A Piece By B. Patrice

Atatiana Jefferson written October 13, 2019

I’m at home with my nephew and before we retire to bed, I decide to whoop him in some video games because that’s our thing! The house is a bit smokey so I open the front door to air it out. We go to the bedroom and start playing! I hear a sound from outside so I pause the game and tell him to wait here. I walk to the rear of the house and see a man outside my window. Moments later I hear “hands up” but before I can comprehend what’s going on, I’m on the ground. My blood is surrounding me and my body is getting cold. This is what dying feels like? Oh no. What about my nephew? He is in the next room. I can’t have him find me like this. This will traumatize him for the rest of his life. He’s coming in here because he heard the shot. Noooo go back in the room. You can’t see me like this. But I can’t move and he can’t hear me anymore. How did this happen? I’m a premed graduate. I’m helping my mom out. I’m a good person. I’m in my own home. Well I was.

My name is Atatiana Jefferson but my family and friends call me Tay. Well they did. How did this happen to me? I did nothing wrong.

Breonna Taylor written June 30, 2020

Whew. I just got home from a long day at work. Working as an EMT during a national pandemic is exhausting but it’s great practice on what to expect when I become a nurse! All of this will pay off when I get my own house! Time to turn in with bae because I have another long day ahead tomorrow.

While we are sleeping, we hear a loud noise at the door. It’s so loud it wakes us both up immediately. We get up to see who it is. Obviously it has to be a mistake because it’s clearly after midnight. I ask “who is it” multiple times but no one answered so my boyfriend, Kenneth, gets his legally owned gun. It starts to scare me because the banging continues but no one is saying anything so Kenneth fires a shot. Next thing that happened was a blur. I felt an instant pain, actually eight instant pains hitting my body that knocks me to the ground. I hear noises and commotion but I can’t move. I’m wet and my body is getting cold. He was just trying to protect us in our own home. I was just sleeping. I wish I could say I love you one last time but I feel myself slipping away. How did this happen to me?

My name is Breonna Taylor. I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to help people. But now I need people to help me because the tomorrow I envisioned never happened. Please say my name.

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