THE POWER PLAY

I was done with all the paperwork for university application , and I was very tired. I took my supper and immediately headed to sleep, earlier, quite earlier than usual. I dragged the slides I was wearing though the tiled floor as my hand ran across the pure white white wall. It came across the picture hang on the wall. It was picture of my mom, dad and I during my graduation ceremony. I was standing between them, wearing a miniature graduation gown, as me parents bent to join their smiling faces to mine. I stopped to look, all the tiredness I felt suddenly vanishing to thin air, it reminded me of the family we once were, when work came second to family. The memories of the old days ached my heart,especially when I remembered they had missed the awarding ceremony my high school had invited me to, as their top candidate. I felt the pain that is brought by the absence of your most beloved in your life, because of what they call work, dedication, the chase for wealth. Had they fogortten the true aim of life was to be happy? to spend time with the ones whom you cherish most?The very lessons they taught me. I averted my eyes from the sight of the smiling faces in the picture, I wanted to protect myself from the sorrow that haunted me every time I remember how real of a family we once were, and how fast it all faded away . I opened the door to my room, removed my slides and allowed my self to fall freely to my bouncy bed. It was then that I was attentive enough to notice the screams downstairs, the screech of a car that was being accelerated beyond it's limits, the gunshots! They came fast, one after the other, I was left only with questions that had no answer. My face became stiff, serious as I thought of the thousands of possibilities. I rushed to the balcony driven by curiosity, worry, anxiety or whatever it was. I looked down to the compound of the residential towers, I saw a crowd had gathered there, I quickly headed to the elavator upto the ground floor, pressing several times any panick button I came across. I rushed through the reception heading to the compound where the crowd was gathered. I wasn't careful as I ran across the parking lot, I didn't notice the speeding car, and neither did its driver, it jammed me. I was thrust into the air before I fell with a thud, I could hear my bones crackle, and feel blood oozing out of my skull. My vision was blurry, I saw the car continue with its journey, but suddenly break and turn, as if it wanted to drift, before overturning and rolling severally. I heard the car burst into flames before I could no longer hold on to my consciousness. I woke up in the hospital, the bright fluorescent lights, the beeping machine, the bandages that made me uncomfortable, the nurse who was probably taking some records, my mother and father besides my bed. I figured that must have been a dream, how on earth were the three of us together, it was a phenomenon that hadn't been in such a long time, seems they cared, really cared, just didn't know how to ditch their job and have some fun with those they cared about! They were suddenly called out by the doctor, a medium height man with a muscular boy, bald head and a beard. A detective, I assumed, entered my ward, he asked my side of the story, I could tell she was desperate, but looked relieved once I was done telling my side of the story , had she picked up something important? But wait, I didn't even know what had transpired, she's the one whom informed me. "Mrs Omondi, or as popularly known, Mama Ashely, were from their car carrying some shopping from their car when suddenly a car stopped in front of them, a blue sedan," she was pacing about the room, looking at the air as if it was her audience, " two huge men, as she described them, left the car and took Ashely, then opened the car boot to throw to her a body that was later confirmed to be dead. They threatened her that was what was going to happen to her if she didn't forget what happened,then drove off. " I was shocked, what I had just heard couldn't register in my mind,it was too crazy to believe, " who was the dead guy?" " Baba Ashley, Paul Omondi... " " What! I thought he had died," she looked at me with a quizical look, also showing a little disappointment for my failure to recognize the obvious, " I mean she told me he was assumed dead after going missing for long during her early childhood. " " Mhm,seems you two are pretty close, is there any other information you know that might help?" she returned to her tense look, I replied with a shake of the head. She sighed the continued," okay but keep this card, just incase you remember anything, " she reached to the pocket of her black blazer that fit perfectly onto her curved waist. She was leaving before she stopped as if she had remembered something, "Oh, Mr Mzamane hit you with the car, he was just trying to be the hero, hope your parents understand, they look pretty mad." she said it as if it was a joking matter, did she not see the wounds on my head? Or the bandage on my right hand? "And what about the guards?" "They... Uh... Passed on, shot dead by the two." "Oh... " that was yet another hit, another loss. "Gideon, I want to promise you that we will do our best to find Ashley," she reminded me of yet another loss that my mind had hidden from me, perhaps to save me from the agony of losing such a close friend, such a close lover I bent my head to look down, as if to mourn their loss. She left, wishing me a quick recovery. I forced a smile. I heard the argument outside, my dad's deep voice that kept getting louder, and my mother's high pitched voice. There was another barrister voice was warring against them, probably Mr Mzamane's lawyer. I didn't care much about that, my mind was lost in the mystery of Ashley's kidnap. What did she do? What do they want from her? What interest did they have in her? My parents were long gone by now but hadn't yet let go of Mr Mzamane, who besides the rolling and explosion of the car, had come out usnscaved ignoring some few minor injuries. Perhaps that was what pained my parents, however I wasn't that badly hurt too, minus the minor fracture of my right arm. I constantly met with our lawyer, Mr Rashid, who despite not seeing the need to sue the guy, carried on, all he cared for was getting his pay. "Mr Mzamane can be accused of countless crimes," he started one day when he had come to visit me, " overspeeding, driving an unroad worthy vehicle, and... Jamming the son of a prominent individual." I could tell from the expectant look on his face that he expected me to laugh, so I smiled, however I did not like his joke. Everyone deserved justice, not just the 'prominent' . The nurse opened the door and entered. Unconcerned, she did what she always did for the week I had been there, adjust the machines, check my temperature, heart beat and take some statistics. She then smiled at me and headed on her way out, carrying the tray full of medical instruments. She ignored the lawyer, I noticed his smile, as if he gained satisfaction in her hostility. On her way out, she suddenly bumped onto Mr Mzamane her mood had suddenly shifted from dark to light. Everything she was holding was on the floor, yet she seemed rather pleased than disappointed. They both went down to help each other correct the mutual mistake. I could feel the vibrance between the two, the joy of friendship. At that moment I rethought my decision. Was he really the man we wanted to sue, a man so kind and charming, he could make friends with anyone. "I came here to schedule a meeting with you this afternoon 1. 30pm to be precise, my lawyer will also be in attendance," he said, with his weak but old but firm voice. "Of course," Rashid said, "since I see it to be in the best interest of my client, we will be in attendance." "Very well," he said while forming a warm smile. He turned his face to me, I didn't see anger or the thirst of vengeance, or mischievousness, I saw love and compassion, an understanding man. He reminded me of the time I had accidentally bumped to him on the staircase, and had caused his very new and very first touch screen phone, to fall off his hand. I could recall how scared I was, apologizing many times and going to pick the phone. To all my reactions he responded with the same loving look he had now. He struck a deal with me that if I could teach him how to operate the phone, if it was still functional, he would forgive me. Now, he was at my mercy, would I also forgive him? The time came the meeting was held in a separate room in the hospital. To my surprise, Mr Mzamane offered to care of me as my fractured arm got better offering a better deal than my parents, who decided I would be discharged only when I was 100%. This would be on the condition that we drop all the charges against him. Mr Rashid was against this idea, since the more the case went on the more money my parents spent on him, or so I thought. "I'm tired of this environment, I want to go home," that was my final verdict, and since my parents were not around, that was how everything was going to be. Of course they would be informed later, and they would become really angry, but it would be too late to change anything, so home, here I come!