TWO WEEKS - Episode 10

7:00am
The clock was reading when Wayne woke up that morning. He went over the events of the previous night in his mind; his terrible nightmare: attempt to drug himself: his father’s call: his leg’s piercing and his phone shattering.
Nothing was going right. And now, he was lying on that bed on precisely the time when he should have led the jog team, got the plastic bags for his friends and got ready to submit his assignment.
He lived such a terrible life.
He twisted his head at the thought, turning around to face the waiting couch at the end of the room and Vicky sitting on it wearing a pink blouse and dark trousers.
She rose at the glance of his and just then he noticed that, she begun to get slimmer and her curves became more distinct.
But, that was not as important as this, “Get me coke".
She paused, making a queer face. “Wayne. You are awake that is great. Are you alright?”
He tried to sit up and held his right leg in agony.
“Let me help you.” she offered, drawing closer to the bed.
He reluctantly allowed her to support his back as he sat up, stuffing some pillows behind him.
“I’m so sorry.” She said, sighing.
“It’s okay.” He said, turning from his leg to her. “Get me coke.”
“Is that a soda?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No. It’s gin. Now, please get me one. I’ll pay you back.”
She frowned. “Wayne. Sorry but, I will not get you that.”
“What is wrong with you!” he shouted, making Vicky feel the room shaking around her. “I am not like you! I am not happy, joyous, spiritual or, all that stuff!” he added, very aggravatingly. “I’m suffering! I am in agony and I can’t live with it. Get me gin!”
Vicky trembled afterward. She thought that she was out of wisdom to respond to his torturing words.
Just then the door opened and she turned to embrace the sight of the yellow haired boy in his usual dark leather outfit. He carried a bottle or wine in hand.
“I hear someone say, coke.” He greeted, laughingly.
“Mike. Thank you.” Wayne said, gladly.
Vicky took in a deep breath. She did not know what to do but, the thing upset her.
Wayne received the bottle and glanced at Vicky. “Why are you still standing there? You want some?”
“Wayne.” She begun. “Alcohol is not the answer.”
He chuckled, removing the lid and taking large puffs.
She sighed deeply.
“I think she likes you man.” Mike said, eyeing Vicky with his lazy eyes.
Wayne broke into a laughter. “Good one, Mike. Don’t you say that, we should welcome her to our hood?”
“Enh she’s too ugly.” Mike replied rudely.
Vicky sighed again, looking for the right way to approach the situation.
She turned to Mike. “He needs breakfast alright? Coke, or whatever you call it, is not breakfast.”
Mike narrowed his eyes at her. He expected that she would reproach him for getting him the drink on the basis of religion.
“Yes.” Vicky said to Mike. “He must be hungry.”
“I’m hungry for this.” Wayne interjected and Mike laughed at that.
She turned to him. “I don’t drink but, I know that, people don’t take wine in the morning. Please, let him get you coffee and sandwich.”
Wayne was silent, thinking. He turned to Mike afterward. “Do you have cash?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah.”
“Get me Five Guys Hamburgers then, I am starving.”
Mike shrugged and nodded. “Right on," he said and left.
Vicky turned to Wayne. “Can I put that away for you?” she asked, glancing at the bottle in his hand.
“Why should I trust you?”
“Can I trust you?” She asked instead.
“I haven’t asked you to help me with a drinking problem, I love this. It helps me calm my nerves.”
“But, you don’t need any nerve calming.”
“What makes you think that? You haven’t got into my head to realize what I am thinking. I am-” he begun and paused, hesitating to go on.
“There’s a time when we think that problems are heavily weighing over our shoulders but, the Word says that; for every matter there is a time and way though man’s troubles lay heavily upon him.”
He puffed his drink again. “So, you also have words for everything.”
“I don’t. God does.”
“Cut, the crap. You ain’t going to get me to be like you.”
“I am not struggling to make you a Christian Wayne.”
“So, what are you doing?”
“Convincing you to try out a better solution for your problem.”
“Okay. I don’t like admitting that, I have problems but, I already have so, we will go on this way. What solution are you offering me? God? Some beliefs?”
“Let’s begin with hope.” She asked, occupying an empty seat beside his bed.
He watched her closely for a while. The alcohol, which already got into his head, transfigured the images he was seeing.
She noticed that, first. “That thing you’re holding is a lie. You’re being eluded into thinking stuff that do not exist. The devil doesn’t want you to be in your sober mind to comprehend all the great things that, God means for you to do.”
“That is crap.” He said, breathing alcohol on her face.
“What isn’t to you, Wayne? Your problems or the gin?”
He turned to the bottle and held it a little far from him. “Maybe both.”
“What has been the way to fix things?” She asked again. “The gin?”
He turned to her. “No.” he replied, a little earlier than she expected. He waved the bottle to her. “Please put it aside.”
She grunted before receiving it. Was he coping that quickly?
He got the bed sheet off himself. “You are right. I haven’t been taking this the right way. Maybe, I have also been so rude to you.” he added, struggling to get his legs off the bed. “I have to face my problems like you said. I have to go to Ohio.”
She swallowed, getting a bit off guard by his decision. “Wayne, you are still not well.”
“No. My mom is…” dying. But, he hesitated to say so. “I have to see her. My father was calling me last night. Something must have happened. I have to go.”
Vicky was lost. She did not know whether to support him or to decline from doing so.
Oh God please give me wisdom. What do I do? Are you already done with him? Is that what he must do? She asked herself inwardly.
He turned to her. “Vicky. I’m sorry for behaving like a jerk toward you. Really, drinking in the morning is ridiculous even I should have known that.”
She was silent, lost in her own thoughts.
He supported himself on the rail of the bed, padding his feet forward.
“Where are you going?” She asked.
“Back to my apartment and then I’ll request a leave to travel to Ohio.”
“Wayne. You are not completely well. Ohio must be far from here.”
“Yeah. That’s why I’ll take the plane.”
She sighed.
“Okay. See you around or something.” He said and left, in her watch.

