My Ambition

Our eyes met. Hers were bright, almond-shaped diamonds that sparkled in the blanket of darkness, iIluminated only by the soft silvery light of the crescent moon hanging in the jet black sky. Nature was composing a symphony with the waves gently lapping onto shore and the light breeze rustling the leaves of trees as it caressed our bodies.

I took her by her hands and knelt on one knee before her like a knight before his Queen. She was wearing the perfume I had got her the other day – Christian Dior’s Dune. The fragrance was gradually getting me intoxicated.

“Marry me, Audrey.” The words flowed right out of my mouth naturally as if it had a mind of its own. I held my breath and braced myself for her response.

Audrey drew a long, deep breath, toying with my anxiety. She smiled. “Of course I will. But what took you this bu-lar-dee long to pop the question?” she playfully teased.

Both Audrey and I had known each other since our school days more than ten years ago. We had clicked so well that we naturally became an item.

The pitch dark sky erupted with fireworks of the most brilliant colours in my mind. Life was so sweet and so well worth living!

But in an instant, the breeze that was our friend in an otherwise balmy night turned into strong gusts. It blew sand and litter into the air. Loud whoops synonymous with that of savages ripped the peace that the environment once offered. Down by the serene beach we were not alone! Many hostile people had encircled us. The disturbing whoops grew louder as the circle around us grew smaller like the noose tightening around the neck of the convict sentenced to hang.

Crack! The sound of bone cracking was tremendously distinct as I felt hot liquid flowing down my neck and the sickeningly fresh smell of blood permeated the air. Darkness swallowed me. Everything became quiet…………

When my eyes next opened, the rays of light that shot into them hurt so much that I had to shut them again. My head was heavily bandaged and it was throbbing terribly. My mind could scarcely recall anything though my instincts told me I was in a bad shape in hospital.

A lady in a nurse’s white uniform came into the room, confirming my suspicions. She took my temperature and blood pressure and remarked that I was very fortunate to still be alive. What had happened? Where was Audrey? More questions shot through my mind intensifying the pain in my head as well as my pulse rate. Yet my thirst for information just refused to be denied. I was rewarded when I spotted newspapers on top of a chest of drawers. Maybe they may provide me some clues. Thank God they were within easy reach. My eyes became glued to a small column when I saw it:

Wilding by the Beach
“A gang of youths went berserk yesterday night on a riot at the West Coast beach leaving one young woman raped and murdered. Another man who was with the victim was seriously injured. Police are investigating the case and anyone with any information is urged to contact the police at 6221 2222.”

For a moment I knew not how long, my entire mind went blank. Not a single thought flowed, my mind a black hole in space so dense that not even light could escape. My whole body went numb and the newspapers dropped from my hand.

The minutes turned into hours and the hours, days. While my body was getting stronger, my mind was getting number, sickened by the news of wars, crimes and other unpleasant events in the newspapers that were my constant companions. How sick was the world we lived in!

My iron will that had served me so well once upon a time appeared to have deserted me completely. My physical wounds no longer hurt me as much as the pain in my heart of having lost Audrey. I lost all my bearings in life and was at a complete loss. In hospital, there was little else to do but reflect on the warmth of love that Audrey and I had both shared and turn to God.

It was one dark, stormy day when I stood at the window and watch the rain lashing down mindlessly. But this was no ordinary rain. Heavy as it was, it stopped a brief moment after. The dark clouds that had shrouded the skies soon gave way to reveal an orange setting sun and the brilliant colours of a rainbow arching gloriously in the sky. A small group of four children were playing below the window where I stood throwing stones and whatever they could lay their hands on into a small pond and every time something plonked into the pond, I could not help noticing the ripples made in the water moving in ever-widening circles. The scene fascinated me and for the first time since the since the unfortunate day I lost Audrey, I felt a warm glow in my heart. The feeling made me feel good and whereas I had lost all purpose in life, it had come storming back! I knew then that I had discovered the compass in my life I was so desperately needing.

The world we lived in was fast ailing and unless something be done, how future generations would be able to live would be unimaginable. Education held the only key to society’s rejuvenation and I wanted to be instrumental in this healing process. I could feel Audrey encouraging me in this noble endeavour as well. But somehow, another part of my mind told

me that this idea would be futile, I being but one solitary person. The scene of the ripples made in the pond by stones falling into it came to mind. I might be but one solitary person but I would be damned if I did not try…………..