SEPARATION

He ran through the dark night as Derrick chased him from behind. 

"I'll kill you tonight!!" Derrick yelled from behind him. He continued to run as fast as he could and then he saw Mrs Sergio's house not far away from him. Halfway to her doorpost, he stumbled on a stone and fell to the ground panting heavily. He looked behind him and saw Derrick with a knife running towards him like a maniac.

"Haha!! I got you!" Derrick rejoiced as he caught up with to him and lifted his hand upwards with the knife.

"No!!!!!!" He screamed and woke up from sleep. He sat up on the bed panting heavily. He looked around the small room and everywhere was bright with the sunlight penetrating through the window. 

This isn't home, he thought as he continued to look around. His eyes caught someone lying close to him on the bed.

"Juli..us.." He tried to call but he felt an acrid pain in his head. " Ouch"!! He screamed and placed his hand on his head. He noticed that a bandage had been placed on his wound  and that was when he recalled the dramas of last night.

"Eden!!" Julius screamed excitedly as he sat up on the bed.

"Julius.." Eden muttered inaudibly.

"You're awake!!" He giggled excitedly and hugged him tightly.

"Ouch!!" Eden muttered as his body ached

"Sorry," Julius said excitedly. "Let me go get mom," he added and rushed out of the room. He placed his head on the pillow and fixed his gaze on the ceiling. He thought he wouldn't make it to this day as his thoughts flashed back to Derrick and how he had stabbed him in the stomach that night. It felt good, he said with a smile on his dry lips. What if he dies? He reasoned and became alarmed at the thought.

"Son," Mrs Sergio cried happily as she walked into the room with Julius. Eden forced a smile on his lips as she sat close to him on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked and he nodded.

"I just came back from your house now.." She said

"How's Derrick? Did he die?" He panicked

"Calm down son, he's at the hospital right now," she said with a smile and his nerves relaxed.

"I heard you stabbed him.." Julius said 

A tear escaped his eyes as he tried to relate the dramas of last night.

"He slammed me against the wall and shoved my head in the wc…" He cried with his lips trembling. 

Mrs Sergio drew him closer to herself and made him lean on her chest while she cuddled him.

"He hit my head on the bathtub.. And tried to grab me again... Then I stabbed him with a knife.." He continued with quivering lips.

"Mom, we need to report to the police!" Julius cried

"Calm Down son. Eden, I've spoken with your mother and I guess Derrick lied to her that he was trying to make you stop playing with a knife when you stabbed him"

"No.. He's lying.." he cried

"We know. Come on, it's fine, ok?" She comforted

"I'm scared Derrick might come back for me, he might come back to hurt me" ... He sobbed

"You're safe with us now Eden," Julius comforted while patting his shoulders

"Don't leave me.. I don't wanna go back home, I wanna stay with Julius.." He cried again

Julius looked up at his mom and she nodded with a smile

"Yes you ain't going back home, I'm here for you.." Julius assured

"Come here son," Mrs Sergio urged her son and the three of them were locked in an embrace.

Mrs Sergio prepared soup after giving him a warm bath and tending to his wounds. She gave him a massage too and some medications. 

"When I saw your body in front of the door last night, I thought you were dead and gone forever …" Julius related as they both sat down at the couch while Eden ate slowly.

"Thanks for being there for me," Eden said, smiling

"I couldn't sleep all through last night, I cried my eyes out.." Julius said again and Eden chuckled.

"You ain't going back home.. You're staying with us.." Julius added with a smile

"Thanks.." Eden muttered and they both smiled 

***

He stayed at the  Sergio's home for two days. And those were the best moments of his life. He played around the house with Julius, they go to school together, sleep together, bathe together and share the same clothes. Mrs Sergio took them to the park and they also went shopping together. Eden felt like home with the Sergio family. He hadn't heard from his mother and he doesn't care either. He wished she would never show up in his life again.

That night, he sat on the field with Julius gazing at shooting stars

"I miss my dad," Julius said and Eden turned to look at him in surprise. He hasn't asked about his father ever since they were friends.

"He travelled?" Eden asked and Julius shook his head in response.

"He's late," he replied.

"Oh.. I'm sorry. .."  Eden muttered

"He died after a surgery.. Just when we arrived Mexico.." He said and Eden kept silent.

"What about you, do you have a father?" Julius asked 

"I don't know," Eden replied.

"What?" Julius chuckled, turning to look at him. "What do you mean, you don't know?" He asked

"He doesn't act like a father to me, and I guess he doesn't want me.." Eden said.

"Sorry," Julius said with empathy

"Having you and your mom is enough for me. I don't need a father.." Eden added and Julius smiled.

"I'm scared Julius.. I'm scared.." he burst into tears at once

"Why?" Julius asked curiously

"Every night, I keep having this dream about Derrick coming to hurt me. Every night in my dreams, I see his terrible face and the knife in his hands piercing through my skin. I can't seem to get him off my head.. I'm scared he might come back to hurt me…" he cried

"You're safe with us Eden... And I'll protect you…" Julius assured, placing his hands around Eden's shoulders. 

"What if you leave someday?" Eden sobbed

"I'm not leaving you, we ain't leaving each other.."  Julius assured. "Hey, I have something to show you," he added and brought out two necklaces with a locket bearing their pictures. "Here, I bought it from the jewelry shop earlier, with my savings.." He said, handing over a necklace to Eden.

