DISILLUSIONED

He plunged in. It was warmer than the atmosphere surrounding it. After laps and laps of swimming he got out, shook himself like a rabid dog on a rainy day and wore his torn shorts. After all a towel was not a necessity in skinny dipping. He walked slowly towards the shanty looking flats. The building was almost expiring. Mosses and funny looking weeds had surrounded the walls and even some of the windows. "Come in." Said a sleepy voice after his numerous knocks. He entered the office. The inside looked better than the outside.

"So how can I help you?"

"I am thinking of killing someone," he said in a boring tone. One would think he was talking about the weather or other mundane things like a pair of shoes.

"And why would you want to do that?"

"I don't know, I just got this feeling in me. Something in me is pushing me to commit murder. I dont believe I am capable of doing it though. Can you help?"

"Help how?"

"You tell me, you are the professional here, ain't you?"

"I am but how can I help when I don't know the whole story."

"It seems you are not willing to help me. Good day doctor. See you next week. Maybe then I will tell you a thing or two about me." He slammed the door on his way out.

He walked hurriedly back home only to find his parents waiting for him at the gate. "What is it?" He asked.

"It is time," his mother whispered.

"Time for what? I don't understand." They all looked at him without speaking . "Can someone please tell me what is going on here before I go mad."

"Come see for yourself." He was dragged inside like a cow being pushed to a slaughter house. Inside he found all his relatives, both from his mother's and father's side. They were all seated and whispering among themselves.

"What is going on here?"

"You have to do it today."

"Do what? I don't understand."

"Well,since you are proving dumb, let me state it clearly. It is time you kill that good for nothing..."

"I am killing no one. You can't just order me to do something because some silly seer said that." He turned to leave but was blocked by one of his uncles. "Let me pass please. I have important things that I need to attend to."

"No. You are going nowhere. Can't you see that our people are under a spell that can only be dissolved by you spilling the blood of our enemy," his father shouted.

"Can I think about it first?"

"No! Can't you see what is at stake here?"

"I do. Okay let me get to the washroom then I'll come back so we can discuss how to go about this."

"Okay. Five minutes is all you have, " her mother said. They let him pass and he dashed for the gate. Since everybody was inside the house the gate had been left unmaned.

She heard someone knock and opened her door only to find the man from her office at her doorstep. "What are you doing here and how did you know where I live?"

"No time for those questions. I need help."

"How can I help you?"

"Why don't you let me in first and I will tell you all about it."

"No. Speak now or leave. Your choice."

"This can't be said while standing. Trust me I can't even hurt a fly." She hesitated before letting him in. "And no monkey business. Any mischief and I call the police."

"Deal." He entered and sat on one of the comfy sofas. "Now speak."

"Okay. So this is the thing. My parents and relatives want me to kill a man they claim is their enemy."

"And who is this 'enemy'?" She asked sitting down.

"My grandpa."

"What?"

"Don't give me that look. I know it sounds weird. They say that my grandpa has a curse around him and he is the reason why we are not prosperous as a family. So I asked them why me. My aunt said that on the night of my birthday, a seer told them that I was 'the one'. That I would bring 'freedom' they so long for. Right now they are at my house waiting, well I lied to them that I was going to the washroom and I made a dash here. So tell me how can you help me. And don't talk about going to the police because I am not doing that.."

"So what do you want to do about it?"

"You tell me. I came to you for help."

"Okay. Tell me something. How do you feel about it"

"Honestly I don't want to do it. My grandpa and I are best of friends. Infact we are tighter than a pair of a virgin pants. He has taught me everything about life and I am willing to risk everything just to save him. To tell you truth I have always felt like a shadow is hovering around me. I almost broke my neck once while looking back to see if anyone was following me. When I told my grandpa about it, he said it was nothing. Now the same thing is pushing me towards this, and with the way my family is persistent I think I might do something bad like kill him-my mentor."

"Okay. Why don't you go back and ask your family what the seer really said because honestly you can't go to the police with this."

"So how do I go about it? Because I feel torn. I don't believe that my grandpa is the cause of all the problems and misfortune and that whatever that seer said is true."

"I don't know. You know them better. I need to get some sleep. Close the door on your way out."

"Alright doctor." He left and ran back home. As he was running, he heard someone call his name.

"Pipi! Pipi wake up. You are going to be late for work."

©Aoko Juma