CHAPTER 10

Tears dripped down his face wetting the article he was reading in the papers. He was unable to pronounce correctly the humongous words or understand what it meant but he knows they will not be appraisals for his brother. But what got his eyes filled was the headline of the article

REPORTERS FIND DR CHRISTOPHER DEAD IN HIS CAR. NEGRO WORKER DISAPPEARS.

He wiped his tears as it rolled down again a thought formed in him" why must blacks be accused for every white man's death" he was just a child, his first decade in life, there were a lot of things he did not understand about life that was what his mother always says to him, but if there was one thing he understood was that, justice were only given to white skin while shame and punishment were given to blacks.

"Hey kid, you pay for those papers?"

"No, can I have them please"?

"Yunno how Dollar is so high to get, me need money to take care of me family"

"I know sir, but-----" he stopped himself from completing his statement "Never mind, here, you can have them back"

"Why you want the papers ? Kids in this ghetto gat no time to read"

"Nothing, just want to"

"Oh" he chuckled "it concerns you I guess, he be your brother?"

"Yes, but he didn't do it"

"How sure are you kid? Not until they find your brother to speak for himself, you can't say no thing"

"I can speak for my brother and swear for his innocence without hearing from him" he replied sobbingly.

"Na! na! na! Dunno do that kid, please clean that tears" he pulled him closer and held both his hands.

"I know how it feels, ma brother was accused too and finally killed for what he knows no thing about, that is how it's has been for blacks, they are given no sympathy. Yunno what kid, you can take the papers and you can come for more to know about his case okay?"

Hassan nodded

"Thank you sir"

"Ma name is John, ma house is over there just in case you need me anytime"

"My name is Hassan"

"Yudon need to worry too much"

He nodded again and left his shop, hugging the papers to his chest. he walked back his house feeling guilty, his heart throbbed painfully. He accused himself for everything, for every sadness their family is going through.Omar only wanted to have enough to send him to school, oh yes, he didn't force him to work for Christopher but he was one of the reason he did and he blames himself for that. He hated himself at that moment, he wished everything could be the way it was when their father was still alive. When there was more days of happiness than this grieve. Even when they had nothing they feared nothing. They had no problems with the whites and neither do they had problems with them. At that very moment, he despised whites for their injustice and defamation but then he stopped himself, knowing how unfair that feeling was, not after how Christopher had treated them nice when he was still alive and how Micheal has taken him for a brother than a friend. They were not like the rest who detested their presence, he believed a lot of good whites are still out there just like them. He didn't want to be a racist but their manner toward blacks almost made him felt that way. He reached his house and saw Kwairah pacing around and Micheal relaxing his back at the wall. They noticed his presence and rushed quickly to him

"Hassan, why not pity me? You leave home and no tells me, why you do this Hassan? This cry I do everyday is no enough for you?"

"I'm sorry, I went to get papers"

"Papers? Papers will bring Ummi (Mother)? Or papers will bring Omar from where him be hide now!?"

"I just want to know what papers say"

"You better stay around me and no make worried for you too!"

She yelled and left him outside. Hassan stared at her and let his tears roll down his cheeks again. Kwairah has never yelled at him before that way but he doesn't blame her for doing so. She is exhausted from the traumas this recent Weeks. he sat down, gazing at the papers in his hands

"Everything will be fine Hassan, my mother is going to help"

"You think so?"

"I know so "

"Okay, here read the papers"

He collected it and read through few lines

"This is a very bad way to write a headline, i haven't seen your brother, but I believe this picture here looks nothing like him".

"Bad picture they used for my brother"

"This ain't your brother, I'm very sure this is the picture of the directing manager"

"But he ain't black"

"He is this ugly, they just changed the color I'm sure of it"

Hassan smiled lightly

"They gat no pictures to show, so they took their ugly managers picture and paste it"

Both boys broke into hard laughter, looking at each other through squinted eyes. When their laughter subsided, Hassan said in a voice that was half a question and half a statement.

"It's funny how some white folks treat the blacks, ain't it?"

