Rise of the big bad son-in-law

Chapter two.

“Oh my God!” someone cried out from the crowd. “Call the police! Somebody call an ambulance!”

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the guests as they backed away from the man lying lifeless on the floor. 

Jamal’s eyes were wide with horror, his hands trembling at his sides. “I.. I didn’t mean to... I swear, I didn’t mean to push him so hard,” he stammered, his voice cracking with fright. He took a step forward, but before he could reach the man, Mark and David came charging at him. 

“You bastard!” Mark growled, grabbing his arm so roughly it felt like it might tear from its socket.

David seized his other arm, his face red with fury. “What have you done?! You’ve killed him!”

“No! Please! I didn’t mean.. he pushed me first! I was just... just trying to defend myself!” Jamal pleaded, his words tumbling over each other as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. "Please, listen to me!”

“Enough of his lies!” Mrs Smith's voice cut through the chaos, striding toward them with fury in her eyes. She held up her phone. “I’ve called the police, and an ambulance is also on it's way here, But before they arrive, we’re going to teach this heartless animal a lesson he won’t forget.”

Jamal shook his head frantically, struggling against Mark and David’s iron grip. “No! No, please! You don’t understand, I never wanted this, I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

“Shut up!” Mark roared, driving his fist into Jamal's stomach, a loud scream escaped Jamal’s lips as he doubled over on the floor, gasping for air.

David followed with a brutal backhand across Jamal’s face. The crowd watched in a stunned, morbid silence, no one making a move to intervene.

Mrs. Smith stood by, her arms crossed, a satisfied smirk curling her lips. “How dare you bring such shame upon this family, Jamal? After all we did for you. And this is how you repay us?”

Jamal, his vision blurred with tears and pain, tried once more to explain, his words slurred by a split lip. “I.. I was only trying to stop him, he was touching Eva and..

“Don’t you dare speak my daughter’s name!” Mrs. Smith snapped, stepping forward and delivering a sharp slap across his face. 

Eva stood off to the side watching with cold indifference, her arms folded as if the sight of her husband’s suffering was beneath her notice.

The sound of sirens cut through the rest of her sentence, tires screeched as the police cars pulled up outside, followed closely by an ambulance. 

“Move! Back away from him!” barked one of the officers as they burst into the hall.

Mark and David stepped away, breathing hard, their hands stained with Jamal’s blood while Jamal lay motionless, battered and barely conscious.

The paramedics rushed to the fallen man, lifting him carefully onto a stretcher and rolled him towards their ambulance. 

Two officers moved to Jamal, pulling him to his feet. He cried out softly at the pain, his body barely able to support his weight.

“You’re under arrest,” one officer said. “You’ll have your chance to explain at the station.”

Jamal didn’t resist. What strength did he have left? His eyes flickered toward Eva, but she looked away, as if the sight of him disgusted her.

As they led him out into the police car, the weight of his downfall settled heavily on his shoulders. 

He knew it was over for him, there's no way out of this; he did kill a man after all. There's nothing preventing him from rotting away in prison for the rest of his miserable life. 

**

The cold from the floor seeped into Jamal’s bones as he sat hunched in the corner of the dark cell room. 

His clothes, torn and stained with blood, clung uncomfortably to his bruised skin. He stared at his hands, shaking and battered.

It had been weeks.

Weeks without an update on his case, or even a visitor.

Jamal had stopped counting the days after the first ten, he'd lost track of time. 

His body ached with bruises that still hadn’t fully healed. His heart ached even more.

Suddenly, Jamal was startled by the sound of a key rustling. He rarely saw the guards except during meals. 

Slowly, he looked up, brushing the tears from his face with the back of his hand.

The door creaked open and an officer stepped inside, holding a bundle of neatly folded clothes. His expression was unreadable, but something was different. He wasn’t sneering or cursing like they usually did. In fact, there was something… respectful in his attitude today.

He took a step forward and tossed the clothes onto the floor near Jamal.

“Get dressed,” he said simply.

Jamal blinked. “What?”

“You’re free to go.”

Jamal remained still, stunned by the sudden change. “I... I don’t understand." 

"Your case is closed, you’re being released. Please get dressed, it's an order from the top.”

Jamal stared at the man, then down at the clothes, then reached out slowly and grabbed it.

 Order from the top? He couldn't stop wondering how that is even possible, he doesn't know anyone apart from the Smiths, they must've mistaken him for someone.

“Hurry up. I’ve been instructed to escort you out personally.”

Still dazed, Jamal pulled on the fresh clothes. Each movement felt so surreal. 

“Please follow me.” the officer said, stepping closer, and then shockingly... he bowed his head slightly. Just a small, respectful nod.

Jamal’s breath caught. A police officer bowing to him?

As he stepped out of the cell room, he didn’t look back.

His legs moved of their own accord, fast and unsteady at first, but stronger with each step, it was truly becoming real.

And then, sunlight.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the sun kissed his skin again. Jamal blinked against the brightness, shielding his eyes.

“You can go,” the officer said, holding the gate open.

Jamal turned to him slowly. “That’s it?”

He gave a nod, bowing slightly again. “That’s it.”

Jamal couldn't understand why the officer being respectful towards him all of a sudden, but he decided to let the thoughts come crashing when he's far away from here and so  he walked out. 

He didn’t know where to go. He didn’t know what had just happened. All he knew was that he was free.

And he wasn’t about to wait around in case someone changed their mind.

Jamal hadn't walked under the sun for longer than five minutes before a flashy car pulled up beside him.

At first, he ignored it and continued walking, because what business does he have with such expensive looking car? 

But then it maneuvered to his front, blocking his way forward; it was only then that he stopped walking. 

Slowly the car window rolled down, revealing a young lady, in an all black outfit, looking really stunning and well polished, she had a warm smile on her face. 

"They released you in ten minutes when I strictly said five minutes, that's a reason to be mad, but it'll be reserved for later." She blurted, sounding really powerful. 

Jamal's eyes flew wide open as her words resounded in his ears, the true meaning of it clicking to him. 

She was responsible for his release. 

"You ordered for my release?" Jamal mumbled.

"Yes, that's the last place someone of your status should be," she flashed him a warm smile. 

Someone of his status? Jamal's confusion seemed to be tripling by each passing second.

"Why? This is such a huge gesture, we don't even know each other." Jamal stuttered, trying to make meaning of the whole situation. 

"Oh, I know you quiet well, Jamal, you just don't know me, at least not yet." The kind smile never left her face for a second as she spoke. 

Jamal was stunned; she knew his name too. 

"You look confused," she chuckled. "Don't be, I'll explain everything as soon as we get home, get into the car." 

Jamal took a step backward. "I don't have a home, what are you talking about?" 

"Oh you have a beautiful home, come with me and see for yourself." 

Jamal's gaze on her intensified as he wondered if it was safe getting into the car with an unknown woman, but then, he had nowhere to go, and his life practically lost it's meaning a long time ago, so if she decides to hurt him, she'll be doing him a favor, because he had nothing else to live for. 

She slightly pressed a button at the side of the wheel and the back door pulled open, and with an uncertain resolve, Jamal climbed in.