Transforming moment

I am now in grade7, yet I haven’t got something promising about my dream. My brother is not here to take me to that Old man`s laboratory.

Maybe my brother was right, maybe I am too young to be here.

Ever since I`ve been outside home I`ve done nothing good rather than bad. The power of the key became stronger than I could imagine. I`d kill to give it away, I just can’t hold it anymore.

No- one my age has been to jail or awaiting a rape and murder case. What have I got myself into?

Indeed I`m not responsible and mature, I should have listened. I wish I had never wanted the key, I wish I could return it back. But that will never happen because it`s too late, I can`t undo what`s already done.

As days went by, my Last- born brother came back from overseas, unannounced. At least, unlike others, he cared to ask about my dream.

He's a guy you can`t make a fool so when he asked, I told him everything; that I`m stuck in the middle of no- where, with no direction to take. I told him I was dreaming and far from waking. I was starting to doubt myself and I thought he was going to be arrogant, but he didn’t. Instead, he encouraged me to try harder.

My brother didn’t only tell me how to follow my dream, but he also made me create a perspective of seeing things differently and what life has ahead of me. And also reminded me of the consequences of accepting the key.

If only he knew I wanna return it back!

“Enough about my dream. I thought I said you shouldn’t be here until after I`ve killed your enemy. But since you are here, I think it`s about time you showed me who our target really is because clearly, it`s not who I thought it was.”

“You will meet soon, if not later. You will meet.”

Days past, while my brother and I enjoyed each other`s company. He was no way my friend, but I enjoyed his company.

He made me totally forget about the group. He had changed. Is it overseas that changed him, or maybe I never gave him a chance.

Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to befriend him, why didn’t I start looking for dreamers at home? I wouldn’t have been in such a mess.

But at last, the sun finally shone in my path. I could feel that I`m living my dream as I used to back in the days with the Clever- learner.

Almost every after school, my brother took me to the Old- man scientist laboratory since he couldn’t last year.

The Old man was cool to me and I learnt a lot from him. I just couldn’t bare the fact that his voice sounded familiar.

“To be a great scientist, you should be unique, patient, and aiming. That’s if you know what I mean.” said the Old man scientist.

“I am. My dream is one of a kind, that’s why I`m calm with the delay though it annoys me. I have a purpose for my dream after all.”

“Do you have friends?”

“I once did. But not anymore. To me, friends are bad influencers. All they know is to destroy one`s future claiming to be showing one a right path to take.”

“What did they do or say to you?”

“They told me that I`ll never achieve my dream because it`s just a fairy- tale, nothing more. What kind of friends are they? They should go to hell for all I care.”

“But not all friends are bad influencers, ever thought of that?" he said, "You need a friend, one needs a friend. Someone with the same interests as yours.”

“There is this guy, I never met him but I think I like him. How he does things, and there`s my brother.”

“What about him?”

“He's also a friend I`m looking for. I know and like him very much. He's been a good friend to me these past weeks but then he's too old to be my friend, I guess. Should I give him a chance?”

“What if he's playing you?”

“Mystery voice! It`s you!” I said it so sure, “How do you do it? How do you spiritually talk to me?”

He got shocked, lost. Everything I said was new to him, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

I got so disappointed, I thought I had found the answers to my life.

My brother then came and told me it was time to go home.

Instead of going home, he drove to this wasteland in the middle of the night. Why are we going there, I wondered.

“What are we doing here so late?”

“The world and its people are cruel and life itself is so unfair. To make it in this world, you have to look out for your blood and nothing else. Don’t ever trust a stranger because you don’t know how dangerous or venomous one can be.”

“Is it why you want to be my friend? Are you scared I might mix with the wrong crowd? Your rivals?”

“I had a similar vision of your dream, that’s why.” I was confused so he added by saying, “Ever wondered what will happen once you invented the pill of your dream?”

“Obviously people will be healing while I get honoured and millions until I die.”

