Twilight of Infatuation Joshua Olara   © Copyright 2019 by Joshua Olara

Hear my cry, o god. Listen to my prayer from the end of the earth, I call to you when my hearts faint (Psalm 61).

The humid soothing wind of desperation inside Michael was pushing, carrying him like a leaflet towards the unthinkable destination. He felt dumb and ghastly with petrifying thoughts as he inclined on his barefooted legs, stumbling on the roughly terrain road to determine his predetermined future.

The reddening twilight that was being eaten up by enigmatic darkness was crushing all comforting hope. The boy moved as his silhouetted figure became dull in the darkness. Everybody in the village would have been fast asleep, yet sleep would not come for Michael. He stared vacantly to the surrounding desolate scrubby trees in the darkness as he vividly remembered what happened to his family.

Michael’s both parents had died during a fatal motorcar accident, and had left him with nothing “ what shall I do?” asking himself a question with deafening sound, when desperation gave him fear, the fear of his school fees, his thoughts would stiffen and he would silently lament: is this the way people live in this world, to him world was becoming a bread of sorrows, agitation, cogitation and more than he can think, his distortion was increasing with every single thought of his future life.

Michael was ruining himself, he was loneliness and alone, suffering was now becoming his life. He handles it like his handbag. A young frank handsome boy who was eighteen years preciously built, Michael was left with no means and no dependable support. He was God’s fruit growing in a dry desert without tendrils. Had it not been for the callous act of his relatives who swooped everything out of his hands and he was left to languish with nothing in his hands, alone with his brother Caleb, he had lived like that to this day, a beggar, poor, dehumanized and without any loving relative to talk to, and whom he can turn to.

But misfortune had caged the boy’s soul. Poverty, worries, suffering and never having stepped into a classroom when his parents died, had not smoked his spirit and vision out of existence.

His humanity continued to be like that which he had been born with, no replete with affection and determination; it was this which fanned his desire to fight for the welfare of their education.

His soul had ears that listen far and a fire that burned deep. He understood the miseries in this world and wanted to go far with his schooling. He understood the unfairness of the life of a man caved for working everyday on people’s garden in search for money, freedom and independence from this cold greedy world.

Michael was emaciated and clothed in suffering, but he was an enlightened boy possessed with sense of achievement. He had not yet tasted the success of his life but he wanted to achieve much. There were the things whose light and darkness had opened his eyes and fired his soul. What he had seen and heard, and gone through along their pathways had a wakened him to put his life in the hands of God, and to the possibility of a good education giving a man independence and freedom.

Had he forgotten, of course not: the way they had turned him into a hoarse, a dust in the exhaust pipe. They had turned him into a stream of tap water to wash and kill the stink of humanity. They had turned him into a house wife’s cooking stove which is to withstand any heat quantity, a mango fruit to be eaten anywhere and into a source of fun making.

They had made him like a disabled unable to move, a blind who is unable to see. His relatives, he will never forget, why should he forget? But Ismail his father, let his soul rest in peace, he had loved him and offered every care to him, clothed him, advised him and comforted him.

“Why?” was he like that miserable left an orphan at that stage, one without means at that tender age. Without his parents, where or what would be of him?

He remembered vividly his mother who would come with a purring of wild dog at him and sing stunning melodies to the sweetness of his ears to show to them the motherly love she had.

Why should he innocently forget the advice of her mother? “My son, you are my first son. Please live a deliberate distinct life from other unlearnt boys. You should teach your brother Caleb this worldly happiness and troubles” her mother lovingly would advise him. This advice kept on depicting on his mind.

He wondered? How could the world unmasked and annihilates a young boy and reduced the devil to dust.

Will he not remember? Never, what was the use of the man who was given the will to read, even allowed to finish reading?

How they frowned upon everything and tore the paper on which the words were written to pieces.

How they swooped everything from their possession except what was on their body.

Outside, from the door water from a young boy splattered, Michael gazed sorrowfully at his brother Caleb, he loved him seriously, he was the only joy he had when their parents were still alive. Michael was always happy like a young goat and could eat biscuits as much as he wants. But what is now good of Caleb who is now emaciated and depressed.

How about Caleb? Will he study? Is he not going to get exposed to this worldly suffering. But Caleb as calm and brilliant as he was, had some kind of unique indifference.

He was hope himself. The grass house which stood alone in a muddy compound of illusionment was now leaking from all corners. Michael was then sitting under a dusty verandah while vividly the image of their decent well-built home with glorifying decorated elephant flowers and two flat adjacent storage buildings lamely made him cry. He thought pitifully about the callous act of Uncle Chris who chased them away from their once a decent home to a single grass house in the village where he Chris was once his home.

The morning glory dews leapt on, as the sun comfortingly arise from its usual direction, Michael’s vamoosed hope, endearingly started to arise.

The boy walked and walked fleeing the humdrum along a meandering footpath, the magnificent yellow light from the sun that hovered in the azure sky with a hypnotic ray, brought to his mind the sight and the smell of wild cooked rice. The desolate trees on both sides was errie and mystic to him, full of virginity, and a still silence as un canny as that of untampered nature, the boy walked the distance to his former school. Alone unescorted at the bad time and passing along the errie forest. Michael was trust. Days had inured him to many things and turned him into hard metal.

In the heart of the desertedness of the forest, the rhythmic sound of his feet and breath as he approached the school compound produced a petrifying echo that gave the illusion of some ghostly creature trailing him with evil intention.

But Michael gave no mind to the menacing noise, he moved on, his whole body and mind focused on the purpose of his journey. He was going to see his head teacher to help him much on how to go with his education. That was all nothing else mattered.

Streams of sweet ran down his side, soaking his worn, blue colored silky dress and making him feel stiff as he stood beside the head teacher’s office.

It was hot as not to be in August. He thought about what to tell the head teacher, while looking askance at a buzzing fly with a questioning countenance. The height of his figure told him it was noon and he realized that his stomach was empty.

He staggeringly knocked at the door. “Yes, please enter.” The head teacher unknowingly said.

Lamely he entered, “oh Michael, I am ……….. Really astound to see you in that state. It is you indeed or someone else?” the head teacher asked expectingly.

“Yeah it is me sir.” He answered soliloquyly to appease the head teacher’s crazed heart.

“Any way, I ……………….. Think it’s a long story but Michael, what is it that is affecting you” the head teacher was looking at Michael straight in his eye as he handled a nice blue pen in his raised right hand.

As Michael continued to tell the story, it was when everything became unbelievable to the head teacher.

But obliviously anticipating nothing, Michael kept on with his story. Then he raised his face, surprisingly the head teacher was wearing a clumsy face, then everything became factual as the head teacher’s heart was being reflected to his face.

