Chapter 32

"But you were bold enough to walk into their midst when you could have avoided them in the first place, that meant that you were aware of what you were doing young man." Kayode charged.

"I did what I did", Henry spoke under his breath, "because I knew I could defend myself. They were just taught to not mess with anybody."

"And was that right to you", Edna yelled, infuriated more by his calm outlook than his words, "taking the law into your hands all in the name of teaching them a lesson, when you could have just reported them."

"Report !" Henry chewed the word which tasted like gall, "I had done that a long time ago", he said, "not once, twice, even thrice. But I was always ignored and denied justice, just because of who I was, and with all that bitterness, I became a fighter."

"But this is not a battlefield", Kayode chided.

"My first secret", Henry continued, "where I come from, everywhere is a battlefield, every place is an arena, and if you don't stand up and fight, you'll only end up getting crushed." He sighed gulping down his cup of fruit juice. "I'm a warrior, a fighter, and I've been facing battles my entire life, battles so intense that I don't expect you to understand or know anything about. Just know this", he said rising from the chair, "I'm not going to let anyone trample over me and get away with it, because they won't do the same to me either."

*** *** ***

"You should have told them", Equivax said from the desk, "it's a bit naive but you should have told them."

"And end up getting called crazy", Henry countered, "they won't understand Equivax, they only see things from the outside, they don't understand the darkside, they don't know the pain, the pain of rejection. I am someone who can never stop battling because that was what I was meant for - war."

Drifting to sleep, his mind trailed through the infinite expanse of his subconscious, taking him deeper into those realms which have always haunted his soul. Those dark memories of pain that had kept him shut in a world where surviving meant fighting for one's life, where the right to live was earned through battle.

"YOU ARE OF THE STATE WAR", the voice echoed, "AND MATTER DARKNESS AND NIGHT."

"Why do you curse me ?!" Henry's voice rang, "why do you sentence me to doom !"

"DARKNESS IS THE MOTHER OF LIGHT, THE ORIGIN OF CREATION, AND FROM DARKNESS WAS BORN LIGHT, FROM WAR WAS BORN PEACE."

"You lie !" He cried.

Henry's eyes tore open as that ball of tears ran down his left eye, closing them, he forced himself to fall asleep again.

*** *** ***

"I'm off to Henry's !" James yelled bolting out of the house.

"James !" His mother called, "Please can you ..." But James had disappeared.

"Judith" Mrs John called, "can you help me take this vase of flowers to Mrs Edna."

"Send James", she whined, from the couch, "he's the one going to Henry's place."

"But he's gone already", her mother said, "please just help me take it to her", she said dropping the vase of flowers on the stool beside Judith who's eyes were fixed on the TV.

"Whenever you are ready you can take it to her and tell her that I said hello to Henry."

Now she had become a delivery girl ! What in the world was happening to her ? Henry had come on top in the maths quiz the previous day, the same day on which he had been punished and he was still merciless enough to take all the glory away from her. Now she was being forced to the the most hated thing she had in mind at the moment - to go to Henry's place. She just hoped she met Mrs Edna outside.

It was nearly an hour before she finally stood up to pick the flower vase, the yellow flowers smelt nice but she couldn't remember their name. Closing the door behind her, she jumped into the street and just as James had said, in fifteen minutes, she was at Henry's doorstep, she only pushed the bell button once, then the door knob turned. Phew ! It was Mrs Edna.

"Good morning ma", Judith greeted, not waiting for Edna's reply, she jumped straight to the point, "my mother said I should give this vase of flowers to you.", She said handing over the vase of flowers to Edna who smiled warmly.

"Just take it so that I can leave." Judith heard her mind say.

"Please come in", Edna beckoned, the flower vase still in Judith's hands, "have a seat", she said pointing at the couch before finally taking the vase from her hands.

"I will be back in a moment." Mrs Edna said, running off, she went through a door at the side of the staircase.

Judith couldn't believe what was happening, she had left home hoping to come here and leave as quick as possible. Picking the remote from the table, she changed the channel on the TV screen.

"Oh !" Mrs Edna exclaimed, "You have already done that yourself." She said handing Judith a cup of fruit juice and a saucer with a huge slice of cake.

"You can enjoy yourself before leaving", Edna said, "I'm busy right now, so I'll just ..." pointing at the same door, Mrs Edna zoomed off again.

"Now this !" Judith heard her voice screaming in her head. Who said that hospitality couldn't kill ? At this moment she felt like dying of boredom.

That laughter echoed from the upper compartment, she could clearly decipher the owner - James. Why did he have to be such a monkey, even with the distance between them, she could still imagine him depicting his stupidity. The laughter continued and she couldn't stop her curiosity from getting the better of her. Then another one came, this time it was different and she could guess who it was - Henry ? She was puzzled. What was so funny that it could make Henry laugh ? He only smiled, apart from that, most of the time he had a stern and cold look. Judith was dying of curiosity, she knew that if she didn't satisfy the urge, she would soon be itching all over.

Rising from the couch, she tiptoed, climbed up the stairs and across the aisle, she stood at the side of the doorway, peeping into Henry's room through a narrow doorway - videogames ! How could she have forgotten, that was why James had come here on the first place. She watched them tapping at their game pads furiously, Henry was sitting on his bed while James say on the rug, reclining against the bed.

"Judith !" She froze, could it be who she thought it was calling her ? No it couldn't ... "Judith !", it came again and it was clear, she didn't misjudge the owner of the voice. Hearing Henry's laughter from the room, she knew that she had been caught.