《Invincible Kids》 Echoes The woman at the head of the line, her blonde locks catching the flickering torchlight, openly wept, her voice thick with desperation. "We should''ve found him by now," she cried, her anguish echoing through the night. "Where is he?" "Don''t worry, love, we''ll find him," her husband comforted, his arms wrapping around her trembling form, granting permission to let tears flow freely. She was my mother, and he was my dad, and all this turmoil stemmed from the disappearance of my little brother, Tonny, who had vanished three days ago on his way home from Mrs Mbiyus bakery. A local approached the sheriff, claiming to have seen a child resembling Tonny in a brown pickup truck, speeding off into the woods. With no solid leads, the sheriff mobilized a search party. The community rallied, pouring into the forest in a united effort to find him. As I scanned the darkness with my torch, I prayed for any sign that might lead us closer to Tonny, fearing with each passing moment that we were only straying further from him. 3 hours had passed since we had started out on this trail. It was 11 o''clock in the evening drawing closer to midnight and I could see the groups of people starting to part since they too had to get some shut eye. " Hansen," Zuri, my best friend called," you okay?" I look at her then back at the trail I was on. Tears plummet from my eyes and onto my cheeks. I quickly draw out my other hand and wipe of the tears and draw it back in my hoodie. Zuri stretches her hands around my waist and leans on my shoulder. I breakdown and rest my head on hers. "It''s alright, we''re going to find him," she assures me. I continue sobbing still tied up on her. "He just wanted a cake," I whimper," this would''ve never happened if only I ..." "Don''t," she cuts me off," it''s not your fault. You can''t blame yourself for what happened, there was no way you would have predicted it!" " But I could''ve done something if I was with him." She breaks away and takes my hand into hers. "We''re going to find him, " she draws closer to my ears," and when we find the person responsible, we''re gonna kick them where it hurts." "Thanks for being here now," "Don''t say that as if we were doing you a favor. You are my family. And I''m not here alone you know." She looks back at the search party behind us. " We got you." I give a faint smile but just enough for her to smile back. Zuri always had a way to lighten up my mood. I break off the hold and put my focus back on the woods and wander on ahead of her. "Crack!" We''re not alone. I flash my light towards the direction which the sound came from. Someone was watching me from behind the trees. I could feel it. I spot a finger then call out and immediately I hear footsteps drawing further into the woods. I turn back to tell Zuri to call the sheriff but on looking they were far off behind, and it looked as though they were trailing in another direction. I shout for them, but they are too far gone. Heading back to call them would mean losing track of the person in the woods. What to do! What to do?... "I can''t risk running into the woods all alone at this time by myself," I try to convince myself, " I also can''t run back to call my parents and the sheriff, the person might have already made a run for it if at all he has something to do with Tonny''s disappearance. " I might have been rash in making my decision, but you can''t blame me, my brother''s life is on the line. It was a do or dare kind of situation. " Screw it!" I look at the already thinned out party and back to the trees, I take a step forth, then two and in no time, I''m running in the woods trying to catch up with the steps. " I''m coming Tonny." Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! I am now walking, running my flashlight to and from, following the loud sound of twigs snapping and leaves crackling a good distance ahead of me. Who was this? What was he doing here at this time of the night? I asked myself. Was he even connected to Tonny or was he just a random dude running in fear of getting caught for another reason that wasn''t this. No. That couldn''t be it. Of all days the person had to be here today. He was most certainly connected to this. The running subsides and eventually dies down. He had stopped. Perhaps he was trying to lose me in the silence. I can''t hear him, only the sound of rushing water from the river. I decide to head out on that direction since I pretty much could find my way out from that side. I walk out of the woods and am at the river shore. I focus my light on the sand, and I almost immediately spot something. It was footprints. Not the adult size that I was expecting to find but tinny ones, just like Tonny''s feet. I follow trail seeming as though they were fresh and had been made not that long ago. I see him. Not Him, but him. It was Tonny, standing still looking in the direction of the waters. "Tonny." I say in a low voice unsure of what to do. I run to him. I get on my