Black Parade.

:BLACK PARADE.

They were a handsome lot, an ugly pride. Exalted and derided, admired and detested, rowdy and orderly. As if no one cared they were mere and mammoth memoirs, invincible but dauntable. You had to hang out with them when you were not sure and when you were certain. With a cuisine of power and wealth they mended and ruined the nation. No one had to know them but they were known. Little or much was whispered and wailed about the black parade. Like stale water and fresh powdered pepper they glided with pain and pleasure on the wet desperate and satisfied mouths of a few and many. The story goes on but is winded by waning and rising incumbent and past abhorred and accepted dynasties that lived in the timeless epochs of the 21^st century.  The mortals had legendary shameful last names that were immortal in the world of power and wealth allocation plus vandalism.

                 But on this particular day Shaza Gitoru was in trouble. Even with his money in the equation he was not invincible. Mistake number one was impregnating Keisha Karugi the Police Commissioners daughter. Slowly the words of his would be father in law ached his heart.

        “You aren’t strong enough to lead this family. In real life i make decisions that are bigger than you or my daughter. The Karugis are highly esteemed and would not want anything that detriments our image. Fallacies aside you have to realise that love isn’t the only ingredient of peace .A wise man once smoked his pipe and derived a most important question that if invested in would make a man unmatchable; what is in it for me? The arrow always points to the eater. Young man with lose morals am not aware of the Gitorus in the landmark. The door is open please go.”

             Shaza had left filled with shame. How could he have chased away a Harvard graduate? And a civil servant?  A government advisor for that matter.

            But more shame was on the way coming. It was raining when they met.  Hail stones pounded harder on his head. Slowly his right hand stroked his beard then mopped his brow. His left hand clenched his bouquet of red rose flowers as his tall figure leaned forward and his black pin stripped suit drenched some water.

     His husky voice sliced through the air,” Keisha you are my very existence. I don’t love you anymore or hate you am indifferent.  I will hold on hope because you are the oil of my life and the ounce of my blood and flesh. I gave my world to you and you said it was too complicated. I offered my strength and you said i was like a horse. What do you want from me? Am fed up with this dynasty  mumbo jumbo. Please go.”

             She did not speak but sighed out loudly. Then swallowed thick saliva in her mouth. Her soft  lips parted as she inched closer to kiss his leather studded lips. They instantaneously closed their eyes welcoming each other’s kiss. To Shaza the kiss was  painful and he felt her acidic saliva burn his lips. He had begun to loathe her. Slowly, he pushed her away from him and made his way into the thicket.

        But the sound of dogs on his heels was clear. Quickly he looked behind and saw  Keisha being steered into a green Land rover. His tall lanky frame squeezed further into the thicket and when he reached a glade he started running. Majestically he tore into through the tall grass as his chest heaved up and down. How could their rendezvous become a trap? She had just kissed his grave with a red rose flower. Tears flowed freely on his ice cold face and he swore of feeling their warmth  as they glided to his black cropped beards. The more he thought of his future child the more he ran deeper and deeper into the thicket.

       50 miles away from the thicket the President Ikenye Njonde was ranting like a mad man. He and   Karugi were pacing up and down the situation room of the State House.  The boy had to die, they all vowed. The simple reason was not that he had impregnated  Karugis daughter but there was a dent in their fat bank accounts. A whooping $1 billion was missing from their accounts; mistake number two.  Shaza apart from being the Government advisor was their business aide. Slowly but sure he had schemed a way and forged their bankers cheques then wired the substantial amount into his own account.  After all it was looted money from the treasury, Shaza comforted himself.

       “He has to go down. Our political fortune is at stake, i have to remain relevant and the only way is by amassing wealth. Our people want their leaders to be prosperous. Am like their demigod and government conspiracies are leaking out to the media. Who knows he will drain all our resources?” Njonde croaked.

     “that is deep shit but you have to realise i raised that money through gun running. All the ammunition for the police issued this month was sold to Somalia war lords. And all the seized cocaine and heroine was sold to our Columbian mafia friends. What should we do? This boy will explode everything out of proportion. You need to bail me out and clear my name!” boomed Karugi.

       “i don’t care! I went to Harvard too’’ Am an economist and i know the sanctions we will receive. Call the Minister of internal security and tell him  to finish that boy immediately! “ Njonde roared.

    Karugi reached for his phone in his jungle green khaki uniform. Immediately it rang. Amazed he received it and it was Shaza on line.

       “i got your men all over my ass! Do something!” Shaza muffled out.

      “I don’t know you right now,” Karugi sounded as calm as ever.

              Karugi hung the phone and gave Njonde a sheepish smile.

    Now Shaza had been running for a mile when he felt the faint voice of barking dogs fading away. Luckily, he reached the road and saw his orange sport range rover packed five metres from him. Quickly, he reached for his keys , got into the car and drove off.