The Last Ride Home

“I will be back before nightfall, mum!” I said as I walked away, toward the door.

“Not even a kiss?” I stopped walking and turned around, giving her a kiss on her cheek. A teardrop rolled down her cheek and I sucked my teeth as I turned back to walk away.

“Come on, mum. I’m not a kid. I’m not a baby, I’m 28!”

“But you’re my baby,” she sniffles, wiping the tears off with the back of her palm.

I walked to the garage and she followed me.

“I’m just going over to my friend’s place,” I reassured her and she overtook me, holding my hand back aggressively.

She stood in front of me, staring right through my soul with her aging eyes.

She yanked my shirt up, revealing my belly. She pointed at the scar with her eyes fixed on mine.

“This right here was done by a so-called friend. You know damn well than to patronize me about visiting some friend who only comes over when their wife needs to be rushed to the Labor room!” she said sternly. I jerked my shirt off her hand, adjusting it well on my body.

“That was four years ago, mum. Four damn years. I’ve got to move on,”

“That scar has been four years too, it still looks damn fresh like it happened yesterday!”

I sighed. There was no way I was going to win this so I tried to reassure her more. I held her shoulders and gazed at her softly.

“Dave wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. He isn’t like George, I promise. Also, I’m only going there to discuss some business issues. I would be back before nightfall,” it almost seemed like that did not work but she finally pulled me in for a hug.

“Alright. Just be careful and make sure to be back before nightfall!”

“Definitely!” I replied, nodding with a broad smile.

I took the bicycle out of the garage and I knew an argument was about to start with the look on her face.

“Mum, I wanna enjoy the country air. I prefer to ride the bicycle,”

“Just take the car, Mike. That’d make me more reassured,”

“Okay. This is starting to piss me off. Can’t I just do whatever it is that I want? I’m not a child. I’m 28 for fuck sake, don’t treat me like I’m a little child!” I half-yelled before pulling the pedal and riding off.

“Mike! Mike! I’m sorry, okay!!” she called after me but I did no such thing as look back at her.

She needs to learn to treat me like an adult. I might in fact have to move out of the house!

It was already 5 pm and I knew it was going to take me about two hours more to get back home but I still didn't regret taking the bicycle instead of a car.

Sometimes, I just want to be away from home for as long as I can since of course, I can’t stay out. So, taking the bicycle was definitely going to make that possible.

I rode as fast as I could though, stopping by the convenience store to grab her favorite rice cake and drink to at least make up for how I left in the morning.

As I rode the bicycle faster, the night breeze reached my face and almost took away my worries. I shot my eyes for a brief second, taking in the solemnity of the night as it reached me as a freeze fanning my face.

I looked up at the dark sky with dots of stars gracing its picturesque, overwhelming me with the beauty of nature at night, and causing me to smile broadly.

“This is what I miss every night?” I let out a rasping breath but never letting the smile on my face fade off.

An hour later, I was taking the last turn that led home which only takes about thirty minutes.

The street was buzzing but not with music, with unsettled people, running from what was not exactly in sight. I furrowed my eyebrow, increasing my velocity on the bicycle, and just as I propelled harder, going in the same direction that leads home, I heard the police siren blaring behind me.

I looked behind, over my shoulder, and the blaring was moving in my direction.

I was going to pull over when I heard one of the cops speak through the radio “It’s him. The one on the bicycle,”

As I was going to slow down and turn around to withdraw my hand from the handlebars, within a few seconds before I could even blink, the car spun in front of me and the sound of a gunshot echoed through my ears.

I felt the bullet travel within me, sending a painful sensation to my brain. I fell to the ground, holding my belly tightly and coughing out blood copiously. The rice cake and drink shattered before me and the bicycle’s spoke spinning before my eyes.

I blinked a few times as I stretched my hand out to anyone but they all were running to save their lives.

“You shot the wrong person, man!!” I heard someone say, but it sounded so far away.

Gradually, my eyes were dimming and everything was gradually becoming blurry. I was just a few minutes from home to see Mum but I guess that wouldn't happen.

As my eyes shut and slowly embraced death, my mum’s words rang in my head. Just take the car, Mike.

I met my doom, getting shot in place of another because I rode on a bicycle.