The following day when I woke up Uncle Mishark wasn’t there. I patiently waited and waited for him but he never came back. My wheelchair was far from me so I couldn’t get on it. While I struggled trying to take my medication and water on the side board, there was a knock on the door. To my surprise it was Martin.

“Sbu! My old friend.” He greeted.

“How the hell did you get here?”

“Well, your wife helped a lot, since you are unreachable.”

“What do you want?”

“Sbu, we’ve been partners and friends for a while now. I had to check up on you. Why do you have to be so defensive, I’m on your side, I even brought you good news.”

“What good news?”

“Clients keep asking about you. Others threaten to find themselves new lawyers if they don’t get represented by you.”

“Let them go, I’m not ready to face the world yet.”

“Sbu, you can do it, I know you can. The fact that you can’t walk doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for you.”

“I’m sorry Martin, I can’t. All I want is to sell my shares so I could be able to get myself out of this hell hole.”

“You don’t need to do that, come back to work Sbu! Your life will be back to normal in no time.”

“I’m not ready, I’m sorry.”

“Think about it man!”

He took out a phone and gave it to me. “I’m tired of having to ask people about your whereabouts. This is the company phone, you can have it. That way it won’t be difficult to call me back after you’ve given this a thought. I stored my number in it as well as the numbers I thought you’ll need.”

“I can’t accept this.”

“You will Sbu, that’s a gift and I’m not taking it back.”

“Fine, can you help me get on that wheelchair?”

“Sure man.”

After he helped me get on the wheelchair, I put the phone under my pillow and wheeled myself to the gate, walking him out.

“I’ll be waiting for your call man.” I nodded then he left.

I started asking myself where Uncle Mishark could be. It was just unlike him to up and go without saying a thing. Maybe he went to get us some fish and chips because our dinner was sabotaged the previous night. I stood at the gate hoping Uncle Mishark would emerge but a truck parked in front. It was from the furniture store.

They started off-loading it. There was a Plasma TV, a new fridge, bed and music system. It was an obvious case; she was the one who took our money. I found myself unable to control myself as I sat there and watched her show off to her neighbours, telling them that her son, Solly, bought them for her in cash.

I wheeled myself out in search of Uncle Mishark. I didn’t know most of the places but I first checked him at bra Dan’s Tavern and he wasn’t there. Some woman gave me directions to another tavern. I met a boy of about ten and I asked him to push me there. On our way, before we could get to the tavern, there were a crowd of people gathering around. They looked like they were looking at something pretty interesting.

“Eh boy go diragalang kua?” I asked the boy but he didn’t know. So we went to see.
We were not able to see through the crowd but something kept me there. When the mortuary people arrived people scattered to give them space and I came face to face with Uncle Mishark’s neck tied to a tree, his eyes and mouth wide open.

His words came back rushing in my head: it’s better to be dead than to live such a life!
My whole world came crashing down.

***

Tell us what you think: Do you suspect foul play or was Mishark’s death a suicide?