Chapter 2 Shadows Of The Past

• “You took my wife away from me. You killed my wife; you should have died instead of her”
• Mr Anderson, a once loving and caring husband. A prosperous man was now reduced to the ground. His former self was now buried somewhere in the shadows. He found comfort at the bottom of his alcohol bottles.
• “We were both fine before you came” he continued to accuse little Lucas.
• His red flushed cheeks, and dishevelled brown hair scared little Lucas as he staggered unsteadily, eyes glazed and unfocused.
• Lucas mother had died during childbirth, and the absence of maternal warmth left a void filled with hardship and struggle.
• Mr Anderson became a shadow of himself. He loved his wife very deeply, she was his world and when she died, he didn’t see a reason to continue living although he couldn’t take his own life.
• “I’m sorry dad, I didn’t mean to kill mom. This is not my fault”
• Lucas the innocent child was now going through psychological torment because his mother died giving birth to him.
• Every time his father came back home from the mines, he would drink himself to stupor. He could barely hold down a job and he blamed Lucas for his shattered life.
• Mr Anderson staggered towards Lucas taking hold of his tiny hands and shoving him in every direction.
• “Don’t apologise to me child! That’s a sign of weakness and you know I hate weak people. Own it, you killed your mother, let that sink in your head”
• Little Lucas cried out as his father rough handled his fragile, little body not minding if he was hurting or not.
• “That’s enough Anderson! You’ve done enough for one day.” Grandma Sarah came to his rescue, but she was always late. His father would crush his spirit and sometimes gave him physical injury before she came running.
• “Let the boy go, she was my daughter too; you don’t see me blaming the poor boy for what happened to her. We should be grateful that he survived”
• Grandma Sarah was alarmed by the sound of his alcohol meeting the wooden floor of their home.
• Letting go of little Lucas, he ran to grandma Sarah for refuge.
• “That’s because you hated her for getting married to me old woman!” His father yelled back at his mother-in-law without any regard.
• “You always wished she never got married to me. I knew it, she knew it too that’s why she didn’t fight for her life. She was tired of seeing your judging face”
• His father was bitter and obviously drunk. He didn’t mind how hurtful the words that came out his mouth were.
• Lucas hated the fact that this man was his father, and every time his grandma told him how loving and caring he used to be, he doubted her because he never saw a trace of that side of him.
• There was a knock on the door one fateful night.
• “I’m truly sorry, but Mr Anderson was swallowed up by the earth in the mines.”
• As these words came of the strangers’ mouth that stood by the door, little Lucas bowed his head and let the tears roll down his face. His grandmother standing beside him wrapped him up in her arms.
• She summoned courage to reply the messenger.
• “Thank you” she replied between tears.
• Lucas wasn’t sure why he was crying.
• Was it the fact that he was now an orphan, or the fact that the man who constantly crushed his spirit and bruised his body was died? Maybe it was both.
• Grandma Sarah sat beside Lucas in the living room as they both mourned the loss of little Lucas last living parent.
• “Everything will be alright, my dear child. You survived for a reason.” She told him as she embraced him in her warm arms.
• The days following the death of his father were filled with both sadness and a hint of happiness.
• Little Lucas was a growing up fast and the world out there was going to be ruthless to him except he learns to stand up for himself.
• Grandma Sarah will always take his hands and say to him “You must not let anyone intimidate you. Be strong and bold, no one is coming to rescue you. You must rescue yourself out there.” These words never left his head.
• Every time Lucas would scrap his knee, or bruise his lips in a fight, he would come back home crying.
• “Don’t show your emotions to your opponent, they’ll only take advantage of you and hurt you the more. You fight back, that’s how to win. You must fight back till you win.”
• His grandmother was now saddled with the responsibility of raising young Lucas and she wasn’t going to raise him up to be a weakling.
• She made him develop tough skin. She made him become bold and ruthless, coupled with his father’s constant reminder that he was the cause of his mother’s death.
• His father’s voice was always in his head, reminding him that his very existence was a pain till he died. He resented his father for that.
• Lucas grew up believing that emotions were a sign of weakness and love was a folly he could not afford.
• Teenage Lucas awoke to the sound of raised voices and the sickening thud of objects meeting the wooden floor.
• “You don’t have to do this. We can sit down and talk about a way out.”
• “Please I beg you; we’ll find a way to pay!”
• His grandmother’s voice was raw with desperation.
• Lucas was confused as he rushed out of his room to find Varick and his thugs holding his grandmother hostage, and turning their house upside down.
• Varick sneer was a mask of cruelty. They didn’t come to play.
• “Too late for that. I always get what I’m owed.” Varick replied as he paced in front of now trembling Grandma Sarah.
• “But Anderson is dead!” she cried out trying to escape from their grip, but all her efforts were in vain.
• Lucas was shivering as he stood aloof trying to figure out what the matter was and why his grandmother was being held up by these thugs.
• “Ma, what’s going on?” he finally found the courage to ask.
• The moment those words came out of his mouth, everyone turned to face him and the remaining thugs bounced on him like a prey.
• They locked him up in their grip just like they did Grandma Sarah, and he is winced in pain.
• “Oh, I’ll tell you. Your father took a loan from us and he promised to pay back two weeks ago. I’ve been very patient, but this is how far I can go. I need my money back”
• Varick explained stooping in front of Lucas holding a knife to his face. Lucas nearly wet his pants, but he couldn’t show a sign of weakness.
• “My father is dead!” Lucas looked Varick in the eyes and said those words. “If you weren’t so cruel you’d have heard the news or at least listened when my grandma said he was dead.”
• Varick’s anger was kindled and he ordered his boys to beat Lucas till there was no strength left in him.
• “No...please...no we can talk this out” Grandma Sarah said as she tried to dissuade them from beating the living daylight out of her grandson.
• As this was going on, Varick pulled out his gun and pointed it at Lucas face.
• “This is for being too bold”
• He pulled the trigger and there was a loud sound accompanied by a deafening silence.
• Realisation hitting Lucas like a wave.
• “No...No...No, Ma please no. Don’t leave me.” Lucas cried out as he crawled to bleeding grandma Sarah on the cold floor, she took a bullet for him. Her blood filled the space were they were lying.
• The thugs had made their way out when they noticed that the wrong person was hit by their masters flying bullet.
• “Please stay with me” Lucas cried out the more, cupping her face with his bloody hands.
• His grandmother took a hold of his hands and whispered into his ears.
• “Be strong Lucas. Never let them break you, never” she let go slowly as she took in her final breath.
• Lucas was shattered; he felt his whole world fall like rain drops at his feet. There was no going back.
• Lucas took those words to heart.
• The boy who tried to retain a shred of humanity was gone. In his place grew a man hardened by pain, driven by an insatiable hunger for power, wealth and control. He vowed never to be at the mercy of another’s cruelty again.
• The world would know his name, and it would tremble at the mention of it.
• “NO!” he screamed hugging his grandmother one last time.
• The world now saw a billionaire who took no prisoners, but behind his steely gaze was a soul crushed and scarred by the past.