James Hackett

This is the Nineties. It is a time when youths applaud violence appearing on screen and then go out on peace missions to save the earth. It is a time where the young publish magazines and rage against corruptive systems, yet prefer to hang out and lose their minds at parties. A time when they are at their most intelligent ever, yet unable to fully pinpoint the possibilities for the future. With such great responsibility and staggering consequences, young minds prefer not to face the coming times with negativity – at least the stronger minds do. The weak, however, became lost and confused: others have banded into groups and prey on those who have lost their courage to face their destinies. This group – the douens – are the lost and are constantly trying to grow their numbers before the end of the system of things. They there fore lash out in hurt and anger toward the gifted. The age old adage that if one cannot have it no one else can thus comes into play. The battle rages to the end of time, and who will win this is still questionable – for the evil grows.

“RUN KES!” cries Kayla over her shoulder to poor Keston, struggling to keep up. They were after them hell hard. Keston could not keep up. His mind was racing. His legs seemed numb. Suddenly, everything became a blur.

Earlier…

By the time the third couple in a row strolled past Keston, he had lost his patience.

“This damn girl always late boy,” He mumbled to himself as he checked his Seiko watch for the umpteenth time. Meeting Kayla proved to be a test of his resilience every time, but today, he was not in the mood. Dusting off his shoes and twisting his cap just that extra quater-inch to the left, Keston got off his perch on the Promenade bench. the pressure of mock exams was getting to him, and a cool stroll always cleared his head.

“Whey dat girl is boy?” he steupsed, looked at his watch one last time, and with a backward glance to double check, he was gone.

Just a few hundred feet away at the other end of the promenade, Redman was liming with his friends. Dusk was now beginning to creep in on the once glorious Saturday afternoon, and he was busily telling his crew about the new brands he had recently acquired. There was the Infinity jeans, Goodbody jersey, and the crowning glory, a khaki “Fisherman’s” hat. He flashed a proud smile as he modelled to Tania, his girlfriend, and the Duwane twins. She, a hot-tempered dark girl, whose attitude and character brought her many enemies, and the Duwane Brothers, always silent, always alert and so alike that peopel gave up trying to identify differences between them, were perfect company for the “young rebel”, as Redman’s teachers refered to the delinquent 16-year-old. Keston continued his walk along the dimly-lit Promenade, taking in the scenes and just trying to catch his thoughts. He was not going to leave Kayla, but needed to teach her a lesson for being late so often. They were already into their first week of mock exam, and they really needed to go over their History notes. He adjusted his Five Star folder in his right hand and continued the mental abuse of his good friend. His mind then drifted to Anton – he remembered the incident he had with the girls last week. Anton had a sudden change after that night; he became a member of hsi mother’s church and was all of a sudden on a “conscious vibes”, as he put it. He definitely changed, but he never told anyone about that night, save Keston and a couple of his other good friends. People would have made fun of him. Some believedit. Keston did not, for he used to hear the stories, but his opinion that such characters were figments of one’s imagination was yet to be proven wrong.

“Little bwoy, you mummy letting you out at this hour? What! Yuh getting big.”

Keston instantly recognised the voice. It could only belong to no one but the hated Redman. In school,  no one made him feel more miserable than redman. While Keston tried to better himself and his life, right in his way  stood Redman making a mockery of everything he did. Now he had to bounce him up, of all people, on a Saturday evening, when he did not even have school.

Keston lowered his his head and quickened his step. purred on by the jeers from his girlfriend, Redman continued the attack.

“Wham Kes, like yuh dunno nobody outside of school or what?”

“Look Redman, I ain’t have no time for you now,” returned Keston, the blood already rushing to his head, putting an end to his footsteps and giving him courage to confront the crew.

“take it easy hoss, nobody ain’t do you nothing… yet,” chuckled Redman as he took a step towards his prey.

“What yuh want?” Keston shot back.

“Me, I just want to show yuh a scene.” answered Redman and grabbed Keston’s arm disabling the other, and thus ending any thoughts about a struggle from his much stronger counterpart in one fluid motion. Suddenly Keston could not help himself. he wanted to be with these people he disliked. Now, they were somehow okay to be with.

Hustling, kayla arrived fifteen minutes later.

“Oh shucks man!” she shouted, “yuh mean Keston couldn’t ah wait for meh?” Looking around, Kayla kicked something on the ground. It was a Five Star folder with a Vox logo on the front.

“But this is Keston’s?”she wondered. Glancing around, there was no sign of the owner. She pickedit up and began to walk further on.

Keston didn’t even notice Kayla until she took his hand. The ranting and raving she had just performed hardly penetrated his clouded brain and confused thoughts.

“Come on Keston, doh lime with dem fellas,” urged Kayla as she pulled him away from Redman and friends. “Dem ain’t no good, yuh know, dey go only cause trouble,” continued kayla as he firm tigs barely moved her dazed friend.

“Wham gyul, like yuh doh see de fella ain’t want to go with yuh or what?” growled Redman.

Suddenly, he had begun to change. His eyes partially hidden by his hat, seemed to glow beneath, his voice had dropped, and his face hardened. “Oh GAAD!!” shrieked Kayla, snapping Keston out of his trance. As he looked up and saw the monster before him, his first thought was to run.

“Come girl, lewwe get out of it!” shouted Keston and the two took off, with Redman and company giving chase.