knees and hug him tightly in my arms. "Thank God you''re okay." I sob. I do a quick but thorough inspection on him. His unusually large ocean blue eyes still shone to the moonlight, but they were understandably dimmer than before. He was all good apart from some scratches on his wrist and cheeks. I rub the dirt off his face then take his tinny little arms into mine. He was still wearing his favorite white short and Ben 10 shirt that he would never get rid of unless forced off by mom. He felt cold. I removed my jacket and put it on him. "You must''ve been freezing. What are you doing out here? Who brought you out here?" He looks unblinkingly at me. His gaze was cold and freaking me out. Something was not right. Had he been harassed? I couldn''t help but think of that. He didn''t seem to be in pain but then what would I know. I had never been through such an act. I decide to first get him out of here then I could figure out what exactly happened. I lift him up to my chest and start walking, heading to the direction of the main road but all of a sudden, he becomes wild and starts scratching and biting me ruthlessly. I drop him and take a few steps back. " What the fuck Tonny!" I shout, "Don''t you want to get out of here?" I can feel blood trickling down from my neck. I run the back of my hand on it then wipe it off on my pants. Bloody nails. Why the heck did mum allow him to grow them? She never let me do anything I requested. He stares at me as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. I again get down on one knee and slowly place my hand on his shoulders. " What''s wrong Tonny? We can''t stay here." A tear plummets from his eyes and falls to the moist sand. I place my palms on his cheeks and with my thumb rub off the tear. He seemed to be in sorrow, in anguish, so much that he couldn''t talk. What should I do in such a situation? "Did the guy in the woods do anything to you? " I plead with him to tell me. I was worried. Not entirely about him but also about the man in the woods. Where was he? If we didn''t start to get moving, there was a chance he would catch us even before making it out of here. " Tonny, we have to go. We have to move now!" Slowly, he opens up his mouth and stutters. " Heeeelp...He...lppp me!" "Tonny, am right here, no one is getting to you. No one is gonna hurt you. I''ll protect you." I promise. "Find me! Find me!" His eyes slowly shift away from me and his expression changes into that of a horrified child. A shadow spawns on the ground. He''s behind me. He screams looking at the figure behind me.I quickly turn trying to catch the man off guard, but he was already anticipating that. He grabs my hand, and, in that moment, I catch a glimpse of him. He was dressed in all black, his face was covered with a black cotton ski mask that made it hard for me to determine his complexion or even race. He throws me aside as though I was nothing. My hand pops on the rough landing. I cry out in pain. It''s broken. I try to shift my focus from my pain to Tonny. The man looks down at me then turns and walks towards Tony whose feet looked frozen up to the ground. No! No! No! I have to get up.The man takes him up and places him on his shoulder. Tonny doesn''t resist. He doesn''t even flinch. Who was this man? How had he made Tonny so scared of him. I try to get back on my feet and for a brief moment, the pain seems to have shrunk down in me. I did not care what would happen to me, I just had to get Tonny back home. That was all I was thinking at that moment. I get up and start running at them, but I keep on stumbling and falling. The man doesn''t even turn to look at me. He just walks on. The pain settles in again. I fall down. I am weak. I can''t stand no more. In desperation I shout at the man ordering him to leave Tonny alone. Threatening that I had seen his face and would come for him. He stops. Yes, I''ve got him now. He turns and looks down at me. I could almost see the smile he made from underneath his mask. He pulls up his index finger and places it adjacently on his lips. I was shaken with fear. I froze, for the first time I believe I felt what Tonny must''ve been feeling. With nothing more to say or show. He turns and continues walking away. I could feel the tears forming up in my eyes. Their image became blurry. They slowly faded and blended in with the night. I had failed. As a son and brother. I was weak. "No! No! Noooo!" I scream, " come back here! Bring him back! " He was gone and so was Tonny. I sobbed. I sink my face into the sand moaning and crying. "Give him back! Tonny! Give him back!" Unrelievable past I sit by the bedside, hands gripping my hair not wanting to let go. Sweat oozed from every part of me. I was wet. I was in a trance. My mouth remained wide open gasping for air as though it had been choked out of me. "Tonny. " I was awake. It was only a nightmare. One that had tormented me since time immemorial. For a worser part of my life¡ª13 years, to be exact¡ªthis nightmare had persisted, and