"Wow, it looks nice.. Eden said, receiving the necklace from him. Julius smiled

"This is for friendship.." He said, wearing the necklace around Eden's neck.

"For friendship…" Eden smiled as he wore the necklace around Julius's neck. They both shook hands together and hugged each other tightly.

The next day, they were playing baseball together at the field when a car drove in.

"My mom!!" Eden screamed 

"Really?" Julius asked and before he could  turn, Eden dashed out to the backyard.

Emilia walked out of the car tiredly. She knocked on Mrs Sergio's door. The door opened after the second knock.

"Hey Emy," Mrs Sergio smiled as she opened the door

"Good afternoon," Emilia greeted

"Come in," Mrs Sergio urged.

"I'm sorry I haven't called to check on you for sometime now, I've been quite busy with the kids.." Mrs Sergio said smiling as she sat on the sofa opposite Emilia.

"It's fine.. Derrick is back home now," Emilia said

"Oh ok.. I hope he's fine?" She asked

"Yeah.. A bit better. Where is Eden?" She asked

"Playing outside with Julius. I thought you might have seen them outside.." She replied

"Oh no.. Um..., I'm here to get him.." She announced and Mrs Sergio's countenance changed immediately.

"Any problem?" Emilia asked

"Oh no.." She laughed. "Um.. Would you mind if he stays here with us, he's really fond of Julius you know," she said with a smile

"Um.. His father wants him back. He gave me an ultimatum to return Eden back to him.." Emilia said sadly.

"Oh.. Um.. the problem is, if he would agree to go with you," she said

"He won't disobey me," Emilia smirked

"Um... Ok, I'll get him," she said as she stood up on her feet. 

Eden peeped through the passage with Julius listening to their conversations. On hearing of him going back to his father's house, his heart skipped.

"I'm going nowhere" He cried and tried to run away. Julius held him back

"Wait.. I don't think mom's gonna consent to that.." Julius said

"She's coming to get me. I need to run away before she gets me!!" Eden cried

"No Eden, you can't do that.. "Julius said, holding him against the wall. Mrs Sergio walked in on them.

"Eden.." She called in a sad tone. The boy turned to look at her with tears in his eyes.

"I can't go back to meet my father... I want to stay here with you!" He cried

"Your father wants you back, we can't keep you here forever.." She said, leaning closer to him

"You promised you ain't gonna let me go, you promised to keep me..". He cried

"Mom, we can't let him go, there is no way I'm letting Eden leave!" Julius screamed with tears flowing down his cheek

"I'm sorry son, but you have to listen to your mother.." Mrs Sergio cried

  "Eden?" Emilia called as she walked into the passage. Eden flinched and hid behind Mrs Sergio

"What's all this rubbish about! Go into your room now and get your bag!!" She thundered.

"I don't wanna go with you, I want to stay here.." he cried

"You wanna disobey me huh?" She asked, walking towards him

"He wants to stay with me.. Please ma'am let him stay"  Julius cried

"I told you they are so fond of each other now, please talk to his father so he could let him stay," Mrs Sergio pleaded in tears.

  "I'm sorry Mrs, but his father is a ruthless man and he won't spare me if I don't bring his son back to him. Now get your things Eden!" She barked at him while he stood reluctantly behind Mrs Sergio. 

Emilia tried to grab him but Mrs Sergio stopped her.

"I'll get his bag for him, let him be.." She said and went into the room with Eden while Julius followed behind.

"Eden, listen to me.." She said to him but he kept on crying

"You have to go home to your father, I promise to keep in touch with you.."

"Mom, Eden's going nowhere!" Julius slammed

"If you don't go now, your father will still come here by himself to get you.." She explained to him

"We could run away together far away from this place.." He cried

"No, it might land Julius and I in trouble. Please listen to me and go with your mother. From time to time, I'll bring him over to see you," she promised and he shook his head in disapproval.

"Come here son" she said, locking him in a warm embrace. "You have to go," she whispered, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.

"Mom I can't believe you're letting him go.." Julius cried

"It's beyond me.." She cried and went to pack his bag.

"Let's run away.." Julius whispered to him and he nodded. Before she could turn, they both dashed out of the house.

"Julius!!" Mrs Sergio screamed.

Emilia was still standing in the passage waiting impatiently for them to come out. Just then, Eden ran out of the room with Julius and they bumped into her.

"Where to boy?" She asked furiously while he began to fidget. He tried to turn back but she grabbed his shirt.

"Leave him alone!!" Julius cried, hitting her vehemently. She ignored Julius and dragged Eden out of the house while Julius ran after them crying.

Mrs Sergio rushed out of the room with Eden's bag. She saw Emilia dragging him out of the house and she followed suit. 

"Mom!! Do something!!" Julius cried as he watched Eden being dragged into the car. Emilia flung him into the car and shut the door while he continued to bang the windows from within.

"Eden!!" Julius cried, trying to rush over to the car but his mother dragged him back and he wriggled with all his strength to get free.

"Thanks Mrs. I'll keep in touch," Emilia said, collecting the bag from her. She nodded in tears as she watched her walk away.

"Julius!! Julius!!!" Eden screamed from the car as Emilia drove away

"Eden!! Eden!!" Julius screamed and broke free from his mother. He ran after the car screaming Eden's name, While Eden watched him through the back screen of the car. He wept and wept till Julius was out of sight.