The Disciples

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

3rd P.O.V

Azril eventually finished his shift before closing his cafe much to the wave of customers' dismay. They were enjoying the hot and cold beverages that warms them and comforted them before heading back to finish their tasks.

He felt rather good serving the people from all walks of life in his cafe because non of them wanted to fight or kill each other. All they ever wanted is a warm drink and refreshments to relieve their stress and maybe have a chat or two. Back in the real world, his job as a barista at After Black had earned him to distinguish each customer as an individual rather than a whole. Each lead an interesting life and have enlightened him from what's right and wrong.

Better than what he had learnt from home.

...

10 YEARS AGO

"Azril," an old voice crooned. "It's time for dinner."

A young boy of the age ten came down the stairs slowly. He was in his singlet and pyjama shorts. He sat down at the dinning table, looking at his meal which was just plain, watery porridge without any vegetables and meat inside. He peered over at the middle age women sitting on the opposite side with the same meal but with one difference:

The porridge had more variety in terms of vegetables and meat.

Azril scooped a spoonful and ate his. It tasted bland, boring and had nothing to comfort him before he goes to bed or do his homework. He stared glumly into his meal, not sure if he wanted to have a second spoon in his mouth.

"Not hungry?" she asked, not in concern but more of a statement. "I have calculated your body type, thus it's reflected on your everyday meals. A growing boy must have the right kind of food."

"Can I have some vegetables and meat in it?" he asked quietly. "I want to have the same amount as you're having, Ma."

But Azril's mom had stared at her son like a falcon, waiting to seize her prey. She got up from her seat and walked over to her son in a gliding manner with her salmon pink nightdress on. She laid an tentative hand on her son's shoulder.

"Oh Azril," she tutted him. "Are you planning to get fatter? It's not pretty for a boy to be round as a pig. How ungrateful you don't accept what is served to you. I can inject the nutrients into your body without you eating. It doesn't matter to Mama, you know."

"But I just-"

"Don't interrupt your mother," she silenced him sharply. "I thought I raised you better than that. You've been nothing but a brat ever since your father died. Want this, want that, can't you appreciate what we have?!"

This hit Azril right to the core. He remembered how he had his family together once his father was alive. By the time he reached nine, his father was charged into the hospital due to a blockage in his kidney. The doctors have tried everything they could but his father's body wasn't strong enough to cope with the procedures.

Azril didn't have anyone to comfort him when his father died. His two older siblings were far across the other side of the world, with families of their own and had cut off ever since his father's death.

Now, he's all alone with his mother.

After his mother's outburst, her body language suddenly shifted from anger to sudden sadness as tears flowed out of her eyes. Azril knew this would have happened. Awkwardly, he patted his mother's back for comfort. His mother's anguish wails soon subsided. Her eyes were already red he could not tell whether her anger was still there.