His mother’s cries kept ringing in his ears. The disappointed expression on his father’s face kept flashing through his mind. The policemen handcuffed him quickly and let him to the police car waiting outside. His lips trembled as he tried to scream his apology to his parents, but not single word came out. He felt weak and cold. Taking the last glace at his terrace house, a pang of guilt hit him. If only he had turned away from the offer . . .
“Hi, Damin!” Philip waved his hand at him. Damin smiled and rushed over to his table in the library. “Don’t you think it is a kind of stressing, studying and preparing for our examination?” he sighed. Damin had known Philip since kindergarten and he always hated studying. Damin just chuckled in response. Philip’s marks were not very good, so were his. However, to get into their dream Secondary School, they sacrificed their time to study hard. Since they were in Primary 4, they had set their hearts on that school.
They went to the school library regularly after school to do homework and some revision together. They were preparing for the practice test that will be given the next day. Worn out, Philip leaned back on his chair. Damin continued doing his Math work. Clock ticked by. As he had just finished his work, Philip stood up. He had not ever done his Math works! Damin was just about to remind him when he packed all his things and lifted his bag.
“Let’s go home. I will just finish my homework later,” he said before Damin could ask where he was going. Philip had been acting strange for the last few days. He started going home earlier than usual. Damin recalled that it began when he had to stay back for extra lessons until five o’clock, the time when they usually headed back after revising. Damin also noticed the black circles around Philip’s eyes, as though he had not been sleeping well. He looked a bit thinner as well.
At first he thought maybe Philip had been burning the midnight oil for the preparation, but looking at his current condition, Damien smelled a rat. He often spaced out during class. Damin had to find the root of the problem. Thus, he decided to follow him that day. They usually walked together until the end of the street before parting ways. They separated there any time, but not that day. As soon as Damin was sure he had kept enough distance between them, he walked as silently as possible.
His curiosity grew when he saw Philip turning right to a small alley. He quickly followed him, hiding behind the wall. The scene before his eyes shocked him. A man in black clothes was handing Philip a can. Philip gave the man a few notes. The man shoved the cash into pocket and ran away. Meanwhile, Philip opened the can. He began taking a deep breath of the yellow-brownish liquid inside the can. Damin could not believe that his best friend was a glue-sniffer!
Out the corner of his eyes, Philip noticed Damin. Beckoning at Damin to join, Philip offered his can of glue. Damin immediately turned away as the smell of glue reached his nose. “It will make you light. You will feel relaxed,” Philip coaxed Damin. Damin started to be tempted by the words. With a shaking hand, he took the can and inhaled. The smell made him dizzy at first but he began feeling light. A cold sensation rushed through his body and made him feel like flying. He slumped next to Philip, sniffing away into a dark world.
Since then, he always followed Philip when he bought the glue. They would split the bill equally and sniff in the dark alley. His grades began dropping and he even failed the tests. His parents eyed him with suspicious whenever he asked for extra money.
After school, as usual, Philip and Damin were enjoying the glue in the alley when out of the blue, Damin heard a soft whistle and saw shadow moving in the darkness. Crouched where he was, he barely dared to breathe. He turned his head desperately to Philip, asking what they should do. His heart was slamming against his ribs, palpitating widely. Philip’s face was as white as sheet.
“Run!” Philip whispered as he leapt and dashed away. Throwing caution to the wind, Damin ran after his friend. He heard some shouts and the thud of heavy boots. He knew it was the policemen, patrolling to catch drug addicts. Damin picked up his speed. However, no matter how fast he ran, two policemen were managed to outrun him. They leapt after him and pinned him down onto the ground. Damin struggled. The policemen dragged him to his house where they informed his parents. His mother and father begged helplessly to let him stay with them, but the policemen ignored them and whisked away in the police car.
Here he sat, locked up. Damin took a look at his reflection in the mirror, at the person who crushed his future and hurt his parents; himself. He was trembling, feeling cold. Tears fell down his cheeks. He curled up on the cold floor of the Boy’s Home, full of regrets. Crying and crying, he could not stand the burden anymore. He just let himself go.
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Today: 2010-09-05, 13:04PM (All times are GMT +08:00)
Topic: Damin
