AFTER THE SHADOWS: A Thin Escape

“I just wish someone could tell me the sayings were not just that, but, guides to a sophisticated map to be used in the future. I could have taken my time in the English class, you know! Moreover, that teacher, one whom I always found inducing my sleep every time she opened her mouth talking about them. I could have given her my attention.” This was James talking to himself in his mind as he sat on an anthill at the far end of their farm. He was dressed in ragged clothes. The clothes looked like the robes of an ancient warrior stripped off his armor after a fierce battle in a muddy arena. They were full of mud and hardly could anybody tell their true color. In his hand, he held a broken panga (Machete) but well sharpened. In the other hand, he held a rope and an old tattered sack. It is this hand that, he also supported his chin with as he stared. In his feet was a pair of black old patched wellington boots. Looking at him, one could not help but understand the importance of educatio

As always, every market place has a mad man. In this Munyari High School, there was one mad woman? Every student loved him save for one girl in particular.Sometimes, it is known for students to hate teachers for being punished. Others hate them for being strict and the many assignments they give. For James and this student, neither of those cases caused the hatred but something else. As we all know, teenagers are a complicated group of people.As James was busy in class trying to get the students up to speed in mathematics, there was this girl Julia that never saw a teacher but something else. To her, James was a potential boyfriend and the perfect lover so to speak. Julia was so much fancied by James beyond her control. As the others were busy looking at the sums on the board, she was busy stripping him down. She had stripped him in her imagination for so long that, she could no longer keep it inside. She had to burst her heart out and tell James how she felt about h

On his way home, James could not understand why life had proven to be so tough on him. To some extent, he thought something he did that God was not happy about and suffering was the punishment. On the other side, being a Christian, he properly understood that God could never do such a thing to him. He is a forgiving God. In conclusion, James thought of it as the suffering he had to go through to salvation.Mr. Peterson had been a principal for such a long time to know that students can be cunning sometimes. He sent James on the suspension because he needed to release the tension in school and so that he could have a good time to know the truth about the matter.He knew that once Julia saw James go, she could show her reaction and from this, he could tell what happened. After all, he was sure that Julia would eventually want to show herself to the others and tell them the whole story. One thing there is for a fact is that a teenager was, is and will always

A few weeks later, it was time for the previous year’s candidates to harvest what they had planted. It was time for the O level examination results to be announced. James, being one of them could not get hold of his emotions.Finally, the day came and the results were announced. Lucky enough, these results came out as James had expected. He had excelled in the examination with excellence.James was in a position to join the public university to continue his studies. The good results also got his job as a teacher justified and guaranteed until he joined the university.James’ girlfriend Maxine was not as lucky as he was. She had done well but not well enough to join the public university. This was not good news to either of them because they hoped to have qualified for the public university so that they can join the same university.Unlucky for them, this was not to happen. That meant that, for them to continue enjoying the joy of being in love

James had no clue whatsoever of what was happening back at home. He continued his studies well through to the end of the semester.As usual, the semester was over and he went home. Later, the results were out and he gave his parents. Upon giving them, this time they did not congratulate him as usual and had many questions to ask him.James could not understand why his parents reacted in that manner and why the many questions. Nonetheless, he just assumed they were having a bad season. As James was enjoying his holiday, he noticed that something was not quite right with his parents.He noted that his relationship with his parents was slowly by slowly beating the bush. He was happy that his parents appreciated him and his efforts once again and could not let that go away. He could not live with this and he had to ask about it. Upon asking about it, they hardly said anything. All they said was that everything was fine.James did not bother to ask anymore but