“So you agree that even after you invented the pill, death would still occur?”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Forget about inventing the pill, they'll kill you. Focus your energy on the family legacy, instead." He said, "By that, the millions you gonna get until you die will turn into billions that will be eaten by your children until they die, and those billions will turn into trillions that will be eaten by your grandchildren until they die. Then…”

“Stop it! Can we go home now?”

“The truth will always be ignored, be glad when one recognizes and tell the best out of you. A friend will never encourage you to do good but will always support you to do bad. Only a true friend would be against what you think is right or wrong.”

“I hear you. But I think your opponent is a friend I need.” When he didn’t respond I reminded him that it's school tomorrow and I`m still in uniform. We then left.

On the way, he turned off the music and continued from where we left.

“That kid is a thug. He is what I am; a complete wise thug. You don’t want to live that life, do you?”

“That`s where you belong.” said the Mystery voice.

“Everyone is a thug out there. It won`t be a miracle to be one- to be you.”

“Over my dead body. Not when I`m still alive.”

“I might as well kill you then.”

He gave me a look and said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if you did, it's life. Those that you know well and like will leave or betray you when you least expected.”

At last, we arrived at home, “You are sweet, my brother.” I said, “Damn sweet!”

After the chat with my brother. I decided it was about time I spoke to my parents again.

This time it would be a pleasure to hear me tell good news about my dream. What a smile they will have on their faces for their child.

“Things may be promising but they say never count your chickens before they hitch.” Said the Mystery- voice.

“I sometimes forget how negative you can be.”                            

“That’s a friend, according to your brother`s words.”

What! He heard our conversation. What else does he know?

“What do you know about me?”

“Everything! From the cursed promise to the rape and murder case, never mind the accident- everything!”

“When are you going to reveal yourself to me?”

“Once you meet the kid.”

“Please show or describe to me the kid I have to kill.”

“That I can`t tell, it`s your task to find out. He just might kill your brother before you meet him; that’s how dangerous he can be.”

I had to do something, I had to act fast. I realized that I needed my brother now more than ever. I wondered if his anger might affect our plan to assassinate his threat.

“Don’t expect anyone to help you, save you or solve your problems. You have to figure out how to do that on your own.”

My phone rang; it was the Group- leader.

“What do you want?”

“What a way to greet an old friend.”

“Should I repeat myself?”

“I want you to come straight here tomorrow after school.”

“And what if I don’t come?”

He laughed, “The girl we raped and killed is reported missing and the reward is half a million. You don’t wanna see yourself in jail, do you?”

“I`ve been there. There`s nothing new about it except going down with you.”

“Try me, Mastermind. Try me!" he said, "Remember you are breathing because of me.” he then hang up.

I could sense something bad happening tomorrow. There`s no way they could just call me, something is going to happen.

In the morning I asked for a favour from my lastborn brother, but he refused.

It was now clear that I was on my own. I was in trouble, and alone, for helping him.

It was either I sell his soul or find his invisible opponent, ASAP; something that’s likely to happen.

I went to school and had a long boring day. I wanted myself near no one since their voices were irritating me. I had a lot to think about.

After school, I had made up my mind about not going there. Everything changed when I received this message, it made me change my mind and go.

When I got there, things weren’t the way I expected them to be. The Group- leader wasn’t there, and his lapdogs held me hostage.

I knew they`d keep me alive for as long as they wanted me to do their deed- sell my brother, so I was relaxed.

“Where is the Group- leader? He told me the big boss wants to meet me, where are they? Why am I even tied?”

“Do you think the person you almost killed would want to meet you?” asked a group member.

“I almost killed? Is it my D- Day?”

“Don’t rush to die, Mastermind." he said, "It`s been a while since we gave you a task but you still haven’t brought his head to us. I understand it`s not easy, but it would be easy to leading him to the corner store as we speak, wouldn’t it? There is the laptop, get on it- now!”

