[Continued]..."Can I help you guys with anything?" I asked, sounding a bit nervous and frightened as I stood in the centre of their midst - turning my head quickly to glance at all three of them while trembling lightly from the claws of fear creeping down my spine as I slowly began to feel drained of energy - especially after seeing one of them slowly removing what seemed to look like a gun but wasn't a gun until he pulled the object out completely underneath his hoodie sweatshirt. It was when he lifted the object up that I realized it was a short wooden stick, like a baseball bat -- well not as heavy as the actual baseball bat but was the length of my arm.

"Well yes... You can help us with something" The first guy in front of me retorted with a wicked smirk and was about hitting me with the stick when my reflexes sprang into action with my left hand raising instantly to hold it. 

Then the other guy to my right instantly grabbed my right wrist with his left hand just as I was about delivering a hard blow to the guy in front. I could feel the adrenaline rush with every groaning sound I made as I struggled to overpower them so I could somehow manage to escape. But what was I thinking? I was in every measure no match for them -- not with their number and strength!


"Ugh!" I gave out a sharp groan the moment I felt a hard blow on my tummy from the guy who stood by my left which rocked me sideways towards the guy on the right who without warning threw a swift punch on my face that caused me to loose grip on the stick I was struggling to hold.

"This is what you get for not minding your business!" The guy in front of me yelled to my face with an angry voice and hit the side of my head hard with the stick; sending a sharp and convulsive wave of pain all over my body. I lost my footing and crashed on the tarred ground - laying on my left side with both arms shielding my face while they continued kicking, blowing and hitting me with everything thing they got. At this moment, I found no meaning in life or love -- just laying on the ground, enduring all the torturous kicks and blows thrown at me by these guys made me question if this was worth it? Laying my life in the name of love or jelousy?! 

"Som... Somebody -- help!...Some..." I yelped out in pain, curling my whole body and waiting patiently for everything to end - that's if they were ever going to let me live!

They went on for minutes which seemed like hours to me. 

"Hey!... Am calling the cops on you three!" A manly passerby at a distance shouted with a threatening voice - frightening the three guys who immediately stopped hitting me and began backing up. 

"That's a message from Kelvin, and next time -- you won't be this lucky" The guy who was holding the stick warned - giving me one last right kick on my lower abdomen before running off into the distance with his other goons.

My whole body was in flames - especially my rib which hurt so badly I could hardly breathe properly without making wheezing sounds. My eyelids flickered rapidly and could barely stay open as I laid on the cold ground - feeling faint and dizzy like my life force was being drained. So I forced myself to stay awake - groaning and wrapping my arms around my tummy while gasping for breath through my parted mouth.

"Are you alright son?" The stranger who'd wadded off the three guys crossed over the road and came to squat beside me with a phone in his right hand. He was a middle aged man in his late 40's, average height and responsible looking -- judging by his tucked striped short sleeve shirt on a deep blue jean trouser. He looked more like a family man to me. 


"You just lay down there and don't move, I'll call 911 and the medics will be here shortly" He consoled and lifted up his phone to dial 911 when I immediately held onto his hand - halting him from doing so. I wasn't ready to spend my night in a hospital bed even though I was bruised and in pains. All I wanted now was to get home.

"Please... Home..help me sir" I said under short breaths and coughed while struggling to raise myself up. 

Then the man hurriedly bent forward and assisted me up with his left arm under my right arm while saying in a concerned stuttering voice "But... But your nose is bleading. I think it's best if I call the..."

"Plee--ease" I winced bitterly with my teeth clenched hard in pain as I struggled to balance my stance while the stranger kept supporting my weight with my right arm wrapped over his neck.

"Okay fine" he heaved a surrendering sigh - quickly putting his phone back Into his pocket before wrapping his left arm behind my waist. "Is your house far from here?"


"No sir... It isn't" I replied breathlessly, forcefully blinking my eyes to clear my vision which seemed as though they were becoming blurry. "It's just a couple steps ahead... Where you see that poster" I added, slowly raising my left hand to point at the distance ahead as I spoke to the man who only nodded his head before guiding me forward with slow steady steps. 

The muscle in my right thigh was strained - causing me to limp as we sluggishly walked for my house. 


*****


"Okay, just hold still" The man said calmly to me as soon as we arrived before knocking on our palour door as we stood outside - patiently waiting for someone to respond.

