On a cold, rainy day during the winter of 1998, I was a little boy full of wishes and dreams, but that changed overnight.

It was on a Monday evening at about 20:30. Both my step-mom and I were waiting for my Dad to come home. I loved the guy so much that when I heard his car hooter I jumped up off the sofa, going straight to open the gate and garage. I hoped to get a reward, which was normally money for school lunch if I behaved well.

When Dad came in both me and my stepmom welcomed him with a warm cup of coffee and supper and we all watched television. I was on Daddy’s lap when someone knocked on the door three times.

Mom looked at Dad…

They both looked at each other with that “Are you expecting someone?” look, but neither of them spoke. So Dad lifted me up and we went to open the door.

There was a man at the door. He never said anything but let his gun do the talking for him. He shot my father sixteen times. With God’s mercy I survived because my Dad threw me on the floor!

In the days that followed I saw that guy every day. I was filled with anger for revenge but I was powerless to defeat him. So I told myself that one day I’d get him. I even prayed to God that He keep the guy alive until I was strong enough to carry a gun myself.

Unfortunately the guy died when I was thirteen years old. My step-mom killed him.

I was very angry because I wanted to do it myself. The fact that she saw the guy every day worked her up so much that one day in the early hours of the morning, she got up, put her clothes on and went out without a word.

Later she returned and went back to bed. I saw she was crying but I didn’t suspect anything.

The following day we heard that the guy had been burnt to death. So I just knew my step-mom had something to do with it. She took a chair and asked me to sit down.

“I’ll call your mom to come and fetch you because I am going to jail,” she said and then she called Mom and then the police. Since that day I never had a chance to hug or even kiss her. I miss her so much and wish she’d be back soon.

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Tell us what you think: Do you believe in taking revenge? Why? Why not?