Born A Murderer

CHAPTER 4

I have not looked in the direction of the bungalow but being in this street makes me anxious. I keep my eyes fixed on the clean road but my feet feel heavier with every step. Finally, I stop and breath. Intentionally this time. I look at Author's home and imagine his family's reaction to finding out that their old neighbours have a prisoner who lives in a closet. 

After trying countless times to convince myself that I am a very brave boy, I turned around and used a different route to school. For the first time since I learned my teacher's routine, I walked in a few minutes after him in class. He made a note of it and gave me a verbal warning. I couldn't follow through on anything taught but Dave allowed me to copy from his notes during lunch. I spent most of the day confused about my next move. Scared or not, I was going to walk past my mother's home after school. I don' t have a lot of time seeing as the grandparents are frail and old. If they passed on today, my job to reclaim my birth right possessions will be a hundred times harder. 

As I walk out of the school building, I come across my teacher's wife. I slow down as she approaches but she doesn't notice me. Through research I gathered that she's my mother's younger sister. I can't help but wonder if she resembles my mother. There are no photos of her anywhere so I have no idea of how she looked like. Besides me, the only evidence there is that my mother lived, are hospital records and her birth certificate which ties her to my grandparents. 

I trail behind my aunt till she gets to Mr. Ron's classroom. I should be rushing to the bungalow so I can make it back to the garage at a descent hour, but I feel like catching a glimpse of my family's interaction with each other. I know I'll walk away feeling envious or angry but I don't care. I have to satisfy this need so I stand very close to the classroom door expecting to here a light conversation about their day, what's for supper and maybe even giggles. 

Instead, I end up listening to her complain about Mr. Ron's nonchalant response to their son's misbehaviour at his school. Kyle goes to a private learning institution that has a curriculum designed for future CEOs. Here we're taught to be good future employees but Luminous High is preparing future world leaders. From eaves dropping on Mr. Ron and his wife, I already know my cousin's a big disappointment. He's struggling to fit in and his marks are below average. He's also been caught with pills they suspect he stole to sell. He sounds like the beginning of a perfect karma.

*****

A pharmaceutical van is parked outside my grandparents house and I can't help but wonder if the closet woman is okay. It's drizzling so hanging around will appear strange and obvious so I walk up the street then stand under a tree. Two people wearing scrubs walk to the van and drive off. I make a not of the name on the side of the van as it drives past me. Health on Wheels.  The address printed at the back is definitely local and close by. I follow in the direction of the van but it disappears soon after. There won't be anyone waiting for me at the garage with this weather creating a demand for rides, so I'm safe for another hour or two. 

"Hello young man" an old lady calls out from her car. "Where's home? Let me take you or you'll catch a cold in this rain". Andy made me promise a hundred times to never get into stranger's cars but I doubt he meant old white ladies. She asks for my address and the liar in me takes over and explains that I need to fetch my grandmother's medication from Health on Wheels clinic. She is their patient too and knows exactly where to drop me off. I realise what good luck it was to be picked up by her because there's no way I would've found the place on my own today.