despite the passage of time, the event remained vivid in my mind. I was still far from recovery. A shadow drops in from the door. I lift my head and look. There stood Sheila, the better half of me. She stared at me perplexed by what she saw. She looked horrified. This was not the first time she had witnessed this from me and despite that, she still looked ever terrified by this ghastly image she saw. In her hand she had a glass of water with a pill on the other which I could tell was for me. I swiftly peek at the clock. It''s 3 AM. " Would you believe me if I told you the penguins caught me off guard this time too?" I try to lighten up the stiff mood in the room. She quickly paces over to me and places the glass on the cabinet by the bed. She sits by me and stretches her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulders. "It happened again. Didn''t it?" She asks. I try to evade her eyes. She''d already figured it out. " I''m okay," I assure her as I down the pill with water. "You don''t look okay." She says sharply but dimly. She reaches out and hands me the glass of water which I just hold I''m my shaking hands. She grips them then faces me. " Did you not meet up with your psychiatrist today?" "I did.", the normal 2-hour session," She''s eyeing me suspiciously, "plus an extra 15 minutes." I face down, only to avoid her worried face and tired eyes that I was causing. She breaks down in tears, crying and sobbing. For me. I lift my face to look at hers. "Sheila," I take hold of her hand and kiss it," I''m gonna be okay. I promise I''ll figure out a way to work all this out." I wipe off her tears and smile at her. "All I''m asking is for you to trust me and not worry. Please." "You always keep on saying that, but still..." she cries again. I take her hand and draw her closer to me. Slowly I tuck her into the blankets with me. I give her a kiss on her forehead and gently wrap my arms around her, her head lying flat on my chest. She tires out and sleeps. I''m still holding her. Eyes open afraid to sleep and relieve that horrifying night again. I''m afraid. I''m scared. I''m tired. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I take a peek of her and straighten up a wandering strand of her hair pulling it back in place. "Help me!" I plead to my God and any other force that was staring down at me. "Don''t let her cry on my behalf." ***** "Wake up sleepy head," Sheila calls. I slowly open my eyes to meet hers on top of me her face clear of the sadness it held during the night. "Can''t tell the time? The sun''s out genius! "It''s morning. She gives me a light kiss on the lips as she briskly gets off me. I turn my head and look at the alarm clock. 15 minutes past 9. I sit up and draw my legs out of the bed. Shit. My head''s killing me and I''m still tired. I stare at Sheila; she''s all dressed up to go to work. "What time did you wake up?" "6 -ish." She shrugs. "That early huh? "I sit up and run my palms across my face, still feeling the remnants of sleep lingering. "With all your sleep talking plus the gibberish singing in your sleep, I lost motive in pursuing my sleep any further," She laughs, "I even got time to work on my cooking." I cover my face in embarrassment. She smiles. " So, what''s on the menu today?" She looks away from the mirror and faces me, a villainous smile already evident on her face. "The usual." I fall back on the bed, palms back on my face. "Great." I mutter, "pancakes." She knows I hate pancakes. I sit back up and reach out for my phone, a message from work informing me of the meeting I had with the Inspector before noon and a good morning message from Morning Buzz. I really thought I had unsubscribed from their weekly texts a month ago. I decide to postpone the inevitable once more. Sheila is still working on her makeup. How much of that could she really need in her line of work? But then I really can''t complain, after all, it wasn''t a mistake to look as elegant as this every day. She suddenly puts her earring down and turns to face me. "It''s not right Hans," She snaps me back to reality, "we can''t keep going like this. You can''t keep living like that." "What?" I try picking up on what we were even on. "The nightmares are getting out of hand, and you''re not getting any better." "I''m gonna get better and...," "No, you''re not Brown!" She calls me by my second name. That''s how I know she is serious this time. "Ok, ok. I''m currently working on something, and it just might work." I tell her. She shrugs. " You mean like that time you decided on going to a hypnotist? " I open my mouth, but she beats me to it. "Or perhaps when you came up with the ridiculous idea of never going to sleep again? How''d that work out?"I stare away in embarrassment. "Ok, I get it. I''ll do better this time." She walks over to me and sits by my side, holds my hand in hers and stares at my eyes, deep into my soul. "Time for Better is over, we can only try to find the best solution for now. One that can help