JUSTICE_ISH(Part Three)  – I_AM_EXOUSIA



…..Mark raced the patrol car at full speed to Kathy's parent's apartment. The address the dispatcher gave of  the reported assault happened to be Kathy's address, he knew the address by heart since he had taken Allison there a number of times. Barely had he put the car to a stop that he dashed out of the car, raced up the stairs to the third floor which contained  Kathy's room. On barging inside the house, nothing in his 24 years as a cop and 16 years as a parent had prepared  him for what he met inside the house. Bottles of beer littered the floor of the living room,  the air thick with the pungent residual stench of marijuana and on the floor lay his precious daughter. The sight was too horrible to behold, leaving his partner to search the house for Kathy,  he carried Allison down the stairs to the patrol vehicle, shortly Phillipe joined in with Kathy behind him. Phillipe used the car radio to call for paramedics which came to transport the girls to the hospital.

What was intended to be a girls night had gradually degenerated into a nightmare,  Kathy had met the boys a week ago at the local diner, they exchanged numbers and went there way,  Allison had come over since her father was on the night patrol. After the girls ran out of things to do, Kathy suggested  calling the boys to come over, since they were in the neighborhood. They gladly agreed and offered to bring along ‘some light entertainment’. The girls were coaxed into taking a little puffs of marijuana and continued gradually till they became high and wasted. The boys seeing  that the girls were not in their right frame of mind went on to cajole them into sexual activities without any form of protest from the already intoxicated girls.

The next day, mark reported the matter at the station and request a warrant of arrest for the boys.  The two boys were arrested in the afternoon but later released before dusk. Infuriated by this,  mark asked the superintendent why the boys that raped his daughter and her friend would be freed. He was made to understand that there was no concrete evidence to indicate rape, the boys were able to provide a tape evidence which showed that the girls were not forced, and that whatever happened  was consensual, so mark had no case.

The incident turned mark into the Hero/Villian standing with his head down in the courtroom awaiting judgement. After the rape, Allison committed suicide as the shame was too much for her to live with, clearly filled with anger and vengeance, Mark resorted to taking the law into his hands . He sought out the boys that raped his daughter, kidnapped and tortured them to near death before he released them. This led to his dismissal from the police force. With nothing left to live for, mark became some sort of neighborhood vigilante, Helping those who according him were 'cheated' by the law. He sought out and maimed any neighborhood bully. The crack dealers were not left out. He killed and incapacitated anyone considered as a societal problem. To some, he became a Hero, to others a villain, but what would the Jury have to say about this man who although via non-conventional methods had been able to rid the streets of criminals,? who had singlehandedly brought down drug lords and pimps?

“We have agreed on a verdict my lord!” The jury foreman said a second time and this time, even the streets was silent. If you listen well enough, you could literally hear the flow of blood in your veins.  “ehm!! ehm!!” The foreman cleared his throat, “after a long deliberation, the gentlemen and women of the jury have unanimously agreed that Mr Mark Hattaway is guilty!!! And hence our verdict. Death by electrocution..”

The entire courthouse was thrown into a frenzy, as mixed reactions trailed the judgement. In spite of all this, For the first time since the case started, Mark lifted up his face and Smiled.

THE END 

This short story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, events, places and names depicted are entirely fictitious or are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2018 by I_am_Exousia

All rights reserved. No part of this piece may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the copyright owner.

Sacrifice : A long lost virtue - By Neo


America has a problem. A problem a problem of greed. Oftentimes, we have come to regard Third World countries especially those under Dictatorships as hotbeds and epicentres of corruption. But inasmuch as corruption is an offshoot of greed, greed on its own part is a father of many more ugly vices. Little wonder our moral compass as a nation is completely off, thereby making our claim of being the moral benchmark of the world not only laughable but outrightly preposterous.

Today, we have have a ridiculous debt profile. This country is literally run on a deficit. Maybe this is not so much of a problem for us to manage, but as the “shining beacon” we claim we are, we set an antecedent which other less capable nations are dancing to. This creates a dangerous cycle that will most likely spiral out of control with catastrophic consequences, which may likely make the Great Depression of the 30’s look like a walk in the park.

Part of what contributes to the debt problem in America is our demand for instant gratification. This nation seems to lack the capacity and fortitude to sacrifice. We preach fiscal responsibility then do the complete opposite. A young man comes of age and instantly wants what it took his parents a lifetime to accumulate. “The American Dream” has been completely misunderstood and redefined. The Greatest Generation this country ever saw survived the depression, and they did so debt free. Even the Second World War was fought by a nation of men and women willing to sacrifice their lives for the values we hold dear. Sadly, this tenacity as laudable as it might be, seems to be lacking in the 21st century America.

This contemporary generation basically invented the world debt. Debt is now so common that even thirteen-year-olds now carry credit cards instead of cash. It really is sad as consumerism and self gratification continue to erode our collective will to sacrifice, hence destroying the very quality that made us a great nation in the first place.

Suffice me to say that America is on a precipice and honestly it can go anyway. It is universally accepted that a nation is only as strong as its convictions and moral components. The time for a reality check is frankly far gone. It is time for a paradigm shift in the American psyche as a conscious effort should be put into championing the values that made us great in the first place. An America where fairness, equality, equity and sacrifice are the pillars.


All rights reserved.This article conveys the thoughts of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of this blog. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neo is a social scientist, with the burning desire to make America great again. You can contact him via email; Neofwesh@gmail.com.
Kids love intriguing short bedtime stories. These short stories can be a fun filled and interesting way to teach your children morals and right conduct.

When it comes to short stories for kids with morals, look no further. Here are some wonderful and famous short stories in English to both excite and educate your kids. ENJOY...

