CHAPTER 1 - REWIND?

"DRIP"

Water droplets splattered on his face, rudely interrupting his slumber. Groaning at the dampness of his surroundings, he wondered if the fundi (repairman),who had promised to fix his roof, had swindled him again clearly he had done a shoddy job. Cursing under his breath, he tried shifted to the left side of the bed he noticed that he was lying on an abnormally small mattress, but the "mattress" he was on it didn't feel like one, 'sigh, have I been robbed again?'

He could feel every bump and lump beneath him, his mattress felt like it was filled with hay. The rough texture of the bedding scratched against his skin, making him itch all over, it was uncomfortable and hurt his back as he stirred. As he tried to open his eyes, he found himself surrounded by darkness, save for a faint light that filtered through a small whole in the roof.

He attempted to stand up and make his way to the washroom, but then his limbs felt stiff and unresponsive not like he was used to. To his surprise, he felt no pain, no aches, no broken bones, it felt like he was free from his shackles. It was as if he had slept on a bed of clouds, but he knew that was far from the truth.

Everything felt different, he couldn't quite put a finger on it including his surrounding.

Despite this discomfort, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. The rough texture of the hay and grass reminded him of his childhood, the hot air he felt after it rained made him remember of long summer days spent playing in the fields. But as those memories flooded his mind, he reminded himself that he was no longer a child, that he had responsibilities and obligations to fulfill.

He stumbled forward trying to look for the washroom, he collided with a curtain that felt oddly out of place in the rustic shack. Brushing it aside, he was greeted by the sight of a window, which the morning sun was just beginning to illuminate.

As he takes in the sights and sounds of the surroundings, a sense of disorientation washes over him. He feels like he has been transported to a different time and place, one that is far removed from his previous life. He wonders if he has somehow been reincarnated, if his soul has been reborn into a new body or was he just kidnapped again.

'Reincarnation?' he thought. That only happened in those cliché soap operas that he pirated and light novels read. Did his mind break from all those traumas? The idea of reincarnation filled him with both wonder and fear. Was he really living in the past? Was he destined to relive the same life over and over again, making the same mistakes and experiencing the same joys and sorrows?

His thoughts swirled around him like a tempestuous storm.

Then, a voice pierced through the tranquility of the morning, shattering his thoughts. It was familiar yet soothing, a voice he hadn't heard for decades, a voice that sounded like home, a voice he swore to protect but he ended up loosing it. It was his mother's voice, "Tariq, Wake up! Go to school and collect your K.C.S.E result slip." The tears streamed down his cheeks as memories flooded his mind, memories that were filled with remnants of a dream or was it a nightmare?

Tariq felt like sitting on wall and crying it all out, the tears were a mixture of joy and sorrow, for he realized that he had lost so much through time, so many precious moments with the woman who gave him life. He wept for all the missed opportunities, for all the words left unsaid, for all the hugs and kisses he could never give her.

But despite the sadness, there was a sense of gratitude and hope. He was grateful to hear her voice again, to know that she was still there. And he felt hopeful that he could somehow make amends, he wanted forgiveness for not protecting her.

The tears were a release, a way for him to purge the emotions that had been bottled up for so long. And as he wiped them away, he knew that he had to be strong, that he had to face whatever lay ahead with courage and determination. But for now, in this moment, he allowed himself to feel, to grieve, and to hope.

Looking out the window, Tariq sees a beautiful landscape, with green fields stretching out as far as the eye can see. He sees hills in the distance and a river flowing nearby. The air is fresh, and he can smell the scent of grass and flowers. He feels a sense of peace and tranquility he has never felt before.

The door creaked open, 6 foot 17 year-old with curly black hair and deep black eyes emerged from the shack, the sun shone on his skin melanin skin making it look golden, he found himself surrounded by green fields and tall trees. Birds chirped merrily, and cows mooed in the distance. It was a scene he had never expected to experience again, and he savored every moment of it, breathed in and taking it all at once. Ah, Fresh air! It was nothing similar to the polluted air he had been accustomed to in Kibera, Nairobi.

At that moment, Tariq runs as he feels the wind caress his skin, he hasn't felt like this in decades just then he sees her; his mother who is working on their little farm and his grandmother working on maize, eyes fill with tears, he falls to his knees and embraces his mother tightly. The feel of her arms around him is like a lifeline, grounding him in the reality of the moment.

He can feel the warmth of her body, the familiar scent of her perfume, and the sound of her heartbeat as she holds him close. It's as if all the years of separation and pain disappear in that one moment of pure, unadulterated love.

The tears stream down his face as he holds her, unable to contain the flood of emotions within him. He can feel the weight of his regret and the pain of his loss, but in this moment, he also feels a sense of hope. Thank You GOD!

"Nakupenda Mama (I Love You Mom)," he says as takes in the details of her face - he could see that a few wrinkles were forming around her eyes, he could also see a strand of gray hair in her beautiful black, the same smile he remembers from his childhood.

"I love you too. Why are you crying, Tariq? Are you afraid you failed the National exam?"

"Mom that's not it, I had a bad dream and besides the K.C.S.E I know I passed it." Its true he got a B+ which makes him in the top 2%. He had a life and a future ahead of him after secondary, he was the future of this village until it all came crushing down on him. He sighed inwardly at least he didn't reincarnate before or during the examination cause he would have botched it badly.

"If say you so, remember Mama is always by your side, I'm your biggest supporter." He then goes and hugs his grandma. He realizes then at that moment that he has been given a second chance, a chance to make things right and to cherish and also protect the people he loves.

As he stands up, he looks out at the village and the greenery surrounding it, it felt alive with activity as people went about their daily routine. The world feels different now, as if it's a canvas waiting to be painted with the colors of his new life. He takes a deep breath, ready to embrace whatever the future holds for him, knowing that he will face it with the strength and love he has gained from this moment.

Goals? Dreams? For as long as he can remember, Tariq has been obsessed with football. From playing in the streets with his friends as a child to studying the sport in his free time and also investing in the game FM, he has always had a deep passion for the game. But while he enjoyed playing himself, what he really loved was studying the strategies and tactics used by the best coaches in the world. As he watched matches and analyzed plays, he began to dream of one day becoming a football coach himself.

At that moment a 'DING' sound interrupted his thoughts and a blue screen formed in front of him:

***

"DING"

"SYSTEM INTIALIZING..."

"WELCOME TO THE G.O.A.T SYSTEM..."

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AUTHOR NOTE:

K.C.S.E - Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification taken at the completion of secondary education in Kenya, goes on for a whole month.