THE K1LLER’S KNIFE
The K1ller’s Knife – Episode 37
Four years Later.
Today is my release day and I am more than happy to breathe the air of freedom after four years of being confined in the pr!son here.
I was impr!soned as a sixteen year old boy but today I am leaving as a twenty year old young adult. How time flies!
My mind went down memory lane to that day I had fainted in the court room. I was immediately rushed to the hospital where I was resuscitated and a series of tests were carried out on me by the medical personnel over there.
Thank God it wasn’t anything serious, it was prolonged typhoid in my system that was manifesting itself in full force
high emotional tension and my mental state wasn’t very stable.
I was treated wholly and doctor Stanley bought the drugs prescribed for me. It was after spending about two days in the prison hospital, I was discharged.
The police officers did not even allow me to rest properly and get the required treatment before I was driven to the juvenile pr!son right from the hospital.
It is there I served my pr!son term in a cell of eleven male prisoners, most of which were my age grade and above.
From the interactions within themselves, I could tell the different personalities of my cell mates. I noticed those who were bฮผllies and those who were coolheaded like me.
The majority of us are products of broken homes.
But few were very privileged, atleast those ones still got their parents together in good terms but these kids chose a drรซรขdful path, going astray were their choice not because they were pushed or subjected to.
I don’t pity those ones, they had a great opportunity, a bright future, they could’ve made their parents proud but instead they decided to become bรขd and bring d!sgrace to them.
I wish I had a good and loving father, a caring and protective mother
I wish I come from a peaceful, Godly family.
My case and some others in my shoe are totally different.
We had little or no choice, we were trรขฮผmรขtised, abฮผsed, mรขltreated and disregarded by the very people that were supposed to protect us.
Some of our cr!mes rรฅging from abฮผse, m0lยฃstation, thยฃft and mฮผrder case
I try to avoid getting into messy situations while in the pr!son.
I didn’t want any tr0uble so I avoided making friends with anyone. I was always keeping to myself as a loner.
It is very true that time flies because before I knew it, a year soon passed.
Then gradually it became four years which signaled an end to my stay in this m!serable place called juvenile cell.
I must confess that my four years in this pr!son has been the toughest season of my life since I was born into this earth.
It is in this place, I learnt lessons and became exposed to the kind of life I wasn’t so used to and it wasn’t easy at all
In the morning on which I am going to be discharged to go home, I woke up feeling so energized and happy.
I miss my freedom a lot. I miss seeing my family and the many other things that the four years ja!l term actually deprived me of.
Coming to pr!son had stagnated a whole lot of things in my life; first it term!nรขted my admission and then it ended up cutting me off from the fun of the world
It wasn’t easy honestly. At first I had a hard time adjusting to my new reality but with time, I began to accept it.
And today I have been able to smoothly scale through all thanks to good people like doctor Stanley and his wife, Mrs Riga the kind senior police lady I met here, and the nice anonymous person who brings food for me weekly.
The person that brings me food always wanted to remain anonymous and so wardens assigned to our cell didn’t tell me who exactly but I enjoyed the meal anyway because we seldomly gets enough food to eat.
That food that the person brings was like a manner from heaven.
I am feeling happy to be set free and I just cannot wait to re-experience everything I have missed out on!
The cell was opened by midday and I was ushered out by one of the pr!son officers after a new set of undies were handed over to me
I was directed to the counter demarcation that was directly opposite the door that led outside the pr!son
I stood there with my eyes staring outside. I was busy fantasizing and smiling to myself out of the excitement that only me will ever truly understand
A pol!ce woman I earlier got to know as Mrs Riga came to me. I saw that she was carrying my cloth with her right hand.
She walked over to where I stood and stretched my old shirt and a trouser over to me, whilst smiling sweetly as she announced to me
” Congratulations Jacob. You are finally free to go home. I’m so happy for you!”