10 SHORT STORIES FOR KIDS.




1. THE GOLDEN GOOSE.
This short story is about a farmer who had a goose that laid one golden egg everyday. It focuses on the theme of greed and how it can ruin lives.
The Golden Goose

2. THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF.
This classic short story teaches kids about the dangers of being untruthful and raising false alarms.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf

3. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
Three little pigs is a story which teaches kids how proper planning and hard work can trump over-confidence and greed. This short story is rich in morals and values.
The Three Little Pigs

4. LION AND THE MOUSE
This story teaches kids how acts of kindness are always rewarded. How regardless of your size and appearance, you  can always make an impact.
Lion And The Mouse

5. THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
This story is based on the concept of working hard today for a better tomorrow. It teaches kids about the futility of wasting away their precious time instead of studying and working hard.
The Ant And The Grasshopper

6. THE HONEST WOOD CUTTER
Tells the story of a woodcutter who lost his axe in a stream and for being truthful was greatly rewarded. It emphasizes the saying "honesty is the best policy".
The Honest Wood Cutter

7. THE BEAR AND THE TWO FRIENDS
Being a good friend is all about being there for each other when it matters most. The Bear and the two friends is a story that teaches kids about true friendship.
The Bear And The Two Friends

8. THE SELFISH HORSE
This short story teaches kids the value of helping others. Sometimes we end up helping ourselves when we help others.
The Selfish Horse

9. A FOX AND A CRANE
"Do unto others as you will have them do unto you", so goes the golden rule. This short story emphasizes this rule.
A Fox And A Crane

10. FRIENDS FOREVER
This story is about friendship between a frog and a mouse, and how your actions against others can backfire.This short story emphasizes the saying "Don't dig too deep a pit for your enemy, you just might fall into it."
Friends Forever

As Justice-ish enters the second part, this short story continues to intrigue as the plot thickens and Mark Hattaway's life just might be hanging on a thread.

Justice-ish (Part Two) - I_am_Exousia


….Mark Hattaway had been a traffic cop in the city of Manhattan for 12years. During his years on the job, he had given his fair share of tickets. Mark lived in a modest apartment in downtown Manhattan with his only source of joy, his 17 years old daughter, Allison. Mark had Allison in the second year of his marriage to his now deceased wife Alice.

He had met Alice at a backyard barbeque get together held by one of the boys in the office. Alice was a brunette with beautiful long hair, slender figure with curves enough to make the blood boil in a priest,  but what struck and attracted Mark to Alice was her level of intelligence. She was knowledgeable in various subjects. Mark found her easy to hold a conversation with and after a few dates they decided to hold unto each other. The duo got married shortly after .

Allison was born two years after their marriage. She was born with her mother's eyes and hair, possessed Mark's full lips and frail complexion; in general she was a beauty to behold. At the birth of Allison, Mark felt his life was complete, he had a good job, he was leaving traffic for patrol which was much better as it would give him more time to spend with his little pumpkin and his beautiful wife Alice. That was until Life dealt him a fatal blow when after 8 months of Allison's birthday, Alice was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a deadly form of brain cancer. He requested for time off from work to take care of his sick wife and little daughter.

Seven months later, Alice died.  At that very moment, Mark's world came crashing down. He disconnected himself from his social circle, moved out of the apartment he shared with Alice and vowed never to love any other woman.

A month after the loss of his wife, Mark returned to work but as a different person. He had lost his charm, the smile was gone, his hair and poise looked defeated; indeed life had dealt him a cruel blow. He decided to put his heart and attention in the only two things he had left and cared about, his daughter Allison and his job. This had kept him going for the past 16 years.

It was a rainy Tuesday night and Mark was on duty. He actually hated working the night shift as he preferred staying at home with Allison. Over the years he had built a certain level of friendship with his daughter that was enviable. He was her confidant and best friend. When she was little, he learnt how to braid and pig tail her hair, took her to school everyday and Made it a point of duty to be present at every of her recitals and school performances. He taught her how to play baseball  and even took her to watch the games. On rainy nights, they would sit together in the living room to watch telenovela. They were like peas in a pod.

Allison had grown into a beautiful teenager, with beautiful eyes and Raven black hair like that of her mother. She was the captain of Manhattan Central High Female Baseball team, a straight A student and in a comfortable spot for a college scholarship. She was the heartthrob of the entire student body. She had just one close friend and they had been friends since preschool. Kathy Brown had attended the same elementary, middle school and now the same high school with Allison. They were the true definition of best friends as even some folks assumed them to be sisters.

Mark sat in his patrol car that night next to his partner,  Phillip. He let his mind wander off to his daughter, she would be going off to college next year, although she was straight A student and in line for a college scholarship, still he had enough saved up for her college education. When it came to his daughter,  he left nothing to chance. Tonight, since he was on duty, she would be over at Kathy's working on some school project, talking about boys or whatever girls her age do whenever they are together. The cackle of the radio jolted him back to reality, he adjusted the knob on the radio and listened to the dispatch…..


Watch out for the concluding episode

This short story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, events, places and names depicted are entirely fictitious or are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2018 by I_am_Exousia

All rights reserved. No part of this piece may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the copyright owner.
Leisure is a famous poem by renowned poet, William Henry Davies.This poem talks about how people seldom take out time to live a little and appreciate the simple things of life.

This poem encourages us to find time from our daily, often tumultuous routines - just to unwind, relieve stress and not always be so full of care.


Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich the smile her eyes began.

A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

               -William Henry Davies

Visit our famous poetry section and read more beautiful poems from your favorite famous poets.