I still remember the day Chris came to me, smiling, and said something I will never forget. You see, Chris is my childhood friend and the only friend I know who has a twisted personality. His personality includes being quiet, lacking emotions when needed, being too intelligent, and making other people feel dull without remorse, among other traits. This has made him lose a lot of friends, yet I remain his very close friend because I know what he has been through and what damaged him like that.
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When Chris was little, he lost his dad at a very young age, but that wasn't the issue. His dad's family came around to seize most of their properties, like the school, which was eventually shut down, and the farmland they had. I remember the day people were screaming and causing trouble in front of their house.
"Haven't you taken enough? What do you want me to do with the three children your brother left me with? Why are you people so heartless?" I saw Chris's mother crying in front of their house, holding onto the shirt of a man, while Chris and his sisters were standing in front of their gate, crying too. People came around to assist, but the man kept saying.
"This is family business; stay away from us," he struggled to get Chris's mom's hand off his shirt.
After that day, some years passed, and Chris's mother also passed away. This time, Chris and his siblings were chased out of their home, and they had no choice but to leave with their pastor.
All this was what contributed to Chris's behavior and attitude, but that wasn't what made me scared. After that day Chris and I had that conversation, I kept thinking to myself, "Is Chris more damaged than I thought?" How could a person say such a thing?"
That hot evening, I was standing in front of my house, eating the groundnuts my mom had made. I was washing our chickens and playing around before they retired to the place where they sleep. I hardly see Chris anymore because they have moved to their pastor's house, but we still stay in the same city, so it is easy to get to my place with public transport or just walking it out.
After looking at the chicken, I raised my head and I saw Chris walking towards my house, smiling like he had won a lottery. He isn't someone who always smiles because he was always having this sad expression on his face, but that evening I saw him smiling. I waved to him from afar, and he immediately ran towards where I was. Then we started conversing.
I asked him what was making him happy because this was one of the rare times I saw him smiling, and he said, “Do you know that guy who was insulting me the other day?”
I was confused because I know a lot of people Chris has had issues with. He continued to describe the guy, and I remembered. I said, “Was it that stupid James? Just forget him.” I said so because I didn’t want him to remember what happened that day.
James was a guy who was smart like Chris. One day, during a heated argument with Chris, James said something that made me dislike him. He said,
“Maybe that’s why your parents are both dead.”
I was angry at James because how could he say something so insensitive? Chris left that day without saying anything.
“So why are you now smiling?” I asked him. “Are you and James now friends again?”
Chris said, "No, but something better." I wondered what was better. Maybe he and James became best friends. Then he said
"James’s mother is dead. I found out yesterday. It remains his father now.”
I froze. My heart sank a little. I really didn’t know if I should be happy with him, but that statement made me sad. “How could you say that?” I asked him.
He replied, “Karma has come for him, and this is only the beginning.”
I tried to make him see how wrong he was, but he wouldn’t listen. He just kept nodding and smiling like he had been waiting for that day for a long time. Then he left.
He didn’t even look back. Just walked away like nothing happened.
I stood there for minutes, confused. That smile, that tone, the way he said it, it wasn’t normal. That wasn’t healing. That was something else entirely.
From that day, something in me started fearing Chris. Not because he was dangerous, but because I felt something inside him had truly died a long time ago. And no one could bring it back, not even love, maybe just God.
Many years passed after that day, and I didn’t see him again. Life moved on. I changed cities. Things got busy. Sometimes I would remember him randomly, especially when I passed by our old street or saw someone who looked like him.
Then I met him again some years ago.
It was in a small eatery not far from my new apartment. He was sitting alone, reading a book. He looked cleaner, healthier, and surprisingly calm. I didn’t recognize him immediately, but the moment our eyes met, I knew.
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“Chris?” I said.
He looked up and smiled, just a soft smile, not like that evening one.
“Hey,” he said like we had just seen last week.
We talked for hours. He told me about how he went away for a while, how he was in a different state for some time working with a media firm. I was really happy to see him.
I couldn't see that bitter look in his eyes anymore, but deep down, I was still wondering…
Is he really a changed person now? or is that smile just covering something darker? I left that day after collecting his number, but since then we haven't spoken. He looks better, so I believe he is better.
The End.
Thanks for reading. My name is Fashtioluwa.
