The Rise of Lucas

Chapter 3

With the weight of disappointment hanging on his shoulders, Lucas decided to make his way to his mother-in-law's residence. The idea that his family had moved on without him hurt, but he couldn't let sadness engulf him. He wanted answers, and he thought his mother-in-law may supply them.

Looking around, he realised getting a cab was out of the question. The ten-dollar note he had used to pay for the last journey was all he had, and he couldn't risk being mocked for not having enough money for another trip. Determined, he vowed to go to his mother-in-law's residence, even though it was quite a way from where he now stood.

Taking a deep breath, Lucas headed out on foot. The city streets stretched ahead, unknown and uncaring. He felt the aching in his legs as he walked, the physical strain a mirror of the mental struggle inside. Each step was a stinging reminder of the trek he had yet to accomplish.

As he traveled, memories of his wife and child remained in his head. The gap between them felt insurmountable, both in terms of geographical distances and the emotional abyss that had created during his time apart. Lucas knew he had to cross that gap, no matter the difficulties in his road.

As Lucas limped through the city streets on his route to his mother-in-law's home, the weight of his past pressed down on him not only in memories but in the harsh comments of people who knew him. News of his incarceration had spread like wildfire years before, and now, as he passed, people threw scornful looks his way.

"Hey, isn't that the criminal? The one they locked up!" a passerby hissed, loud enough for others to hear.

Laughter rippled through the audience, and more voices joined in, each statement a sharp arrow aiming at Lucas. "Look at him, believing he can simply go about like a free man. Criminals should be locked up!"

Lucas, his face reddening with a combination of fury and embarrassment, clinched his fists. The murmurs and disparaging words wounded hard, but he knew he couldn't react. The public view of him as a criminal, whether deserved or not, had become a permanent imprint, and the remarks tossed his way were a continuous reminder of the stigma he bore.

Livid and humiliated, Lucas kept going, each step a battle against the insults that resonated in his ears. The city, once comfortable, now seemed like an unforgiving arena where the past clung to him like a shadow. He wished to defend himself, to shout out his innocence, but he knew it would fall on deaf ears.

The jeers remained, marking his route with a trail of scorn. Lucas, forced to face the public judgement, tightened his teeth, swallowing the harsh dose of injustice.

Arriving at the front of his mother-in-law's home, Lucas approached the towering gate with a combination of anticipation and anxiety. The wrought-iron gate served as both a barrier and a conduit to possible solutions. He lifted his hand and knocked, the sound reverberating against the walls of the luxury property.

The gate swung open, exposing a gatekeeper whose eyes immediately checked Lucas from head to toe. The guy, with an attitude of superiority, glanced at Lucas and arched an eyebrow. "What's a poor man like you doing in front of such a beautiful house?" he questioned, the disgust clear in his tone.

Lucas, mindful of the contrast between his worn-out look and the riches that surrounding him, summoned the fortitude to explain. "I'm looking for my relatives. My wife and kid used to reside here. Is my mother-in-law around?"

The gatekeeper, dissatisfied, proceeded to study Lucas. "Family, huh? Well, the lady of the house doesn't entertain just anybody. What's your business here?"

Lucas, fury seething under the surface, sought to express the gravity of his predicament. "Please, I need to locate my wife and child. Can you tell her Lucas is here? It's important."

The gatekeeper laughed condescendingly. "Lucas? You must be kidding. The lady's not expecting any 'Lucas.' Now, go along before I call security."

Lucas, his patience becoming thin, appealed with the gatekeeper. "Please, just let me speak to her. It's been a long time, and I need to know whether they're here."

The gatekeeper, unimpressed, shook his head. "I don't have time for this. You're not getting in. Go locate your family someplace else, poor man."

Undeterred, Lucas persevered, his demands increasing louder. "I don't care if she's not expecting me! I need to know about my family. Please, just let me speak to her."

The gatekeeper's patience became thin, and rage flared in his eyes. With a fast and strong gesture, he grabbed Lucas by the arm, his hold hard and unyielding. "I said leave! We don't need more problems here."

Lucas, his cries growing into a furious protest, struggled to resist. "I'm not here to make problems. I simply want to locate my family. Please, have some sympathy!"

"I beg you, just let me speak to her! I need to know if they're here," Lucas urged, his eyes seeking for a sign of empathy in the gatekeeper's severe countenance.

Unmoved, the gatekeeper proceeded to drag Lucas away.

Amidst the ruckus at the gate, a door swung open, and a lady walked out, her look a combination of annoyance and curiosity. She flashed a scathing gaze at the gatekeeper and screamed, "What on earth is going on out here?"

The gatekeeper, still holding onto Lucas, swiftly said, "This guy claims to know you, ma'am. Says he's looking for his family."

The woman's attention switched to Lucas, her eyes hardening with scorn. "What is a criminal like you doing here?" she questioned, her tone tinged with hatred.

 "I never thought I'd see the day you'd show your face around here again."

Confusion and hurt flared in Lucas's eyes as he struggled to grasp the hatred from his mother-in-law. "I simply want to know about Tonia and my child. Please, tell me if they're here."

The woman's eyes narrowed more, and she snarled, "Tonia left a long time ago. She moved on from the mess you made. You should do the same."