CHAPTER 7

Mrs Helen patrick, a widow and a single mother of two. Works in punch media house as a journalist . she has refuse to marry again after the death of her husband, she has made it incumbent upon herself to take care of her kids alone. Sam her first son resides with her sister in Washington while Michael lives with her.just like Christopher she sees no reason for hating blacks and stereotyping every muslim as terrorists. She believes this world could be a better place for everyone regardless of their race, color or religion . she chooses to be a journalist, a profession she has loved since her  childhood so that she could be the voice of the feeble citizens but she finds herself  unlucky that she works for a broadcasting house that are always bias in what they disseminate to the public. She can't go against the rules neither does she accept them.

"Helen !"

" yes can I help you? "

" when will you say sir when I call you ?"

She chuckles softly

" do you need anything that I can help you with david ?"

" I am still your senior here you know"

" you can see I'm busy if you have nothing meaningful to say why not excuse me let me do work " she frowned and continued with her computer

" there is a case of murder , director general needs you to be there "

" to do what ? I'm not a police "

" you do not need to be a police to be at a crime scene, you are a journalist so go out and collect some information for us "

She glared at him for a while before shutting her computer. She walked closer to the desk of her partner who was resting his head on his keyboard and strikes his desk hard. He jolted up rubbing his sleepy eyes off

" sleeping during work hours is one of the prohibition rules Bernard "

" I am free for goodness sake! "

" well we've got work now so gather your camera's together " he groaned frustrated

" there is no time for rest at all !! "

Helen smiled and walked away.

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" what is this case about ? "

" murder, he said "

" from a black man ? "

" we do not know yet, please drive fast i need to go pick my son from school ."

He nodded and drove off quickly, when they got to the scene they saw a large crowd of journalists there , all waiting for the culprit to be brought out. It took them over an hour to bring him out from the mansion some were getting impatient of their long delay

" what is taking them so long ? " Bernard complained

" I think I can see them coming. "

The rest journalist rushed towards them asking questions after another but helen was calm because she wanted to ask a different kind of question. Seeing the culprit to be black she knows what every journalist will ask was how he committed the crime? What will likely be his penalty ? But her question will be directly for the culprit

" can I ask the the culprit some questions " she asked the inspector of police

" That permission will only be granted at the police station "

" where there any witness at the crime scene to testify that he is guilty of it ?"

" he works as a chauffeur and killed his bosses wife the whole family attested to it, what else do we need ."

" was he the only one in the room when it happened ? And why would he just kill his bosses wife for no reason? "

" he is a black muslim and he has always been violent "

" are there any evidence to back this up ?"

" Madam are you trying to say we are wrong about him ?"

" No inspector, I just want to be sure that we are not accusing the wrong person "

" he is the culprit madam let the judges decide if he is guilty or not ". They frowned and walked away from her and drove off in their van.

" I don't think David or the director will like this "

She shook head and gave a loud sigh.

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" what is the meaning of this Helen! ? We didn't ask you to go question the police of their efficiency we asked you to bring information about the murder that will enlighten the public and make them know about the evil of this man!"

" I was only doing my job sir"

" your job is not to take side with criminals!! "

" my job is to let the people know of the truth behind every incidence and to be the voice of the weaklings."

" And who is the weakling here ? A murderer ?"

" just because he is a muslim doesn't make him guilty of this crime!"

" if you want to fight for them you need to have your own broadcasting house as far as you are here you follow my rules is that understood?"

She breathed out and made a nod twice

" just leave my sight! I've had enough of this rubbish "

" I'm taking a break for today, I will see you tomorrow Bernard " she said and  dragged her jacket off her desk and drove off to micheal's  school. She wasn't pleased with everything happening especially how bias her co- workers are. They are only interested in defamation of blacks. Every crime they commit is always penalized with severe punishment without proper investigation . though not every time they are innocent but even when they are, they are not being given a fair judgment . she reach the school and came down from her car. She saw Michael sitting with a kid playing and laughing together, that was very strange to her because micheal has never had a friend ever since he started school and secondly his new friend is a black.

" hi mom " he rushed up from where he was sitting to give her hug

" how are you love ? How was school today ?"

