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"peter, peter..." , "Peter get down from there!" The mother of tree screams, the toddler jumps down from the table to the shock of his mother, and then sprints outside with his buzz light-year action figure, his rear obstructing only too much of the bright atmosphere and environment that spans the outside of the entrance. A bright blue sky and an amazing garden, glittering with majestic colours of flowers and grasses. Backed by this jewel to the eyes, stood that abode of our protagonist. A mansion painted in white, elegant and luxurious. It stood out amongst all the other structures in the neighborhood, well, why not; when you are multimillionaire, a dealer in real estate and the owner of a microfinance bank, your name and assets does ring a bell to many, at least in your neighborhood. Peter's father, Sir Micheal Rights, was among many things a lover of the military, "my son would join the airforce", he commonly said to his wife, as he himself was intrigued by the force at a younger age. But not all happy stories have happy beginnings.
It was march 11th at the St. Marks honorary awards and academy presentations, the day two juveniles have been waiting for, Peter's dad, Micheal Rights and best friend Franklyn Potters. The two have prepared there presentation in fulfilment of the requirements of the academy entrepreneurship competition. Each participant was asked to prepare an original presentation on a low/medium scale business plan that would hit it's break point within 9months and also analyse the organizational structure of such a company. These boys went toe-to-toe on almost any trail they met, always competing amongst themselves, they were always pulling pranks on each other as teenagers they where. On that faithfully day, the two raced to the top of the New Foundation building, an 80 storey sky scrapper. They where both exhausted on reaching the top and Franklyn opted to take off his blazer. In vintage prankster style, Micheal wrapped him up in his semi-removed dressed and took off to the exist, hoping to get a head start on the race downstairs, he slammed the door shut and descended to the 60tg floor where the program was been held.
4 hours later, the conference was over and both friends where unusually apart. "Let's go home", Ester told Micheal who was now worried about the whereabouts of his friend, after searching for 2 hours. The two would step into the cab and leave for there homes.
The scene returns to a petrified, now Sir, Micheal Rights as he stared at a hagged looking figure that layed on the hospital bed.
Micheal received a call from an old friend from his teenage years, Bradley, who now worked as an ambulance driver at Florida-bay hospital. It took a short 30 minutes drive to arrive at the ICU of the hospital from Micheals place of work. 20 years has passed since the day of the academy competition, but for one of them, an equivalent of '40'. "Is that you Frank?" Micheal muttered in disbelief. The figure rolled around to make eye contact before smiling Ironically; "my friend Micheal, my best friend Micheal", a statement that will disgust Mr Rights; " what happened to you!?, Where where you during the academy presentations, where have you been all these years?" he asked seemingly enraged. With a calm expression, frank said; "I heard you emerged the winner of the academy competition"."that does not answer my question" Micheal replied, now at the precipice of a rage. "I was unable to present" Frank pled. Micheal now confused;"but we went to the venue together, didn't we?". Franklyn shot him a look of disappointment before stating that the exit door at the top of the New Foundation scrapper was a jam-lock door.
The two fell into silence as Micheal proceeded to sit next to his old friend as he reflect on the events of that faithful day:
After Micheal had made it back to the conference hall, he dressed his suit and tie before walking to the participants seat reservations. The awards had already been presented and it was time for the academy students to present their works. Micheal was full of excitement as the first name was called;"Franklyn Potters, Franklyn Potters", the host called twice and in confusion asked the audience if the first presenter on the list was around. Micheal looked over at franklyn's seat, directly to his left to discover it was vacant. In a bid to go search for him, the silence was broken by the host calling up the second presenter;"Micheal Rights". Michael was hesitant, but after small thought, sprinted to the stage. It was a fine presentation and a majority of the audience moved by how much thought he put into his work that they gave him a standing ovation. Many business owners and managers offered him hand shakes as he proceeded down the stage before he was hijacked by the most prestigious person present in the ocation, "come sit with me", the founder of the organizing body requested, to the pleasure of Micheal Rights. Micheal only recalled his friend has not presented, 30 minutes to the end of program and jumped out of his seat to go look for him. The lad was nowhere to be found.
