chapter 2

....On the way down a dark avenue, a car appeared out of nowhere and blocked his way. Surprised he braked. Two masked men holding guns in hand spring out. They didn't seem to be asking the editor for an interview.

- Get out of the car immediately! Ordered a high-pitched voice

Christophe was scared He got out of the car with his hands up 🙌

- What do you want from me? he stammered in an unsteady voice.

- That !

Then they shot him and ran quickly to their jeep which started right away. Neither seen nor known. The man was dying when a pedestrian approached him. When he saw his condition, he cried out for help. The world soon showed up. They transported him to the hospital. But alas it was too late the editor had succumbed to his injuries on the way. The doctors just took him to the morgue and tried to reach his relatives…✳✳✳

That evening, Zed was in the living room revising lessons for his younger brother. Her big sister #Denise was watching TV while getting her manicure. Suddenly his mother emerges from the room looking agitated. She had tears in her eyes and was content not to cry out loud.

- Mom, what is it? Asked Zed worried😟

- My son… your…uncle….#Yannis…informs me that he has been contacted by the general hospital center about your father… she stopped..

Zed grew more and more perplexed by his mother's story. Her sister approached.

- What did mom dad do? She inquired in a worried voice.

- My children, I have to go to this hospital first.

- Mom, we'll go together, Zed suggested.

- Let's go kids.

Everyone hastily got ready. They took a taxi to be dropped off at the hospital. The news quickly spread through the media. He was a great journalist who had been assassinated. Journalists gathered in front of the hospital in search of interviews with the various police officers. When they saw the family of the deceased, all the cameras were on her. The lady couldn't help but sobs. Two police officers helped them make their way into the hospital. The doctor welcomed them and confirmed the death of the great journalist. The lady faints. Zed was paralyzed with fear. So he realized that his father was dead.

- Not my father, he said in a choked voice.

His sister hugged him sobbing. The family was inconsolable……….✳✳✳

Police inquiries led nowhere. Advertisements from the press alarming against crime echoed the moon. The editor's death was a declared war on the country's press. And since then valiant journalists were being kidnapped even in broad daylight. Unprecedented delirium. A few weeks after his father's death, Zed and his family moved to live in another town. The late father was not very wealthy but he had left his family enough to survive and not be dependent on others. This ordeal had plunged Zed into a great stupor. He wondered if there was a God somewhere who would put an end to the atrocities of the world. The priest who had said the funeral mass said to him: "MY SON, ONLY TRIAL ENABLES MAN TO GIVE HIS MEASURE, IF YOU SENSE IT COMING, REMEMBER THAT GOD, LIKE A GOOD COACH, WILL OPPOSE YOU A POWERFUL AND BRUTAL OPPONENT. TO WHAT END?

YOU ASK. SIMPLY SO THAT YOU CAN WIN VICTORY LIKE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES. Zed had found some comfort in his wise words. Having left his old school, Zed continued his studies in another school until obtaining his baccalaureate. He decided to embrace university studies with a heavy heart. He had only one dream in mind: to become a great journalist like his late father

✳✳

Vania hadn't seen Zed since the most shameful day of her college life. Because it was the same day that Zed's father was killed. She too had obtained her baccalaureate and had entered the field of journalism, but in a different university than Zed. She was doing well and always in the company of her inseparable friend Yvette. One day, a press rights organization had organized a major conference on “the challenges and prospects of a journalist's profession”. The invitation had been sent to several universities which had within them the journalistic branch. Important figures from 4 corners of the world took part in this conference debate. There was a prize up for grabs at the University that will win the debate. Students from all over the country had come to attend this enormous event that we will not experience again anytime soon. Evidently Zed was among the students from his university chosen for the performance. Likewise Vania. The organization had covered all accommodation costs for all participants in the debates. The conference would take more or less a week. Monday the first day, the room had been decorated with a thousand colors. The speakers had their places of honour. After all the personalities had settled down, the speaker took the door and said:

- Honorable members of the World Press Law Foundation, dear university directors, distinguished guests in your respective titles and capacities, the honor is assigned to me on this day which will mark many of these young students, to declare open the great conference debate which focuses on "the challenges and prospects of the profession of a journalist" this theme has been carefully chosen to help people around the world understand the nobility of the profession of a journalist. And as it was announced, we will have to ask questions to the young participating students who should answer by debating with their own arguments. At the end of this debate, the members of the jury will designate the University that will win. Without further ado, I'm going to introduce you to the first debating team. I call Mr. Zed MERAH from UVN University and Mrs. Vania MILLS from UPV University. Today we are going to address the issue of stakes.

Cheers followed the presentation. Zed walked up to the podium with a playful smile; he hadn't yet realized which Vania it was. Vania, for her part, sat down in front of the microphone. Raising their heads their eyes met. Zed was obviously surprised as was Vania.

After the cheers, the speaker spoke again:

- So dear sir and lady. The debate begins with you. And the first question is: WHAT IS A JOURNALIST? everyone will have 3 minutes to put forward their arguments, the floor is yours, Madame Vania.

- Thank you very much, Vania sighed into the microphone. So you ask me what is a journalist? A journalist for me is above all someone curious, who will tell what he sees without prejudice. Someone who puts a situation or event into perspective and helps to understand the issues. This is what I hear from a journalist. Vania argued.

Lively cheers accompanied his moment of calm.

- Very brilliant argument madam, resumed the orator, to you Mr. Zed, tell us what a journalist is.

- Thank you very much, sighed Zed, I admit that my opponent in debate underlined a phantasmagoric aspect of the job of a journalist. But was she right to affirm without mincing words that a journalist is someone who puts a situation or an event in perspective? I don't think so and I'll tell you why. Well, to understand what a journalist is, you have to know what a journalist does. Should we define a profession in relation to the person who exercises it or define the person in relation to the profession he exercises??

