Will Love Ever Come?

Chapter 119

912 Nights Later

THE MORNING PRISON BELL rings long and loud, waking up every sleeping body inside the prison except Eschewal. He has already been up for one hour.

It seems like just yesterday he entered into prison life; fell asleep with a hungry belly and worried about switching back to the old him that got him through the mean streets. As it turned out, prison was not so violent after all. It only became violent for those hooked on drugs, liked to gamble or borrowed things and could not pay back double (double bubble) that was owed. Apart from that, Eschewal realized he could easily survive behind those steel bars without having almost any bother. He did just that; he thanked the black book for cutting him loose from his mysticisms. He had wondered when the purpose of giving up gambling, drugs, and other destructions would have its direct benefit.

He sailed smoothly through the two and half years, reading and writing every day, rain or shine. In the end, he studied the black book to a high level of understanding, read almost the whole prison library, and completed two novels and a screenplay with pencil and paper. He had also got his body into top condition and felt great, but he began to feel genuine happiness every day that he sat down and created a new chapter in his book. It gave him immense stimulation, similar to what he felt when he had Manna in his arms. 'Manna,' he thinks, 'the one and only girl who can complete my life. That one girl to share and reflect my happiness. If I were given one wish, that one girl would still be Manna.'

Eschewal is unaware he made a similar wish when he was five years old; this is the first time he and Manna met. It was a hot summer. The local park was full of mothers and children. Eschewal spotted Manna and felt emotions he had never felt before, but it was a simple time before he was abused and became bad. So he ran up to her and played kiss chase. He held onto her hand when it was time for her to go. They both cried.

The mothers said, "Aww ain't that cute," then dried their children's tears.

Eschewal's mother took a picture of him and Manna. Their smiles almost stretched across the picture as Eschewal wrapped his arm over Manna's shoulder.

After, Eschewal's mother wrote on the back of the picture: Manna, Eschewal's 1st puppy love! She planned on showing Eschewal the picture once he was grown, but unfortunately, a house fire caused her to lose all her possessions, memories, and a six-month-old daughter.