                                                                              #

TWO WEEKS - EPISODE 3

“This shall be your apartment.” Linda announced to Vicky, opening a door of a room in the sixth floor of a large dormitory building in the University compound.
The room that they walked into was large and had two joined rooms. One was the living room with red seats, surrounding a low coffee table with a neon lamp on top of it; and the other was a dining room with four metal chairs around a metal table. There was a refrigerator behind the seats and a kitchen place with a counter, oven and microwave.
There was another exit to a corridor leading to inner rooms of the apartment.
Vicky looked around, feeling very excited. “Just like in the movies.” She said to Linda.
Linda laughed. “Yeah. You must be so happy,” She reckoned.
“More than ever. I can’t wait to take pictures and send them to my mom.” She walked to the red sofas and touched the leather of one of them. “This is so original.”
“Yes. And you will be sharing the living room and kitchen with another person.”
Vicky raised her eyebrows in surprise but, not wanting to appear selfish, nodded quickly. “Yes. Where is she?”
“Maybe sleeping in her room. She is my daughter so, you will be in safe hands.” Linda said proudly.
Vicky smiled. “That is good. She must be as kind as you.”
Linda grinned. “I hope so. Anyway, take the corridor, all the rooms in there are yours. Your mate lives next door but, her apartment has had a kitchen problem for a while and she kinda got used to this.”
Vicky nodded silently.
“Her name is Annie.” Linda added.
“Nice name.” Vicky commented and glanced at the front door beside which, her bags were. “So, do I have to leave the doors open?”
Linda laughed a little. “No. That way, someone could invade you. She has her own keys and don’t worry, she won’t appear here until tomorrow.”
“Okay. Please tell me what time I should be ready tomorrow?”
“7. Is that too early for you?”
Vicky laughed at that. “Absolutely not.”
Linda gave her a nod. “I like your English.”
Vicky grinned. “Thanks.”
“Well. Good night.”
“Same with you Linda.”
The lady smiled at her and left.
Immediately, Vicky dropped on the sofa and sighed with relief. “Oh. My God thank you! I’m in America!”
She stared at the lights on the roof hanging above her head and smiled at them. “So, original.” She exhaled and lowered her head to a stand next to the sofa. There was a telephone on it. “When I know to work this, I’ll call my mom.” She planned and rose to pick her luggage from the front door.
She began pulling it to the corridor, just when the door was pushed open behind her.
Vicky turned around quickly and paused, staring at a rather strange spectacle.

