Episode 8

Two months later

I have written my final exams waiting for my results. Uncle George had started working in his restaurant so most of the time I am left with Tina and John at home. My results will take about four months to come out and I just could not wait. I will be turning 15 soon, and staying home was beginning to bore me.

We had not heard from uncles ever since the funeral and I was grateful they were not bothering us anymore. I was tired of seeing them, actually. The trauma of losing both parents was no longer there but I still felt hurt and disturbed anytime I remembered them.

One time, I had a dream about my mother. She was standing at a beach, wearing her beautiful pink dress. She loved that dress when she was alive. It felt so real. I told uncle about it and he said it was because I was missing her. And it's true. I do miss her. I miss her a lot.

One evening, I was home alone. Tina had left already and John was at his post as usual. Uncle George had gone to work. I was in the library, reading a book. My father turned one of the rooms into a private library for me. There are lots of books on three different shelves. I had already finished reading most of the books in the library. I still loved going there to read though. That place gave me real peace of mind.

I was in the library when the door bell went off. I was a bit surprised, since it was 8pm and I was not expecting anyone to come to the house at that time. I walked towards the door and opened it, thinking it could be my uncle who must have knocked. What I did not expect was to see Uncle Stephen standing at the door looking at me like I was some rotten meat he found.

"What-what are you doing here? Why are you here?" I asked, totally shocked.

"So, I can see George did not get rid of you like we asked him to. What kind of sorcery have you done to him?" he said.

I stepped away from the door and walked back into the room as my uncle walked into the room.

"Uncle George will be home very soon. Please leave, you can't stay." I shakily said.

For some reason, I was scared of being alone in the room with him. I began to panic, praying uncle George would be home just in time to save me from him.

"I can see you have grown wings. Who told you to talk back at your elders, huh? You have no respect," he made a low growl that scared me even more.

I continued stepping back and he kept coming forward towards me. My back hit the pillar in the room, as my uncke just cornered me. I immediately shut my eyes when he raised his hand and was about to hit me. Then, I heard a voice behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?" the voice boomed across the room.

I was so happy when I recognised who the voice belonged to. Uncle Stephen stepped away from me and looked towards the direction of the voice.

"I asked what was going on here? What are you doing here, Stephen?" Uncle George asked again.

"I came here because the family sent me to come see you. We wanted to make sure you carried out the order the family gave you. Obviously, you did not do it. No wonder you left the village the way you did." he looked me up and down as he said this.

Uncle George walked into the room and closed the door behind him. "I thought I already told you I was not going to do what you wanted. I know you are the one behind all of these. You have succeeded in making the whole family hate the young boy. What else do you want?" uncle George fumed.

"So, you are going to go against the family because of this stranger?"

"Daniel is not a stranger. He is the son of this family. Our brother's son. Where do you expect him to go?"

I was still standing by the pillar as the two brothers continued to argue amongst themselves. I have never seen uncle this angry before and it was scaring me even more.

Uncle George finally noticed that I was still standing there.

"Go to your room, Daniel. Now!" he ordered.

I sadly nodded and ran out of there as quickly as I could. Truthfully, I did not want to listen to their conversation anymore. I ran upstairs to my room and left the two men alone to continue with their arguing.

I closed my bedroom door and threw myself onto my bed. I was totally frustrated with everything that was going on in my life. Why couldn't they just let me be? What did I even do to deserve this? I screamed into my pillow and started crying.

I felt uncle George come into my room, later. He sat on the bed and placed his hand on my back.

"Did Stephen hurt you in anyway?" he whispered.

I shook my head. I had my face still in my pillow. I did not want him to see that I had been crying because it will worry him.

"Daniel, please look at me. I need to speak with you."

I groaned and lifted myself off the bed. I sat up, and crossed my legs over the other.

My uncle sighed when he saw my faces and realised I had been crying.

"I am sorry. I promised you I would protect you and I failed. I don't deserve to be called your uncle."

"Uncle, please don't say that. You have done your best and I really appreciate it. I don't know what would have happened to me if you were not here with me. So, don't say you have failed me because you haven't."

"I have decided something. Do you remember your mother's best friend who was at your parents funeral?"

"Auntie Elizabeth? I remember her. Why do you ask?"

"Because I have decided to send you to live with her till the situation with the family goes down."

"What?!"