Maria, a high school girl 14 years of age, was on the assembly ground, invigilating a group of students, all lined up reciting the national anthem. It was 7:45 am on a Monday when Maria told James, a trouble-making student, to step out of the line for improper conduct and dress. Students who default are set aside for punishment by the teachers after the assembly. When a fellow prefect came and asked her a question about James, the last student she had brought out, she froze as soon as she turned to look at him, unable to answer. A flash of memory came flashing in; it was the dream she had the night before.
(The Dream)
You are useless, a worthless lowlife I picked up, something I fully regret now. You don't help around, nor do anything in the house; all you do is lie around all day watching movies or playing games. You don't help around even when I beg you to, Jane said, screaming at Alex. Alex who stood there speechless unable to respond as a result of too much shock he is experiencing because he does everything in the house, he washes, cooks, clean prepare the kids for bed, does their assignments and practically raising them all Jane does is complain, about how he is inadequate and not doing anything. A sharp pain brought him back to reality. Alex touched his face as he realized Jane had just slapped him. Jane interpreted the silence from Alex as a sign of disrespect because he was frowning as he was remembering all his experiences, but he didn't realize he was frowning. Frustrated, Alex said Why did you slap me? What did I do to deserve this, he shouted at her. He took a step to approach her, and she took two steps backwards, hitting her back against the gas cooker where water was boiling. She screamed as she turned. Alex noticed that some of the water slipped and touched her back, causing a minor burn. Alex rushed to help her when she hit the pot there by Spilling the water on Alex as he approached her, there by burning him on his legs, he screamed from pain as Jane stood there looking at him with satisfaction on her face. Alex fell to the ground and started screaming in pain as two men were biting him, kicking him in the stomach, and every part of his body. The person making this assault was Greg, his uncle, the husband of Jane. The beating from Greg and the other person continued for 30 minutes, and all the pleading explanations fell on deaf ears; he was just getting beaten. Then at about 11 pm, the family set up to bed, leaving Alex bloodied on the floor, crying from pain. At about 2 am, the crying stopped, and Alex started begging for water and pleading with anybody to help him. Just as 6 am rowed by Greg got up to get dressed for work he walked into the kitchen seeing Alex where the left him, kicked him and started scolding him that the should stand up and cleaned the kitchen its a mess from his blood he realized that Alex wasn't moving and he screamed waking up Jane and the other man who rushed into the kitchen. They all looked down at the cold Alex's body and found out he was dead.
(Back to the Assembly Ground)
Hey, hey, a finger flicking in front of Maria's face snapped her back to reality, where she said 'huh', ooh Alex, sorry, what did you say, "WHAT DID JAMES DO THIS TIME?", he said half shouting. Indecent dressing and disturbing the assembly, I responded to him, still trying to get myself together. You, Prefect, think you are God's right, James said, interrupting us all of the sudden, we are mate, and yet because of some title and backing of the teachers you think you are authority, he smirk twisted his lips before the laugh came, let see what will happen after school. He finally snapped, looking directly at Alex, which drew a lot of attention from the other students and some teachers . What did you say Alex said, stepping into James' line of sight, I dare you to repeat it Alex said, continuing his statement, but James kept silent, said nothing, and Mr Steven gathered all the students awaiting punishment and took them away.