“I am so ….. Sorry for the sad story you have told me, but Michael, I have to tell you plainly that I was not born to help and so I do not have any help to offer to you. Michael I am so elated to know that you are in this condition, let me tell you Michael one thing that you do not know” the head teacher was sitting on a flatten one meter sofa set, a long protruding table lined before him. A dull blue table cloth was hovering lamely on the top of the table. Michael sat at a creaky wooden desk adjacent to the head teacher’s desktop. He stared miserably to the floor with his right hand supporting his head as if to bring out some hidden hope.

“my dear son,” the head teacher continued, “ in this world, there are people who are born to suffer and those born to enjoy throughout their whole life, so I am not even surprised or misled not to help you, but the truth is your misery is my source of ecstasy. Michael you still do not know what your parents did to me.

That bluishy day, I was in a total rush to kill……… my enemy, had it not been for the help of that stupid father of yours “Ismail” who helped the unworthy Chris who had been my long enemy. From that day I promised Ismail that, until I revenge on him, when I will be happy. “do you think what have done is right? So Michael, not to scare you, I am completely blissful for what you are undergoing. And let me assure you, there is no place for you in my school and can you evacuate from my office.” The head teacher angrily said with a kidnapping look.

“Head teacher please I’m sorry, let me ask for forgiveness on his behalf………………. Please headt………eacher…..allow…..” Michael cried wetting all his blue silky shirt as the head teacher kicked and beat him out of his office with a boisterous deafening sound.

“I have no time to waste with sufferers like you. Go and tell that suffering to the world of the dead but not in my office.

Michael embarrassingly walked back home, completely exasperated along a dull muddy dry weather road staring hungrily at the road side, thinking his whole life hope was exacerbating totally to free air.

He stumbled several time, the scrubby grasses beside the muddy dry weather road kept on evoking his ghostly desire to study. The muds on the road and the running water that sent a chill through his leg in every single step he foot, was hurting to devastation. He sat under a lonely scrubby mango tree by the road side to nourish his miseries, questioning himself “ is this how the world looks like?” his dreams wore off and he descended back to the real world and discovered that he was dozing as he sat under the tree.

Tiredness tore at his muscles with violence as he approached the grassy compound, with a single muddy grass hut in the middle.

Caleb rushed out of the hut to Michael with enthusiasm on seeing him arrived.

“Michael, I am pleased you are back my brother, I thought you were going to sleep in school” Caleb said while clasping Michael and holding his hands joyfully as they walked along a narrow path that leads to the hut.

“You know what Michael?” Caleb continued “ I have cooked for you a delicious malakwang vegetable” Caleb lovingly spoke to his brother Michael.

Michael stood worryingly, tears rolling down his cheek speechless, for he loved Caleb so much that he does not want him to know the worldly sufferings, but Caleb as young as he was in his late fifth birthday, know nothing about the world.

They wearily smiled at each other and sat under a dusty verandah.

Michael felt cold and thin as he unfolded the story of his visit to Caleb, he felt like sleeping but the rumbling of hunger in the pit of his stomach gnawed him awake. Caleb took out some crumbs of groundnuts and a handful of soya beans that his neighbor gave him from his elongated dirty pocket and gave it to Michael for supper.

After that Michael stood up, stretching himself, gathered strength to enter the leaking hut, but inanely Caleb groaned a swallow soliloquy word.

“Michael am sorry that we are living in the world of hope under no hope” Michael almost cried with a sorrowful clenching.

He went and stood beside a papyrus mat and lay down, severing himself with the torn dull black bedsheet.

In you O’ lord do I take refuge, let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me. Incline your ear to me and save me (psalms 71:1-2)

For nights afterwards, Michael refused to allow himself sleep for so long. He blamed himself. Arrival is the hope of a new life. The newly intruder must brace for things good as well as strange. Prayer is called for. The newly born again must spread their soul before God and beg for power and strength to live as the spirit longs to. To defeat the strange and harmful is a difficult thing on one’s own.

Without light and breath of the lord, one cannot be sure of victory. Michael prayed to God in silence. He prayed to be kept safe from marauding unworthy village boys in Abwong. A village that was full of uncultured boys. There would be no tomorrow for his life if he turns to live with these alien boys.

The dawn was as dull as a funeral day. There was signs of sickness in Abwong, but everything else, seemed invisible in the village. It was as though the tongues of its dullness would swallow you and turn you into nightmare. That was how dull that village was like death.

The boy sat on the muddy floor of the hut hunched round his knees against one of the pillar.

He was waiting to get out of the hut in order to get any means of taking Caleb to the hospital.

Caleb had looked up at night, peered with difficulty a couple of times. But there was no sign of recognition in his eyes. Michael was surprised. Had he change so much? But of course, he must be looking different Michael almost panicked on touching Caleb’s head his fever had increased.

“Why is all this happening? Father! Was your death meant to be my win and misery to my life?” he lamented dolefully.

He pace up, hurried the step fleeing the humdrum to alert his neighbors on Caleb’s condition. Everyone seemed to be fast asleep by then, he stood complacently gazing at the door of James his only neighbor who is their cowrie of hope.

Luckily enough James came out to see what kind of alarm it was! Michael narrated the whole incident to James and aimlessly they went and carried Caleb, dressed him and drived him on a creaky wooden bicycle backseat to Amai hospital.

Caleb was screened and found to be having kidney stone which needs to be operated besides it needs five million.

“Doctor are you fooling me or joking? Where do you think a poor boy like me can get five million from? Michael became wild and crazy on the mention of five million.

“Doctor, I am an orphan, I have no money, but I want my brother to live, help me ….. please ……. Doctor………I am sorry for the insult ……………” Michael said almost bursting with tears.

“That is it my dear son, whether fooling or annoying you, hospital has nothing to do with the case of no money, the case is live or die,” pay or don’t pay, so, I tell you, let him die or save his life. Infact I am even sorry to talk to a poor boy like you.”

The doctor angrily walked away.

“People of the world, what have I done that makes you look at me as a roaring lion, hungry and willing to kill? Why have you neglected me and my feelings? Am I a dead human being walking alive that you don’t regard my needs as a human being?

Troubles, why have you chosen me?

Why have you decided to scribe me alone?

Am I a lame that you look at me as disable?

Why have you killed my gate path and left me grumbling

Why am I like this, disillusioned!

With no any other hope to gain

With no future to look upon

Am I your toilet pit, that you damp your stink of remains on me

Troubles, heck on my life and

Behaviors, have I tried to

Assassinate you that you angrily search for me

Please let me have a free life

Until Christ come …………… let ………………. Me live a free life that magnifies God; leave me alone, I am not yours

Michael cried howling down with tears wetting his dull blue coat. Vividly his story read from sacred scribes depicting the kind of motherly love, her mother used to give them, “ but now where is she” he is lost in this vicious hallucinatory trance of miseries and mistrust.

