[STORY] The Minister’s Son (Episode 20)

Episode 20.

Seven years in jail was my sentence. I wasn’t afraid, infact the judge was fair. I had just gotten out of a life prison into a legal prison. Growing up in my Dad’s compound was more of a prison than a home, I had no freedom to make even my most basic decision. My mother and I had to follow my Dad’s orders, no matter how weird they seemed to be, I had violated his decision of my marriage with Joyce Ndegwa and that’s why I was now in prison. That was why Brian was dead, that was why Serena’s mother was dead.
Prison was not a good or comfortable place to be, I had to live a totally different life. Nobody would call me sir anymore, in fact I had to bend so low. On the first day I had to empty the buckets of urine and sticky faeces of my cellmates, I was new and therefore I had to follow their orders. None of them knew whom I was, I even feared that they would be more bully to me if they discovered that I was the Minister’s son. They spoke everything bad about the government. I remember one day in the field as we were busy transferring heavy metallic doors from the senior warden blocks. The doors were so heavy but each had to carry his. A boy of Brian’s height and size was ahead of me when a cellmate beside me pushed him and the poor boy went down with his door landing on him. I had to throw mine aside to help him up, the heavy door was squarely on him. I didn’t know why a prisoner would wish to kill his fellow prisoner.
“Don’t help him you idiot!!” The tall black guy lowered at me. By then the prisoners had already gathered around, some shouting and cursing. The boy was struggling but the door was so heavy on him. I had no option than to pull it away so that he was now free to get up. I only turned on time to see another door flying towards me, it was targeting my head. The same guy had thrown it to me, I had violated his order by helping the boy. I bent over and the metal landed heavily behind me. He used his boot to kick my chest and I lost my ground. Anger came over me, for sometime I hadn’t gotten into a fight. He still made steps towards me but I hastily pulled his right leg and he lost his ground too. By then the other prisoners were shouting and crapping. We stood simultaneously, I saw his fist on the air and I blocked it simply, he raised his right foot but before he knew it I had made a perfect sweep on his left foot. By then there were thunderous applauses and shouts. He still got up but I didn’t give him time to make his mind, I sent him back to the ground with a simple dropkick, I knew he couldn’t fight more, my boot was full of his blood. I had learnt various fighting skills in London where I was a member to Karate and Kickboxing clubs. I saw everyone stand aside for me as I carried my door towards the offices.
On that evening my mother visited me, she was accompanied by Rozina. “My son, you have to get out of this place…”
“Tell me about Serena, mom.”
“She is recovering though her waist is still in a critical situation, she may never walk again.” I was glad to learn that my Serena was no longer unconscious. I wished to see and share with her, I wished to kiss and hug her, I wanted to cry with her, to cry and mourn for Brian’s death. I wondered if it was not the right moment for me to use my Dad’s influence in the government and get out of prison.
“David, we have to have you set free, this can only be through having Serena accused, Joyce is ready to file a case against Serena as the one who attacked her.” I wondered whether it was my mother who was talking. Had she not promised to support my relationship with Serena?
“Please get out mom, leave me alone! How can you, my own mother betray me? You know I love Serena!”
“But I can’t have my son die in prison because of love!”
“You have no choice mom, please go home and forget me, I will remain here for Serena to be free.” I stood up and left the waiting room, my mother was trying to call me but I had no more patience, I vowed never to see any of them anymore, I would turn down all their visits.
Ndegwa himself had visited me, requesting me to change my mind and have Serena carry the cross.
“You are my son in law and I can’t have you lot in prison, your Dad and I are senior government officers. Its ironic.” Ndegwa had remarked.
“Sorry sir, I won’t have Serena accused for me to be free. I am sorry for the trouble I caused to your daughter.” I had stood up and eft the room. If I knew whatever was ahead of me was heavy for me to bear, I would have considered being free.
One morning that was two days gone after my disagreement with my mother , I requested the daily newspaper from our cell warden, he had already become my friend, he knew whom I was and therefore was soft on me.
I took the newspaper, obviously expecting my name on the headlines. My shock came when I saw Serena’s picture on the cover page.
The bold reading on top read. REST IN…..

To Be Continue…

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