Cotton Slim–Episode 2
Cotton walked into the bar. Silverbacks had become a popular bar. Wilmen, the owner and Barkeep owned the bar. Wilmen was Cotton’s closest most trusted friend. They had known each other since they joined the inaugural interspecies police force. That was ten years ago. A lifetime ago, for both. They only lasted two years as police. The law was never the first thought on these two minds. They were young criminals in training before they joined. They had got in trouble, and their options were to go to a home for troubled youth, or this initiative, to join the Police training program. They chose the police, both had good intentions, but people, species, they are what they are. They tried being lawful, but when the job threw them into an investigation that involved humans running an underage sex ring, both men lost their lawful will.
Wilmen and Cotton had received word from an informant that this atrocity was going on, they scouted the house for days, watching. They discussed going through the proper channels as law enforcement should, but this was different, they couldn’t let this go. Their informant went undercover and Wilmen and Cotton provided the informant with a hidden camera. The informant walked the house and talked with the men running the house, acting like he was going to purchase one of the captives.
The video showed the informant as he walked into the house and saw human children chained to stairways, water pipes and water heaters, canine puppies and calves chained and locked in cages. Cotton and Wilmen knew about crime and when they saw this type of crime, their life and law perspective changed. They saw the videos and pictures and decided that jail time was too good for these men. They heard the screams of the calves, and the children cry in the videos. The men and different species taking advantage of these young creatures, tore their hearts in two. Certain rules shouldn’t be broken in life, even in the crime world, these rules just shouldn’t be broken. This video ruined their code, and their whole attitude changed.
They discussed it back and forth and with a short debate, they decided they were going to handle this on their own. When they decided to make their move, they did it in full force. Wilmen, a silver back gorilla busted in the front door in the middle of the night, Cotton went in through the back with his un-registered gold nine-millimeter, precisely named Goldy, and handled the business that was needed to rid this scum from the earth. When the other officers arrived at the scene, they were met with two dead men, ripped of their manhood, and their manhood hanging out of their mouths. Wilmen and Cotton left the scene before the others arrived, then showed back up. They covered their tracks, and were never investigated or thought of, of doing any wrongdoing. They both quit the force the next day and never looked back.
Cotton walked into the bar; he saw his stool in the middle of the bar, empty. It was always empty. Wilmen made sure of that. Cotton walked through the crowded bar. It was one of the only bars where you would see all types of species there. Humans had been more apparent there the last couple of months. Cotton resented it, he knew it was just fad, a place to say “I was there.”, but it made Wilmen more money, so Cotton tried to not let it bother him too much. Cotton walked to his stool and sat down. He waited for Wilmen to see him, then he nodded his head as they locked eyes. Without Cotton having to say anything, Wilmen fixed his drink, the Orange Turkey. Carrot Juice, and Wild Turkey. He slid it to Cotton, and Cotton took a sip. Wilmen was the only one who could make the drink perfect. Cotton looked around the bar. He saw the regulars; he saw some new faces. He looked back at Wilmen. Cotton, reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. He pulled out some of his money and slid it across the bar. Wilmen looked at him and slid his hand to receive the money. Wilmen leaned forward, “How did it go?” Wilmen said with his strong Jamaican accent.
“Well. There is a new Wolf trying for Alpha.”
“I don’t know man Rider just doesn’t have it.” Wilmen replied shaking his head.
“Nah, he doesn’t. Loose is the next up and comer.”
“Damn. Rider didn’t want it?”
“I didn’t want it. Loose was happy to take the job.”
Wilmen nodded his head. How many notches are you adding tonight?”
“Five.” Cotton replied as he finished his drink and placed the glass on the bar.
“Another?” Wilmen asked as he grabbed the glass.
“Nah. Tired, stomach hurts.” Cotton got up and showed Wilmen his cut.
“Damn. Snaggle was no joke. Tough wolf.”
“Yeah. Fearless.” Cotton looked down at his stomach. “I will come by tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. Be safe. Get that looked at.”
“I will tomorrow.” Cotton said as he started to head for the exit.
“Hey.” Wilmen yelled out.
Cotton turned around, and as he did, he saw the knife flying through the air. Cotton caught it by the handle. He walked back to the bar. He added five more notches to the section of the bar in front of his stool. There were so many notches at the bar, he had lost count. He turned, the only thing on his mind was getting home and laying down. He was tired. He took one more look at Wilmen, they nodded at each other, Cotton placed the knife on the bar, handle facing Wilmen, then Cotton headed home.
