a Single reminder

…

“No Pete don’t!”

I scream.

My pulse speeds up.

 It’s too late.

…

In a busy neighbourhood, if you can call it one. Their Mother and I live. We live together with Aunt Rose and Mr Toby. We don’t have much, but we have one another. Aunty Sam lives next door and Mr Ross across from us with their kids and all relatives. Mr Ross’s kid is my best friend.

We are from the hood, but we are clean. We don’t have much, but we have soap. Mom has told us all around the hood to always be better where you came from, but never forget where that it where you came from.

The first day that she gave us soap it looked so peculiar for us. We weren’t accustomed to soap when we were born. Mom gave it to us when we turned 10. Before that we normally just cleaned ourselves with water, but then the kids in town started talking. They called us mean names and called us filthy. Mother didn’t like this and so did me and my best friend too. So we decided to try Mother’s advice and it worked.

We are now 15 years old and still living in the hood. Although we know the hood is messy and scary according to the other kids in school we feel safe in the hood.

Pete and I were smoking a cigarette the one day on the top of the mountain close to the hood when we heard it.

“Doomf”

We both looked into each other’s eyes and registered the same feeling.

That was the sound of a gunshot.

Someone has yet again been murdered in the hood.

This happens every other day and Mom always warns us to be at home between the hours of 3am and 5 am.

I look up in the sky the sun hasn’t set yet so that it means it must be between 4 and 5 now.

Pete begins to run to the hood.

“No Pete don’t”

I scream.

It’s too late.

Pete is already in the hood when I finally get there.

Pete has this look of anger in his eyes.

I look up to where Mom is standing. She beckons me to come to her. I run to her. Then turn around. The body lying in a pool of blood is Mr Ross.

Pete’s eyes has different emotions in them some of hurt and grieve , but mostly of anger.

“What what..”

I start to whisper say to my mother.

Mr Toby hears me.

“It was those darn drug addicts up on the top.”

Mr Toby indicates to where the murders life.

“They wanted cash and Mr Ross started giving them a lecture.”

Just like Mr Ross , always wants to help others in need.

“They didn’t like it, so they stabbed him with a piece of bottle.”

…

“That was the introduction of the now well-known book of Laura Scott. She is with us in the audience today to discuss the main theme of this book and to help us understand the introduction of her now published first book”

Laura’s hands starts to twitch. This is the first book she wrote off 50 that is being published. She still can’t believe that this moment is real. The host keeps on talking, but Laura doesn’t bother listening. She looks down at what she is wearing she should have worn the green long dress; instead she let her sister persuade her to wear this tight black dress with a white scarf over her shoulder.

She feels to open and uncomfortable.

“Laura, Laura Scott will now explain the books introduction to us.”

Laura snaps out of her mind and walks to the podium the host gives her a mike to talk with. She feels so stupid and lets the mike fall. Then she remembers why she wrote the story to help does in need see what they are doing to others. She picks up the mike and starts talking:

“When I started writing this book, I was in a lot of pain. My father has been abusing me my whole life not because he wanted to, but because he was addicted to alcohol and we didn’t have money to buy any that day. It was verbal and physical abuse and some days I wanted to hurt him back, but I couldn’t because some days he was okay. I never had the courage to talk to him about how he made me feel until one day. I told him how it made me feel to see him drunk all day and to see him angry when he didn’t get his fix of alcohol, he immediately felt ashamed. I know now that his actions were actions that he didn’t think hurt anyone and that I could help others too in that position as he was. So then I started writing this book. Yes I know it’s set in the hood, but it’s just to create the scene of the story. A lot of days we think that no it’s the hood that brings us murders and so forth, but in this case I show you guys that the problems came to the hood. Sometimes all a person needs is someone to tell them and show them the pain their causing. With that I conclude my speech and encourage you all to buy this book and read it.”

The audience were still silent. No one uttered a word. I felt stupid for bringing my own issues on stage , but also felt like that was the only way to describe how I feel.

A few seconds past.

“Give it up for Laura Scott”

My heart skipped a beat and then it began.

“Laura Scott ! Laura Scot ! Laura Scot!”

The audience cheered.

My first book is now published. It was the most terrifying yet magnificent day of my life.  

I hope this story bring as much joy and happiness to everyone who reads it just like it did to me.