Twins – Episode 5

TWINS – Episode 5

©Tisa Phiri
All Rights Reserved

Mike looked at the walls of the prison cell he was locked in, tears in his eyes. He couldn’t get used to the harsh environment of the prison even after days of being there. He had completely given up trying to get someone hear him out about his brother.

“There is no way you will escape this Jake, you have come in here and your life will be lived inside these walls till you die” the warders had teased him.

“ I can give you an address so that you go and ask my wife, am Mike. My wife and I married last year, I have a decent life and have never killed nor hurt anyone before, you ought to go home and confirm what am telling you” he went on pleading for them to hear and understand him but it all fall on deaf ears as they just mocked him further and beat him up for trying to get smart with them.

Mike sat on the thin mattress lost in thoughts, he started recalling 10 years back when he was about 24 years old. He had started working for the company belong to a Mr Mulenga, a man who were friends he with his father. He was employed immediately he completed his economics course at the University of Zambia.

Mike had moved to stay alone the very year he stared working leaving his father`s house. He had rented a flat in Northmead area in Lusaka. Having a well-paying job made him start up and settle quickly making Jake jealousy and he made sure he always asked for money from his brother.

Mike was always helping as much as he could, but Jake still refused to get himself a good job with the marketing course he had done from NIPA College even though he never got to complete the course. Mike knocked off one evening and got to his house feeling tired. He was just getting to bed when he heard a loud knock on the door.

“ Jake what are you doing here and what’s the rush all about? “ he asked his brother seeing Jake panting and panicking looking like someone was after him.

“Can I come in?” he responded instead.

“Yeah sure thing” mike sighed giving him way in.

“Jake tell me what the hell is going on with you. You keep on looking outside and won’t even sit down. What have you done this time?” he went on persuading him to say something.

“Mike I messed up big time. I killed one of the guys belonging to a gang, the gang is after me and the cops too. I just escaped” Jake explained his eyes popped out.

“What have you done brother? How did you even ki*ll someone? And the waste part is you run to me now that you are in trouble when I have been telling you to find yourself a decent job but you refused to listen. Now what? “Mike asked

“ I hide here for a while Mike, they will not suspect am here man please” Jake begged his brother.

“You mentioned a gang and you know how dangerous those people are. They will still find you and ki*ll you. You are better off informing the cops and telling them what happed since you saying it was self defence,they might give you a lesser sentence for that brother, thing about this” mike tried to reason with him.

“No I cannot turn myself in Mike. Am not going to jail “he argued

A couple of days later Jake went out and came back running claiming the gang stars had mobilized and where everywhere looking for him. Mike knew any time they would get to him and that would be the end. On the other hand the police had even put a wanted post for Jake. For mike he thought the best was for his brother to get to the cops and explain himself instead of running his entire life.

So he asked one of his friends who was a cop to come end help out. Seeing the police officers going to Mike’s house, Jake took off running. He was in exile for two days until they found him and now his plea for self-defense was baseless. That was how Jake went to prison where he was held for 10 years.

In the period, mike worked hard and saved up some money. The owner of the company had issues with funds and he suggested for him to invest something from his stock exchange share earnings. The years back, mike become partner with the owner of the company he was working for. An elderly man who treated man with respect and so much regard.

He always told mike that he would go far with his hard work. Encouraging him to live his life and do his best from his family. Mike had tried visiting his brother in jail, but every time he did, Jake would throw it ion his face, mike was the cause of him being imprisoned. He would insult him and call him all sorts of thing till he decided to stay away. Jake since then always threatened to get back at his brother but Mike had never anticipated him to get that far. He thought Jake would ask for a ransom of a something equivalent but now it was clear Jake has always wanted to live his brother`s life.

Mike worried so much about his company. “How is he going to fit in? What will he do with the money and everything I have? What about my child and wife? “Mike shivered asking himself so many questions.

“Hey time to work!” shouted the guard bringing mike to the present. He stood up and slowly walked to the door feeling his back pains again he stretched out a bit.

Back at home, Jake was trying so hard to fit in what he was calling Mike`s boring life. He had hired someone to teach him basics about managing a company and he was doing pretty well deceiving everyone. Of course he would have lapses, like not recognizing some of his customers.

He had decided to get sick deliberately and hired a doctor who claimed for him to have partial amnesia.

Isa now understood why her husband seemed so lost in most of the things and over time, she tried to help him recall what Jake had claimed to have forgotten, such as his friends and the other people that mattered the most in his life.

“ hey my love, still awake?’ Isa held her husband as he sat watching a late night game.

Jake looked at her and back at the screen. “What do you want?” he asked without bothering to look at her.

“Mike, I understand you have been under a lot of stress with the memory loss, but this is no way to treat me. We have been living like total strangers for weeks now and you barely talk to me expect when you want to make love to me. What is really going on my love? I miss you so much mike, I need you back to the way you used to be. Please talk to me I want my husband back” she cried softly tears falling her face.

“Well am not your mike Isa leave me alone now!” he yelled angrily.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked him sobbing.

“You know what stop bothering me now, you know am no longer the same since the sickness and you keep on complaining. You need money, Mike take me out, Mike we have a hospital appointment, Mike, Mike, Mike! Oh God and so fade up Isa! Just leave me alone damnmit!” he scolded her making her cry even more.

“You see, you are never like that mike, you never yelled at me. i cannot take this anymore “ Isabel cried sitting down.

“Well that makes the two of us lady, I am tired of your rantings and crying like a baby. Now if you will, let me watch my game in peace” Jake sighed turning the volume button up.

Isa stood up watching Jake as he looked at the screen. She could not understand his anger. The man before was surely not her mike. She knew sometime was terribly wrong but how was she going to make things get back to normal. She was now suspecting him to be going out with another woman which was evident from his stained shirts with markup. She shook her head staring deep at the man before her.

“You are right Mike, you are no longer the man I married a year ago. You have changed and I can assure you we tow will not last with this your altitude. What happened to u love you Isa, I would never cheat on you. You and my baby are my world? What happened to all that mike? She asked patting his shoulder to get his attention as he kept on watching the soccer match.

“Well get used to it lady, this is the new mike you have to deal with “ he smiled turning to look at her face and back at the screen. Leaving Isa puzzled and broken.

Twins continues…

 

ALL EPISODES