"It's not funny Hassan, it's just not fair"

"They think we are animals and dangerous"

"My mom and I are whites, and we think you are perfect humans and nice"

Hassan smiled again, giving him a hug.

"Will your mother come over here today?"

"She said so."

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" Where are you going Bernard?" Helen asked

"To the police station, David wants to get more information from them "

" Alright I'm going with you"

"No you are not" said David from behind " you are out of the case "

" What are you talking about, Bernard has always been my partner"

" You are not eligible anymore "

" You can't do this David "

" Why?"

" You know I'm good at what I do"

" Not anymore"

" Listen, please don't do this don't take me out of the case "

" Would you go dinner with me tonight?" He asked with a smirk. She chuckled and wet her lips with her tongue

" Never going to happen and you are not going to stop me , let's go Bernard"

Bernard tried to keep a straight face as he drives but he couldn't hold up much longer, he burst out laughing to what transpired minutes ago. He finds it very interesting to know that David wanted a date with Helen that he always picks a quarrel with and he enjoyed the refusal she gave him.

"Why are you laughing ?"

" I think you know why "

She smiled and shakes her head

" You did an incredible job back there Helen, he was left totally abashed . But I will keep his little secret from the rest "

" Whatever you wish Bernard, he was foolish to say that to me "

" You still look very young and I must confess still looking very beautiful. it will be very hard to believe you have two boys already with that shape of yours. I guess David wants to replace their father "

" he will never do "

" patrick was a very lucky man to have you, but don't you think it's time to give Michael a Father's love ?"

" Patrick was ready to give them all the love they would have never forget, since he couldn't do it no one else will "

He breathed out  and chuckled

" okay "

  — — — — — — — — — — — — —

They saw some police men outside the gate who denied them entrance into the station, that was not supposed to be, but they were being vigilant of their enemies, the black Muslims, whom they suspect could strike at anytime. 

" we are journalists sir, " Bernard informed showing them his ID " we are here to ask questions about the murder case of Dr christopher "

" okay,  sergeant take them to the commissioner's office "

They followed the sergeant behind as he led them to the office. Helen felt uneasy in  such an environment occupied with criminals but it was her job to be there. The risks, the stories, listening to the lament of the vulnerable, all of these is what makes her love being a journalist. she always wanted to be a super hero, the type that makes the sufferings of the feeble citizens end and make them happy.

" sir, these journalists are here to see you "

" Alright, you can go now " he said to the sergeant who bought them in " what can I do for you ?"

" we are here for the murder case of Dr Christopher " Helen said

" you have anything to share to us ?"

" no sir, we want to know more about the case "

" we can't say anything now, we are still in search of the murderer "

" we heard his mother is detained ?"

" oh yes, that's true "

" why sir? ''

" she is the bait to bring him out from wherever he is hiding "

" is she going through torture ?"

" not exactly, just few blows , just in case she knows where he would be "

" how sure are we that he committed this crime ?"

" Dr Christopher's woman, lady Morgana, attested that he did "

" was she there with them ?"

" no, it was just the two of them"

" what could be use against him for the murder?"

" A gun, we found a gun in the car, it has a fingerprint on it we need to match it with his to be fully sure "

" further  questions would be asked after we find him, thank you so much sir "

" Thank you too beautiful lady, and I can bet my life that he is the murderer "

" can I see the woman please ?"

" yeah sure. Hey you! Take this young lady to the cell of the murderer's mother! "

Helen turned to Bernard who was just gazing at her.

" I know this is not part of what we are suppose to do, so you don't need to take part "

" you called me your partner, I will go wherever you go "

They followed the uniform man and saw hauwa in a very terrible state . her eyes were swollen, that would be of her excessive crying but her swollen cheeks would be of the 'few blows' he said.

" Hi " Helen said to her from outside, she wasn't allowed to go in.

" please me no want to see no body "

" It's me , it's micheal's mother "

Hearing that she quickly got up from where she was sitting and came closer to her .

" How me Hassan and kwairah doing?"