" Bad and good. Good  because I have a  new friend "

" oh I see, what is your name child?"

" Hassan Imran "

" you are a muslim ?"

" yes ma"

" I am so happy that you are my son's friend I want you both to take care of yourself okay ?"

They both nodded in compliance

" where do you live Hassan so that I can drop you home "

" I live in the ghetto "

" okay, I will drop you off then come in "

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"Kwairah be quick and go bring me Hassan from school!"

"Ummi(mother) me coming, me wear clothes "

" why you change your clothes ?"

" me want to wear fine clothes ummi(mother) "

" why ?"

" because my before ones is dirty "

"You better come out now and go bring me son !"

" maza'ul khayr ummi( Good afternoon mother) " Hassan greeted with his knees down on the floor

" welcome me dear, how you school go ?  Hope no trouble from white children ?"

" some of them insulted but one was nice to me "

" what you do to them ?"

" nothing, they just insulted me and called me a black monkey "

" Authubillah (I seek refuge from God) them tells you that ? " she asked with tears in her eyes. Hassan admitted that he has made a mistake by telling his mother the foul language they used at him. He saw his mother drop down her tears he dried them up quickly and hugged her tight.

" ummi(mother) stop crying "

" why they tells you that? Is bad name to tells a person ."

" yes that is true ummi(mother) but it's okay, ----------- I have a  new friend " he said with a frolic look to stop her worries

" him black or white ?"

" he is white his name is micheal "

" why you make him friend ?"

" because he was nice to me ummi(mother) "

" only Allah(God) knows how you and you brother sees these friends "

Hassan laughed out loud that his mother couldn't help but smile

" may he be nice to you and you be to him, okay ? "

He agreed with a nod .

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        ( Helen in a phone conversation with Bernard )

" what did they do to him ?

   I knew that was what will happen

   You can't blame him

   Okay see to you tomorrow "

She breathed out and buried her face in her palms. Brooding over what had Bernard just informed her, she Knew that he was going to be killed so says the law, he knew there will be no hope for him not when he has no solid evidence .she has always known that woman to be a drug addict, definitely it could have peril her health but now her death Is been placed on their chauffeur.

" what is wrong mother ? "

" just work issues "

" another injustice ? "

" come here dear " she said motioning him to her side

" I do not want you to grow and become a racist, love everyone. be mindful of people but respect every race and religion regardless of their color. Look out the window, what do you see ?"

" birds mother "

" what colors are they ?"

" white and black "

" are they distancing themselves from each other ? "

" No, they are together "

" every animal of the same species have different colors but still they are same, the colors are just the difference. A goat and a sheep are family you know right ?"

Micheal nodded

" tell me how they look ?"

" A goat is black and ugly while a sheep is white and ugly too " Helen couldn't hold her self not to laugh to his silly answer

" so they both are ugly ?"

" animals are ugly mother "

" both of them are one family. so are humans, we have blacks, whites, red all with different cultures and believes. So never hate someone for his color because if animals could love themselves regardless of their colors then why would humans hate themselves and prejudice just because the skin are not same in looks, does that make any sense ? "

Michael shakes his head profusely

" I know you are not like your mates be good always okay " she smiled and kissed his forehead before letting him go continue his homework.

Omar never comes home often, christopher has rented an apartment for the workers in the farm so that they won't falter in their work but he gives only Omar the chance to visit his family whenever he wishes, just to be a truthful and humble servant to Christopher he chooses to only have a break whenever the rest are given. But today was not suppose to be a break for him nor for the rest workers .

" Omar, why you home ?" Kwairah asked surprised

" w----wh----where me ummi ?" He asked with a trembling voice

" what's wrong ? why you shaking ? Why you crying ? "

" kwa------ kwai------kwairah me me " he stopped himself and continued

" when me ummi(mother) comes tells her to pray for me " he said crying

" where you Going Omar? Tell me what's wrong!! Why you cry ?" she asked crying too

'' me can't tells you or ummi(mother) me just want her to pray for me "

" please Omar please tells me let me know please "

" me can't !!, me will die kwairah me will die " he cried more again

" Allah(God) forbid that, why you say bad things Omar "

" me can't wait anymore, me go, me go kwairah " he hugged her and left the house quickly.