Purified Tomorrow: The Mad Awakening - Episode 2

 

 Carl looked about him to check for any sign of struggle and found none. Maybe Sonia had really made Fred angry. But if it was so then Fred has just confirmed his belief. How would he leave like that? Carl hurried off to Joyces house. 
 'Are you leaving me here?, Sonia called after him. He turned his head sideways and hissed.
Joyce rarely called whenever she was in trouble, no matter what might have happened . She always had a way to solve it. That means if she called him, she was indeed in big trouble. The estate she lived in was made specially for people the government decide to sponsor. They got their stay at this estate because the government had brought harm their way, one way or another. The process of getting such house was a grueling one. Yet, he was surprised at the ease with which Joyce got hers.
 Just as he got to a street before her estate, someone rushed out of a bush. The man was bald and his skin was wrinkled. He looked pale as if he hadn't eaten for days. The oversized blue, worn polo he wore made him look like a skeleton. And his eyes, big ones, were red as if he hadn't slept in days.
'We're not alone in this world', the man whispered as he firmly held Carl's shoulder. The man glanced around, looking skyward

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/purified-tomorrow-the-mad-awakening

. Carl wriggled out of his filthy touch. The man was panting heavily, and Carl had to cover his nose from the man's foul breath.
'We are not alone', the man said louder this time. From Carl's look, one could fathom that he would give anything in the world to scramble away from this man's presence. He was in trouble with another Grousters. Many of them always looked as if they were searching for the thing that was living with the humans on earth.
The man dug his fingers into his own mouth, and rolled it, making his eyes bulge. Carl looked away hurriedly as the man groaned as if he would pour out vomit anytime. The man groaned irritatingly.
'What's...What's all this?' Carl asked as he retreated from the man. However, the man's firm grip held him in place.
'Leave me, old man', Carl said as he yanked the man's hand off his arm and tried to leave but the lanky mans grip returned to his cloth. Carl yelled as he stained his cloth. The man vomited a micro card. 
'Take'.
Upon seeing it, Carl gasped for breath. It was really irritating especially when the man pointed it at him. The micro card was covered with spittle. A security drone flew over their head. The robots were in color and they had a way of flying by without one noticing them, but this one was too conspicuous, as if it was reckless pursuing something.  
'Leave me' Carl shouted as he pulled his arm away from the man's. The security drone honed on them. The man glanced up and back at the Carl.
'Shut up! They will kill you. They will kill us both. Give this chip to Joyce Felix. When the time comes, those that would tutor her on how to use it would get it'.
 Carl batted his eyes and took a quick glance at the part of his cloth the man gripped. It was stained already. There was no way he wouldn't unleash his madness on the man. He would beat the man until the only thing people would see would be his grey hair. Suddenly, twigs began to break on the path that led from the bush as heavy feet hurriedly landed on the ground.  Carl opened his mouth to shout. But, as if the man had anticipated it, he pushed the micro card into Carl's mouth, covered it and pushed him into the bush.
'Hide', the man whispered. 'Give it to Joyce Felix'.
Carl was angry. His cloth was stained and his body might have been scratched. Whoever the man thought he was, he had no right to push him into such messy place and to ram that filthy chip into his mouth. Carl rose to accost the man, but the man was faster. He pushed Carl further into the bush and covered the part of the bush. Stay put.
The moment was like a dream. That action was definitely insulting. He must show the man what stuff he was made of. As he began to fight his way out of the bush, someone shouted, 'stop'.
Carl froze, but as he looked around, he saw the order wasn't for him. He looked through the thickets of the bush and saw three men pushing the lanky man to the floor. The man tried to rise on his feet, but one of them kicked him in the mouth.

Read " Don't! Look Closer " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. The man groaned, and that seemed to aggravate his assailants' anger because the three of them took turns to hit him with their heavy boots. He groaned, and when he tried to scream, the only sound that came out of his mouth was like the croak of a frog. Blood poured from his wounded lips. 
'You're an enemy of the land, the world and its leaders', the tallest among them said with a guttural voice said. His hand gripped the gun he was holding as if it was a pillow. 
'Your leader is making a grave mistake. We are not alone in this world. All Grousters know this and would prove it'.
 The shortest one, who hadn't made any sound since they caught up with the man, cocked his gun, and stood firm, and said, 'It's no longer news but nobody must know because a little knowledge would be the foundation for World war 4 or its equivalent. Even your founder, Groust, is dead and would remain so'.
He shot the old man in the head. It took Carl a great effort to stay sane. He batted his eyes repeatedly. The drone gradually rose into the sky. The world seemed to spin around him as he watched blood splash to the ground and the only thing that kept him from screaming was the filthy micro-card.