Coming back to his present self, the now guilt feeling millionaire, staring at his unhealthy friend, lost a drop of tear. "What has happened since then". "Well, I was trapped up there for 3 months, living off of pigeons and rain water untill I lost it. I was later rescued by a window cleaning team and hospitalized for 6 months. I learned you moved to college, 2 days after the conference". Micheal nodded in regret. Let us not dwell in the past old friend", Franklyn said with a loss of breath. The two men stared directly into the wall before them with a parallel gaze and in absolute silence for about 5 minutes. Mr Rights was filled with sorrow as he tried to imagine how much his friend has been through. In a sobber tone,"I'm really sorry about what happened that day. I'm sorry for all you've been through because of my... my..", now heart broken and shedding tears, a sad Micheal covered his fa e with his hands as he bent over, looking at the ground. The episode of emotions where quickly cut short as a young man entered the room. Standing 5'8", Covered in tatoo with a large facial scar on his left cheek. "What's this?, Some old timers party?", He asked with a deep voice. The room went as a nervous Mr Franklyn makes eye contact with the young man ad quickly withdrew his gaze as if to be afraid. "Talk to me old man" the figure bellowed. Still wiping away his tears, Mr Micheal called the youngster to order,"what do you want, please leave us". The boy walked up to the elegantly dressed business man and muttered,"a tip! You asked what I wanted, and that's a tip, some dollars". A closer look at the intruder revealed his underworldly connections and shady affairs in society. Putting his hand into his pocket, Mr Micheal pulled out two hundred dollar notes and handed it to the youngster. "That's good!" He said, now transferring his gaze to the scared old Franklyn; "You should be more like this" he uttered as he slapped the hagged man on his left thigh, startling him. "That's enough", Micheal commanded the stranger. "Chose your friends wisely", the boy said, in mockery of the helpless old man. Micheal overlooked the scene and invited Franklyn to come over with him to his house after the check-up was complete, the man still recovering from the fright, accepted. The two got into the official vehicle of Sir Micheal Rights and rode home later that day.
Mr Franklyn was like a child on his first day visiting a museum. A stroll round the house and through the garden seemed to ease of the day's stress on poor old Franklyn as he laughed and giggled at the sound of the voice of young peter and Micheal's beautiful wife, Ester.
It was getting late and time for Franklyn to say goodbye was approaching. Making the first move, Ester beconed on the visitor to pass the night with them to alow him recover further from his condition. Franklyn agreed reluctantly and was shown to his temperal please of rest. At 9pm, the family gathered at the living room, sitting on sofas arranged in a semi circle, linked by the lit chimney. It was night story time and Mrs Ester Rights gathered the children. Peter(14 years old), Carolina (12), and Roberts, the 4 year old champ, as his dad always say. "Tell us a story Mr Franklyn", Ester suggested, ill informed about her husband's relationship to there visitor.
Franklyn began:
Patrick, Palm and Paul, 3 small boys, playfully like they're toys, on bright noon skiied to the lake, there they found an icy lake", the children chuckled,"happy as they sked, Paul told palm: how would Patrick feel if we took Ted; well Ted was a bear and had no choice, Patrick laughed without the sound of his voice. Look over there! Paul said and swindled Ted; being the older two, they led, but Patrick kept on pushing even times he fell. Patrick arrived at papa's door, swung it wide yet tripped to the floor. Don't do it Patrick yelled, but it was late. The chimney glew brighter than before. Wide open, Mama's eye stayed; "what did you do on Christmas day?" I lired my prey like papa said. The mood was cold and full of dread.
A helpless Michael layed flat with a bleeding nose. "Why?", He cried as the rascal from the hospital had all traces of evidence, while his crew scowered the shelves and cabinets for valuables which they transported to the ambulance outside the compound. Good job father, the youngster said as he handed the shotgun to Mr Franklyn;"an eye for an eye...".
The end.