"Am coming" My mom's cheerful voice rang loudly inside the house with her footsteps gradually becoming audible as she approached the door.

'Oh no, how will she react now?' This rhetorical thought filled my head as I drew a deep breath in readiness for my mom's reaction the moment she opens the door. In a way, I was expecting Shelly to answer the door and not my mom.

"Yes who is..." My mom's words fell into an instant pause as soon as she fully opened the door. Her frozen look and widened eyes hinted that she was in a horrific shock to see me standing with a swollen right eye and blood dribbling down my left nostril. 


"Li--liam, what happened?... Who did this to you?" My mom's shaky voice broke out as she rushed forward to cup my cheeks - hurriedly roving her hands down my cheeks to my shoulders while fixing her gloomy gaze on mine with a saddened expression that nearly broke a tear in my eyes. If I knew tonight was going to be like this, I would never have gone out strolling - atleast to spare my mom from feeling sad and depressed! 

"Mom" I called to her with a faint voice when I noticed how lost and frightened she was. 

"He was attacked by three guys, couldn't see their faces from where I stood." The stranger replied politely, drawing the attention of my mom who quickly turned to face him. 

"Did -- did he say why they came at him?" My mom asked - nervously rubbing her neck with her right hand as she spoke while narrowing her worried gaze at the man who only shook his head in cluelessness as he stood mute before giving me a brief stare.

"Son are you owing anyone, or did you offend someone?" My mom asked almost breathlessly as she returned her gaze to me.

"No" I answered plainly.  

"Then why in God's name will someone come after you?!" My mom growled in frustration - breathing heavily like she was about having a panick attack or something.


"Mom please..." I consoled, placing my left hand on my mom's right shoulder and was about saying something to ease her anxiousness when the stranger's voice broke out and suddenly hushed me. 

"Miss, I'll advise you take your son in and treat his wound. Give him some pain relieving drugs and maybe you can question him after that when he's fully rested." The man advised, slowly lowering my right hand from his neck before looking at my mom who nodded vigorously as she took hold of my left arm.

"Thank you so much for helping my son back home. Please, I hope you don't mind telling us your name?" My mom replied calmly - trying to sound as courteous as possible even under her worried state.

"Oh, the name is Brian... And it was my pleasure helping out. Do have a lovely night" Mr Brian said curtly - giving both of us a friendly smile before turning to leave. 

"I don't just know why you keep things from me Liam... Now, look -- just look at the mess you've gotten yourself into... I just hope you haven't started any risky side hustle" My mom lamented under her breath as she carefully guided me into the house. 

I heaved out a weakly sigh and said. "Mom please. I don't want this bothering you because it shouldn't, I'm..."

"Why shouldn't I be worried? That my son was brutally beaten by three unknown guys?... That's enough to make me worried all night" My mom hissed in response - slamming the palour door shut behind us as we sluggishly moved towards the three sitters couch. 

"Oh my... Liam, what happened to you?" Shelly gasped with a frightened look the moment she caught sight of us. 

"Shelly please, go get me a bowl of warm water and a towel" My mom instructed without even glancing at Shelly who sprang up from couch she was sitting on to get it. 


***THE FOLLOWING DAY***


'urrsh' I grunted in pain, placing my right hand on my head which was banging heavily as I woke up to see myself laying on the three sitters couch in the palour which was already lit by the rays of the sun filtering through the light curtains covering the windows. 

There wasn't any sign of my mom and Shelly in the palour - it was just me. But I could tell that they were both in the kitchen because I heard faint clattering sounds of spoons coming from that direction.

Then I managed to raise myself to sit - wincing occasionally from the stinging painful sensation of the few bruises on my back the moment it leaned on the couch.

"Oh no!... I over slept" I murmured inaudibly to myself as soon as I took out my phone from my pocket to see five missed calls from Chloe. It was now 10:30am, way past my work time.

Then I bit my lower lip and squeezed my eyes closed in bitterness when last night's incident replayed freshly in my thoughts - filling me with grave anger and a burning urge for revenge! 

'I swear Kelvin, you're surely going to feel the same measure of torture I endured last night and am certain of it' I vowed purposefully in my mind with my chest heaving heavily with inexplicable rage.

I suddenly snapped out of my vengeful thinking with my eyes popping open when I heard my mom...


TO BE CONTINUED...


Let me know your reactions after reading this episode ❤️💜

Is Liam's vow to pay Kelvin back necessary or just foolish??