Page 19 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

When I didn’t respond, he shouted through the interstice. “I said open the door!”
“No way,” I said. “Why should I?”
“If you don’t,” he said, “you will face a vile ramification.”
“Why must I? I have done nothing wrong.”
“Disco wants the money,” he said. “And you know who he is.”
Boys in the town feared Disco. A real devil. He abused us for defying his orders.
“Who?” I said. “Why does he want my money?”
“I don’t know.” His voice vibrated through the interstice. “He just wants the money.”
“But I found it in the garbage,” I said. “Why are you doing this, buddy?”
“Do as I say if you don’t want trouble.”
Just as I opened the door, he surged in and prowled around. “Where’s the money?”
“That’s my money.”
His covetous eyes glowered under his bushy eyebrows as he chortled. “Really?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I won’t give it.”
“Then I must relay this to Disco,” he said.
“As you wish.”
He stormed out and slammed the door behind and returned half an hour later. “You sure you don’t
want to surrender the money, buddy?”
“I won’t,” I said. “Never.”
“Then you’re in trouble.”
I shot him a steady glare. “Whatever.” I peeped through the window as he stomped down the road.
But he returned. “Why don’t you surrender it, buddy? See, you would be scot-free.”
“I am always scot-free,” I said, glaring at him for his persistent intrusion. “Drat, why don’t you stay out
of this bloody business?” A surge of disgust overwhelmed me.
“I warn you,” he said. “Disco won’t spare you.”
“I don’t care.”
“You would soon face the consequences,” he said. “Wait and see.”
“Go to hell.”
He stomped away. “You’re dead meat.”
In the evening, Disco and his boys besieged me in the ground. He rolled up his sleeves and cracked the
knuckles. “You scoundrel, how dare you??”
I raised my hands to defend his knuckle. “Sorry, I—”
He seized my collar and shook me hard. “Where’s the money?”
I stumbled on his foot. “Ouch! My leg. You rogue!” He rotated my wrist, sending bolts of burning pain
through my right arm. “You had better be telling the truth. Tell me, where is the note?”
I winced and dropped to my knees. “Ouch! Sorry, I spent it all. Ouch, my arms, please!”
“What?” he blurted. “You spent it all?”
“I am sorry, please.”
He punched me on my nose. “Take this, you wretched.”
I limped home in tears. From the distance, I turned back and said, “Go to hell, you monkey.”
“What did you say?” He chased me. “Stop right there, you wimp.”
I ran home, shouting, “Dad!”
For about a week, I didn’t go out in fear of Disco and his boys.
“I wish that thug leaves me alone,” I said to myself, peeping through the window. “Um, I should join a
gang to avenge him.”
Mongar town prevailed with peace. It was a small town with a small population. The folks were humble
and helpful, but the well-to-do hoods formed a few minor gangs. Until the videocassette store in the town
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