Michael thought of himself.

“When I visit the world on 2000

I came to see whether the sun rise from east to west

But only I got stuck to see the sun

Ka rise with its daily miseries and sufferings

I came to see whether people live or die but only to find rampant death living a lot of holes and untold stories

I came to see whether people live in harmony and worship desires, death, prostitution, corruption, brotherly willing’s, political instabilities and more than I can mention.

I came to see happiness but right now I am stuck under his concrete verandah dehumanized to nothing, when will I see me rescue. People are looking at an orphan as misfortune.

Michael cried unto God in a dual piety to save him from the unbearing sufferings he is undergoing. His soul harks to the angelic melody of Christian chime bathing in the white lamb of the lord with a worship song.

“Remo, remo pa yesu

Oluko …… gin abala

Me wa, me a wur, remo

Pa yesu oluoko gin abala

Me wa”

“The blood, blood of Jesus

Has washed all our sins

For a surprise, the blood of

Jesus has washed all our sins”

He then cried and cried with a sad expression in his eyes feeling nostalgic, then in a vision he saw a big church, the congregation, they were keen and listen carefully to what the pastor was saying. They bow down and repented from their sins. They reconciled with each other. Michael found himself dreamingly following what the congregation was doing.

Then suddenly there was a tapped on his shoulder, he could not withstand himself, he quenched hard to open his eye. Surprisingly he saw Pastor Moses standing assuaringly in front of him as if to instill some hope to him and driving a comforting word.

“Weep not child, your prayers is heard, forget about all your suffering, see the light, he turned left. He was shocked and he almost jumped with thud on seeing Caleb coming towards them with a very smart gentleman ballistic ally dressed on a red gild coat.

Michael could not believe his eyes; he thought he was day dreaming. He pinched on his right to check on his sense. Luckily enough it is real, he wondered in a whirl thought of some hope.

He embraced Caleb with smiling expression.

The engine of the Mercedes Benz started; they enter and drove to their newly found home.

Michael again could not believe what was happening to himself as they came closure to a computerized blue painted gate. The home looked nearly as his former home, but he thanked God it wasn’t.

Michael sat beside Pastor Moses, Caleb happily sitting on his newly found father’s two legs worrying nothing in life. They conducted the welcome greeting with a jovial smile in everyone’s face and the battle started.

The unknown man was called Abdulrazaq Ismail Ibrahim. Aka Arabu.

“Michael “pastor Moses stated “this is Arabu” His right hand pointing in the direction of Abdul. “He is ready to provide all care and protection to you, he heard of your miseries and willingly accepted to offer all care and support to you and your brother.” Pastor Moses continued

“Arabu needs your O’ level slip. But actually Michael, I know you are a well behaved boy. Now that you are going back to school, make sure that you go and worship God and without forgetting keep away from the evil roaming friends.” Pastor Moses said looking straight into Michael’s eye. Michael almost remained speechless in that luxurious striking sitting room with red sofa sets adjacent to each other. The screened put on the wall. For he had never thought that it was going to happen to them, had it not been for Arabu’s intervention, Michael would knelt down with tears rolling down his cheeks to thank Arabu for the kind heart he has. Michael indeed was a decent kind loving boy who lost his parental love at an early age. He then had no one to love him except “Arabu” who arose his inner love for parents.

The morning heat pleasantly burned inside Michael’s skin as he walked along a narrow path to go and collect his O’ level result slip for the re admission. Since the following day he was supposed to be taken to St. Joseph College Layibi for interview.

He reached the cold environment, stumbling several times along the narrow path that leads towards their abandoned hut with enthusiasm taking every single foot he followed. A big red hen from the neighbor’s home flapped it’s wing twice and then started cackling ncessaritly in a prolonged resonant echoing which a rose his ghostly personal bank account (P.B.A) which are hope, determination and least but greatest faith.

He went straight into the hut and removed his darted black bag. He picked the slip.

Michael thanked the almighty God and felt himself on cloud nine navigating with the angels. No sooner had he stepped out of the hurt to the outside world than it was when his elation vamoosed, his bliss turned out to be poison. As he saw Uncle Chris smiling wearingly in front of him beside their one time car. He felt like running but instead he had endured all the sickening shakes and tosses of the pot holes, it was such an adventurous nine’s day’s journey to Michael.

“You fool, where do you pretend to be going to? His uncle angrily demanded while stretching his right hand to get the result slip from Michael’s hands.

“Ha-ha-ha… by the way, why do you choose to be a fool to yourself heh………….. Never ask for this slip again if you still want to live in this world” uncle Chris was a tall man with rough face. He bears long nose with a sad clumsy face. He can shout at anything whether chicken or stone. Chris was standing on a damped bloated path that leads to the hut while leaning on the car. Michael stares absently into the sky as he shuffled blankly the clear possibility of such in his luck.

He felt the warmth of his heart beat which sent vicious sounds.

“Uncle please do not go away with my slip, please uncle ………….. I am sorry ……….. Please give it back to me” Michael begged for his slip aimlessly.

As uncle Chris drove away living him gazing hopelessly towards the dust that the car left behind. A car which was once for them, he thought to himself “is this the way people live in this world.” Michael could have hanged himself had it not been for his ghostly desire of hope, determination and faith that keeps on ringing deep into his heart. On reaching Arabu’s home, Michael elucidated everything to Arabu.

Arabu, had loved Michael so much that he failed to critise Michael for his reluctant act of giving the slip to uncle chris.

Late, in the evening as they sat in the dining table to eat their supper. Arabu told Michael to prepare for the morning journey to Layibi College.

The deep red sun of the noon, revealed a radiant doubt of their mission. On reaching the head teacher’s office, the school refused to admit him since he had no document to prove himself as a secondary student.

The following cloudy morning Arabu processed all the document needed. They changed their mind and went to Maritz secondary school; he was admitted and told to report the following term as a senior four student. This was when hope springed into his heart like a thirsty fruit which needs water.

He and Caleb were taken back to school.

He thanked Arabu with nothing to give but with unforgettable promises

They smiled and walked towards their Benz as the reddening sun revealed a radiant beauty of luminous streaks that brighten up every horizon of his heart for being re-admitted again to the secondary school. He saw his hope enlightened like a purified diamond.

Years had moved on. Michael could not believe he had spent three years in Maritz secondary school; it seemed to him like a few nights ago when he had been re-admitted in senior four.

In senior six, Michael had started to undergo through a lot of heavy burden. He has to do a lot of revision in order to pass final exam that was just by the door. He had chosen science subjects i.e. physic, chemistry and biology, he had either wanted to be a doctor or an engineer.

