CHAPTER FIVE( THE INSIDER)
A young man in his mid twenties entered a nice restaurant,it was obvious that he was searching for someone as he looked at every corner of the restaurant. One young lady waved her hands and he walked towards her after smiling, showing his white teeth. He said his greetings before taking his seats.
Sitting opposite her in a little round table,she was wearing a mini dark brown gown,she wasn't smiling yet she still looked pretty. He admired her and smiled even though he knew what her intention of inviting him to this dinner was,he still couldn't deny the facts that she was pretty.
The young lady(his girlfriend) kept a straight face even though her boyfriend kept smiling. They didn't order food and she tried to say something "I..." But the young man(Jay) looked at her and said "you want to break up our relationship,you think I'm creepy,I say things you want to say before you say them,it frightens you." She was surprised, it's as if he heard her thoughts, he actually heard her thought though it's unknown to her. Before she left the restaurant,she looked at Jay and said "yeah, you are really creepy" stressing the "are pronunciation.
Jay wasn't annoyed that his girlfriend broke up with him because he knew she has been planning to do it,since he can hear people's thoughts. It started when he was fourteen years old.
INTRODUCING THE INSIDER(JAY)
I had a brother,he was born dumb. He was older than me by four years,he also had panic disorder. My mom and dad gave him all their attention, sometimes I felt they were like that because they were guilty, I didn't know why but I felt they did it out of guilt. I always had to walk with my brother and I felt it was unfair,he was dumb,not stupid.
When I was fourteen, we had a practical in school,I was excited about it,it was on a Saturday and my parents were busy on that day,my dad would travel on a business trip and mom would attend a relative's wedding. My parent knew of how excited I was about the practical, but they didn't allow me attend it "stay at home with Gerald", that's what they told me. I've always had to sacrifice my time for my brother without complaining but that day I was so angry,I shouted at my parents " Gerald is dumb not stupid, sacrifice this for Gerald, sacrifice that for Gerald, everything is crazy " after saying those words,my father slapped me,the slap didn't bring hurt to me,my words brought hurt to me and turning back,I saw Gerald by the door,he was just staring at me with an expressionless face.
And on that day,I wasn't feeling strong,I had a running nose and headache. I was a little bit glad that I didn't attend the practical. I was lying on the couch when Gerald came with a ball,he used sign language,he told me that we should play the ball together but I told him that I wasn't feeling well that he should play without me. He agreed and went to play alone.
Later he came and demonstrated to me that the ball flew over the gate,that he was going to get it,if my parents were around, I would have gone to get the ball but I told him to get the ball since I was weak. He agreed and left.
Not too soon Gerald left, I heard people shouting though I was weak,I was disturbed since Gerald hasn't returned. I went outside the compound and people were pointing at me or saying words looking at my direction before one lady dragged me towards a crowd, I could hear people saying "the boy can't speak" "the boy isn't mentally stable, he could have ran instead of shouting" "this is the brother".
And finally, inside the crowd, Gerald was on the floor,drowning in his own blood,a car rushed towards us and we rushed him to the hospital. The doctor told us he was in an unstable position, I sat close to Gerald,I felt lifeless. My mom came to the hospital, she was in pain with her son,the bus driver who caused the accident was also in hospital, his whole body trembled,he spoke to my mom on his knees,he kept begging,he said his brakes failed.
My mom couldn't stand,she sat on the floor,her legs were too weak to carry her body. She called my dad and he said he was coming since he didn't travel to a far place.
I kept asking Gerald to wake up,to forgive me. After an hour, Gerald woke up and that was when I heard it, the first time I heard someone's thought and it was Gerald's thought, "the fault is not yours" that was what i heard before he closed his eyes and my mom rushed to call the doctor and when he came,he said Gerald was dead and everywhere was silent. The driver cried and then,I heard his thoughts,he kept calling himself a murderer,he kept blaming himself,I walked to him and told him that the fault wasn't his, I even held his hands.
My parents didn't say anything to me. I thought everyone would blame me. But hearing their thoughts,I realized that they too blamed themselves. Even though Gerald said the fault wasn't mine,I still blamed myself. At first it was surprising to me that I heard people's thought but now I just live with it.