I stared at them as they told me time is going against my luck. I didn’t care since that was part of the plan.

By the time they lost sight, I sent my brother an email telling him to leave the country with immediate effect because his enemy is back from recovery and hungry for revenge.

“Look who got his sense back.” said a member.

They all laughed. Then the Mystery voice said, “Kill them!”

They all had guns except for me, but something told me that I can still do it.

“Guys, I`m starving, surely you do too." I said, "Who is going to buy some take- away, I`ll pay.”

Two volunteered to go and buy food- with their guns. And I was left with the main actor. What was I thinking?

“What the heck. Come and see this.” I said so stepping out of the chair for him to sit, and as he did I choked him then went for his gun.

“Tables have turned now, who`s the boss?.” I said, “My people are on their way here, just don’t try something funny.”

“You wouldn’t dare do it.”

“Try me! Just try.” shaking.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I left the gun on purpose and went to open the door. I made sure that when I open it, I went behind it.

As I opened, the shoot-out began. The main actor became the first to shot while he and one of those who volunteered to go to buy food died.

The last one fled the scene, so did I.

As I was walking home, the streets were roaming, it was as if there was a big occasion in the neighbourhood.

I didn’t follow the lead as I wanted to see myself at home. Seeing people die in front of me made me feel sick- I felt like vomiting.

When I got home, I found the house empty. I tried calling mom but her phone took me to voicemail, so was everyone`s phone. Are they at the occasion or took my brother to the airport?

All of a sudden, I changed. This time it was getting worse, I felt dizzy and started vomiting. I then took a nap on a couch.

I was woken by the voices I heard in the house. I heard people crying and screaming like thunderstorms. Tears were falling like heavy rains, and the last time this happened was when my Aunt died.

“What`s going on, Mom?”

Mom replied crying, “It`s your brother, my son.”

“Come on, you should have cried enough at the airport. And besides, it`s not like he's gone forever; you can video call him every day.”

“No, he`s not coming back."

"Your brother is dead, my child.” said a neighbour, with a smile on her face.

I got a shock, then laughed. That can`t be happening, can it?

“Are you sure it`s your son, mom?”

Instead of answering me, she gave me a look.

I left home running, running like a bull without its head. I was going to the Old- man scientist to cough at him but when I got there, I found the place burnt.

When I saw it, I kneeled and cried.

I had a lot to cry for. My brother is dead and it`s all because of me. If only I had killed this kid long ago. The lab is also destroyed meaning I have nowhere and no one to visualize my dream with. I messed up, big time.

“Stop regretting and start acting. Do it for your brother and your dream.” said the Mystery- voice.

 “I swear the day I meet my brother`s killer, I`d personally put a bullet in his forehead.”

It was about time I lived a life lived by all.

A life of deeds. 

A life of crime.

During the mourning period, I decided to strategize a way around my brother`s killers.

Apparently, he was killed with his girlfriend by these 4thugs. Surely his girlfriend`s little brother wasn’t there; his sister wouldn’t have died too.

I wonder how he feels since his sister also died; he`ll make sure they regret the day they killed her. Maybe I should team up with him and do justice for our loved ones.

However, I didn’t care about these other 3thugs. All I wanted was the one who pulled a trigger and took my brother`s life along with my dream.

When the mourning period elapsed, after 3months, mom didn’t want me to go back to the streets which meant that I have been planning something that won`t happen again- like always.

I had to do something, I had to make a plan, I had to go back to the streets, I had to kill my brother`s killer- fast.

Maybe telling mom about the progress of my dream would change her mind. But what was my progression, again?

I mean my progress was like making eggs- millions of eggs, knowing that one day they will hitch and become chickens.

That’s what I told my parents, that the sun has shone in my path. This time, I had them eating on my palm. I so convinced them till they agreed to let me back to the streets.

If only they knew what I really wanted to do out in the streets, out in the dark world, a world with no friends nor dreamers, a world I desperately went to for revenge.