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.

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.
Justice-ish is a short story that explores the sensitive subject : Justice. It raises the question of jurisdiction and morality in dispensing justice. Due to loopholes in our judicial system, often times criminals walk on “technicalities”, leaving behind angry, short changed people who often resort to getting justice for themselves by any means possible. Do we criminalize a man that was clearly denied justice for getting it himself? This is a question that transcends basic Judicial interpretation.

Justice-ish (Part one) - I_am_Exousia


“We have agreed on a verdict”. The words of the Foreman of the Jury, throwing the entire courtroom into an eerie silence. This was the moment that everyone had been expecting for the past four months.

The courtroom in downtown Manhattan was packed to its full capacity.  Men and women from various walks of life had taken time out of their busy schedules to attend the final hearing of the most sensational case in the last 27 years in the city of Manhattan. Every available seat had been taken with an even larger number of people loitering outside the courthouse eagerly awaiting the final judgment. The driveways were filled with news vans of various news networks, all clamoring to get firsthand information on proceedings. Mark Hattaway had been led into the courtroom an hour ago amidst a cacophony of boos and cheers from the differing observers.

The case had been presided for the past four months by Judge Lloyd Greymich, a lanky figure of a man,  known for his sullen expression and ruthless nature. In his 26 years as a prosecuting attorney for the state, he had 27 convictions to his name. It was this pragmatic, ruthless and ambitious nature that had fast tracked his rise through the ranks. Now he had his own courtroom, he never allowed anything to get to him, and neither was he going to let the sensational nature of this case and the crowd get to him.

Both the prosecuting and defense Attorneys had given their closing remarks, and all was left to the jury who were about to make their pronouncement to determine Mark Hattaway's fate…..

Second part in a bit!

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.
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE is a contemporary and popular short story for kids that teaches children about the importance of tenacity, dedication and determination while also highlighting the folly of overconfidence. The story has strong moral lessons and is written in basic English that can be easily comprehended by kids. 

ENJOY 




A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.
"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh.
"Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it."

The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of it, he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off.

The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise could catch up.

The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. But the Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time.

And so, the slow but steady tortoise won the race over the arrogant and over-confident hare. 

MORAL LESSON : Diligence and hard work will always take you far.


Got short stories you'd like to share with our readers? Kindly contact us 
INDECISIVE FATE is a short poem from one of our readers which talks about facing the uncertainties of life and the will to carry on no matter the situation. This short poem is basically a poem about life and can easily be related to.

Enjoy this well written piece below :



INDECISIVE FATE
Sitting alone on a lonely night
Reaping the fruits of my indecision
Solitude my new found company
Listening to the deafening sound of silence
It's like everything has it right except me,
Even the sun knows where to rise and set.
But I’m an ocean controlled by waves,
As the tides, I rise and fall.

It's no longer a buffet,
I just feed off the crumbs from the table,
Like a beast of burden I carry my loads without grunts.
I follow a path no man has thread.
Finding my own path in this big ball called earth. Superstitions make me hold my head to make a wish.
I hope my legs know where they are taking me to.
I hope my heart finds what it seeks.

 Surely as there is life I will live.
Surely as I breathe, I'll survive
I will hope and i will dream.
 For yet tomorrow is pregnant,
Puffed with uncertainties and unknown,
Will it birth sweet or churn out sour?
Only the heavens can tell..
                                               I_am_Exousia