Chapter 3

Daniel felt shaky with a trembling lip and was in so much pain from the beating he got, so he managed to get up on his feet, groans of pain escaped his lips and he just had to breathe in and out slowly because his breathing was constricted.

He looked around to see some of the mocking neighbors going into their house, they all did like they didn’t watch him get the beating of his life, it made him angry, his head hanging low to the extent that he felt embarrassed by his own body. he was hanging his head low with tears gathered in his eyes but even more angry that people judge you based on your present situation and didn’t care about anyone who they didn’t benefit from.

‘I will be affluent, prosperous, and powerful one day and show all of them not to mess with people or oppress people’ he encouraged himself and walked away from the house.

The sky rumbled, and the clouds looked heavy. It was going to rain, so he decided to find a shed to lay for the night because he knew that trying to beg Jordan and his mum to let him in would prove futile.

Before he could get a shed to stay in, he had to struggle with some depressing and homeless people who didn’t want him to join them, finally he was able to stay in one of the available sheds and he began to think about his life and all that he had been through.

Before he drifted off to sleep, the daydream that he had earlier in the day about being wealthy and getting respect when his status is now upgraded made him smile.

Morning came in quicker than he expected, and when he opened his eyes, it was bright, and he saw people passing by while they kept staring at him. Some wear smiles with pity on their faces, and others disgust.

He didn’t have that in mind because he realized that he was already late to school and his appearance wasn’t presentable. His hand  could be shaken in fear as he constantly tapped his feet on the ground with the fear written all over his face. He thought of going back home, but he didn’t want to get beaten again, so he walked straight to school in the hope that no one would notice him.

When he got to school, people did notice him and made fun of him for being a total clown. He once overheard a student say “He couldn’t even get clean and wear new clothes to at least reduce his wretchedness” another said

“He is poor. He has nothing.” They shrieked at him, and he just had to ignore them as he proceeded to his class.

He entered his class, and everyone’s attention was on him. The professor looked at him with contempt, and he could hear the students murmur as he walked further into the class.

“Stop there.” The professor raised his voice, and immediately, he stopped right on his track “You are not appropriate for school.” He said, eyes rolling as he kept staring at Jordan with his dark squinted eyes

“I wasn’t given the chance to get cha-” 

“Giving excuses will not make you any better, I, the students and the whole school don’t appreciate such dressing and raggedy clothing.” he said to him, and the whole class burst out laughing, leaving him as he flushed in embarrassment.

“It will no-”

“Get out!” The professor yelled, “And this is your last chance.” With that said, he focused on teaching his class.

Daniel didn’t know what he felt when all these happened to him. The feeling was draining, and it made his stomach turn. He turned around with a heavy heart, and he didn’t miss the look of mockery that Jordan had on his face while it nearly brought him to tears.

He walked out of the door, his head hanging low as he sat on the floor in the hallway while sighing in frustration.

He literally can't believe that such a thing can happen all of a sudden. 

Pfft!

His voice trailed off for a while as he sniffled his nose while trying to fight back tears from flowing down from his eyes. 

He was trying to compose himself, but it was quite hard for him to do that.  

"I am... I am lost. Please help me.” he muttered as the tears slowly flowed down his eyes.  

When he saw some student passing by, instead of rushing up to them, he cleaned his eyes and walked up to them quickly to ask for their help but he wasn't given a chance because they walked away from him rudely, even the next person bumped their shoulder against his and knocked him off his footing

As the tears fell from Daniel's eyes, he felt completely and utterly devastated. He had always been a strong and enduring person, but now, he felt utterly broken. It was as though his whole world was crashing down around him, and he didn't know how to pick up the pieces. He was trapped in a whirlwind of sadness and despair, and he couldn't see a way out. 

He felt the blood rush up to his head and the pain from the beating he got the previous day all over his body. Desperate and distraught, Daniel fled the university grounds, searching for someone who might be able to help him recover his belongings from the store. His heart was pounding, and his head was spinning. He felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown. As he wandered the streets, he prayed that he would find someone who could offer him a helping hand. But would anyone be willing to help him in his hour of need?