There were murmurs in the room.

- Well, continued Zed, my father always told me that a journalist is someone who undertakes to keep the population on the alert. Someone who is the voice of the voiceless. Someone who combines the facts of the past, present and future. he concludes.

A great clamor was heard.

- It is fascinating, ladies and gentlemen, how these young people are defending themselves on the issue, said the speaker. The members of the jury have, I hope, taken good note of it. We will then move on to the next question: WHAT DOES THE JOB OF A JOURNALIST MAKE YOU THINK OF??? This time we start with Mr. Zed.

- Thank you very much, Zed sighed. So you ask me what the profession of journalist makes me think of? Well, this noble profession makes me think first of all of the community. Yes, without it the journalist will not carry out his work. It is for the community that he struggles day and night to give it information related to his daily life.

- Absolutely, resumed the orator, so what do you think, Madame Vania?

- Thank you very much, I believe that my adversary is not totally wrong on the community point. But there is another aspect that he should have added to his argument. You know sir, I clearly think that the essence of our job is to go on the ground and see how things are going. Every journalist must get in touch with people and the news, to tell what is happening. I resolve to affirm that the profession of a journalist reminds me of honesty in his reporting. Tell the truth to the community of the facts that are taking place in current times and even in the future.

A clamor was heard in the room.

- It is marvellous, resumed the orator. Ladies and gentlemen, these brilliant young students are clearly the pride of our country. So we are going to move on to the last question as far as you are concerned: WHEN SHOULD WE SAY THAT THERE, IN THE FACE OF THE NEWS, WE ARE DOING OUR JOB AS A JOURNALIST?? We start with Madame Vania.

Vania had a smile on the corner of her lips.

- I believe that, for my part, it is the moment when one asks oneself questions that the others have not asked themselves in order to shed light on a fact. Yes, a journalist strives to touch the angle of information that arouses interest in the community. So much for me, she concludes.

- Of course, continued the orator, so Mr. Zed what do you think?

- I partly agree with my opponent on the fact that a journalist must arouse interest in the community. You know, I believe without fear of being contradicted that the news is in a continuous cycle. There always are. I take the example of this conference, the media will talk about it. But it will still arouse the desire to learn more about every fact of the conference. In view of this, I declare, at least for my part, that the moment when a journalist does his job in the face of current events is when he brings out the quintessence of the facts by interpreting them in a simple and concise to avoid falling into what newspaper enthusiasts would call bogus or rag.

A loud cheer engulfed the room.

- Ladies and gentlemen, continued the speaker, you attended the debate of the first team. They were super good at their answers. I think that the members of the jury will have a lot of difficulty in choosing the winner. But never mind, I'll call the second team.

Two young students came to the front of the rostrum as soon as the speaker began his questions. The conference had lasted more than two hours before being declared over for the day. The students returned to their places of accommodation. Zed wanted to meet Vania. He looked for her until he saw her surrounded by her comrades. He approached her.

- Hi Vania!

- Oh my God Zed, gosh what a surprise!

- Yeah, I'm as surprised as you.

- What have you grown up, I almost didn't recognize you.

- Time passes so quickly Vania. I did not know that you had embraced university studies in addition to my field of study.

- It's really a coincidence Zed. I congratulate you on your speach but know that I will win😊 and bring the trophy back to my university.

- That's what we are going to see. You were also brilliant I admit. Where are you staying?

- They put us all up in the #Bronkshotel.

- Gosh, we're staying there too, what's your room number?

- I live at the second n° 12

- And me at number 4. I still can't believe it's you in front of me.

- Me too, you have completely changed.

- Really, so what are you doing tonight?

- We had planned to let off steam at the club

- Great what time I want to come.

- At 7 p.m. and we will return before 10 p.m. our hours are regulated here.

- Alright, we'll meet on the ground floor at 7 p.m. then

- Great, I'll be there.

- Glad to see you again Vania

- Me too Zed.

Then they parted with a handshake. Obviously Zed seemed to ignore their last moments of separation, probably hidden by the spirit of reunion……✳✳✳

Zed didn't wait for the bell to strike 7:00 p.m. to go downstairs. He had invited one of his friends to come with him. They spent a quarter of an hour waiting before seeing the girls tumbling down the stairs. Vania and her group of friends. They were 3 in number.

- Hi guys, have you been waiting for us for a long time? Launched Vania

- Hi girls yes forever, replied Zed.

- We are here. I present to you Yvette and #Mya, said Vania

- We are delighted, said Zed

- Oh my god Zed! What have you changed, exclaimed Yvette. You no longer have the same image as in college.

- People change over time my dear. I present to you, #Frédéric my friend

- Pleased, so let's leave before all our time runs out here.

They left the hotel to head for the club. The organization had made available to all students invited vehicles for their trip.

The club exuded its everyday vibe. Dancers, drinkers, eaters and gamblers made up the landscape.

- Come on, let's find a quiet corner, Vania suggested.

Then she walked over to an unoccupied table where there was room for two.

- Ouff girls will have to find another place elsewhere we stay here with Zed we have a lot to talk about.

- Ok, we're right next to you, agreed Yvette.

After settling in, a waiter came to inquire about the tastes of new customers.

- I'll have a soda, said Vania

- I want a Heineken beer, said Zed

The waiter took note and went to get the order.

- So Zed, what made you choose a career as a journalist? Asked Vania

Zed changed his cheerful face to sadness.

- I got it from my father, he said in a relaxed tone.

- Oh, I heard about the news of his death. I send you my sincere condolences Zed.

At these words, the memories fled to the surface. Zed remembered his humiliation because of her, VANIA.