" They are doing well, I promise to take you out of here "

" No please let me die here,  me ready to die if me Omar is safe. I gat no life again if me son be killed, what me should live for ? How many I gat ? Please don let them see me Omar,I have no complain to be here, please " she begged sobbingly

Helen couldn't hold back her tears too, every mother would speak this way. She knows how hard it is to loose a child no one would wish for that no matter what wrong the child has done, mothers would always want to protect them with all they've got.

" Sorry madam your time is up!" the uniform man screamed from behind

" Okay " she bade her a goodbye and left her cell feeling bitter and helpless. all  she wanted at that time was to help that poor woman that has exchanged her hope for pain. Who would be with her on this? Who would make her intent come through? The feeling this time is strong, she is sure of his innocence but how can she prove it ?

" Helen!"

The voice sounded familiar, like that she use to hear during her college days. She turned around slowly

" Peter ? "

" Oh my God Helen it's really you! " he screamed hugging her tightly to himself   " it's been a while, what are you doing here ?"

" It's really been a while " she replied pulling herself out from his grip " you are not looking bad Peter "

" And you too, looking pretty as always " she blushed to his praise

" What are you doing here ?"

" I'm here for a case "

Are you a cop now ? "

" No " She chuckled " I'm a journalist. have you forgotten, that is what I have always wanted to be "

" Oh yes that's true "

" This is my partner Bernard "

" Nice to meet you Bernard" he extended his hands for a shake

" The pleasure is all mine "

" So what case are you here for ?"

" The hottest in town "

" That of Dr Christopher's murder ?"

" Yes "

" Oh, I am on the case too "

" Can you tell me all you know ?"

" We know nothing until we find Omar "

" Do you think he did it ?"

" Let me have a word with you in private "

She agreed, following him to a corner to continue their conversation.

" I have doubts that he did it "

" Why ?"

" I'm not saying he is innocent just doubting, he might not be the murderer "

" You suspect someone else ?"

" No Helen I don't, but if only we can find him to make things clear "

" And how can we do that ?"

" There must be someone who knows where he would be "

" Yeah I think so"

" We need to find him "

" You sure if we find him nothing is going to happen to him ?"

" If he is innocent I assure you that he would be safe "

" Okay "

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" I know what you want to say Bernard so please don't "

" You are being too emotional in this case "

" I know " she heaved out a sigh scratching her forehead " please don't let David or the director know "

" Of course I won't but please you need to be careful "

" Thanks Ben I would "

" Bernard, I like it in full "

She laughed softly

" You tell David I need to go pick my son "

" Alright, that won't be a problem ".

She came out of the car pretending to make a call just to distract Bernard from keeping an eye on her, he doesn't like blacks so she is not going to risk trusting him with all her movements. She stood there until he drove out of sight then rushed to the shantytown. Guilt filled her as she walked through the pavement. She felt uncomfortable with the way blacks stared at her in the street. Those people had feelings of fear seeing her among their midst. To them white people were not really people, they were a sort of great natural force, like stormy sky looming aloft or like avid hunters ready to annihilate their quarry . She wished she could stop those ways of their thinking, and take the fright that occupies their heart whenever they see a white . She reached the doorway and stood for a moment before going in.

" Mother! " Micheal rushed to give her a hug

" How are you my love?"

They watched the love Helen showed to Micheal and felt pained knowing their own mother was imprisoned, leaving them alone to themselves.

" I'm good"

" Hassan, kwairah I hope you both are good ?"

Hassan nodded

" We can't be good when we mother is in cell and we brother is non seen "

" Kwairah, I'm so sorry. But the truth is your mother would not be released until Omar is found "

" But we no know where him be "

" Don't you know any of his friends where he can stay aside from home ?"

" No, Omar gat no buddy, just him alone "

" Omar is fearful, that is why he is hiding himself but he didn't do it "

" I know Hassan, I believe you but without seeing him we can't help him or help your mother. If there is anywhere he takes out his fears or anyone that can help "

" I think I know where he would be then ".