Born A Murderer

Chapter 2

My earliest memory about me is at the hospital hallyway running towards the kitchen door. I don't recall how old I was but I must've been a baby. I'm running down the corridor wearing nothing but a nappy. That's the beginning and ending of that memory which is then followed by countless memories of Timothy and I taking baths, sharing meals and falling asleep together.

I never got the chance to ask Timothy how he ended up living in a hospital. We were too young to think it bizarre. When I finally became woke enough to see my situation for what it really was, strange and sad; I was sitting across Andy, Collin and Simon. Brad was explaining to the late boss, Simon, why he had brought a little boy to the garage. That was my first encounter with feelings of embarrassment although I didn't know the word. Over and above that discomfort; I felt lost. The hospital had given me away to a family that never acknowledged my presence in their own house. I couldn't go back there. I also couldn't return to sleeping at the back of the Pizza Hub building though I liked it then. From the foster house I could see the bin area and there was always a box or two with some left overs. And since all I needed at the time was food; I escaped through a window one night and never went back. Eighteen hours later, the Akels finally noticed I was gone then pretended to have been looking for me. Brad saw right through them and begged Simon to let me stay at the garage for only one weekend while he sought help from professionals. Simon reluctantly agreed not knowing he had less than twenty-four hours to live. I honestly wasn't sad.

I hate damaging property that'll soon belong to me but the Smith house isn't easy to break into delicately. Both the front and back door have added iron gates with locks a little complicated to manipulate. The old Toyota in the garage is always on park mode. I wonder how many years have passed since it was driven. I worked the lock of the garage door for forty minutes or so the last time I attempted to go inside the house. By the time the lock gave in and broke; it was almost time for my grandparents to return from their monthly visit to the clinic, so I left. I don't ever want them inside the house when I break in. They're old and frail. I don't want to be responsible for heart attacks that may lead to death. One murder to my name is more than enough.

I have about fourty minutes to find the information that will help my next move. I'm confident of the layout of the entire property thanks to the carelessness of our local municipality and the clues I got from watching the photo albums at Mr. Ron's house. My cousins have a room of their own in this house even though they don't live here. Unfair and cruel when considering how I have to alternate between taxis to get a night's rest. It's facts like these that make it hard to consider a gentler approach to getting what's mine by birth.

Looking at the bungalow from outside, you'd swear it's spotless inside. I'm honestly disappointed at how untidy it is. Old people shouldn't live alone. Thanks to the dish washer, there are no dirty dishes but I wouldn't eat from this kitchen till I've given it a proper scrub. I'm good at it. This is how I knew being a health inspector was a good idea. Andy planted the idea in my head after watching me clean and sort the garage after a break in that almost shut the business down.

"Jeeesus!" The word escapes my lips from fear and worry when I see a grey and white cat jump at me from no where. I didn't know the Smiths had a pet. There was no sign of it on any of the pictures I saw of family gatherings. Wow. So, they'd rather take a cat in than accomodate me - their own flesh and blood. And with that thought, I get renewed inspiration to get my search going. It would be easier if this house had some order.
I hit the main bedroom first, realising I have less than twenty minutes. I'm not surprised the bed is not made but that doesn't bother me. I'll fix everything when I finally move in.

All the drawers are filled with nothing but unfolded clothes so I swiftly move to the closet. Just as I was about to open it, I heard a loud sneeze from the other side of the closet. My heart almost came out of my mouth. I froze for what seemed like a full minute. I know for a fact that both people who reside in this property have gone out. I've been memorising their routine for months now.

Slowly and gently, I pulled the closet door towards me. Without stepping forward, I let my head go first to see what's inside. What my eyes caught next is nothing I could have prepared or discovered through research at Mr. Ron's house, hospital achieves or any government office. Behind the closet door, there are no clothes hanging or as I would have liked, a box containing legal documents placed nicely on the floor. Beyond the closet door is another room I never knew existed. It has no windows but the globe is shinning bright. I could clearly see the person who sneezed sitting on a sofa chair stroking the cat I met earlier. I stayed glued on the spot completely lost and shocked up until the stranger looked my way and I ran out after only one second of eye contact.