed to admit. For Ruk it was a valuable element to his sanity - which was contrary to what the world had classified as sane.

      Growing up in America - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in particular - and seeing the unwarranted ills that were brought on by the same ones who advocated love, peace and equality, he quickly learned that what the world deemed to be right had no moral correctness at all. So, he rolled and smoked his weed and did his best to beat the piss test.

      lt is what it is, said Ruk, with a raspy type voice that one would only get after hitting some weed.

      Right now fam, I'm not trying to hear it! I got problems! Internal problems that all stem from these white folks!

      "Yeah, I feel you on that. However, you shouldn't add to your problems by creating more. What is the sense of jeopardizing your freedom over a weed high? You got to be smarter and stronger than that! The Quran asked the question have you seen him who takes low desires as a God beside Allah?

      Ruk thought to himself,

      This fool know damn well I don't believe in any God...and as if Dios was reading his mind he said,

      Now I know you don't believe in God, but it's the science behind this ayat that should be magnified to its highest magnitude.

      And that science is what? Ruk said

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