The window cleaner

An Oath

Siin was still lost in his thoughts when Baichi slowly approached the door by which he was standing on.

" Good evening Mr Baichi. Four cartons of giant pizzas were ordered for you from the welfare of the General. All you need to do is to sign here." Said Siin.

" Really.i never knew the general could think of things such petty.cars ? Off course, designer clothings ?very much usual. This pizza is a new one." Said Baichi as he smiled and savored the Aroma of the hot pizza.

" And a good one to. Nothing beats a good family moment and I'm very sure that's the reason the General sent something that can be enjoyed by the whole family. That's just so priceless." Said Siin as he smiled obediently like a loyal servant.

" I agree with you lad. There really is nothing like family." Said Baichi as he signed the paper and handed it back to Siin.

" Sir your face looks familiar." Said Siin in a whisper , just as he handed the boxes of pizza to Baichi.

" Me . Well I'm quite famous on this streets. Alot of people know me here." Said Baichi as he paused for a while in seriousness.

" It's not from the streets sir. I think I saw a man who drove his car after yours four days ago. That lad really looked like somebody that was up to no good.im just glad you alright." Said Siin and turned to take his leave.

" Wait please . This man you saw drive after me. Did you see his face. Can you recognize him." Said Baichi almlst grabbing Siins hands.

" Not much . He was crippled in the left leg and wore a black coat. But his face is still very much fresh in mind." Said Siin after turning back to Baichi.

" Please come inside,you may just be able to save my life." Said Baichi. Who was dumb enough to not to take into cognizance , the dark google Siin had been wearing at such time of the day.

" Sure . Let's go ." Said Said Siin and followed him inside while the little girl kept throwing her ball around

. She had been playing throw and catch alone and Siin had noticed the pain in the heart of the little loner.

" Please sit down my friend." Said Baichi and as he ushered Siin to an inner room away from his wife and daughter.

" Some one is after my life. I don't know who that person is. It's just sad that someone would want to make this little a girl an orphan. Im lost and confused. If you can help me with the identity of the stalker who tried to kill me . I would be very grateful to you." Said Baichi in a sober tone that dripped of fear.

" Hmm. But why would someone Try to kill you. Have you done anything wrong at all. " Siin asked feigning to show pity.

" None that I can remember. I live a peaceful and calm life . I have helped a lot of youths find work. People say good things about my generosity. I don't know why I'm now a target." Said Baichi as he reached for a glass of water that was on a glass table.

" Did you venture into politics?. Because if you say so much good things about your self. Then I'm sure you may have an opponent who wants to tackle you down. Politics is a dangerous game as we all know." Said Siin with much vigour and seriousness.

" Not at all. Though many people have asked me to join politics. But I don't want any problem with any one . All I need is to be available for my child and her my wife. Is that too much to ask.?" Said Baichi as dropped some oil from a bottle on the glass table, into the glass of water before drinking it.

" I see. Well I will be able to draw the face of the suspect.but I am a fair man who is scared of implicating an innocent person. You know it was in the night and darkness may just have decieved my frail sight. I may end up drawing someone who might not be the stalker who had tried to kill you. " Said Siin and nodded slowly.

" Oh my goodness that's true. But please just draw me a sketch. It would go a long way. " Said Baichi and stood up to search for pen and paper.

" Where are you going sir ? " Siin asked in air of might and confidence.

" To get you a sheet of paper and a pen." Said Baichi in a frantic voice.

" What if I told you , that , that was just a waste of time and energy." Said Siin and Smiled lightly.

" How do you mean my friend.? " Sturttered Baichi as he stood motionless in confusion.

" What if I told you I have someone who could help you without having to lift a pencil or pay a dime. Won't that be better off for you." Said Siin and cemented a heavy gaze on Baichi.

" Oh goodness. I'm am welcome to any idea at this moment as long as it can save my Life. " Said Baichi as he hurried to sit down before Siin again.

" But I'm afraid it's rather othordox than contemporal. " Said Siin as lowered his voice to shoot forward an Ambience of sacredness.

" I will do anything to save my life . Anything at all." Said Baichi as his eyes widened in expectations.

" Good . There is someone who can help you. He is a guided shaman who is well known for the qualities of his remedies. But however. He is a valuist . He neither knows truth nor lies. He only knows thklings they were they happened. You must tell him all what had happened and why you think people want to kill you. Remember he know no judgement. He only knows results of actions. So don't be scared even if you have killed or saved many lives in the past say them as you have done them . Failure to do so would however alter the remedy and death is inevitable." Said Siin in a low tone that was serious and much sober than ever.

