THE ONE

Chapter Eight: Scars

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[Joseph could never forget the fateful day five years ago. The head master himself had come to his classroom, having a few words with his science teacher.

His heart skipped a bit when the teacher called his name but he'd calmed himself. He was a good student. He'd never broken any school rule.

The first sign something was off was when he found his maternal auntie outside. She had never been to his school & had no reason to. The second sign were her eyes, red from crying.

She'd slowly approached, ushering him to the side of the primary seven classroom block. His heart stopped when he heard the word accident. He didn't need hear the rest. He knew. His parents had been taking his little sister to school. They had told him the night before.

He slowly took a step back, shaking his head. His aunt called out but he turned around, sprinting past his classroom. Two male teachers raced after him, yelling his name as he passed the primary six block.

It couldn't be. He couldn't be an orphan. Not for many years, he'd hoped. Tears were falling from his eyes but he proceeded up the primary five block. He wasn't sure were he was going but he wanted to go far. Away from what he'd heard. If he run fast & far enough, he'd go to a place or time were it wasn't true.

The science teacher had eventually caught up & he'd wrestled a bit with him to entangle free. Several students had come out of their classrooms to see what was going on. His teacher holding him tight, Joseph had finally let out a huge sob.

Trevor had been allowed to escort him to Mulago hospital with his auntie, there learning his mother was still fighting for her life. A three car collision; an overtaking taxi had tried to evade an inbound harrier, ramming into his parent's nissan in the side & veering it off the road into a tree.

The head-on collision had overturned the two vehicles & only four out of twelve people had survived.

A young Max with plasters on his face & hands was refusing to let go his mother's bed, his father with a bandaged arm, pulling him away..]
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"Hey", Dejen joined Joseph on a bench as Max carried on the phone.
"Hey", Joseph snapped out of it.
"You ok?"
"Umm...yeah. Not really actually. I hate him but I know how he must be feeling. I lost a sister too", Joseph explained.
"I'm so sorry", Dejen added.
"She passed away with my dad in a car crash. I remember being so angry I didn't even get to say goodbye.."
"You didn't bury?" Dejen asked.
"I did but they wouldn't let me see them in the casket. Some culture thing.."
"Maybe they were trying to protect you. Was it your mom who refused?"
"No, she didn't attend", Joseph shook his head. "She was still in hospital.."

"He's making preparations to leave the morgue", Max hang up & approached. "They're burying in Kayunga"
"Will you bury?", Dejen asked.
"Yeah. Joseph will you escort me?", Max shifted to him.
"Uhh...", Joseph hesitated. "Can't. I have tests"
"Ok I'll see who to go with", Max added.
"Sorry I have to go", Dejen stood up.
"Okay thanks man for everything", Max reached to hug him.
"I'll escort you", Joseph followed Dejen.

When he returned to his hostel, Joseph checked his messages from when Axel had sent him the one hundred thousand. He clicked on the number, pondering on whether he should reach out & express his sympathies.

He heard a hello & when he looked down, he realized he'd mistakenly dialled & Axel had picked. He gritted his teeth, frantically hanging up.

Axel's friends & neighbours poured in one by one next to their home to console him & his mother. At 9pm, Max, Oscar, Saul, & Jessica joined them.

Axel sat silently next to the casket. One after another speaker venerated him for his never ending vigour in taking care of Rachel. He restrained his tears, holding his mother as she wept silently on his shoulders.

Watching them closely, Max recalled the last vigil he'd been to. His mother's. Scores of people he'd never seen had showed up, washing him with pity. He'd found himself getting agitated, walking back inside the house. He had a hard time believing was gone & had sat by the casket for hours watching her through the glass, believing she'd open her eyes anytime.

His reckoning had come when it was time to lower her into the ground. He'd tassled with the men with shovels, trying to prevent them from pouring the dirt.

Recalling it all, a tear run down his cheek..

"Oli ok?" (You're OK?), Oscar noticed.
"Ndi fine", (I'm good), Max swallowed, wiping it.

Three days later, Joseph learnt Axel had returned. He stopped by the gym in the evening, watching Axel from the windows as he prepped the evening class. He felt sorry for him, & Axel soon caught him staring, so he pretended to walk in.

"Good evening", Joseph approached.
"Evening sir", Axel replied.
"Umm.. I'm sorry for your loss. I know what its like to lose family"
"Thank you", Axel acknowledged.

As the session started, Joseph stood at the back to watch it unfold. Axel was on point as always, coming in with the same vigour & charisma.

Joseph spectated till it ended, deciding to use the restrooms before he could leave. The way back past the shower rooms, he laid his eyes on a nude Axel, getting ready to wash up.

Joseph gaze lingered a little below & Axel soon caught him. He pulled a towel from the hanger, placing it around his neck.

Joseph snapped out of it & scurried away as he heard other male goers approach.

"Joseph what's wrong you?", he scolded himself, walking out the front to hail a boda back to hostel.

That night, he found himself dreaming again..

Dejen was taking a swimming pool photoshoot & he was the one helping to smear oil on his body. Dejen constantly winked at him, guiding his hand over his pecs with his own. 
When the photos started, Dejen got all the angles right; atop the swimming pool steps, the rails, & finally in the pool.
As Joseph brought him a different brand of trunks, Dejen stretched the ones he was wearing a little to give him a peek. He winked at him again, arching his head toward the changing room.
They entered, immediately locking lips as Dejen pushed him to the wall. Dejen then turned him around, pulling his pants & boxer briefs down as he pulled his own trunks to his thighs. He slapped his cheeks a little, slowly digging his way in.
They eventually rested on the floor, with Joseph on his back, moaning with his eyes closed. When he opened them again, he was seeing Axel..

He quickly opened his eyes, panting heavily. He'd soiled his boxer briefs from humping his pillow so he got up to change them. He sat back on the bed, feeling like he'd cheated on Dejen, so he decided to come clean about his feelings officially.

In the morning, he saw Dejen was online on whatsapp so he decided to send a message..

Hi... Hey... Hey morning... 'Good morning' ~he finally texted.

Dejen was having herbal tea with waffles, responding to a series of messages on all his socials when Joseph's message came through..

'Morning Jos how're you?' a quick response.
'Im fine how're you?'
'Good, whatsup?'

There's something... I want to tell... he fidgeted, shaking his head.

"I should tell him face to face", he whispered to himself.

Dejen received a message from his agent, Ana, about a gig in Nairobi in two days. He agreed with a smile, checking the Kenya airways website for available flights. As he did, a call from his PI came through..

"Mr Mensa, good morning?", Sipho greeted.
"Morning"
"I wanted to inform you, the boy you asked me to find, Ukasha Kintu..."
"Yeah..?"
"I think I found him"
"You did??" Dejen perked up, resting his waffle back on the plate.
"Yes", Sipho assured.
"Where is he?"
"He's in Jo'burg"
"Okay I...", he sighed. "I'm going to fly there in...", he checked his calendar. "In three days"
"Okay sir. See you then", Sipho hung up.

Dejen perked up, texting his friends; Steve & Bryan.

Joseph was still fidgeting with what to text when Dejen messaged him as well..

'Hey guess what? The PI found Kash'