HP 1

CHAPTER 1

Power, it was a term that is rather popular, everyone can relate to the need for power and at the same time everyone wanted it for him or herself, I was no different, and for me power had a means, right from the age of 12.

You see I was a scrawny child from a really small town in New Jersey, growing up was especially hard since I had no parents, forgotten in an orphanage, aside that I wasn’t a cute kid that people came and awwned over and then decide they should adopt, I was ugly, there was no other adjective to use, I had a crocked nose, and even my teeth was scattered and it showed whenever I smiled, every time we were to line up for a prospective family, we were asked to smile and most of them didn’t hide their cringe when I smiled, I also hated myself so yeah, I didn’t blame them. Struggling against bullies and what not, at 14, I started sneaking into schools to get lectures and I put so much attention in it that in a matter of time I could speak as good as those rich kids and I started moving in their circle, pretending to be like them even if my cloth was an obvious tell, I stole cool clothes most times, but not as cool as those rich kids, you couldn’t steal from people you hung with, it would have been too obvious.

Aghh, an important detail, then I was called Anthony Long, more than the fact that I was poor without my will I had a horrible name, I mean what child would want to be called “LONG”, with Anthony, I could deal, but Long? I hated as much as I hated the stupid orphanage and the fact that they couldn’t care enough to put us through school, there was a Mrs. Betty who came every Mondays for basic knowledge like English and Maths stuff, but even I that wasn’t that good had more knowledge in the English and Maths.

Finally at 15, I stumbled on an opening in a restaurant, they didn’t mind I was a kid, the rules were simple, don’t steal his shit, that was Jack, an old pa, and that was when my life began to change.

Jack had this restaurant that was a cover for his back yard deeds, when I came in though I was a simple waiter, doing my duty and getting paid with food and 5dollars weekly, till I stumbled on him and some men beating a man to pulp, I remember that day like it happened yesterday.

“You bastard, how dare you try to run off with my money”, Jack had said before he lifted his booted feet and jammed it straight into the stomach of the poor man who was whimpering on the floor.

I had been so scared and had started backing of, when I hit the waste bin and it and I went tumbling down, my first instinct was to flee, but before I stood up, one of the guys was on me dragging me by my collar.

“Boy, what do you think you’re doing out here”, Jack had shouted.

“The bin, I came to dispose tonight’s waste, I had just cleaned up”, I had stammered, still held up in the air like a rag doll.

“Well then you should have turned right back after you were done”, he said spitting out his tobacco.

“What do we do with him boss”, one of the guys said, from the whimpering body’s side.

“His body will be easy to hide, he’s pretty small, he a girl or what”, the one holding me up said, turning me around and snickering.

“No, no, I’m sorry”, I had cried, shaking with fear, thinking of all the things I had to do.

“Run back in boy, and wait for me there”, Jack had said as the man who held me dropped me while muttering things about policies and witnesses, me I ran as fast as my legs could.

When Jack finally came in, he was sweating and swearing, and I was shivering, now that I think of it, it sounds pretty funny.

“Boy, what did you see?”

“Nothing sir”, I shouted standing straight and puffing out my chest.

He walked to one of the tables and brought down one of the sits since they were all arranged atop the tables as we had closed for the day.

“What did you see, boy?” he said as he sat down.

“Nothing sir, I didn’t see a thing, I promise”, and for the next hour this was how it went, me denying and he asking and asking till he finally stopped and ordered me to get him water.

“You piss on your body boy?” he asked when I came with the water.

“No sir”, I shouted, offended at the thought even though it was an almost.

“Well, that’s progress, I’ll teach you to be strong, but you won’t touch anything illegal, I won’t let you burn before you begin, me, I’m old, so if the police or any shit agency comes for me, I’m ready to go, but not you, you going to school and you’re going to be the best shit, because yes you’re a shit, but you’re going to be a damn fine one”, he said.

But all the while, I kept looking at the brown toothed fellow, who smoked tobacco and bullied people for money and how he will make me into what I saw for myself.

My heart burnt with anger as I saw a future with myself exactly like him and I wanted to break something, but I held it in and kept on looking at those brown tooth, so disgusting and annoying but I just nodded and gave him an obedient smile.

When he was satisfied with my nod he stood, “You’ll sleep atop the restaurant from today, boy, and lock up tight before you retire” he said as he left.

I stood at that spot grinding my teeth and squeezing my hands so tight.

After a while, I locked up and went to the room upstairs that was actually a store with a bed, that night I slept with rats and nightmares of myself as Jack and for the first time I actually really hated my life and I cursed the people who brought me into this damn world.