Round One: Intoxicated
Round Two: Intoxicated 2
Laid back comfortably in his swinging chair, he took his rest with a can of beer in hand. He opened his television to watch what's going on in the world.
"JJ was stabbed. The hospital attendants were rushing him to the operating room."
That was all he heard from the news reporter before the writer failed to resist his eyes from closing as his head rested itself in the head rest of his chair. But then, the story continued in his mind like a dream.
JJ was stabbed. The hospital attendants were rushing him to the operating room. JC stayed with him.
JJ and JC were best of friends since childhood. They have been neighbors and both were only child. JC loved to carry JJ on his back. They have an age difference of six years, him being older than JJ. They call each other, Brother.
JJ also liked to call him his horse. They have a good team up that made them win most of the Buddy Horse Race games in their neighborhood. Whoever reached the finish line first, running with a buddy friend at his back wins the race.
The money they won from the race, they used to buy ice cream and saved some till they were able to buy a ball to play with.
Both were raised by God fearing parents. From childhood, they have understood that God is a Father. So when both lost their fathers, they told themselves that from then on, their father is God. They call him The Father. They visited the church everytime they missed their fathers. They shared stories, cries and laughters inside or outside the church even without the knowings of their mothers. Together they survived from their tragic losses.
They grew up together and loved to play basketball at their eighteen years of age.
"I lost my father when I was still a child."
JJ was telling JC while playing basketball with him at the neighborhood court just a few days ago.
JC did not say a word, but just listened and played. JJ was making points ahead of him. They had agreed that whoever wins would be the one to be obeyed by the other.
JC wanted them to go to the local church and help distribute food to beggars on the streets; all the bread and bottle of water donated by the community to the church's call for generosity.
But JJ wanted to go out and find a "donor". He called his street victims as donors to his poverty stricken condition. His was a twisted reasoning to JC's.
They kept playing. JC started to play better until they reached the tenth point. JC smiled at JJ, while watching him holding the ball, breathing deep before throwing the decisive shot. He looked at JC, gave him a head shake and returned his smile.
"As I have said to myself, this eleventh throw will decide if I should come with you or do my everyday job."
JC disagreed.
"Come on JJ! Do not call your street robbery as a job. What you do is a sin. That is against our Father's will."
JJ looked at the ball firmly. Tears started to fill his eye, but he stopped it by blinking. It need not miss the deep observations of JC. Then JJ threw the ball, but missed.
"Oh, shit!"
JC went to catch the ball and did his turn. Without saying anything to JJ, he threw the ball. He did it. He won.
JJ had his legs folded, knees kneeled on the floor with head almost lying on his knees. JC could hear his murmurs.
"You win."
JC put his hand on his shoulder.
"I win. Now, let's go and you comply."
They went walking silently. JJ was walking with disturbed look on his face. He was looking around him. JC was quiet.
Then they reached the front door of the church. JJ stopped. JC looked at him.
"Come. Let's go in."
Instead, JJ turned around and sat on the third step of the three steps brick ladder to enter the church.
Crossing his hands between his knees, JJ was moving his head from left to right. Worried.
"I have to bring food to the house."
JC who was seated beside him answered.
"Let's get some from the church."
JJ answered.
"They will be just enough for today. Besides, they are for those who can't even move their feet to do anything. I still can."
After saying those words, he stood up and left JC alone.
It was JC's head that fell and his heart sad. He stretched his knees up and turned around facing the church.
"He's my brother. I'll go and find him."
Then he left.
"JC, where are you?"
The call on his name put JC back to his present from recalling in his mind what had happened before JJ was stabbed.
The operation was done. At the moment, JJ was kept alive by those medical tubes connected to his veins. JC raised up from his chair beside JJ's hospital bed.
"I am here."
JJ opened his eyes still violet in colors due to the hits he received from whoever he had fought with.
"Forgive me. I am so sorry. Tell Father the same."
JC took his hand.
"You will live. You will come with me."
Then there was a vanishing sound on the machine beside JJ's bed. All nurses and doctors came running.
After a while, outside the room, an old woman was crying. She was JJ's mother.
"My son is dead."
Another woman embraced her.
"I will take care of you. I have promised that to your son. He saved my life. He was the one stabbed after I left the bank and two robbers tried to get the bag with money donated for charity. We knew each other. So he defended me. But he was stabbed. I am so sorry."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The writer suddenly woke up hearing those noises from the television. He just realized then that he fell asleep from the latest news he remembered. And dreamed about.
Another news was being reported by the news station channel.
People's manifestations onboard their vehicles as they pass the news reporter and loud enough to wake him up.
He looked at his watch. It was a quarter hour till midnight. He looked at his papers and saw his story written with the title, He's My Brother.
He smiled to himself. He liked it.
"Now, no more writing."
He said to himself and bye-bye to his pen.
(c) bbayonito20/bethbciar
