A Life for a Life

All these years he thought that he was a champion and unbeatable but it was only because he competed with those below his standard. Now, it was his time to realise how small he was. He thought he was a big fish but it was because he was in a small pond. What he tried to play with this time was too big for his size. His teeth were too tiny to chew that big piece of meat and never was he going to finish the digestion process. The food was going to choke him and kill him. Like a baby, he was crying for his mother who was long gone and by this time her bones were the only thing that remained. Him and his friends were sorcerers but he was outstanding. In his long run he left his wand, spell book and every other thing he needed to do the sorcery in the hands of his friends. He had sent a letter to his friends and was asking them whether he would live or die. He greatly pleaded them to carry out the sorcery with care.

His car had broken down and was now useless and so, he ran on foot. His fat legs carried him home and as fast as they could although they were trembling. It was fear that gave his body strength. He was longing to escape the schemes of danger and death. He arrived at his house and began to prepare his supper. He boiled rice and fried mincemeat. But when he was doing all that his mind was far in the past. What had occurred kept on rewinding in his mind. It was an event that could not be forgotten and one could not pretend as if it never happened. He cleaned his table, chairs and kitchen unit. He thoroughly swept his house. He removed his blankets from the bed and spread again his bed. As he was doing so, the knife he had used to do that bad thing in the past fell and made a sound. He looked at it and it was shining. The blood stains that had been there were removed as a way of getting rid of the evidence. He finished spreading his bed. He served his food and sat on the chair and tried to eat.

He could not swallow his food. Though it was his favourite food, at this moment it tasted sour in his mouth. He starred at the ceiling of the room for a time and then put his head on the table. He lost his appetite. He was wondering when his friends were going to reply him. His heart longed for that letter. It contained his answer. Evening came and took long. Two hours were like four hours. He tossed in his bed all night and tears rolled down his cheeks. At last and unexpectedly sleep took him and brought a nightmare to him. In his dream he saw men holding guns surrounding him and they fired their bullets at him. They left him there dead and was eaten by lions. Only his bones remained. His eyes burst out and he then took a long sigh of relief when he realised that he was dreaming. Sweat had moistened his skin and wetted his clothes. He was surprised that morning had arrived and yet in the past night he had thought that morning was never going to come. Afterwards, he closed his eyes and searched for the silence he had during the evening but all he could hear was the rain that sang in chorus with the lightning and thunder. He got out of bed and washed his hands.

The electric jug that was on the table was lifted with force and quickly filled with water. It was put on the plug and switched on and in no time the muscular man was having his breakfast of plain bread and red tea. This day was the day that he expected the letter to arrive. He peeped through his murky room window and saw the post man who wore a black raincoat putting a letter into the letter box. Terror took hold of him and many thoughts were deposited into his mind by the action and could only be withdrawn by him reading the letter. He felt anxious and then afraid, anxious and then afraid till he did not know what to feel. He shivered as he took his jacket and wore it. He hastened to open the door but before he could touch the door handle his hand shook due to the thought that invited hesitation.

The thought was a suggestion as to what the answer would be. Sometime in the past, life and death had stood before him. Without much thought, the situation he was in made him to choose death. He chose death and now death was following him. He was now struggling with all his might, to cover up his bad deed and run away. He was not sure whether his strength would last long enough or not. If ever he was to be caught there was going to be no other sentence except execution straight away. If he had refused the offer he would not be in this trouble but he opened the door to sin.

A king had been killed by him. A nation was mourning because of him and the peoples were longing for his dreadful death. What could only comfort them now was his disappearance from the face of the earth. He was alive this day because he knew that a murderer without friends has no where to hide and his death is quick. Now he was not sure whether he was going to live tomorrow or not. He realised now that it was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a life for a life.

He felt the need of a gun and a knife. So, he turned and got his gun, knife and wore his black raincoat. He made sure that as he walked he made no sound. He opened the door with the care and scanned the outside before stepping outside. He saw the environment as if it had no threats for him and lo, he stepped out. Walking with care he reached the letter box and opened it and reached for the letter. He decided to read the letter inside the house and so, he hid it beneath the raincoat. Carefully and attentively he walked towards his house. He entered his house and removed the raincoat. He sat on his single bed and opened the letter.

The letter read:

Think it is from your friends. Murderer and war seeker it is

over. In this world you give back what you stole and now you

better give back the life that you took.

Upon reading this a tear dropped on the letter just like a raindrop. Suddenly he heard a whisper and he quickly lifted his eyes and behold, he saw a black shadow quickly pass before his eyes. Then, he realised that it was time to give back what he took. A life for a life. What was going to kill him was a beast, an animal that could see but could not be seen. One who could hear but could not be heard. One who could kill but could not be killed. This was the last thing he would learn before his death: you take a life you give a life. His death would be a quick one.