JACQUELINE It wasn't long since i had seen Wu like this, in bed and her arms beside her with her eyes closed -that was until she did open her eyes and was sucked back into this reality and i just smiled to her. "Jacqueline" She called and i nodded, taking her hand into mine as i nodded. "Where's Maria?" She asked. "I'm right here" Maria stood from the chair before she walked to the other side of her bed. "And Aaliyah?" I shook my head as i look to her text on my phone. Aal: I'm sorry. Still waiting on Albert to speak. I sighed, knowing how much Wu wanted her, especially her to be here when she did wake up. "Did they catch him? Black-eye?" She turned to Maria before looking to the few agents that still loitered around her room, waiting for her statement. And i nodded, looking to the news o

ALBERTMORE THAN FIVE DECADES AGO My shirt tucked into my high trousers that passed over my waist, yet i still stared into the mirror with satisfaction as my mother called out my name.  "Ronald!" She yelled repeatedly as though she was a mile away, her high pitched voice somehow managing to startle me as i adjusted the bow tie around my collars.  I picked up my bag and hung it on my shoulders, on only a strap of my old school suspenders before i rushed down the stairs. "I'm coming-" I responded.  The sole of my shoe slapped against the wooden floors as i hastily walked towards the kitchen and right into the pungent puff from my father's cigarette as his feet across the chairs brushed against mine. His silent glare pierced in judgment as he assessed my clothes from my hat to my oiled school shoes.  

 DELE I pulled over my car away from the pub and the restricted area barred by yellow tapes that marked the deadliest of scenes.  Abandoning the car key in the ignition, i jumped out, my feet dropping to the heated grounds.  The wildfire blazed in my eyes as they fought back with water through different hoses and that was when i halted, turning to one of them. The firefighters.  "You can't be here. Sir, please step away-" His arm dodged me from going any further as the approaching sirens of the trucks that drew closer overshadowed his voice.  "Is anyone still in there?" I asked, just before someone was carried through the doors of the structurally damaged building and we were both left on edge. There wasn't anyone that wasn't there. The FBI agents that walked past the swat team to the person they just wheeled out of the burnin

THREE MONTHS LATER.For most of her recovery days in the hospital, Wu had Mabel, a little more of a grandmother figure to watch her while she recovered. Maria was there too.But halfly because she avoided Marc, preventing the inevitable farewell conversation.But as happy as she was that she finally went through rehabilitation with a clear mind and a slight less likely chance to relapse, she was even happier she was out. WUMy bags clinged to my sweaty palms as i stepped out of that door, knowing my life would finally change. The atmosphere was humid with a brisk breeze whistling past every minute, with the strength to sway my lengthy hair slightly to the right. But none of that mattered, i was finally able to take in a deep breath, not of heroine or any drug but of the air that blew past, beaming with so much possibilities-

 Someone once asked me, how will you know when you’re close to the end? Will there be a sign? Or something that will tell you that it’s time to go. He meant death. I thought something deeper -the time to let go. And it brought thinking, we can’t know, and there’s no sign but if alas-