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THE LAST PARTY : The proof of maturity.
#WritcoStoryPrompt59
Daniel was born a healthy male baby. Throughout his childhood, he practiced well manners and proper etiquette. Suddenly, on his 20th birthday, he fell into a month-long coma. Once he woke up, he was Daniel no more. He couldn't resist the habit of saying or doing mean things that would degrade and humiliate another persons’ dignity. This took a toll on his daily life and once stable and loving relationships became broken and bitter shipwrecks. Living a new life, we follow a new world he stumbled upon, a world filled with disrespect and vile manner.
If anyone had predicted the down turn of Daniel's life now, no one would have bought that "story" unless a soothsayer was in the picture. Even Daniel himself would have no cause to believe it because he knew he was raised well.
The last week of June seemed to have a different story for his life. It was the last week of his nineteen years on earth. It had him unusually mounted with strange pressure. Pressure of adulthood or show of maturity.
His beloved cousin, Toby, who had just returned from Lagos, and his two friends Philip and Raymond subtly cajoled him to follow them to a party in the neighbouring street. It was a harmless invitation. His mum had let him go on the condition they'd be back before midnight at most, and because she knows the son she has.
They had dedicated that week (monday to saturday)to hanging out and catching up. But that Saturday night's outing was more fun and tense.
Toby told him to learn to do some necesary things he'd not find hard to do as an adult, things or activities he'd not feel ashamed doing because they were okay. He was taught to drink some strong alcoholic drinks, some of which had creamy and sweet tastes that he didn't decline.
It was during one of the games they played in the party(the devil's mail bag) that he was dared to drink some strong alcoholic concortions in a glass cup as an option he chose over bizarre ones he wouldn't see himself doing. They all gave him the drink based on the fact they had already groomed him to drink since the beginning of the week. He should be in their level now, so they thought.
Fortunately for them all, they had eaten before the party and then the party came to an end at exactly 8:30pm . Ten minutes later ,they were en route to their different destinations.
Morning came like the speed of light. It was the dawn of the first day of August, the day that'd mark Daniel's entrance into adulthood. His twentieth birthday.There was going to be a mini party in the noon to mark this day and it would have in attendance some family members and few friends.
The night before, Daniel couldn't fathom how his body was acting since his return from the party. He felt hungry but was too tired and weak to eat again at night. He managed to shower and lay down. His head was too heavy and hot that he felt an elephant sat on his head. He tried shouting for his mum's attention but he was too weak to strain his voice higher . He could only mutter some sounds. His mum whose room was upstairs was a deep sleeper and couldn't hear his voice. Daniel finally fell asleep ,after struggling to stay awake.
Meanwhile, on the morning of first of August, Daniel refused to come out of his room. The house that bustled with activities didn't seem to appeal to him. His mum, went to his room to call him but she met him still sound asleep. Dried tears left some traces on his cheeks. She wondered why he'd still be sleeping in unusually till late morning. She didn't hear his normal cheerful morning greetings of " Good morning my beautiful mum and how was your night? .She didn't hear his high pitched singing or laughter which was somehow his routine . Her curiosity got the better of her as she shook him and kept on without any response . His breathing was faint but that was the only movement that came from him...She hurriedly called her brother who helped to rush him to the hospital.
He was put on a stretcher and rushed to the I.C.U. The doctor 's diagnosis said he had already fallen into a coma as a result of alcohol intoxication.
He was placed under oxygen and his heart rate was monitored on the heart monitor. Rosemary had cried her eyes out to watch her son like that. She had feared him dead but the doctor had told her he fell into a coma and that it'd seem to be a long one. She cried ,begged and prayed at his bed side.
Oceans of regret flooded her mind as she blamed herself for allowing him attend the party. She trained him well and it even showed in his character. She didn't feel the need to stop him from going out as she didn't feel like an uptight and very strict parent.
The plans for the party that would have welcomed him to adulthood, were postponed. Toby and his two friends visited him at some time and secretly regretted their actions. They would have allowed him still be the good boy he was, they thought...
A month later, thirty six days later to be precise; a miracle happened. A supposed miracle that would take a toll on everyone who knew Daniel.
While his mum sat by his side as she had always done during her visits, she caught a glimpse of a moving finger. Then two fingers....then his hand. She ran to call the doctor whose eyes darted to the monitor . His heart beat had normalized. He checked him with his stethoscope once more and some more checks were done on him. She hugged him with tears of joy running down her cheeks but his response was very cold and she felt it.
The doctor managed a smile and told Rosemary her son is back to her. He didn't fail to tell her that he'd need some time to return to his normal state.
It's two weeks after his arrival to the house and his mother already feels she is living with a stranger. Instead of the normal sweet greeting and praises she got from him, she got very cold "good mornings," and sometimes "good evenings and good nights" .
To every polite statement or question, he gave a rude and harsh remark or reply. He barely complimented his mum for the good meals as he used to or for any good deed done to him by anyone. He became a master of vain and vulgar words, something he'd never do before. His once loving and endearing nature became appalling overnight. Everyone began to give him some yards of space, for their on sanity sake.
In his room, Daniel would throw tantrums, shout,and even cry. His nights or siestas were mostly filled with unexplainable nightmares . Sometimes ,he'd hallucinate and see things no one saw or heard. He was always on edge...very scared but he never knew what he was fighting with.
His mum would spend some of her days tending to him, but from far. She'd pray, sing and cry and sometimes his shouts will cut deep through her prayers or activities. She was hurting but she knew he was hurting more. She would have believed he wasn't her son if not for the same face and voice this Daniel had with her former Daniel.
She missed her son and wants him back. She vowed to go any length to make her son, her Daniel come back to his loving self.