CHAPTER SIX(ONE WITH SECRETS) Lillian sat down in the living room,she was watching something in her phone and smiling. Mark walked in,looking stressed. Before,Lillian would rush to him,kiss him and unbutton his shirt but it was just a "welcome home". Lillian received a text from her mother in law,she wanted to have lunch the next day. She was trying to be nice but to Lillian it was "pressuring" to her. Mark sat close to her,the night was cool and so was the bed,a bed that was supposed to be warm. "You know, I had dinner with your mom,she wants to mend our relationship. I'm having lunch with her tomorrow". Even when and after Lillian spoke, Mark just kept reading the magazine in his hands,he didn't reply her. " You know I said something right? Lillian asked sitting close to him,holding his hands to get his attention. " I hop
CHAPTER SEVEN( PEOPLE BY THE SEA) Mark came home and saw a sticker note on a plate. "I'm travelling for two weeks". That was all she wrote in the note,he just couldn't understand Lillian anymore. He tried calling her but her phone was switched off. He called Jemima and asked if she knew where Lillian was but she told him she didn't. Even her mom didn't know where she was. Few minutes later Jemima called and told Mark about a resort Lillian spoke of recently. Mark's mom visited,she brought a young lady with her,she said she was the temporary cook since Lillian wasn't around. " How did you know Lillian wasn't at home? Did she tell you that she was travelling?" Mrs Ade nodded her head. "Wow,she told you she was travelling but she didn't tell me,she left a stupid note for me to read". Mark was r
CHAPTER EIGHT(DARK CURTAIN) The main door of the house opened,Lillian walked in. The sitting room was nice,neatly arranged. The house looked empty. She walked to the kitchen,the utensils were neat and arranged. Even her room was neat,it was as if the house never needed her. She sat on the bed and it was cold. How can love be like this? Why did she leave her home for another woman to walk in? Why can't she tell her husband that she can't have a baby. She remembered the day she saw Jay taking photos of little kids,some with mud on their face. " I can't have a baby,I wasn't interested in having one before,but I suddenly became obsessed with having one and years passed without us Having children and my husband didn't say anything. When we were newly weds,he talked about it a lot but suddenly he stopped,he didn't Even allow us visit a doctor." Lillian pau
MENDING CHALLENGES (PART TWO) MARK. Okay,my family is rich. Being the only child wasn't and still isn't nice for me,I wish I had an elder brother or a baby sister but it's not going to work now,according to scientific researches. When i met Lillian,for me I'd say it's love at first sight. Trying to make her like me back wasn't easy but I did it. Even when my mom was being tribalistic, I stood by my Lillian and US. At first she refused to get married,I dated her for six years and it really annoyed my mom. Ever since I was a little boy,I always wanted to be like my father. Even when my friends had issues with their dad,I never had one,he is a loving husband and a caring father. To me my Father is flawless. I desired to be like my dad.
THE GAME CONTINUES "That's not part of my question, I've answered what you asked" only Jay knew whose thought he couldn't read and Lillian knew he read hers before and he read Mark's in the table. Mark asked because he noticed that Jay have been staring at Joy,could that be reason? Before Mark spin the bottle, he wished the head would point at Jay but it was Joy. This time,Lillian asked her " truth or dare" and she replied "truth". " why are you so quiet,I think there's a story behind it,tell us why" .After Lillian asked her the question, she smiled for the first time that evening. "I was once cheerful as an high school student. I met this man who was much older than me,I'm sure his kid is the same age as me,he visited my mom's shop regularly, he bought expensive wines, he was like a perfect man. I didn't approach
THE NEW WIND Lillian visited Jemima, it has been long since she had a chat with Jemima. Well,she was like Jemima now,a "stay at home wife" but their situation was different, Jemima's husband wouldn't let her work but she(Lillian) left work on her own. Lillian told Jemima about Jay and how he reads thoughts and it was funny to her,she asked if Lillian thinks she would believe. She told her about the little dinner that happened in her house and all the creepy things that happened and Jemima replied "You think I'd believe that,believe me,your dream was wild" it was of no use trying to convince her that it was true. She always believed what Lillian told her but she didn't believe this time. Jemima told Lillian that her husband got transferred from his place of work so they would
THE CRAZY TRUTH Saturdays are for resting! Mark opened the house door and Lillian walked in,she was shocked to see Joy in the living room,she hardly leaves her room. Joy looked at the couple,greeted them politely and left the parlour. On some days she behaved cool and on other days,she was hot headed. Lillian was cleaning the kitchen when Mark's phone rang,the conversation was short. After the call,he spoke to Lillian from the sitting room. " Sweets,I'll be back,I need to be somewhere". He rushed to his room and changed his clothes. He wore jean pants and a blue T-shirt . "Sweets,where?" Mark didn't reply,he just rushed out. Now, it was just Lillian and Joy at home. After cleaning the house,she slept in her room. She didn't do much wor
The joys and pains. It didn't become the perfect family but ever since Joy told her story,their relationship did flow better,they got use to the little boy that walks at night. The little boy that lacks affection. Lillian was feeling thirsty one night,everyone was asleep. She was too tired to walk but too thirsty to sleep without drinking water. The sitting room was quiet and she walked to the kitchen. She used her right hand to open the fridge and her left hand held her waist. Her left hands became cold,even colder than the water she took from the fridge. It was just like in the movies,the wind blew the curtains and the chandeliers made tingling sound. It wasn't an horror scene, she forgot to close the windows. Though she closed the windows, her hand was still clo