Cotton arrived at his building. He lived in a section that was mixed. Every species lived around him. His neighbors were a bunch of young Roosters who partied and were always hanging about. They bothered him, always loud, but they were young, and very curious, so not much got by them. Cotton liked that, he thought of it as extra security. They knew everything and everyone at the building. He walked up to his apartment door, as he pulled his key from his belt and unlocked his door, the neighbor’s door opened. Emilio came strutting out. “Hey Cotton.” The rooster said with a beer in his hand.
“Hey Emilio.” Cotton said as he opened his door and started heading in.
“That fucking bird is out on your window seal, squawking for you. Keeping me up.”
“Oh, so he is being loud, causing a disturbance?”
Emilio looked at Cotton sideways with that Rooster stare. “What is that supposed to mean?” As Emilio’s stare continued Cotton, his brother, ran up the stairs. And shouted “EMILIO! LET’S GO, BITCHES ARE WAITING!!!”
Emilio looked back at Cotton. “Duly noted, we may be a little loud. I will keep these guys quiet tonight.”
Cotton smiled at Emilio, Emilio winked back.
Cotton walked into his apartment. He walked over to his dresser. He pulled out the top drawer. He removed the false bottom, that revealed his place for his four handguns. He pulled the revolver from his holster and laid it in its spot. He rubbed his hand over the revolver and cleaned a smidgen of gun powder that was on the barrel. “Thank you, Smithy, you did good today.” He spoke to his revolver as if it was his kid. He placed the false bottom over his babies, then shut the drawer. He slid off his holster, vest and placed them on his bed. Cotton heard the squawking from outside but decided to make the black bird wait. He walked to the kitchen. He pulled his favorite carrot soda; he opened it and waited. He saw the bird flapping his wings impatiently outside. He laughed to himself. He slowly walked to the window and opened it.
“Damn! About time! You got me waiting out here like I’m waiting for a bus.” Samuel said as he stared at Cotton.
“What’s up Samuel?”
Samuel looked in both directions, as if he was about to commit a crime. “Word is the streets are looking for a new alpha on the northside.”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard.” Cotton said as he sipped his carrot soda.
“How did it go down?”
“As planned, but he got me, cut me a bit.” Cotton stepped back to show Samuel his cut.
Samuel pulled a cigarette out and lit it. Cotton looked at Samuel, “Give me one.”
Cotton didn’t usually smoke, but he needed one tonight.
“Damn, one of those days. You killed the prostitutes too? Or was that somebody else?”
“Nah me. Didn’t want any talkers.”
They both inhaled on their cigarettes.
“Rider must be happy.” Samuel said as he exhaled.
“Nah. He isn’t happy. He is dead. Loose is happy though.”
Samuel inhaled again. He shook his narrow head, and as he exhaled smoke came from his black beak. “Better. Rider wasn’t cut out for that shit.”
“Nah, my thoughts exactly. Cotton finished his cigarette, he looked out the window, he saw Emilio and his brothers out in front of the building, hanging out and drinking. Cotton looked back at Samuel. “You want the other half of your money?”
“Yeah.” Samuel threw his cigarette. “Got a date. A mockingbird. She is a crazy female.”
“Mockingbird? Man, you were messing with a blue jay the other night.”
“That’s the beauty Cotton. I can’t get different species pregnant. It’s like free game out there brother.”
Cotton slid the money across the window seal. Samuel gladly picked it up.
“Alright brother. Let me get. Are we meeting up at Silverback’s in the morning?”
“Yeah. You still go that meeting with that human tonight about the next job?” Cotton said as he stepped back away from the window, preparing to close it.
“Yeah. You know humans though, they only do shit on their time. They don’t care about anyone else, supposed to be after Midnight. He will call me.”
“Alright. Tomorrow then.”
“Alright then.” Samuel said as he flew off into the night.
Cotton shut and locked the window. He looked around. He walked over to his refrigerator. He opened it. He opened the bottom drawer. He removed another false bottom, and slid his money in. He would count all his money tomorrow; he had a lot. He saved; he didn’t spend much. He replaced the bottom and shut the door. He walked over to his bed. He turned his T.V. on to the cheetah races; he fell asleep to that every night. He winced when he went to lay down, he fell asleep quickly as he heard squawking outside, but he knew that it was the roosters, they just couldn’t be quiet.
Episode 3 coming next sunday
This Friday Night, Instagram Live—- Reading the first two episodes!! 8pm Eastern U.S. Time
Pc Perk 
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