© Chinnyfab
Daniel was born a healthy male baby. Throughout his childhood, he practiced well manners and proper etiquette. Suddenly, on his 20th birthday, he fell into a month-long coma. Once he woke up, he was Daniel no more. He couldn't resist the habit of saying or doing mean things that would degrade and humiliate another persons’ dignity. This took a toll on his daily life and once stable and loving relationships became broken and bitter shipwrecks. Living a new life, we follow a new world he stumbled upon, a world filled with disrespect and vile manner.
If anyone had predicted the down turn of Daniel's life now, no one would have bought that "story" unless a soothsayer was in the picture. Even Daniel himself would have no cause to believe it because he knew he was raised well.
The last week of June seemed to have a different story for his life. It was the last week of his nineteen years on earth. It had him unusually mounted with strange pressure. Pressure of adulthood or show of maturity.
His beloved cousin, Toby, who had just returned from Lagos, and his two friends Philip and Raymond subtly cajoled him to follow them to a party in the neighbouring street. It was a harmless invitation. His mum had let him go on the condition they'd be back before midnight at most, and because she knows the son she has.
They had dedicated that week (monday to saturday)to hanging out and catching up. But that Saturday night's outing was more fun and tense.
Toby told him to learn to do some necesary things he'd not find hard to do as an adult, things or activities he'd not feel ashamed doing because they were okay. He was taught to drink some strong alcoholic drinks, some of which had creamy and sweet tastes that he didn't decline.
It was during one of the games they played in the party(the devil's mail bag) that he was dared to drink some strong alcoholic concortions in a glass cup as an option he chose over bizarre ones he wouldn't see himself doing. They all gave him the drink based on the fact they had already groomed him to drink since the beginning of the week. He should be in their level now, so they thought.
Fortunately for them all, they had eaten before the party and then the party came to an end at exactly 8:30pm . Ten minutes later ,they were en route to their different destinations.
Morning came like the speed of light. It was the dawn of the first day of August, the day that'd mark Daniel's entrance into adulthood. His twentieth birthday.There was going to be a mini party in the noon to mark this day and it would have in attendance some family members and few friends.
The night before, Daniel couldn't fathom how his body was acting since his return from the party. He felt hungry but was too tired and weak to eat again at night. He managed to shower and lay down. His head was too heavy and hot that he felt an elephant sat on his head. He tried shouting for his mum's attention but he was too weak to strain his voice higher . He could only mutter some sounds. His mum whose room was upstairs was a deep sleeper and couldn't hear his voice. Daniel finally fell asleep ,after struggling to stay awake.
Meanwhile, on the morning of first of August, Daniel refused to come out of his room. The house that bustled with activities didn't seem to appeal to him. His mum, went to his room to call him but she met him still sound asleep. Dried tears left some traces on his cheeks. She wondered why he'd still be sleeping in unusually till late morning. She didn't hear his normal cheerful morning greetings of " Good morning my beautiful mum and how was your night? .She didn't hear his high pitched singing or laughter which was somehow his routine . Her curiosity got the better of her as she shook him and kept on without any response . His breathing was faint but that was the only movement that came from him...She hurriedly called her brother who helped to rush him to the hospital.
He was put on a stretcher and rushed to the I.C.U. The doctor 's diagnosis said he had already fallen into a coma as a result of alcohol intoxication.
He was placed under oxygen and his heart rate was monitored on the heart monitor. Rosemary had cried her eyes out to watch her son like that. She had feared him dead but the doctor had told her he fell into a coma and that it'd seem to be a long one. She cried ,begged and prayed at his bed side.
Oceans of regret flooded her mind as she blamed herself for allowing him attend the party. She trained him well and it even showed in his character. She didn't feel the need to stop him from going out as she didn't feel like an uptight and very strict parent.
The plans for the party that would have welcomed him to adulthood, were postponed. Toby and his two friends visited him at some time and secretly regretted their actions. They would have allowed him still be the good boy he was, they thought...
A month later, thirty six days later to be precise; a miracle happened. A supposed miracle that would take a toll on everyone who knew Daniel.
While his mum sat by his side as she had always done during her visits, she caught a glimpse of a moving finger. Then two fingers....then his hand. She ran to call the doctor whose eyes darted to the monitor . His heart beat had normalized. He checked him with his stethoscope once more and some more checks were done on him. She hugged him with tears of joy running down her cheeks but his response was very cold and she felt it.
The doctor managed a smile and told Rosemary her son is back to her. He didn't fail to tell her that he'd need some time to return to his normal state.
It's two weeks after his arrival to the house and his mother already feels she is living with a stranger. Instead of the normal sweet greeting and praises she got from him, she got very cold "good mornings," and sometimes "good evenings and good nights" .
To every polite statement or question, he gave a rude and harsh remark or reply. He barely complimented his mum for the good meals as he used to or for any good deed done to him by anyone. He became a master of vain and vulgar words, something he'd never do before. His once loving and endearing nature became appalling overnight. Everyone began to give him some yards of space, for their on sanity sake.
In his room, Daniel would throw tantrums, shout,and even cry. His nights or siestas were mostly filled with unexplainable nightmares . Sometimes ,he'd hallucinate and see things no one saw or heard. He was always on edge...very scared but he never knew what he was fighting with.
His mum would spend some of her days tending to him, but from far. She'd pray, sing and cry and sometimes his shouts will cut deep through her prayers or activities. She was hurting but she knew he was hurting more. She would have believed he wasn't her son if not for the same face and voice this Daniel had with her former Daniel.
She missed her son and wants him back. She vowed to go any length to make her son, her Daniel come back to his loving self.
© Chinnyfab
