Chapter two

"The same dream again?" Uncle Francis asked me.

"Yes. It just won't leave me." I replied.

"Look." My uncle said, stepping toward me. He crouched and looked me directly in the eyes. I knew what he was going to say and he should have understood by now that I will not be dissuaded.

"The dreams are not leaving you because you abstain from letting go." my uncle stated.

"Whoever said I wanted them to go away, uncle? I want them to keep repeating. I want to be prompted every day about what my motive is. Uncle, I endured that night for a reason. And that reason is to avenge the death of my parents." I said to him.

"That is untrue Devon. Very untrue. Vengeance can never be someone's objective in life." Uncle Francis said, standing on his feet.

He looked down at me as he stood and I also got up and faced him, "Congratulations uncle. You just met someone with that purpose." I replied and walked out on him.

"Devon." I heard him call out.

"Yes?" I answered without looking back.

"Be cautious," he told me. I turned my head to the side and nodded then opened the front door and exited the house.

The cool morning air hit me and I relaxed my nerves a bit.

"Devon!" my close friend Jason yelled my name from afar to get my attention.

"Good morning." he greeted me after reaching where I was. 

"Are you ready for today's training?" I asked him.

"Yes sir!" he answered, saluting me. 

"Be serious Jason. This is no joke." I said to him, putting on a serious face.

"My apologies. I forgot how much of a no-nonsense man you were." Jason stated.

"Correction. I am." I said to him. 

We walked from our poor neighborhood to the side of the city meant for the rich. After walking for some more time, we finally made it to the Wilsons' mansion.

"Today is the day isn't it?" Jason asked me.

"I thought I already told you about it yesterday," I said to him.

"Yeah but... I just can't believe you are going through with this." Jason said.

"Now you can believe it. I didn't waste all those years of my life just so I could chicken out at the last minute." I told him.

"Now go behind that tree and stay out of view. Tamira Wilson will drive out any minute from now." I said, pushing Jason away.

Jason quickly hid behind the tree as I had told him to and I got myself ready. I moved farther away from the gate and at the minute Tamira's car was visible and halfway out, I ran fast. And as if I hadn't noticed it in the first place, I hit my body hard against its side.

I rolled over the car and fell to the ground on the other side of the car. As expected, Tamira immediately stepped out of her car while I faked being unconscious.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?!" she exclaimed as she squatted beside me.

"Quickly get water!" she nervously told someone. 

A few minutes later, I felt my face get wet. Tamira was sprinkling water on my face.

I covered my mouth with my hand and faked coughing. I tried to get up but pretended to be dizzy and almost hit my head on the ground if not that she supported my head with her arms.

"Help me get him inside," Tamira ordered the driver.

"But ma'am, what about the meeting? Your parents said you should come on time." the driver replied.

"In that case, the meeting is canceled. Now do as I say and take this young man inside," she replied.

"Yes ma'am," he answered.

I felt myself being helped up. The driver put my arm over his shoulders and helped me into their mansion.

Tamira opened the front door and the driver took me in. He placed me on the sofa and stood there.

"What are you waiting for?" Tamira asked.

"Ma'am. I can't just leave you with this stranger." the driver replied.

"Why? Just because he is poor looking? You never stayed with me inside when that snob Henry came over without my parents being home now did you?" Tamira asked him.

The driver didn't know what else to say.

"I thought so. Now leave!' Tamira ordered.

"But your parents' ma'am." the driver said in fear. "I might lose my job for this." the driver added.

"Leave!" Tamira said, one last time and he left.

I watched as she held on to her forehead and shook her head. 'People.' she said.

"Are you okay?" she asked me.

"Hold on a minute.' she said, not waiting for me to reply.

I took that time of her absence to scan the entire living room with my eyes as I remained to lie on my back on their sofa.

'So this was the kind of luxury they were living in all this while? Meanwhile, I just remain in poverty. I will make the lie about my parents' killers become a misery. They will know how it feels to be in my shoes. I will make sure of that.

Tamira returns after some minutes. "I got you some water," she said, giving me a glass. 

I sit up and take the water from her. Gulping it in one go, I smiled at her and gave her the glass cup.

"Thank you," I said to her.

"There's no need for a thank you," Tamira said and waved.

"So tell me, what is your name?" Tamira asked me.

"My name is Devon," I said.

"No surname with that?" Tamira asked.

"I'd have a surname if I had the parents to get a surname from," I replied.

"Oh... I'm sorry about that. I had no idea..."

"It's fine. You can't know everything." I said. "What's your name?" I asked her.

"Tamira. Tamira Wilson," she answered. We shook hands.

"I guess I have to take you home now," she said. "Where do you live?" she asked.

"No. It's fine. I can return on my own." I said and tried to stand up. I took a step forward and pretended to trip. Tamira held me steady as I groaned in pain.

At that moment, a woman walks in. 

"Tamira!" The woman screamed and the purse in her hand fell.