Stories 

Rumbling of a stomach

This story starts with a hungry child, bruised from last night’s beating from his big brother.

He goes under the bed and steals his brother’s rusty revolver and ‘touch di road’.

Apprehensively, he approaches an old man walking by the sea side.

“Give me all your money!”

Says the boy.

“Why should I give you my money?”

Says the old man.

“Because I have a gun!”

The boys says as he pulls out the gun and points it at the old man.

“Hmm… I can see that!

The gun, a weapon created by man used to end life.

But what are YOU using it for?

Is your plan to kill me and take my money or is it to scare me into giving you my money?”

… boy mumbles

“If it is to scare me, I am not afraid!

The more scary things you see in this life, the harder it is to be scared.

You know, I once saw death and I don’t mean a dead body.

No, I’m talking about the hooded figure in all black some call the Grim Reaper.

It too was holding a tool of death and its was way scarier than yours.”

“Where did you see it?”

The young boy says curiously.

“It was at my grandmas funeral.

I was about your age.

It was a dark bleak day and the rain was slowly getting ready to fall.

This was after the burial. As everyone started to leave, I saw the hooded figure in the tree line patiently waiting for something.

I stared at it for a long while, just to be sure and it just stared right back.

I don’t know how or why I could see it, as it was clear no one else could.

But I think it had something to do with the days prior to the funeral.

My grandmother had been in the hospital for a while and when we went to visit her she was adamant that my father take her home.

My grandmother was a calm gentle lady, so this was uncharacteristic but I think she somehow knew she was near the end and wanted to go out at home, in her bed, surrounded by her family.

And that same night, she did.

I was distraught weeping on our front lawn, when I started seeing shiny stars appearing in my vision they increased until my vision, just went … bright

And that was all I could see.

All I can remember after that, was waking up in an MRI machine the next day with my vision back and having to go to my grandmas funeral in a couple of days.”

“I don’t believe you!”

Says the boy.

“Well… I’m not trying to convince you young man.

It’s just, I’ve never told anyone that and if this is the end I feel like I should.

But I don’t see that hooded figure around here so I’ll ask you again.

You gunna kill me or still trying to scare me?”

“I need the money!”

The boy says frustratedly.

“I don’t doubt that young man.

Life can be hard without it.

This might lead you to making a big mistake and ending a life for the few pennies I have in my pocket, WOULD be a big mistake.

A mistake you would have to live with for the rest of your life.

And the reason I told you that story is so you’re aware that this ‘LIFE’ thing we do everyday it’s way more complicated than we understand and your big mistakes may even follow you into whatever comes after”

“But isn’t killing a part of life? The wealthy kill poor people everyday!”

The boy confidently adds.

“Hmm… Some wealthy people get poor people to kill each other everyday, even they know not to make that mistake for themselves.

Death may be a part of life but killing is different. If you want to kill. Kill time, as much as possible.

And kill it with peace and love, that’s the best way to enjoy it.”

“But I’m hungry, how am I meant to enjoy it without food!”

The young boy shouts with his voice breaking and starts to cry.

“Haha Food!”

The old man chuckles

“I can get you food!”

The old man says as he gets close to the boy.

“I am the most amazing chef!”

The old man exclaims this as he gently takes the gun out of the boys hand.

“The lack of paper in my pocket with dead mens faces on it doesn’t stop me from being extremely wealthy!

I am rich with community and we are having a massive party tonight celebrating the ‘child of prophecy’ and you are invited come with me, and you can eat as much as you want there.”

The old man says this as he wraps his arm around the boy and walks with him back home.

“What did the Grim Reaper have in his hand?”

Says the boy on the way there.

“Was it a sword or that massive pointy hook thing?”

“No child it was way scarier than that!”The old man says menacingly.

“I think everyone gets to find out for themselves one day, don’t rush it!”

They reach to the old man’s neighbourhood and the boy is stunned as he enters the beautiful vibrant community.

The smell from an outside kitchen had the boy’s mouth watering as he realised the old man might not have been bluffing which he thought the whole journey there.

They approached a large gathering surrounding the food, all watching a live music performance on a stage.

The old man sits the boy at an empty table and makes his way through the crowd.

The boy observed the reverence that every person gave to the old man and was impressed and shocked when the old man got onto the stage interrupting the performance and asked for the microphone.

But even the musician cheered at the sight of the old man and complied graciously.

The old man greeted the crowd and introduced the young boy,

(to his embarrassment) as ‘the child of prophecy’.

The crowd heard this and all went up in a massive cheer all smiling at the boy and clapping.

The boy had a pleasant smile on his face and felt safe, however got visibly embarrassed after a while, so the party carried on as before with music and laughter filling the air.

The boy noticed a beautiful woman approaching him and welcomed her excitedly as she was carrying a massive plate of food for him.

The boy expressed his gratitude and eagerly devoured the food, however, in between bites he curiously asked the woman why the old man called him ‘the child of prophecy’.

The woman laughed and said that her father is a renowned author. She says this as she pulls out her pocket a book he wrote called ‘The Child Of Prophecy’

As the boy started to read it, he noticed it started with the rumbling of a young boy’s stomach.