Back At Sixteen

Chapter fifteen

THE YEAR 2008

Khalil

It was as sunny as during the summer even though it just rained two hours ago. The Borno sun was ablaze, but children still ran around and played carefree of the weather.

Khalil was at his parents backyard building mud houses and humming to his favourite cartoon song.

“Khalil!” the familiar voices of his friends make him stand up to surveil the premises, when he didn't see them, he continued with his previous act.

“Khalil!” he heard again, He scanned the backyard once more, but still couldn't see them. It must be voices playing in his head, was his thought.

“Khalil!” This time, it was louder.

He pretended to ignore it, he knew he wasn't hearing things. He quickly lifts his eyes off the mud house and rest them on three grinning faces sticking out above the fence, they giggled when their little hiding trick was discovered.

His face brightened up and he was bewildered. His heart pounded against his chest with a thousand beats of excitement. How were they able to look over the fence? He thought.

He bounced up and down, smiling widely, unable to stay steady. He raced to the fence.

“Will your mom allow us to come over?” Yahya asked, craving for a positive reply.

“Yes, yes, will Aunty Iman let us play?” Usama couldn't conceal his excitement.

“Beg Aunty Iman for us, pleeeease.” Abdulhakeem wheezed.

He still was excited about the fence that he couldn't make room to be sad he was quarantined. “How'd you climb up there?!” he finally lets out the question that roamed his mind, he was gingered with joy. He could only keep the question in for those few seconds, that was his best record.

“Oh, a ladder.” Yahya answered.

“I want to climb up too.” Khalil said with a little pout, and before they knew it, he was try to climb up the smooth, gravel-free and hole-free wall.

They weren't supposed to be shocked, but there were. This was one of Khalil's outrageous acts, driven by his impatience and absurdity. Climbing up a seven feet tall wall.

Yes, it's that tall.

“You can't–” Hakeem tried to stop him but Khalil interrupted, his foot sliding down as he tried to hoist himself up.

“Yes, I can. Just watch me.”

And so they did, they watched as he faltered a little too much to keep count. When all his attempts failed, when he couldn't find a ladder or anything that could lift him high enough, he grew angry.

He stood face to face with the wall, like an enemy in his way. His head hung low, tears slowly finding their way out his eyes. He started to mutter, insulting the wall, until his muffled mutters became loud aggressive yelling.

His friends tried to stop him, honestly. But it's not like their words could calm him down, and jumping down a seven foot wall was very much an exception.

“C'mon Khalil, a ladder shouldn't get you angry.” Yahya, the self-proclaimed leader tried to persuade.

“You think it's just because of a ladder?” Khalil screamed, tears running down his cheeks uncontrollably. His fist balled up, punching the unyielding surface of the wall.

“I don't want to stay in here forever! That's why I also want a ladder!“ he screamed again, his voice choked up with his own tears. His knuckles bruise and tinged red.