you and put an end to this charade!" I stare at her, weary of what she was about to utter. I could already guess it but didn''t want to say it. She wouldn''t tell me to do it. Not after what happened to me then. I couldn''t. I wasn''t ready. I would never be ready, and she knew it. "It''s time you made peace with your past. I think it''s time for you to go back home." "You can''t be serious about that," I chuckle, trying not to sound nervous. She nods. Slowly my hands slip from hers, I quickly stand and walk towards the closet then turn and give her a stern look at her. "No! No! Nooo! I can''t. Absolutely not!" I start to recall my past life of my childhood. How happy I was. How happy my family was. Then I see his body, Tonny''s body lying lifelessly before me. His face peeled off. My hands start to shake. I''m sweating. "You know that all this is happening because of what occurred back then. " "I do, and that''s why I''m insisting on it. Like it or not you didn''t just leave, you ran. Never made peace with your friends, mom, dad, not even Tonny. You left having not resolved a lot of things." I look back at her annoyed and angry with what she said. "You don''t mean that. You can''t really be insisting on it! " I say in a joking tone. "I wish I didn''t," she adds, her tone heavy with regret. I snort at her, unable to hold back my disbelief. " I''ve got a meeting in the office at 11. I need to make preparations," trying to redirect the conversation or better delay it for another day. Shes not arguing. she gets up and walks back to her makeup corner. She picks up her unkept earring, the other one already adorning her ear. Before securing it in place, she offers a parting remark, "Just think about it." Aduty to us. I walk into the meeting room and find Inspector Morris seated with two other men: their expressions clearly annoyed. Checking the wall clock, it''s already 11:15. I''m late. Striding across the room, I approach the trio, acknowledging each of them in turn. I''ve encountered them numerous times before, in various situations, ranging from meetings like this to Inspector Morris''s visits to our office for disciplinary talks. Inspector Morris is known for his no-nonsense attitude, always straight to the point and strict with his orders. Despite holding his current post for almost 20 years, he has steadfastly refused promotions, claiming he''d be nothing more than a government puppet. To me, it seems a salary increase wouldn''t hurt, considering his constant complaints about departmental issues and higher-ups'' demands. Despite his stern exterior, he''s a different person when his daughter, the attorney general, visits him, indicating a softer side to his character. As I take my seat, Morris wastes no time getting down to business. "I don''t intend to keep you here, Mr. Brown," he begins, "so I''ll keep the formalities short. On my right is Mr. Mark, a government official overseeing public servant behavior, and to my left is Officer Kennedy, whom I believe you''re well acquainted with, as he''s your unit supervisor." I nod at both consecutively. Morris flips through his file and finding the designated page, puts on his reading glasses and begins. "On January 14th of this year, you, Officer Brown, were reported to have physically assaulted Mr. Stephen, the culprit of his daughters murder, Esther Wangui. How do you plead?" "Guilty," I admit, seeing no reason to argue with the facts. "According to the law, as a member of the national security department, you are not supposed to indulge in physical combat with someone who has already surrendered himself." "Yes," I reply, acknowledging my wrongdoing. "And yet you did." "He had it coming," I scoff. Morris throws a displeased glance at me before continuing. "As a result of your incompetence, the defending lawyer of the victim in this case has filed a case against you, since his client had already surrendered when you attacked him." "Bullshit. He slit her throat right in front of me," I argue. Morris fixes me with a piercing gaze. "Try me again, Mr. Brown, and I''ll have your mouth sewn shut right here and now," it read. "Be it as it may, Mr. Brown, you still went overboard with the amount of damage you inflicted on him," he states, drawing out the medical examination from the file, "Broken nose and jaw, four cracked ribs, severe eye injury leaving him with impaired vision, fractured ribs making his mobility severely impaired." He takes a quick breath, lowering his glasses before delivering the final blow, "You''re looking at 3 to 10 years of jail time with all this on your plate. What do you have to say for yourself?" He killed her right in front of me, slit the 11-year-old''s throat there and then, and yet you expected me to act casually after he did that?" I can feel the anger rising in my voice, unable to contain the weight of what I witnessed. "It''s not your role to uphold justice at your own discretion, Officer Brown. You know there is a procedure to follow when such cases