In his school, he was the most disciplined behaved boy. Nonetheless two major conflicting loyalties happened to his life in senior six. And these were later to determine and shape his future. One is that he had to read very hard to pass his exams as well as in O’ level where he got eight in eight. Then another was that he had fallen in love with a young girl, one year younger than him, never the less he was the chairperson scripture union church and he had made a commitment with God not to defile himself and fall in love. Until he finished his university education and all this were inconsideration to his poor economic background.

But this girl “Tracy” could not give him time; she confronts him anytime she wish. Besides Tracy, there was again one crucial thing that kept on disturbing his mind and this was the cause of his falling in love with Tracy.

He felt he should not love Tracy. But there was this girl “Renah” whose love for Michael was like those of magnets towards metal.

Renah was a tall slender girl, with striking face and a frank quality. She could without no mistake be counted among the beny beauteous. Her decent place two frank eyes is enough to strike and tempt even a saint Renah loved Michael so much that she even feared to talk to him thinking she would disorganize him. But her love to Michael meant death to his life; he knew very well that Renah was going to get married to a Belgium prince. But her love for him was coming close like a nut that is being tied to fight the tier.

He felt numb and cold to what will happen to him when he falls in love with Renah.

“What if her parents know?” Michael lamented

“I do not want to create anymore sorrow to my future” he almost shed tears.

Renah’s father was a rich military general in china, and he had once come to school and warned boys against falling in love with his daughter. Suggesting she was going to get married outside Uganda.

From that time every male person in Maritz secondary school, feared Renah. They thought falling in love with her meant death. Renah started to live alone and she could spend all her time in church. It was when until one Sunday worship when Michael presented a very nice song that almost everyone in the church cried. From that year Renah innocently fell in love with Michael. She could dream about their future family with Michael. For she had wished, when she was a young girl, to get married to a handsome prayerful boy who completely knows God. In which to her no one can be that, apart from Michael.

She had loved Michael’s character so much. But the problem was telling Michael her desire and dreams for him. She still remembered one sweet Sunday, when the whole prayer was complete. She tried to greet Michael. But he pretended not to have heard.

That day she did not eat. She slept on her bed wandering what was going on with Michael. Michael had neglected her. She cried and cried wishing Michael was near her and comforting her sorrows.

Renah’s mother was a business woman who owns the biggest bookshop in Amolatar as well as lira. She loved Renah so much that she does not want to hurt her feeling anytime. She was only blessed with one child and that was Renah. Besides she was a lady who knows God. She could pray for her daughter all the time.

Within a period of two years, Michael had torn himself from the pods of passivity. He gained immense popularity because of several presentations both in church and outside.

Michael, although quite young and from a poor background had won a lot of admirers. Most girls and boys in Maritz began to look at him. As a boy who is poorly background oriented, was worth some kind of dignities and indifference.

He had been the best in the whole school in any competition whether class or outside class.

But Renah, the girl who lacks nothing was now confusing his minds with different thoughts.

Then it happened surprisingly. One cool evening. Renah thought, she should go and read biology since she was also offering science subject. She had been feeling headache and most of the day she had been gloomed- faced. It was Saturday, she went but to her surprise, she found Michael alone in class reading. Since everyone on Sunday and Saturday consider those days as the days for relaxation and watching screen.

To her, that was a blessing for her to get Michael alone, she thought to herself, “ I must play the card very well.” It was her chance to tell Michael her opinion for him.

She greeted Michael “hi Michael.”

But Michael pretended not to have heard the nice greetings and, yet his mind was grumbling with love. He thought to himself “I should excuse myself.” But Renah was now determined, fears and shyness had search for its own way. She moved and sat beside Michael.

Hardly had they all pretended to keep quiet for one minute. When Michael send a sweet smiles in response to Renah’s greeting. Renah also smiled a splendid smile that almost killed Michael’s living heart.

Renah again sent a greeting with a seraphic and vivacious U-turn to face Michael. But to her astonishment Michael’s mood had changed. “What has happened?” she wondered asking herself a question.

“Hello my dear?” Renah said demandingly

“Why send for me howdy?” Michael replied aggressively.

Michael continued, “Renah, if that is love for me that is driving out all those virile, voluptus smiling personality, then forget about me. Renah, you very well know my personal background. Let me tell you a rat cannot go to marry a cat. For he will be eaten alive. I am as I am, miserable as you can see, Renah please I have no hope except only in Christ the savior and my education. Please let me have a settled mind, I am begging you, let ………..me please…….you cannot withstand my poor background and live in it.” Michael had shaded a lot of tears when he was speaking; for he loved Renah but his background could not allow him. He felt a lot of pain in letting that young caring beautiful girl go away. But for the sake of his education he had to do it. Arabu had warned him not to fall in love with any girl. But if that be the case, he will cease paying them the school fees. And this was his greatest worry. But by the time they were talking, the twilight was being eaten up by the darkness.

Renah was placing her head on the locker (desk) crying because Michael had failed to understand her feelings. She felt dejected and lonely, she was loneness herself. She had no friend in her heart except Michael and Jesus Christ.

She wondered whether her future life will be full of bed of roses, if Michael fails to understand her. This was because every single beat of her heart calls Michael closer to her. The classroom was neatly arranged with three column desk (locker) with splendiferous while paints and green curtains on the window.

“Michael please, I am sorry to disrupt your study, but I just….want…t...o…tell you that I love you truly. It really springed from my heart not from any desires, I cannot stay in future without you, my heart beats calls you closer to my heart. Michael please my intention is not to hurt you anymore, please……accept…my humble….request.” she said, tears falling from her eyes like a water drip used to treat patient. She was sitting like a housewife who is carefully listening to her bridegroom’s advice. Her head bowed down and her right hand supporting her head as if it was going to fall because of Michael’s adamant behaviors.

Without a single word, Michael locked his books and went out, leaving Renah alone in class.

Renah wept tears rolling down her cheeks, thinking of what else she could do to convince Michael. She found herself undergoing different stages of distortion. Her health kept on worsening with every single thought of Michael.

In the dormitory that night, Michael did not sleep, he said to himself “she loves me and I love her.” Renah was like a person in a hallucinatory trance. She could not understand what Michael was talking about.

“No!” he screamed in answer and shoved Renah’s ghost away like a person possessed by the devil.

What had possessed him? Renah had talked of love, what was it? Was it the physical sensations he had felt when Renah was sitting beside him in the class? Could this be considered as true love or lust or liking?

He hardly knew anything about Renah, apart from the fact that she was a charming beautiful girl, rich and clever in senior six.

Michael now remembered beauty? Yes. Anybody with normal eyesight could not refute the idea.

When everybody had gone to watch the screen on that Saturday night.

Michael silently went out to the prayer room. But he was flabbergasted to find Renah praying. Just immediately after their conflict.