" I ....I well. If you say he won't judge me .then I guess I can say out the truth without facing the music." Said Baichi as he cleaned his face with his palms.

" Yes please. Feel free. I would also advise you tell me first so I can interpret to him thoroughly. Don't forget to have no fear of getting judged . Say all things the way they are." Said Siin with a very serious tone of voice.

" Okay. I must confess that I earlier lied about having peaceful past. It's true though that I help people a lot because I have been poor and know how painful , situations may be. However i have done so many things in the past which I am not proud of and it included taking part in the murders of people and a***e of women ,most of which had opposed the directives of My Boss. General Zaylan. I fear that my past has come back to hurt me. Of all the people I have killed in the past. The one that gives me sleepless night the most is that of Kaltumi Zaylan. " Said Baichi who paused for a while , sighed deeply and continued.

" I have never killed a female in my life. Kaltumi was the first and last. You may have heard of her story. The media believes she committed suicide. We are f*******n to disclose the truth of the story behind her murder. All members of the Gulf occult who were present on the night of her murder were made to take a blood covenant. Anyone who disclosed the truth of her death to the outside world was to be strucked by Azrael the arch angel of death. I don't know how strong this covenant is. But I think it's better than dying in silence. I regret all the bad things we did to Kaltumi. She was such a fine fellow who didn't deserve to end like that." Said Baichi as he burst into Sobs, crying in remorse.

" That a sad story. So you took path in her murder. The poor girl." Said Siin who didn't seem to be bothered a bit by the crying of Baichi. To him , they were all crocodile tears and he had no pity for him. All that came to his mind was getting hold of the last box of pizza which really didn't contain pizza but a mini cross bow with arrows capable of killing a man.

" Do not cry Baichi. Redemption would always come to those who seek it and karma would come to those who evade redemption. Oh mine pass me the last box of pizza there . The one with a the red band. I'm afraid it's not part of your order. I'm sorry for the mix-up." Said Siin and stretched his hand to get a hold of the box from Baichi.

" That's no problems at all. We can hardly finish a box of this such giant pizza." Said Baichi as he gave Siin the box.

" Thank you very much. " Said Siin as he opened the box.

" I want to check to see if it's the other. Someone down the road has it. " Said Siin as Baichi looked without suspecting any foul play.

With Siins hand place inside the box. He reached for the mini bow which already had arrowss affixed in it. All he needed to do was take an aim and pull the trigger. The pizza box had holes which served as aroma chimneys.it was one of this holes that Siin had further fashioed to enable the exit of the arrow without any hitch. The fourth box was simply a fashioned weapon on it's own and Baichi did not realize that he had carried it into his own house with his own hands.

" When do we go to see this shaman of yours. I'm afraid time is not on my side. " Said Baichi in a worried tone. He didn't seem to mind what Siin had been fixing in the box since.

" I hope the package is intact." Said Baichi as he realized that The box had gotten the better attention than him.

" Very intact sir." Said Siin with a smile on his face.

" Great !. So when do I get to see this shaman of yours." Said Baichi as he bent his head forward in curiosity.

" Now." Said Siin who was at the brink of pulling the trigger when a the little girl had ran into the room.

" Daddy! I found you ." Said the child and ran to Baichi , embracing him in an affectionate hug.

" How are you my little Ayra have just been gone for some minutes." Said Baichi as he lifted the girl up to his bossom.

" I couldn't find you in the living room. You took my new friend away from me. We were playing soccer with him." Said Ayra as she glanced at Siin.

" I'm sorry about that Ayra. Daddy had to talk some serious issues. " Said Baichi as he gently stroked her long braids.

" I don't want to be lonely dad. Please let me stay here with you." Said Ayra and clutched to her dad when she noticed he was Trying to drop her off.

" You won't be lonely." Said Siin in a subconscious whisper. The presence of the little girl had taken him back to his days at Congo where loneliness was the order of his day. For a moment he was quiet for while trying to escape the vox pop he had found himself in. Was to obey Kaltumi and make this innocent girl an orphan or was he to save the girl from a lonely life and disobey his benefactor.

" Now you said. Can I get my car key . So we can be going " said Baichi with a tone of eagerness.

