Chapter 5 – Mommy!

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Watching himself as he put the eyeglasses on, Poopy flashed a smile. But the handprint on his face made him recall the embarrassing incident earlier.

His mother, Teresa, who adopted him from the street, got furious that he couldn’t hand over fifty bucks. Even for him: someone who traversed the busy street of City Q felt it was absurd!

Just because they gave a bountiful harvest two days ago?

As he grew older, Mother Teresa’s appetite grew larger and larger. From a single buck, a child could pick from the ground to two digits! And recalling the children she adopted through the years; she accumulated enough money to retire.

Before, he would oblige to all her wishes. She took care of him, after all. He got the parental warmth he needed from her. But now? All he wanted was to direct his own life! Not the crew, but the captain!

He was intelligent and knew how to swim through the currents. Nobody could understand the climate of the city better than he is.

“All I need is luck! A chance! Once I grab it, I’ll be the best version of myself! Not dog raised by Mother Teresa!” He exclaimed, but not long before he shut the door tight.

Poopy wore his school uniform–weathered and too short for him. The notion of shame flashed for a moment before a bubbling rage took over. He punched the door, resulting in a bang that woke the others. But he didn’t care.

Thinking about wimpy Illinois and the students in the school, Poopy gritted his teeth from hate. How did those kids have such money? Why not him?

“If only I’m living with their lives, I can make a difference! Better than those snotty zombified kids!”

Poopy thought about his dream. He dreamt to be a politician so he could help others who lived the same life as him. And when talking about dreams, his only option was to graduate from school and gain enough credentials so he could enter an excellent school in college!

He only had one more year before graduating… a short time, but Poopy decided to make the most of it to learn.  

 “Smile.” Poopy’s lips curved and went on, ambling away from the compound. He still had many matters to do today. Better to have a good aura in the morning so his day would be better. Or so he believed.

But just as he turned into the corner, all of a sudden, a considerable noise of footsteps rang behind him. He looked back and saw a man wearing a helmet. With a swoosh, the man dashed beside the boy with a swinging arm.

Peng!

Poopy felt disoriented. Even though he grew up in the streets, his problem was his body. So, he left the matters of power to his comrades. Now, the same thing they did to others was happening to him.

With the last kick, the man spat before running away. This made Poopy remember something. Illinois’ action of saving Lilia back then left an everlasting impression on the boy.

“Fuck?! Isn’t this the same Noodles did to Illinois? Also, the same place?” He became filled with confusion. The abruptness of the situation… the boy couldn’t remember someone who has the guts to face him. Especially against Mother Teresa!

He looked around and saw a CCTV pointing towards his position, and soon hatred emerged from his eyes!

“You think this is finished? I’ll make your life a living hell!”

Poopy got up with a limp and strode towards the police station! And the first thing he did when he got there was to cry!

“Sir! Respectable Sirs!” Everyone in the lobby seemed taken aback by the boy’s appearance.

“Someone beat me up! You can check the CCTV! I’m minor!” Poopy knew the video record was his ace! He could already imagine what things he would do! Blackmail? He could make the man his slave until none of the latter’s meat left! Beatings? Mother Teresa had a lot of thugs who were also children she adopted before. He grinned, worshipping the powers he had in his hands.

But the things that happened next were out of his imagination.

“Chief, the insider was correct!” An ugly police officer whispered to a chunky man.

“Apprehend him!”

Poopy became horrified and almost darted back. “What?! No! What are you doing?!” But facing dozens of adult men, his struggle proved fruitless.

“Chief! It’s here!” Not only they dragged Poopy, but they also searched through his clothes and found a small package–small enough for Poopy not to discover it.

The chunky man’s face changed when he saw the package. Red with an image of a snake and a skull in the center. He knew this matter going to explode if not handled well.

Remembering his superior who had dealings with this group, he understood certain matters had to be dealt with quietly. Or else he won’t find his life in the gutter.

“Take him. Erase all the footage and information about him. He doesn’t have a family record, anyway.”

“What?” This further horrified the boy. “What are you talking about? Why are you doing this?! Where’s your justice you need to uphold?!!”

The chunky man paused and went closer. The boy could feel the former’s freezing breath and shivered when seeing the stern eyes looking at him like he was dead.

“You are a pusher. That package has drugs inside it. Also, we have an insider. Mother Teresa, huh? We have always wanted to clean this street, so the tip helped us a lot.”

Poopy’s mind ran like a jumbled mix of wires and soon short-circuited. His heart froze. Now, he learned that his priced intelligence couldn’t help him anymore. Shivering like a mouse in the winter, he hugged the officers who were dragging him away.

“I’m minor!” Shouted Poopy–the only thing he could do at the moment.

But to no avail.

“Yes, that’s why you are going to juvie. We have all the information to make you rot in hell. Forever.” The chunky man whispered to his ears. “So, be a good boy. Your worthless life can save my ass.”

Poopy could hear his dreams crashing down and splintered into many pieces. The only warmth he had was the only thing left in him – remembering the security she gave to him all these years he began screaming like a wild dog.

For her. For her to hear him. Her son, Poopy!

“Mother Teresa!”

“Mother Teresa!!”

“Mommy!!!”

“Arghh!!!”

Yet, the only shine that appeared was the metallic sheen behind the steel bars.

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