He went and prayed in his usual place. To ask for forgiveness from God. The prayer ended, Michael failed to share the grace with Renah because of the embarrassment. He shows Renah, tears were rolling down her cheeks silently. He also almost cried, had it not been for the courage he asked from God. They took on their path sorrowfully without turning back to look at each other.

He went to his bed, but no sleep could come for his eyes. He must have dozed off, because he found Big saga was shaking him violently

“Michael, wake up. Renah wants to talk to you.”

“Renah?” he asked, surprised. “yes, she is outside.”

He was now wide awake and all the memories of the evening came flooding back.

“No,” he said angrily.

“But Michael …………………”

“You don’t understand. I won’t talk…………….. I mean I can’t, Nyanya!” Big saga was also known as Onyango Kenneth or Nyanga.

“Please …..She is crying………….” Saga exclaimed

“Tell her to go away,” he almost shouted

“Shh………..not so loud!” surprised, Sagga went back outside.

When he came back, he demanded why his friend was acting so strangely.

Michael tried to explain, but he could not find the right words and when he finished, the story sounded false even to his own ears and without realizing it, he had started to cry at the end of the story.

Big Sagga did not coerce him into explaining further. He instead slipped into bed with him and held him tightly till morning.

In the days that followed, Michael tried to keep away from Renah as best he could. Each time he surprisingly bumped into her he locally ran away without even greeting. Renah was just happy with him, for she loved him and she has nothing bad with him. She had given up trying to get his response intending to give him time.

One beautiful sweet sunny day, the wind was blowing joyfully; however, several weeks after their encounter, Renah could not hold it anymore. She decided to confront Michael and tell him what she was going through, every time she sets her eyes on him.

Michael was standing alone under the main hall verandah pretending to be waiting for someone. Renah approached him slowly. He must have felt her presence because he looked at Renah startled. When he saw her, he broke in a wild grin and he invited her to wait for him.

Michael asked about her life politely, about how she was finding candidate’s life and they talked about other trifles.

“Michael you may not be willing to listen to me, but please I just want to thank you very much for accepting me in your presence.” She said smilingly.

“Well don’t bother yourself for thanking” Michael said, almost going wild with Renah’s kind appreciation.

“Michael I could not feel okay without seeing you, Michael please I love you truly, and I want you to be my husband in future.”

Michael kept quiet and looked down with wry smile. The battle had now begun, he thought, and he must defend himself evasively to his favor. Renah’s mind started to leap with joy, in those earlier days the boy would turn wild and run away. But today she was grateful that he had remained. She would tell him everything she could.

“What do you really mean? Michael asked with complete anger.

“Michael please….it is straight forward…….be sincere as my husband in future and answer my question.” Renah said with a complete attracting smile.

“It took me sometime to understand your attitude about me but as I thought, I came to realized that you are going crazy. I came to understand that love is indeed an enigmatic thing. It does not take to account hard circumstances. I am actually meaning future marriage between me and you is impossible, not because I have failed to understand your feelings, but because I have finally scrutinized the whole thing.

Renah sorrowfully replied “Michael please…. Do not act like that, can you imagine Michael? We shall have a family that glorifies God that consists of bright couple. No matter the situation. Michael I have also scrutinized the whole thing and found that it can work…….. Please I am yours…..do not reject me……….”

“My dear Renah, you know not where I come from. Troubles that I have encountered, sufferings that I have undergone. And who is behind my studies. But the case is, I have no parents for you to love, home for you to stay in, and any source of happiness for me and you to relish.” By the time Michael was telling his stories to Renah, she almost cried, she felt herself cold and whirl.

“What has a young boy like this done to the world that makes him suffers like this?” she lamented asking herself a question. She then burst into a boisterous wailing.

Michael comforted her. He embraced her. Brought her near to his heart like a mother who is claiming his crying child. But she could not keep quiet.

The class bell ranged. Michael cold her down. They smiled at each other and sorrowfully departed. But Renah still need to know Michael’s unfolded story.

They went to class and the day continued with untold stories running in their minds.

After the class, they almost found themselves alone in class sending splendid smiling signals.

Renah moved and sat beside Michael’s place. Michael was surprised and could have made an alarm had it not been for Renah’s greeting.

“Hi dear Michael!”

“Hmm….. I do not know how many hi, you will greet me with per day. Anyway I am okay. How about you?”

“Me too.”

“But Renah why do so much care about me?” Michael continued by asking Renah inquisitively.

“I just want to be loyal to your background and feelings” Renah said trying to investigate more depth of Michael’s mind.

“Anyway, you should be.” Michael replied almost unhappy.

Michael and Renah had come to the end of senior six. They were now in third term and yet their love kept on growing with every single inch they think about themselves.

But the difficulty and sorrows that Michael is undergoing could not let him give into Renah easily though he loved him so much. He grew frowned of Renah and wished Renah was near him every time. It was clear that Renah wanted a man to stay with in future; even her father’s aggressive citadel would mean nothing to her love. That girl was naturally good, not like Tracy. And he knew he was not going to stay with her.

He knew that Renah was of a good girl of credited family. She comes from a Christian family.

“Michael, are you not going to tell me anything else? Renah asked on eve of Michael‘s silence.

“No Renah,” he replied. “We can still talk.” Michael wanted to distract her from her misery that could be awakened by solitude. He knew that if Renah was not with him. She was always alone. She dislikes the other stupid girls who were normally away at night.

Days had passed and things still happened as strange as it was to Michael.

He sat in a bullishly lit luxurious office of the head teacher. Beside him sat a policeman.

They were talking in a low harmful tone, and the subject of their conversation was obviously drowned.

Michael is going to be dispelled from school and also arrested for the night school store robbery.

The head teacher had come early in the morning and found the whole school was shocked with the alarming school store robbery.

The assembly parade was called and everyone was demanded to attend in person. But Renah failed to attend since she was feeling severe headache, due to the night chill.

“it is a sad happening that, what I have never thought would happen here, had happened.” The head teacher spoke to the general assembly. He continued, “I am here requesting for anyone who saw any suspect at the previous night. To come to my office and tell me the whole story. I have two years free school fees for him/her.

As the head teacher demanded. Everyone became shocked, on turning behind. Seeing Tracy being dragged by the village gangs on torn dresses. The girl whom Michael had loved in order to dispel Renah’s thought from his mind. But when Tracy realized that Michael was not indeed loving her. But had turned his mind to Renah. They had become so closed. Renah and Michael could walk together while holding their hands. They could even pray together. Tracy, who does not even know God, promised Renah that until she disrupts their love when she will be happy. But Renah had claimed to Tracy that, what God has yoked together, no one can put in apart.

This annoyed Tracy seriously. For she does not know anything in the Bible. And she was embarrassed seriously in front of her roommates.

She then vowed to pay for the embarrassment she had suffered.