" On a second point. Let's have an appointment with the shaman first. I will communicate to him all your predicament. Tommorow I will come by we would go and see him together. Do not discuss to Anyone about what we discussed here. " Said Siin and sprang up to take his leave.

" We can even go this moment. " Said Baichi as he sprang up after Siin.

" Like I said . I have to see him first. I will communicate the rest to you." Said Siin and headed straight to the door.

" But where will I meet you. ? Where would we meet again. I don't even know your name Sir. What time will I expect you . ?," Said Baichi as he dolled out his series of questions to Siin.

" Well. Since we are discreet. Names aren't important for now. Lets focus more about saving lives. Dead men don't answer names neither do they call names." Said Siin as he paused.

"Exactly sir you are right. So when do we meet , the time and venue is of Paramount importance. * Said Baichi with a tone of worry in his hyped voice.

" Tomorrow I will come and pick you up by the early hours of morning. It may be the early c***s haven't crowed yet then. So be prepared. I'm going right to the Shamans place this moment. Even if I fail to come by, the morning , I will be available later on in the day." Said Siin and moved on with his steps in a cloned way to mask his actual footsteps.

" Thank you sir. I'm really very grateful to you." Said Baichi.

Siin ignored the greeting and left the room with the fourth box of pizza.

" What a gentleman." Said Baichi as he sat down to devour his pizza. Just then he remembered that he had forgotten to tip the pizza man and rushed outside to see if he could find him but he was no where to be found. The young seemed to have dissapered from sight as it was just less than the half of a minute when he had left the house.

"Hmm. That's some dude." Said Baichi as he looked from left to right while standing at his varanda. Just to catch a glimpse of the pizza man. A twenty dollar Bill was clutched tightly in his left hands And when it was obvious to him that Siin was not in sight. He reached for his leather wallet , opened it and shoved the dollar bill neatly inside of the files of the wallet.

" Ayra let's go in. I don't want the mosquitoes to feast on you." Said Baichi and took Ayra inside.

( Days Later)

" Had it not been for the Innocence of Ayra, Baichi would have long been gone." Thought Siin as he sat on his sofa to reflect on how things would have been if he had acted Differently. Had he killed Baichi. Then Ayra would have been an orphan and a sad and lonely Childhood was totally intricate in her life. Once again the question on essence had dawned on him. He wondered vhow Kaltumi would feel, when she found out that he had spared one of her killers due to showing empathy to his child. He didn't expect her to take things alright with him for disobeying her orders and neither did he want her to come out too hard on the matter as he felt his brain needed time to process such orders especially when they brought back memories from the past. It was going to be difficult for him to take out Baichi After seeing his daughter. But then life was a war and casualties were bound to occur,' he thought and sighed deeply for drinking a cup of coffee to calm his nerves. The weather bore a cooling ambience as it rained heavily outside. He was confused on weather to obey the love of his life or obey the lessons of his life as empathy had eaten deep into him. He was going to have to face up to Kaltumi and tell her the challange he faced.

Just then, there a voice in his head and sounded as if though it was someone talking to him..

" So this is how week you are. You let a cold killer go free because of some little gir.?" Said the voice in a stern whisper.

" She looked so innocent. She was mirror of my child hood. I don't want her to suffer like I did." Said Siin as he talked slowly as if intoxicated by alcohol.

" You had a lonely life yet see how great you turned out. Every sick persons prayers on Salda Kalif is to be treated by you. You are rich and wealthy. Your new father is a billionaire. At the end of the day , had loneliness helped you achieve greatness or not.?" Said the voice in his head.

" True. I have been better off. There was nothing much I could have achieved in Congo even if my mother had been alive. " Said Siin and sipped some more coffee.

" Great. Don't be stingy. Don't think about your self alone. Do this that little girl a favor and ice her dad. She may cry today and cry tomorrow , but what is sure is that she would never cry forever. In the future she would be better off. Just like you. Baichis demise in her life would give her the strength to achieve such great things which his comfort would not let her achieve when alive." Said the voice in a whisper.

" Yes you are right . I never saw it that way. Baichi is bad energy. He needs to be taken off the live of such an innocent girl like Ayra.she deserves better." Said Siin and stood up with no further delay.

" Oh Ayra the coming months may be hard for you

. But it would open the doors to greater joys and happiness. " Said Soon as he got hold of his box of pizza which was intact. All his disguise were still intact. All he did was grab his car key, headed outside , entered his car and zoomed off to finish up his business with Baichi.

