Life is so unfair, like when you are treated like an outcast by your own loved ones, because of your love status. I lived in a small ancient village called Barad, hidden upon old mountains and forests. It was a place of peace and people were remarkably diversified. We were vibrant people and our families honoured respect and loyalty, but deep down I knew that one day that same respect would vanish.

My dad, who was the leader of our village, disliked men who were interested in other men and I was so demotivated by this. It was not their fault or mine. Back then there was only one high school and it was mixed gender. I saw and found my destiny in that same school. It happened on a wet and rainy day. I was on my way to my ancient history class when I saw my soulmate. There was this myth my grandmother used to tell me that if you set your eyes on someone there’d be an immediate flash of light. It was called the flash of love, and when I saw ‘him’ a flash of light made me squint. That day everything changed.

My mother once told me she named me Golden because of the glow I had on my skin. She also mentioned my love for being in the woods. The woods in my eyes were a place of pure gold. Whenever I went there, I felt at peace and watched over. One day I saw a dark-skinned boy with blue eyes, and my heart pounded. He greeted and I didn’t even know what to say, I was too shy.

“Hi my name is Emmanuel,” he said.

“Hiii, I’m Emmanuel, I’m Jackson.” I responded. What a wonderful name, I thought to myself. He followed me and watched over me. From that day I saw him every day in the woods. We bonded with each other and it grew to love. We loved each other a lot that; we shared an oath. Emmanuel said, “I will always love you, you are my heart and soul. I’m lost without you. I love you.”

“I will never leave or forsake you my love. I love you too,” I assured. Our love and feelings for each other grew stronger every day. But the wind of pain and evil blew in our direction shortly after. One of my dad’s elders saw me and Emmanuel making passionate love in the woods and reported us to my father.

The whole village treated me like an outcast, but nothing could stop me from seeing Emmanuel. After that, my father ordered his men to catch Emmanuel and beat him to death with a battle-axe. Emmanuel fled. He showed me the true meaning of love. He promised me that he would take me away and we’d live in a cabin deep in the dark woods together. But he was never ever coming back.

I cried and cried the whole day. I felt like committing suicide. I couldn’t even stop my tears from dropping down my cheeks. Long after that incident, my one and only mother passed away under my father’s wrath. There’s nothing good in my life; it’s just pain, pain and pain!

I was banished from Barad by my father. Not a day went by without thinking about Emmanuel and my mother. I yearned to be in his arms. I was treated with disgust simply because I was a just a young boy who was in love with another boy. Did I go through all that pain? If they wanted me to stop loving Emmanuel I wouldn’t even have, he left me too soon.

Life stories don’t always have a happy ending. But the hardest part is to accept is that your own loved ones are the ones with evil intentions towards you. Sometimes life isn’t fair…

Tell us: What do you think about Jackson’s father after he banished his son?