Things became disgusting in everyone’s face in the assembly as Tracy was asked to explain what was wrong with her.

She started “I, Tracy, it was yesterday’s cold night. When we went out with Michael to rob the school store. Things turned out to be an abomination at the mere mention of Michael. With nothing else, the assembly was adjourned and Michael was directed to the head teacher’s office without any defending words. The police men were called. He was handed in the hands of the law to judge him guilty or innocent.

The court hearing was scheduled to take place the following Monday.

The sun shined brightly on Thursday but this to Michael meant sufferings. Renah went to visit Michael. She almost collapsed at the mere sight of seeing Michael.

Michael was emaciated and looks miserable.

Michael comforted her. Told her not to weep anymore. They embraced themselves. Renah promised to come again. She blamed herself for not being in the assembly that fateful day.

Uneb final exams had started. Michael was in prison waiting for his trial. The school had earlier on look at Renah and Michael as they hope. But today the head teacher’s mood had turned badly against Michael. Though he had loved him.

He grew aggrieved whenever he ears anyone talking good things about Michael.

Monday came menacingly with its vicious hot sun, the sun shine brightly. Every human or living creature ran and looks for shelter from the hot sunshine.

The court room was full to its brim. Even Arabu and Caleb were there. But Caleb was crying for what Arabu had told him, when he went to pick him from the school.

“I cannot pay thieves, so Caleb wait for your brother tomorrow and get your own home. I am not going to pay any of you school fees.” Arabu said angrily.

Caleb had cried the whole night, wandering what Michael had done, to him it was true, but a lie. He was also in primary seven that year.

The judged ranged the bell to silence the room.

“Today is the 20^th of August 2018. We are so sorry that we have come to listen to the unworthy story of Michael.” The lawyer exclaimed.

Everyone was quiet, attentive to listen what the unworthy story was. They have heard from the radio. What a disgraceful robbery Michael had done! Hence they were completely eager to listen to it.

The lawyer continued, “Michael where were you in the midnight of August 15^th 2018?”

Michael could not answer anything instead he cried. He knew for sure that there was no one to stand for him as a witness.

“Why have everyone neglected me?” he wandered

The judge finally said,” anyone to stand on his behalf. Is given five minutes. If not, imprisonment for five years.” The lawyer sat down and kept on peering to see any hand. But he waited in vain until five minutes was soon elapsing.

He saw one hand. Everyone turned to see who it was. But to their astonishment it was Uncle Chris who stood. But instead of helping him, he challenged him.

“Michael, for sure I know you are a thief from home, and that is why I chased you. But Michael can you reply to this…….. “Where were you in the midnight of 15^th August 2018?”

Michael left a lot of pain and chill penetrating his nerves. Uncle Chris could have jumped with great enthusiasm when Michael failed to reply. Had it not been for the silence in the court room? Michael felt a complete chill eating him up, why has the world turned so crazy against him like that? Where would Caleb live? He cried and sobbed but there was no one to rescue him except Christ.

Then it was only ten seconds left when something seemed to be running through everyone’s eyes in the courtroom, to everyone’s surprise it was Renah, a daughter of Francis, everyone started to wonder “what has she got to do with this sorrowful boy?”

She proceeded straight to the judge, slapping any police she passes by.

“Where are we?” she asked the judge

“We are left with only five seconds” replied the judge

Renah eyed everyone in the courtroom and turned to the judge.

“I can stand for Michael.” She continued. Everyone in the court room was shocked to hear what Renah had just said.

She continued “I was with Michael on the 15^th of august 2018 reading in the class.”

The judge stood up. “Right, is true that you were with Michael on the 15^th of august. Show us the evidence?” he sat down. Tracy was now shocked to hear what Renah had just said.

She continued “I was with Michael on the 15^th of august 2018 reading in the class.”

The judge stood up. Right, is true that you were with Michael on the 15^th of august. Show us the evidence?”. He sat down. Tracy was now shocked she would have ran, had not been for the demand of the evidence by the judge.

Renah kept quiet. Everyone started asking where the evidence is. “Show us the evidence” people started shouting boisterously.

In the court room, things had turned to be tough on Renah’s side. She went upstairs to where Michael was put.

“Renah please, you have nothing to do with my case, please go back. They are going to arrest you.” Michael cried begging Renah almost kneeling down.

Renah cold him down. She supported him to stand “you will never suffer Michael if I am still alive. I will fight for your happiness.” She told Michael while holding his two hands and facing him face to face.

She went back to the judge and asked “what else do you want?”

“The evidence, not only me but everyone here wants to see the evidence and remember you are left with only two minutes.” The judge told her almost with rising arrogance.

She looked down almost for one minutes. Tears dripping down from her eyes. Then she demanded again. “What if I produce the evidence and the thief is here. What will you do?” she asked lamely.

“Arrest for ten years.” The judge replied.

‘I do not want anyone to suffer because of me. But the case is Michael is not a thief.” She said while crying. She raised her head up and peered at the audience one by one. Then at last her eyes got stuck on Uncle Chris and Tracy. She looked at them with a sad expression.

“Five seconds left” the judge intervened.

She turned to the judge.” Produce for me a projector.” She demanded.

The projector is brought. Renah arranged everything. Then at last the sihouted photo of Tracy appeared into the screen. She stood beside the store door alone at midnight as the camera reads. She banged the door open. A pickup also came and uploaded everything from the store.

Everyone in the court room almost collapsed with a shocking cough. They could not believe their eyes. Even Michael was surprised beyond despair.

Michael is released but Tracy is arrested for ten years imprisonment. She is left miserable with a lot of regrets behind the bar.

Renah went and hold Michael’s hand. They moved outside. Michael stood beside Abdul’s car near Caleb. Caressing him as he talk to Renah.

“I may think of calling you or writing for you a letter, would you mind giving me your phone number or home address.” Renah begged Michael almost feeling lonely. Because Michael is going away.

Michael scribed the phone number on a rough card box and gave it to Renah.

“That’s my brother Caleb” Michael told Renah smilingly.

Renah smiled a magnificent smile on seeing Caleb. She went and carried Caleb.

“Do you know me?” she asked Caleb

“No!” Caleb replied.

She smiled again and told Caleb, “Don’t mind, you will know me with time”

Michael thanked Renah so much, beyond compare.

He is completely grateful for what Renah had done to him.

They then embraced each other. With sobs and tears wetting their cloth. They almost got stuck for one minute as if they were talking in spirit. Michael and Renah then departed promising to meet again after one week at school.

But this to Michael and Caleb was a sad and embarrassing day. Abdul had chased them away. Told them never to return to his home again. Michael had worried himself sick. He had severe headache about how to make their lives good in that huge city.

Yet a little warmth’s from the hot sunshine, he drew closer to the open place warming himself. The thought of his life and Renah brought him a lot of terror.