Meanwhile Baichi sat in from of the television watching a basketball match with his wife. He had always been a fan of basketball ball and was once an amature player in the junior youth league , before getting to fat and inherently dropped off the team by the coach.

" That wretched coach , MR Habib. I still won't forgive him for selling my slot to another player. I was the best player in the team . Then he drops me and takes someone else. I'm very sure he collected money from that no good boy he used against me. By now I would have been a star in the NBA league. " Said Baichi who was battling with a slice of pizza in his hands.

" But darling. You told me you were dropped out of the team because you failed to watch your weight. " Said his wife as she seemes to be thrilled by the ongoing match.

" Not at all. Now I realize it was never about weight rather it was money. The man never liked me a bit. He saw the potential in me . Later on Scouts came and asked for me . But when thwy found me , a lot of damages had been done. I had grown fat since I stopped training from depression. All I did was eat and feel bad about my fate. The scout didn't even recognize me at the first instance. They all shouted in shock wen they saw me.

" That's really sad darling . That coach Habib is really a handful of trash. I can't believe he would do such a thing. I hope karma catches up with him." Said Baichis wife.

" Well you know my Dear. I used to be a g**g member. I joined at a young age just few months after getting expelled from the team. When I told them my story they vowed to deal with the coach on my behalf and they did just that." Said Baichi and laughed quite loud while still watching the television screen.

" What did they do to him. " His wife asked in curiosity.

" Well, let's just say he never got to play basketball again, since the day we paid him a courtesy visit." Said Baichi and laughed even louder.

" Did you guys kill him. ? " She asked as her eyes widened in shock of what obvious answer was to be dealt.

" Well. That's a discussion for another day . Damn the wind has altered the antena. We have lost signal." Said Baichi as he quickly stood up.

" So ?. Where are you going. It's raining heavily outside. The winds are strong too. " Said his wife as her gaze followed his every step.

" To get my raincoat for sure. I can't afford not to watch this match . This is the match of the season. Just be here and tell me when it comes up. You would need to speak loud cause it's quite a riot out there." Said Baichi and entered inside his room to get a Raincoat.

" No please. You can't go outside now. It's too windy. The rain is too heavy and you can't touch the metal pole. It shocks some times. You know that. Don't you?" Said his wife as she stood up to make clear, her oppinion.

" My dear you worry too much . It wouldn't take me a second a to turn the antenna to the right position. Oh Lord only God knows who is leading now. " Said Baichi as he hurriedly wore his rain coat and headed for the door.

" Please. I don't have a good feeling about this . I think the match can wait. It's not as important as your health." Said his wife as she walked to his front to block his route.

" I swear all this while you stood here , I would have fixed the issue and be back." Said Baichi and manovered his way out of the house .

" Tell me when the signal returns." He said before taking on the heavy drops of rain.

" Okay . Please be safe darling." Said his wife and rushed to the television to monitor it's clarity progress.

Siin had arrived at the Alley where the Cabman had dropped him earlier in the day . He had packed his black mustang there for the fear that Baichi would see the car and recall it to be the one that his attacker had rode in. He got hold of his box and headed for Baichis house which was just a stone throw from the alley.

" How is it now my dear." Said Baichi as he turned the slim metal pole that flagged the antenna above.

" Not good. Please just come in you have wasted more than two minutes now. The fault may be from the sport station." Said his wife in a tone that showed her displeasure.

" Just a minute my dear. I think the cable may have fallen off it's socket. " Said Baichi as he held the cable and shoved it upwards in a maniacal bid to fix his signal at all cost.

" How Is it now. Do we have signal." Baichi asked at the top of his voice to , offset the whistles of the winds and also the heavy splash of rain drops on the zinc.

" It's still not showing. Please come inside dear." Said his wife who now abandoned her post at the televisions front and headed for the door to call back her husband with more deligence.

" I'm almost there. I can feel it In my soul. It's going to be fixed now . Check it this one last time." Said Baichi who was already frustrated and kept on tossing and thrusting all the elements of the antenna his hand could reach. At that point Siin had just arrived the scene but hid discreetly across the road . He wondered it was that made Baichi come out of his comfort zone at this time of the night. Things promised to look easy for him. All he needed to do was take an aim and get done with the business at hand.