arise," Inspector Morris replies, his tone steady. "Were you expecting me to just let him off?" I retort, disbelief lacing my words. "Yes. Your duty was to bring him in, and the rest you leave for us," Morris states calmly. "But he laughed, damn it!" I explode, the memory of the perpetrator''s callousness still fresh in my mind. "He bragged about how he had been assaulting her for months, said she had served her purpose." Silence descends upon the room, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. Inspector Morris breaks the silence, his tone stern. "Mr. Brown, it would be wise to remember whom it is you are speaking to," he scolds. I can sense the shock in the room, my revelation catching them off guard. It takes a moment before the others compose themselves, their expressions hardening as they process the gravity of my words. Inspector Morris''s demeanor remains stern, his gaze piercing as he continues to address me. The weight of the charged atmosphere seems to hang heavier with every passing moment, as if the very air in the room is infused with the gravity of the situation at hand. "Officer Brown," he says, his voice measured but firm, "I understand the gravity of the situation and the reasons behind your actions. However, regardless of the circumstances, the fact remains that you assaulted an unarmed man." There''s a solemnity in his tone, a recognition of the complexities at play. Yet, beneath it all, there''s an unwavering commitment to justice. "I want to make it clear," Inspector Morris continues, his words carrying weight, "that while I sympathize with your predicament, you will still have to face the consequences of your actions. No one is above the law, not even those who act with the noblest of intentions." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. As Inspector Morris delivers the verdict, a mix of emotions swirls inside me, none of them particularly virtuous. "The counsel has taken into consideration that even though you were acting on the best of interest, it would be criminal to let you go unpunished just because you acted on what you believed to be right." Here comes the big drop. " We will be suspending you indefinitely until this matter is fully resolved. Your leave will not be accounted for hence you will receive no pension nor pay. Your badge and handgun will be handed over to the officer InCharge of your jurisdiction in this case Officer Kennedy and You will sign this document to prove that you have agreed to these terms and conditions." I had sensed the inevitability of this outcome, but as the verdict is delivered, a bitter taste fills my mouth. While part of me expected a harsher reprimand, another part is left feeling conflicted about the course of action I chose and that which they expected me to take. I reach into my jacket and draw out my badge and from the side of my pants my gun and push them across the table towards Officer Kennedy. Inspector Mark hands me the paperwork which i promptly fill out. Morris tells me that i will be given time to retrieve my personal items and clear my desk. Inspector Morris breaks the tense silence, his voice softer now, "Officer Brown, I hope you understand that this decision was not made lightly. We value your service to the department, but we cannot overlook the seriousness of the situation." " What about the killer?" " He is under custody awaiting his trial this coming Thursday. He is being charged with manslaughter and assault, looking at a life sentence from what I''m told." He deserves death. After delivering their final remarks, Inspector Morris, Inspector Mark, and Officer Kennedy exchange brief nods before rising from their seats. "We have other cases to attend to," Inspector Morris states, his tone businesslike. "We''ll be in touch regarding any further developments in your case, Officer Brown." With that, they file out of the room, leaving Officer Brown alone with his thoughts. It was done. I didn''t feel much guilt about what I had done; perhaps it was because I knew I had done no wrong for trying to knock some sense into that man. Why take the life of a child you made, cared, and raised, only to torture, rape and kill at the end? That, I could never understand. I know what I did didn''t make the situation any better; it didn''t even leave me relieved, but for what it''s worth, I knocked that annoying grin off his face. Sheila will be pissed. Perhaps she had a point; my mind wasn''t in the right place, and this just proved her right. I should have maybe withdrawn from attacking him the moment the first punch connected, but I kept hitting, never pulling back a single one. The suspension was indefinite, but that could mean weeks, or years at worst. I wondered how I was going to convey the news to my ever-paranoid fianc¨¦e, for I knew she wasn''t going to take it well. Sigh. All this thinking got me recalling the conversation Sheila and I were having that morning. As much as I would hate to admit it, she was right about me having