A girl with red hair walked in, wearing a short purple dress. She wore a grey sweater on top of the dress and had black platforms on her feet.
She held the door back from a guy, who was wearing a black hood sweater and blue jeans trousers.
“Stop nagging me Wayne!” the girl shouted at the guy. “Get out of my place or else, I am going to call security on you!”
“Oh. I’m scared.” The guy replied sarcastically and laughed, forcing his hands around him.
“Kiss her Kiss her Kiss her.” Some people chorused behind the door.
Vicky remained standing at the corridor way, watching the scene without knowing how to act.
Wayne was the first person to spot the new black girl wearing a traditional knee-length dress with long gold braids on her head, carrying a suitcase and staring at them from the corridor way.
“Heey?” He called, releasing the girl and causing her to turn around to Vicky. “You didn’t tell me that, we’ll be having guests.”
The girl walked away from him just at the time when the people behind the door, made their way in and stared at the new girl.
“Hallo.” Vicky helplessly greeted.
Some guys behind Wayne laughed.
“What’s that?” one of them asked, pointing rudely at Vicky’s dress.
Vicky felt her mom-made khanga for going to America.
“Oh hi.” The first girl greeted kindly. “Are you my new mate?”
“And a fat one.” Somebody else added.
Vicky turned to her. She had already learned to neglect people’s comments back in Bongo. “Yes. Are you, Annie?”
Annie nodded and turned back to Wayne. “Please, leave my place. I want to go to sleep. Now!"
“Wait a minute, Annie,” Wayne replied and turned to the new girl “What’s your name?”he asked her.
“Vicky.” She replied, a bit protectively.
“Where do you come from?” he asked again.
“Tanzania, East Africa.”
“Are you a transfer student?”
“Freshman.” She replied.
“So you are beginning first year at Ortegun?” Wayne asked.
“Wayne. Why are you even asking her all that?” the yellow haired guy posed. 
“Don’t listen to him, Vicky.” Annie said to Vicky, walking across the living room towards her “He’s drunk.”She added.
Vicky was silent, quite embarrassed to be in that position.
“Heey. Why are you saying that? I just want to welcome the new girl to the hood, that’s all.” Wayne defended.
Annie sided with Vicky. “She is not going to join any hood. Am I right, Vicky?” She said and before Vicky had the chance to comment, Annie added, discrediting Wayne and his gang. “They are a bunch of delinquents and you seem like a sweet modest girl. Do you know what I mean?”
“All girls end up like us by the end of two weeks in Ortegun. What would make her any exception?” the girl with the purple hair asked, standing behind Wayne.
Now Vicky decided to take her own stand. “I know what I came here for. My family and my country depend on me. Everyone has a right to choose her own lifestyle in school.” She turned to Annie, “Even you.”
Annie furrowed her eyebrows with confusion. She just said that?
“Creepy.” The yellow haired boy sounded.
Wayne plodded to them. “So, you are telling me that, if I give you two weeks, you won’t change your ideologies of family and ‘Tansania’ stuff and remain as you are?” he asked, coming a foot, in front of Vicky.
She drew back about a few steps. “What on earth could change me?”
Wayne eyed her for her reaction. “We are in New York sweetie.” He replied.
“Yes. It’s cold and beautiful but, that doesn’t affect my beliefs.” She replied, maintaining eye contact.
He narrowed his eyes, awing her confidence.
The rest in the room were silent, watching the scene closely.
“You seem so innocent.” Wayne added. “But, this place isn’t. Have you ever seen a gun before? Up close, on your head? Have you ever seen street fights? Have you ever seen people cursing everywhere and on everything? Have you ever seen people fu-”
“Wayne!” Annie snapped, having had enough of his harm on the incomer.
Vicky gulped but tried to hide her fear. “I know that not everywhere is like that in Ortegun or in New York.”
Wayne still had his eye on Vicky. “So, you suppose to find a sweet spot or something? This shit is the way of life.”
“Well, if there isn’t then, there is a possibility to make one.” Vicky replied.
Wayne was silent, baffled by her responses.
“God changes everything.” Vicky added, looking at all of them.
Wayne drew back. “Two weeks. That’s all I’m giving you. I’ll come back here in two weeks and I swear, I’ll tell you I told you so!”
“I’ll remain unchanged.” She promised him.
He shook his head at her with pity. “This is not ‘Tansania’, babe.” He turned to Annie. “See you around, sweetie.”
“Get out of here!” Annie snapped.
Wayne turned to his gang. “Let’s ditch this joint.”
“I got my eye on you!” the yellow haired boy said to Vicky.
The rest laughed and left the house, with the door swinging open.

