The man had a genuine smile on his face and he seemed calm infront of me.
"Well, why did u help me?" I asked.
His smile turned pale and sort of gloomy ,
he replied : " It's beacuse that when I saw you lying there unconscious, for some reason I had an urge to save you. I cannot really understand why I did that , even though you once tried to kill me and now I am housing a murderer beside me.
(I was surprised)

Then as the flame lighted up the room even more, I came to recognise his pale skin and chest which are almost skeletal. He looked worse. Was he sick ?
I felt a sense of despair on his face maybe that's because he was my grandfather but...

ha..umm.. excuse me son! Can you tell me your name? ( his eyes widened, I felt like he was trying to reach out for me)

They named me RIPPER ..right? My actual name ...( I bit my lip) it's Jack !
the name my mother gave to me; in my head I remembered every lovely moment I spent with my mom. I couldn't hold back my tears afterall I was a kid who got dragged into this nightmare.

The man spoke: Son..! that name of yours ,it's a nice one. I would have given it to my son if I had had any..
But you see...I have myself a daughter ; SARAH.
She was all frightened when I came home with you. She saw you that day when you tried to stab me( the man chuckled) but I told her it's alright cause I think there's something more good inside you.

I wondered about this man , how can he be so kind to me..?

He continued; you know, that day when you were in a resolve for an ending strike on me
I was completely petrified , my knees lagged I was in the point of death that's when I saw your eyes , those eyes showed the same fear that I felt at that moment. I don't know why you didn't make a move but I understood your pain which were deep inside of you - helplessness or some sort...

While I heard this sudden soothing words out of him I completely burst into tears ..
After coming here, there was nobody to understand any of the things that I suffered.
But this man who happens to be my grandfather read me like a book even at the brink of being murdered.

[The man began to cough rapidly]
By the look on his face I knew something worse is happening to him.

He looked at me back and smiled ,
I have a favour to ask you and I got not much time left , you see there's no hope for me and soon I will die for sure because of this wild disease inside of me which happened to be the one that killed my wife.

And now it has set it's grabs on me.
SON..the thing that I want to ask is that...
After I die would you take care of her, my DAUGHTER !

You may think why am I saying this to a man who tried to kill me before; but I do believe that you are not an evil person like the others think of you.!

Just looking at your face I can sense an innocent character inside you and I hope you will find a way to repent all the things you done.

[the man began to sob]
I can't let my daughter live all alone here after am gone. There is nobody else to be named a relative for us here. You must take her somewhere far , somewhere safe...
pleasee I beg you..!

Right that moment I realised what a kind and honest man my grandfather was. The only good thing that happened to me along through this nightmare (life) was this fortunate moment of meeting this man who treated me unlike others.

[ persisting deep coughs ]

I took his palm inside my both palms and prayed to him that" I will never let you down, I will protect her and I will ensure her safety. I Promise You!

He suddenly covered his arms around me and letted out the last cry of relief ; an affection that I desired for long in this cursed world




____to be CONTINUED...


















© AJ