Finally, he found a man who took all the money in aid of helping him to get the thing he wanted, and he was grateful that something good was happening to him after a long time. He was starting to think maybe things aren’t as bad as he thought it to be, so he waited outside for the man.

It was almost an hour that he had been waiting and he decided to enter the place to ask if the man had stepped out but when he got to where the securities were at, they stopped him from going further and warned him to stay away else, they would beat him up and throw him out. He was begging that he listen to him and ask if they saw some man come in, but no one answered him.

Then it occurred to him that probably the man had run away with the money, and it made him scream in pain and agony that finally, Jordan’s mum will have a reason to kill him. He sat on the floor and cried because he didn’t know what to say or do.

“I'd rather die than go back there” Tears rolled down his cheek, still sitting on the floor while he raised his head up.

He summons courage. blink his eyes twice in order to wipe away the tears and then thought, ‘They may think I stole the money by refusing to come back with it’ so, he decided to go and tell them in hope that they would know despite the fact that he knows he will be dealt with. 

Daniel slowly made his way back to Jordan's place, feeling weak and hungry. His stomach rumbled so loudly. He was sure others could hear it. He hadn't eaten in days, and his stomach felt like it was about to burst. His clothes were dirty and tattered, and he knew he must have looked at a sight. He just hoped Jordan and his family would take pity on him and give him some food and a change of clothes. 

He finally arrived at their house and he knocked on the door but instead, there was no avail until he knocked again and Jordan’s mum came to answer the door. He was still scared of her as he walked backwards with his feet crawling on the floor, but he smiled because at least her son was not around to beat him up.

“You better have my request with you. I will have to take rash action against you” she hissed with bloodshot eyes, and he gulped in fear. she rashly pounded the anger in him, not wanting to hear what he has to say.

“Ma’am, the money... I was supposed to use it because it was stolen. I asked someone to help me get it from inside the store, but when he entered, he never came back with it.” he stammered with lumps in his throat.

“And you came to tell me that, hoping that I will believe your little lie?” she asked in a harsh tone that still brought down his spine. 

Daniel's heart sank as the lady's laughter rang out, harsh and mocking. It felt like a knife to his heart, twisting the already painful emotions he was experiencing. He tried to process what was happening, but it was all too much. He felt like he was in a nightmare that he couldn't wake up from. 

"I am speaking the truth, ma'am," Daniel stammered, his voice shaking. But before he could finish his sentence, he heard a deafening noise that left him stunned. It was the sound of a slap, and he felt a burning pain on his cheek. He looked up, dazed and confused, to see the woman standing in front of him, her hand still outstretched from the blow. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

Time seemed to stand still in that moment, and Daniel stood frozen, his hands cupped over his stinging cheek. His mind was racing, trying to process what had just happened. The woman's hand was still outstretched, as if frozen in the moment of the slap. And then, like a dam bursting, the tears came pouring down Daniel's face. They were hot and stinging, like the slap itself. He tried to speak, but no words came out. His throat felt dry and raw, and he could only manage a pained whimper. He felt utterly defeated.

“I said that you will be dealt with.” She said menacingly then went inside, when she came out, some huge men came with her and shepointeds at Daniel. “That’s him. Beat him up and let it be a reminder for him not to mess with my instruction again.” She gave an order. 

Everything didn't make sense to Daniel, and he became immobile as his eyes were wide open. 

Daniel didn’t have the time to run because the men had already taken a hold of him while smirking in a devilish manner. 

"You son of a bitch!" A man spat coldly, and with that he began to start beating Daniel up. 

He couldn't do anything to stop those that were beating him, so he shot his eyes and clench his fist. 

"Please... please." He muttered as he pleaded for them to stop but his words made no difference. 

Daniel has always thought that 'Please' was naturally a word that can be said to others which could be listened to whenever someone was in trouble but he was mistaken. 

His words made no impact and he felt hurt. He felt heartbroken and devastated. 

The more they beat him up, the more Daniel wished that the beating would come to an end for him.