I giggled and I gently grabbed the cloth from her hand. I wore the shirt and turned to Mrs Riga covered in smiles and with my heart filled with so much gratitude for all she has done for me
” Thank you Mrs Riga. You had always made sure that I had the biggest share of food and meat during meal times. You ensured that I ate my food even when I wasn’t in the mood to. You were always there to cheer me up when I was sad and also you made sure that no pr!son officer mistreated me. I don’t know how best to say this but honestly Mrs Riga you are the best! Thank you so much” I said smiling and I meant every word.
Mrs Riga is more of a Godsent to me and I greatly appreciate her essence and contributions in my life. She is a senior police lady and she is happily married with three teenage female children who are based in America.
She met me in my cell sitting without interacting with anyone. She had immediately picked an interest in me due to my quiet nature. From that moment on, she became like a guardian and a mother figure to me in pr!son.
She took good care of me in the best way she could. Making sure I ate well and that I wasn’t mistreated by anyone.
Except when she’s not around.
The warmest memory I have of Mrs Riga is on the day she asked me why I did what got me impr!soned as a juvenile.
After the evening meal of that day, we continued sitting there when everyone else left the hall and she commanded that nobody should interrupt us
I had nothing to hide anymore so I opened up and told her everything about all my childhood trรขฮผmas and the pรขins father caused me and the family.
I told her about doctor Stanley and his family. I also told her how I lost my admission and from the year we were talking, I should have probably been in my second year in the university.
After I finished baring my heart to her, I expected her to judge my actions or see me in a bad light like all the rest did but she didn’t do any of that. Instead Mrs Riga pulled me into a tight hug and patted my back in a motherly manner
I remember her whispering into my ears as we hugged that old things have passed and that I needed to fully embrace my past and move on from it.
She gave me more advice not to allow my present situation to determine my future. She even told me that I was an amazing child who needs love and care to heal completely from the emotional wounds that my childhood gave to me
Those words she told me were therapeutic and soul lifting. Mrs Riga was right about everything she advised. I should never give up rather I should heal and move on from the past and completely embrace the present.
I began to see the need to start on a clean slate and become the medical doctor which I have always dreamt to be before this happened to me.
” I am glad I was able to make you comfortable Jacob. Starting today I want you to go out there and make me proud… you’re my foster son. I see a lot of potential in you and I know that you will someday become one of the world’s celebrated doctors” Mrs Riga said and I smiled shyly as I looked at her lovingly.
Inasmuch as it sounded sarcastic, I still respected her viewpoints. What she said just gets me wondering how a homeless and rejected boy like me will become a celebrated doctor as an ex-convict.
” Thank you once more Mrs Riga. I’m happy I met you because you made my four years here worthwhile”
” Jacob I’m really going to miss you so much when you leave” Mrs Riga said in an emotional voice. I was scared that she will cry with the way her lips keep trembling with deep emotions
” I will miss you too Mrs Riga….but I believe everything will balance soon. I will occasionally come and visit you in your place so we won’t miss each other too much” I promised because for real I am really going to miss her very much too
My words calmed Mrs Riga down and she smiled mildly yet I could still see the intense sadness in her eye.
” It’s okay Jacob. My home will always be open to you at anytime and anyday. Already I have told my husband a lot about you and I know he will be very excited to meet with you in person!”
” Thank you very much Mrs Riga. I’ll be excited to meet him whenever I visit”
” It’s alright Jacob. So you said yesterday that doctor Stanley will be the one you will be staying with right…? Are you going to be comfortable over there…?” Mrs Riga asked out of concern for me
” Of course Mrs Riga…doctor Stanley is like a father to me and his wife is like a mother whom I respect and honor”
” Isn’t he supposed to be here by now or wasn’t he informed that today is your release day…?” Mrs Riga asked whilst looking at her wristwatch
” The officers called him yesterday to inform him that I will be released by midday today…so I believe that he is already on his way by now” I responded to her question smiling warmly
” It’s okay if you say so Jacob. Just take care of yoursel..” Mrs Riga’s words were abruptly interrupted by someone who called my name loudly from the door
” Jacob!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I turned to stare at the person but I couldn’t remember who it was. The person looked very strange to me which got me wondering how and where the person knew me from.
It soon clicked and I was in awe. My eyes popped open in amazement as I couldn’t believe my eye immediately I realised who it was.