some unresolved issues back at home. Ten years of distancing myself from them and still not better than I had hoped to become. I should go back home; I need to go back home to make peace with my past and give Tonny a final goodbye. I take out my phone and dial in my mother''s number. It had been months since I last had a talk with her. I should probably confirm if there will be anyone around when I stop by. I bring the phone close to my ear, anticipation mounting as I wait for her to pick up the call. I tell myself that if she doesn''t pick up, that would be a sign for me to disregard the idea, but sadly, three rings in, I hear a faint, smooth yet clear voice reply on the other end. "Hi, dear." I gulp. "Hi, mum." ***** " I have something to tell you," I initiate the conversation after an hour of silence. " You got suspended?" Damn! Word does go fast. " Uh, not exactly but that too was on the list." I start walking slowly towards her. She turns and gives me a stern look from the closet where she''s standing, folding the laundry. "I called mum while at the office," her expression changes from to that of being surprised. I reach down for her hands and cup them in mine, " we talked, and I told her I''ll be coming by within the week. " She gasps. " Are you being serious right now?" I draw a draw a cross with my right thumb on my chest. She throws her arms around my neck and i can hear her sob. " I don''t wanna see you cry any more. You''re important to me, so I''ll try my best to make it work." " I can come with if you don''t mind having me come along." " No, just stay back here, you have a lot of work on your plate and I dont want to be a hinderance to you." She falls back from lying on my shoulder and looks into my eyes. " You know you''ve never been a bother to me." " I know, but you''ve already sacrificed so much, and I don''t wanna pile up my faults on you any longer." She wants to interject but i cut her short. " Plus, this is something I believe i should. do alone. Once all is well, we''ll go back together and I''ll show you around," I put out my pinky and she locks it with hers. " Thanks for agreeing to this." I pull in and kiss her, " thanks for caring." She leans in and kisses me, our mouths staying connected for a few more seconds before I gently pull away. Caught up in the heat of the moment, I lift her up, feeling her wrap her arms around my neck as she continues to explore my mouth with hers. I place her on the bed and remain arched on top of her, I pull my tongue out from her small mouth and start descending to her neck throwing hickies as I go. Oh, the taste of her, how I always crave for it. I can''t help it; my tongue navigates circles around her neck and onwards to her breast. Not wanting me to stop the motion, I feel her arms reaching down to untie her blouse and I help her with it. She is bare, I fill my mouth with her breast and my hand relinquishing the other. Her soft moans drive me madder when I take a nip of her nipple and I feel vibrant and let out a slight moan. She chuckles, and I''m not having it. I trace my fingers down her belly through her skirt and into her warm inviting vagina and start motioning it slowly but rhythmically whilst in her. She is moaning, my mouth is getting wetter. I want to be in her, I need to be in her. I bite her ear making her let out a slight cry. I want you inside me," she whispers softly, her voice barely audible over the gentle rustle of the sheets. I can''t help but oblige. I pull back and down to her feet and start drawing her skirt downwards, my lips caressing her feet. I leave the panties on; I like it better when she has them on. I come back up, her arms on my pants, trying to unzip them. I let her do that, my obligations stand at continuing to please her. The pants are down to my ankle, that''s all that matters. I don''t push in but instead tease her for it as she continues moaning into my ears. " Put it in, please." she''s crying, begging. " Do it yourself." I feel her hand around my shaft, and the other on my back. I can feel my tip at her opening. She pulls me closer and immediately lets out a cry. I place my tongue in her mouth until the cry subsides and then begin to motion myself whist in her. We are in rhythm. Her and I. I quicken the pace; her moans rise in succession. I''m going deeper and deeper into her, her fingers are nailed to my waist, I can feel her burrowing into my flesh. I let out a moan. " I can''t take it," she lets out a yelp. I feel her orgasm wash over my shaft, and she is now crying. I''m not done yet. I turn her over and lay on her back and continue humping on her. I''m Cumming. I let out a grunt and start to slow my pace. Still in her, I turn her over once again, her tears are drying up. I lick them off then head back into her mouth where we stay for minutes before breaking up. "That was incredible," she says to me, still short of breath as I pull out. "I love you." I give her a gentle kiss on the lips and offer a smile. "I love you too."