The crowing of a cock in the neighborhood awakened Chala. He felt this was his big day. He knew he had to get the information very fast from the flash drive and begin work as fast as possible. He removed the laptop from the bag and examined it for a while before opening it. His hands shook a bit as he had never handled such a gadget in his entire life. He inserted the flash drive and just as he was about to look at the information he heard a knock.
He quickly hid the laptop under the chair and quickly walked towards the door. He opened the door and found Niru his neighbor anxiously waiting.
"Good morning Niru," said Chala quite angry at his neighbor for disturbing him that morning.
"Good morning my dearest friend, I have a little problem here."
"Yes, tell me."
"My wife is very sick and I was requesting if you could help me take her to the hospital. Can you go to look for a taxi while I watch over her?"
"Okay I will help you, you go to her now," Niru left hurriedly while Chala closed his door. He reached the main road and luckily he found a taxi quick enough. Within no time, he had arrived with the taxi at Niru's house. He helped carry Niru's wife to the car. After exactly ten minutes they had arrived at Hope Referal Hospital. She was rushed to the emergency room. Niru and Chala sat down at the reception. Silence reigned for some minutes before Chala broke the ice.
"What happened to your wife Niru?"
"My dear brother, my wife has been having respiratory problems for a while now. She has been working at the mattress factory that was set up a few years back. She then started complaining of chest pains early last year. Since then life has never been the same, she has been in and out of hospital."
"I am so sorry for that, did you ever advice her to leave the job?"
"Yes Chala I did, but you know since I lost my job as a watchman we all depended on her income. She refused to quit and said her children can never sleep hungry while she is still alive. She is very hardworking; she could not lose hope because of her illness."
"It is well, she will be okay."
After what seemed like hours of waiting, the doctor finally came out of the examination room looking very worried. He called Niru aside to his office. Chala patiently waited for them rubbing his hands together. He paced up and down then Niru walked out of the doctor's office. He did not even look at Chala. He fastened his pace as he got out of the building. Chala had to run after him, quite shocked at his friend's strange behavior.
"Niru, Niru, wait…" He was panting. "What has the doctor told you? Why have you changed in a split second?"
Niru stood a short distance away from the hospital.
"It is over, I cannot continue like this…" he sat down on the pavement.
It was a chilly morning, a cool breeze whispered unheard words as it passed by the bare earth. The sky was crystal clear going in sync with the weather. These reminded Chala of a distant story that was almost lost. He slowly sat down next to his friend.
"There is nothing too difficult under the sun," Chala stated.
"At times it is better to give up. In this state that I am in where can I get the half a million needed for treatment? I already have so many debts. Chala, poverty is a disease."
"Do not talk like that, there is always a way. I will see how I can help you. I still do not have any money but we can talk to our other friends. Have they started any treatment?"
"They have stabilized her but they need the full amount for the treatment," said Niru.
"Have faith, it will all be fine, I have to go now Niru. I have lots of unfinished work, we will talk later."
Chala left and within minutes he had arrived home. He sat down for a while trying to collect his thoughts. He then remembered the file he had to check. He quickly took the laptop and opened it. He inserted the flash drive and found two documents. He keenly read the documents and after he had acquired all the information, he closed the laptop. He then remembered he had not even taken breakfast, he went to the kitchen and poured some black tea. It was cold but he gulped it hungrily. He did not mind since this was just a temporary situation. Things were about to change for better.
He looked around his house. It was now empty since his children had gone to school earlier. A certain thought came to his mind, Amala. His once caring and patient wife just turned her back on him. She left even without thinking twice. Why did she have to leave him? The two of them had gone through everything together. She was his jewel. All the promises she made to him; to be together through thick and thin, to raise their family together as one. She always had hope for the future. Chala could give up at times but her smile, it always took away any pain, all that was gone now. It was all in the past. It was in his bitter past. He smiled; not a happy smile but it was a sad smile, just like his past.
Chala heard his phone ring.
"Hello."
"I am sure by this time you have read all the instructions in the flash disk," said a rough voice over the phone.
"Yes…"
"At exactly ten in the night you should come at a designated place that I am going to send to you through a text."
He then hung up. Chala felt cold at the pit of his stomach. This was not going to be easy. He had to do this. He could not live in poverty forever. It was his time to also shine among the stars. He had to make it. Finally he could break away from the chains of poverty; after all he was doing this because of his children. They deserved a good life. A better life than his parents ever gave him. He wanted to make his children happy. The thought of seeing his children smile brought new hope. It strengthened him; it was time to open a new chapter.
He made his decision, the best he had ever made, he thought.