                                                                              #

TWO WEEKS - EPISODE 2

Meanwhile, in Manhattan and in the college club, a guy brought a tray with beer glasses and laid it on a table in front of a couple of guys and girls around his own age.
The peer welcomed him with a lot of cheers.
“It’s on the house men!” He called, as his friends picked up glasses from the tray.
They sat in a corner of the large club which also had a loud music playing. Some youths danced and hang around on various corners, sharing romantic intimacies.
The first guy picked his own glass and tasted the drink with his eyes closed. He shook his head as the sip of it run through his throat and down to his stomach. “This is good.” He commented to his friends.
“Yeah Wayne,” A girl replied, after having a puff of her own glass.
She wore a dark leather backless blouse and short matching pants. Her hair was dyed with purple and white and she had plenty of ornaments on her body.
Wayne sipped again, taking plenty of puffs this time.
“Guys? What do you think of the first year intake?” a boy with yellow hair dressed in a cape, asked.
“Ah. They are okay.” Another girl, a brunette and the only differently dressed among the group replied. She also did not have a glass in hand. Gradually, she wagged her head to the music that filled the hall.
Having almost emptied his glass, Wayne turned to the second girl and walked to the couch, dropping down to sit close to her.
“Annie. Tell me seriously, when are you really, going to be a part of the hood?” he asked, loosely holding his glass in front of her.
She grimaced and pushed his hand away. “I don’t drink.”
He offered her a silly grin. One that told Annie, he was up to something stupid.
Like she expected, Wayne dropped the glass on her lap and before she could panic, he forced himself on her to steal a kiss.
The rest of the group laughed and cheered as she struggled to free herself from his heavy body.
She only succeeded when she bit his lip.
“Ouch!” he whined before she slapped his left cheek.
The boys laughed loudly.
Wayne grinned devilishly at her. “Ah. You are a feisty… one.” He said just when his phone buzzed in his pocket.
“You! Never do that to me again!” Annie rasped.
Wayne in turn rose and took out his phone from his pocket. He turned to Annie after checking it. “I will be back.”
“Who’s is it Wayne?” The yellow haired boy asked.
Without replying, Wayne, abandoned the noisy hall and entered the men’s room to receive his call.

                                                                              #

“Hallow Astrophe?”
“Yes father?”
“Tell me, where are you son?”
“I’m at college. You know that.”
“I know but, I have been looking for you since morning. I also sent you a lot of voice messages and there has been no reply from you.”
There was an impatient sigh. “Well, we are talking now, ain’t we?”
There was a disappointed sigh. “Okay. Your mother is sick.” The man said and paused for a reaction from the other side but, there was silence. He sighed again and went on. “The doctors have said the cancer has reached to a certain point that, even chemotherapy is not going to help her survive. Your brother is here and we wanted you to come to Ohio to see your mother and perhaps, make her feel that she has all our support.”
There was a short pause before Astrophe came. “I will think about it.”
The man later sounded angry. “Astrophe. There is no thinking about anything. Listen, your mother is dying and I am telling you to come home so that we may be together. For her.”
“Father. I have school and besides that, I don’t want to see Chris.”
“This is not about Chris son, it’s about your mother. She needs you.”
“Listen dad. I love mom but, if Chris is gonna be there then, I ain’t coming.”
“Astrophe. Better sort out your differences with your brother and right now, come to show that love you feel for your mother.”
There was silence.
“Son?”
“Okay dad. I will think about it.” He repeated.
“Please come home quickly son. I’ll send you money through your account.”
“I don’t need it. I have a credit card.”
“No. Better not to use your credit card often. You could fall into debts if you don’t pay up. I’ll send you the money tomorrow. Let me expect you by the end of the week.”
There was a short pause. “Tell me, how critical is she?” Astrophe asked, sounding very sensitive.
“Your mom?”
“Yes. How long does she have?”
“A month. Maybe less.”
There was a deep sigh.
“See son? You have to come and see her.”
“Bye dad.” Astrophe replied and hang up.
He paused, leaning on the wall of the men’s room with the phone in his hand. The condition of his mother added to the tragedy in Astrophe’s life.
He had a long feud with his brother simply because, they always disagreed on everything.
Sometime later, his brother went to live in another state and when their mother begun getting sick with cancer that ate her up, Astrophe or Wayne as he called himself in Ortegun, discovered the involvement of his father with his secretary.
Their home was always hostile and full of fights; between Astrophe and Chris, Astrophe and dad. But, whenever their mother showed up, they pretended to be alright.
Mrs. Harts was not all that deaf or blind in her house either. She argued with them for arguing with each other. Soon, she resisted therapy and medicine and became bitter with life.
Astrophe’s only consolation was the gang he headed when he begun taking studies in Ortegun. They were carefree persons who knew how to party and to have fun.
Recently, they admitted Annie into what they called ‘Hood’.  She was the daughter of a professor who also taught psychology in their University. Annie was their latest and greatest conquest.  
Now, hearing that his mom was sick and about to die, Astrophe was lost. He kept on queering why everything had to be that way. He cursed himself, his family and life itself. There was no relief anywhere. None except in coke.
As the thought came to mind, he left the bathroom and returned back to his friends.

                                                                #