They walked on the hard and hot pavement barefooted. Michael holding Caleb’s hand, as they came across a tree. They decided to talk a little shelter. But to their surprise they saw a very smart gentleman ballistic ally dressed in a blue coat.

“Good morning gentleman.” Michael greeted the man with a sad expression in his face.

From his face the man knew he was in trouble

“Morning young boy. It looks like you are in trouble. What is the matter?”

“Yeah, of course. It may be true but a lie, infact I am just looking for a job.”

“Heh….I am surprised. What you want to do?”

“House boy”

Michael started working as the house boy. He is not supposed to sleep there. So he decided to sleep in the street with Caleb while he keeps on with his newly found job.

Though a soft breeze of hope and pleasure swept through Michael. But he thought fondly about Caleb his brother. Michael is now in a state of distress. He is silent. The words from Caleb felt like a rock falling from a far, blows his consciousness, he worked tirelessly every day to make sure that the boy is eating and having a good shelter.

Nights and days kept on counting and going by. But Michael’s happiness at his work kept on worsening.

He is not yet paid for the last two month. Nevertheless Caleb had grown some kind of sickness.

Caleb is looking thin and depressed. His eyes became sunken.

“Michael, where is our parents?” Caleb asked hopelessly Michael almost broke into sobs. For he knew Caleb had known where their parents were. But he was misled.

He calmed his brother, comforted him and promised joy in his heart.

But the boy’s health kept on dropping as he thinks of where his parents were:, they were sitting on the dirty tarmac ground that leads to the city dustbin.

They cried and cried, but there was no one to listen to them, everyone seemed busy with their duties.

Michael lifted Caleb on his shoulders as he takes him to the hospital with nothing like a single coin. Besides that, they have slept hungry for two nights. And that could be the cause of Caleb’s sickness. But no, he needs to know where his parents were, he had suffered enough without knowing his parents.

Nonetheless Michael had missed two days without presenting himself at the work place. In order to attend to his brother’s health.

“Mum, I am really sorry for not turning up here for the past two days. Actually I had been attending to my brother who is very sick up to now. I just want you to forgive me………….And help me with only five thousand shillings to buy for him something to eat.”

Michael begged kneeling down with tears rolling his cheeks.

“My dear son, you have ceased to be a worker here, and I have to tell you that, your brother’s sickness does not affect or concerns my family. Why do you want to bring misfortune to my family? I am a woman of principal. Can you get out of my compound and go and look for your deadly parents to help you.”

Michael’s wells of tears were now dried because of severe crying. He instead urinated. He went away disillusion, disgusted with his hands stretched on his head. Wandering the nature of the world. Why the world had turned round against him: “hope under no hope” he thought to himself. He went and prayed to God for protection.

Then it happened suddenly as he crosses the road, a speeding car unknowingly knocked him to unconsciousness. Luckily enough, the man stopped and rushed with him to the hospital.

Nothing like death was occupying Michael’s heart; he would have died, had it not been for the aspects that kept on ringing in his mind. I.e. hope, determination and faith in Christ. He prayed in the sick bed. For the rescue, luckily enough God heard his prayers. The man who knocked him accepted to pay for all their treatment including Caleb.

Nothing much had happened to Renah, her elation was that she had finished her master in medicine and surgery in Oxford University (U.K).

But to her, the days and nights were becoming menacing as it was to Michael. She kept on thinking about Michael’s whereabouts.

She had searched for Michael in the whole country but he was nowhere to be seen. He went and visited Abdul.

“Good afternoon father.” She greeted Abdul sorrowfully. Abdul knew her visit from her eyes, and thought of playing the card carefully.

“I am okay. Infact I am surprised. Are you looking for Michael?”

“Yeah, of course… Where is he, I am really feeling lonely without him” she inquisitively replied.

“Am sorry my daughter to tell this, Michael died the very night when you left him, he was buried in their ancestral home place. Later on Caleb also followed his footpath because of sickness and worries. Am really sorry for that sad story.”

Renah almost collapsed, she staggered without looking at Abdul again, she thought to herself. After all the world had robbed her of her happiness. She felt chill, numb and dejected by the world.

She sat in her car for almost five hours before driving away.

The whole day seems a sorrowful day to her, the day became dark and darker. Everything she sees was annihilating her steps. She almost died in her bed for more than one day in order to search for Michael’s ghost. But she failed to see Michael’s ghost.

“When will the world get rid of sorrows and death?” she lamented to herself.

Why has death chosen to take her only joy, happiness and love, why not unworthy Chris?

“Michael you suffered and died without testing the joy of your success, let your soul rest in peace” she sobbed, dusting a handful of tears from her eyes. Renah beautiful and attracting as she was, had never intended to fall in love with anyone a part from Michael. She hated the other boy’s characters of worldly desires. But Michael to her was a boy of dignity and respect. A boy who deserves good treatment.

He was a prayerful boy and that was her earlier dreams to get a boy who knows God.

She started praying to some extent that she could ask God forcefully.

“God u said anyone who ask is given,

Anyone who knocks is open for him or her

Anyone who search will find, lord I am here looking for Michael’s ghost to tell me his story of death, to sit beside me and we worship together. Help me please God………listen to my prayer God.” she was now shouting with deafening sound. Had it not been for the arrival of Pastor Moses who intervened her and taught her how to pray?

On arriving at home. Her father Francis had grown calm. He wants her daughter to be happy. He wants her daughter to live a holy life. He wanted her daughter now to choose the man she wants. He had understood her sorrows. He called her daughter Renah and talked to her.

“Renah, my dear daughter, I am sorry for all that is happening in your life…. I do not know what to do for you. But I am going to visit someone in the hospital. I do not think you can escort me” her father talked to her almost unhappy.

“Daddy, there is no need for you to go even ask for forgiveness from me. I cannot even resist anything you say. But for now I cannot go with you, I have organized a meeting with Pastor Moses today in the church” Renah replied almost unsatisfied

In the hospital, things started changing in Michael’s face. Caleb was in the hand of the man who knocked Michael.

The room where Michael is receiving his treatment is painted white. A sick bed in the other hand and Michael on the sick bed receiving his last treatment.

Francis paid the whole hospital bill and they went to Maritz International Hotel. They eat anything they chose. Joy started to explode their eyes again.

Michael told Francis the whole story of their living. He inquired for Michael’s O’level result.

Begged for forgiveness from Michael for over speeding. He cursed the world for turning wild as the wind and torturing an orphan like that. Francis gave Michael a new house. He was given five companies to manage. He had five vehicles, their happiness started to increase.

The hilarious and frivolous morning that sent a splendiferous pencil sun rays into Michael’s eyes provoked his ghostly desires of searching for Renah.

