Head of The Table

The Other Side

Remember Ben’s situation where his trouble is spending money, well there is another person who would trade even his life for such. Picture this, you earn less than 100 dollars, your sister is in a comma, some gang lord is up your ass to get back his money he loaned you, and worse cops have kept you on the wanted list. Hell of a situation right? The last thing anyone would wish to be in. Well, someone was in this condition and God! Life was hitting him below the belt.

Down to the south coast, there in a small but expanding village was Brian, the unfortunate person in this situation. It started when his sister had a fever, he gave her some herbs because getting medical checkups was costly and to do so, they would go hungry for about a week. He worked at a garage but not as a mechanic but a tool boy, he was the servant for the mechanics when they were at work.

After a month, his sister collapsed while going to fetch water, luckily she was rushed to the hospital but on an old rusty motorcycle. But on arriving the driver was kind of still in a drunk state and bam! Head first into the leaving ambulance. Up onto a stretcher, she was bleeding and the nurses were fingers crossed she survived, luckily she did but barely because tragedy, she fell into a comma.

While this was happening at the hospital Brian was at work a km away when his boss sent him to pick his car keys from the office. A good boy he was, he went took the keys and left but five minutes later screams were heard from the office. “ I have been robbed! “ the boss’s wife screamed. Immediately all eyes were on Brian, murmurs started and slowly mechanics started picking the nearest object at reach.

Don’t tell him twice, Brian ran for dear life. In the commotion a spanner hit his ankle and he had to struggle one legged. Fortunately, he hid in a cow shed, safe from the massive furious crowd thirsty for his blood. Things will be alright he consoled himself, but oh no! It was just the beginning.

After a week he went home and met the heat breaking news. Even worse he saw posters with his name and face, on the top ‘Wanted’. Why me! He yelled at himself jobless, wanted by cops, sister in a comma can things get any worse. Yes they can and they did.

Desperate, he decided to borrow a loan to pay his sister’s medical bill. No friends, no relatives, he had just one person Gondi, the gangster lord. He knew this was a bad idea but, hey, what did he have to lose. “one month, I want payment in one month” said Gondi pointing with his middle finger, that was the agreement. Brian took the 10000 dollars loan and repay in a month.

Maniacal right? Stupid and very unwise you think. Like how can you pay such a loan in a month, how! But Brian wasn’t planning on repaying the loan. His idea was to pay the bill, grab a bus ticket and get the hell out of that village or else his head will pay the price.

“Sorry it’s not enough, this is just for the medicine, there is the admission bills.” The doctor retorted to Brian. What to do now, his plan just hit rock bottom. I’m finished, his going to kill me Brian talked to himself, but it was true he was done for, a grave he dug for himself you may say.

Should I run? This question haunted him every second he thought of the savagery Gondi would if he didn’t pay the loan. What about your sister you moron, you just paid her bill. Will you just leave her to those monsters? This taunted him even more and repeatedly occurred in his head whenever he thought of fleeing.

What should I do! He screamed, yes that was it, what was he to do. He can’t flee and staying, his a dead man already.

Thinking of negotiating on terms with Gondi, was his last option. And the most possible result would be his last conversation when breathing or without a broken limb. But desperation pushed him to the extreme, no money and a week till due date on the loan payment, he did the insanity.

“One more week, just one…” struggling for air Brian was being chocked to death as he begged for just a week extra. Like looking at a dog begging for meat, Gondi was enjoying the sight of seeing Brian choke to death. “Ok, one week if not then… that maybe your last gasp of air” the bald, dark skinned gangster Gondi threatened.

What’s the difference, he couldn’t pay in a month, a week he could, how stupid and insane was Brian. Despite having bought a week’s time to live he knew he couldn’t pay back the loan. So he sat by his sister and just broke down in tears because he knew death was just a week a away.

If I can’t pay then why should live? While waiting for death to come to me, why can’t I face it first right? This thought was pondering his head. But yes he couldn’t pay, and it was certain he was dead in a week, so why bother living it’s taunting and a psychological burden. Just die Brian, go to the roof and jump, you won’t know you are dead, a whisper from the air came into Brian’s ear.

Yeah, I should just die than wait for death to come to me he said to himself. With a pen and paper he went to the top of the 40-floor building.

“ I am sorry I tried to save you but it just wasn’t enough. I hope you find it in you to forgive me for this. Your brother Brian.” he concluded placing it on top of the air vent sheet.

Left, right, left, right, and there he was looking down on nothing but cars passing by. Though he was having second thoughts there was no turning back. Brian will you jump or not, a voice asked in his head.

The earlier the better Brian raised his left foot and…