The wind blowed on gorgeously in the azure sky. Miseries and sufferings were going back to their homes.

The sun bravely shines to everyone’s face. The world started acting the way Michael had thought before his visit to the world. The worship of God kept on increasing. But there was one single thing missing in Michael’s life. “Renah where is she, is she dead, she even did not write to him a letter. He kept on wandering.

Opening ceremony for the newly opened company was due to take place on Friday. Renah’s father, Francis invited Pastor Moses to be the master of ceremony. Renah is supposed to make the speech for the guest welcome. Michael and Caleb were the guest of honor.

The day finally arrived frivolously directed by the sweet nature’s sun rays. The sky was clear except for the little puffs of cloud that stunted on it like an emperor in his kingdom. It was very bright as the sun’s light touched the plants like a blessing bestowed upon a good child. Crystal clear the sky promised a wonderful day to Michael and Caleb.

Lorries and trailers were carrying sodas and water. At noon, the vicinity was full to its brim. The cold sweet wind blowed o everyone’s skin provoking even the hidden pleasures. Visitors arrived, happy, infact no one was not smiling.

The launch, finally started as the chief guest was still on the way.

Everyone enjoyed the launch with gospel music; Pastor Moses did everything he can to make his people happy.

Now the time finally came, Renah was to give the welcome speech for the arrival of the guest of honor. But to everyone’s surprise, the guest was nowhere to be seen. In other words had not yet arrived.

Then surprisingly in not more than two minutes. Everyone’s eye had seen two classic Mercedes Benz arrive.

Renah as the concerned for the guest arrival went straight in front of the vehicles. Actually she was oblivious of the arriving guest.

On opening the door, Michael’s feet was swept off by a sight of a paragon who was spick and span and elegantly dressed to the nines. Her angelic smile was ever a slushy sentimental event. She was dressed in splashy raiment that made her look quixotic. Her eyes made Michael pernicious so he decided to keep at arm’s length because of the pedagogue’s thought.

Everyone was shouting a joyous song at the top of their voice.

Francis and Pastor Moses was holding their hands together and smiling a smile that would kill a young baby.

The leg from the vehicle foot down. Everyone including Renah was eager to see who the guest was.

Renah turned to the audience to make silence only when to get shocked and collapsed on turning back to face the guest of honor.

She soliloquyly mentions “Michael and Caleb is that really you?”

She could not believe herself. Michael was dead but again who is this. Everyone kept quiet.

Pastor Moses was surprised.

Michael ran and holds Renah’s hand before she fell down. He squeezed her close to his heart and kissed her saying “it is me darling do not be surprised.”

The mood of everyone turned except for Pastor Moses and Francis. They rejoiced to the top of their voice. Thanking God for what had happened. Caleb stood, leaning on his car. His hands hound together while smiling a slushy smile. Besides that Michael and Renah were stuck together looking at each other’s face and sending a splendiferous smile that may tempt even the pope.

With a sorrowful expression. But at the same time with the happiest joy they have never encountered.

The howling of the day and a splendiferous pencil sun rays awakened everyone from their tranquil recapitulation. The sun rays were radiating and casting beauties splashes on everyone’s jovial face. Michael and Renah spasmodically got up and said their orison to their omnipotent.

Pastor Moses told the whole story to everyone.

The launched turned out to be an introduction ceremony. Everyone departed with a jovial face. Pastor Moses, Renah, Michael, Caleb and Francis and lastly Renah’s mother were told to remain in order to discuss some secret.

The marriage ceremony is scheduled, Francis promised to cater for everything required. Pastor Moses prayed for Renah and Michael’s courtship. Caleb was taken to study law in UK by Francis.

Michael and Renah had the best building in Kampala; they had four beautiful storage building. Besides it was five vehicles arranged along a magnificent flower curve.

Michael and Renah went upstairs on the balcony to check their home. There they gaged at the horizon of the lord and heard melodies parrot’s hymns in their nest and the rhythms of the gusty winds and that increased the admiration of the lord’s meritorious work. They were reticent for a moment. Then they entered the ignited bedroom full of bed of roses. Flowers hovering in all corners. They kissed themselves and slept to enjoy the bed.

I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won to himself. Of course, my brothers and sisters, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is a head.

(Philippians 3:12-14)

The hilarious and frivolous morning while they were in the slumber land when a loud still that made their heart skips a beat woke them up suddenly to the worm and quixotic good morning kisses.

The world was leaping with its magnificent morning glory as Michael and Renah brush their teeth outside in the machine bush.

Surprisingly there was a terrible digital sound at the gate.

They went to the gate to check what it was; to their surprise, it was urgent news from Michael’s home place demanding Michael to go and see Uncle Chris. Uncle Chris had woke up at night peered with difficulty; he could not speak or eat. Uncle Chris had demanded for Michael and Renah to go and visit him.

Renah insisted that Michael should not go, bringing to his mind the past distress Chris had done to him. Michael refused to listen to Renah.

He said,” my dear honey, if you don’t know whose death will pains me most, is the death of Uncle Chris. Infact it is him that I am like this, had it not been for his torture on me, I wouldn’t have turn to God. You wouldn’t have even loved me.

Had it not for his callous act, I would not have accident and received all this wealth.

Honey I have to tell you that Uncle Chris attributes all my success. I know you are meaning he is against me. But get it from me; if you have an enemy, he or she is the only person whom you should handle like your delicate egg. For he or she alerts you in whatever thing you are going to do. You tend to be serious in order for you not to get embarrassed. So in life your enemies are better than your friends. Friends do not smoke competition in you. You feel that they are your friends. And you need not to compete with them.”

By the time Michael was telling Renah all this comforting words. He was sitting on a flatten protruding sofa set beside Renah. She understood Michael and accepted him to go.

Michael reached the hospital, but Michael was badly off. Michael could not now save Uncle Chris’s life.

“Michael….I…just…want to thank you very much for responding to my call. In fact Michael, I am sorry for what I have done in your life. It may be along story to tell you all this. But Michael…… I am sorry that I was the one who killed your parents….just because of their wealth. I am….really sorry. You may have to forgive me for that. I was also the one who planned with Tracy just to destroy your future and also encourage Abdul to chase you away. Michael please it may seem a sad story but forgive…. I am ….dying …” Uncle Chris died immediately when Michael had brought the vehicle to take him to the airport to go to India for further treatment.

Michael and Renah were holdings their hands together while kneeling down in front of uncle Chris’s sick bed. Renah shaded a lot of tears. They all reconciled. Uncle Chris was buried in the ancestral home.

Michael visited Pastor Moses. He built for Pastor Moses fancy storage buildings.

Caleb later finished his master in law in UK.

Michael and Renah became managing director and doctor respectively.

I am Joshua Olara, a Uganda young writer, Lango by tribe, and still a student.