"Would you like something to drink or eat?" Uncle Kayode asked but Timi nodded "No" and immediately went straight to why he was here.
"Uncle, I have something to ask you and I need you to be honest."
"Ok, what is it?" His uncle asked.
"Did you ever train Ayo to fight?"
"Hahaha, that's the question? Yes I did. Didn't he ever tell you?"
"No, he didn't."
"Your brother came to me a few years after your father died. Ayo was worried about the safety and security of you, your mother and sister. He wanted to be strong and ready to defend you all if the need ever arose as he was now the man of the house " He took a sip of his tea and continued.
"So, I taught him how to fight, not just how to fight, but who to fight and when to fight."
"Can you teach me too?"
Uncle Kayode was moved by Timi's desire to also be able to defend his family but he could sense that there was more to it than that.
"Why do you want to learn to fight and don't tell me it's for your family's safety because the look in your eyes tells me that you want to hurt someone?"
Timi knew that if he told Uncle Kayode the truth, he would refuse to teach him so he kept insisting that he wants to learn for the same reasons as Ayo but his uncle was not convinced.
"Listen to me son, if I am to take out my time to teach you, I'll need YOU to be honest with me"
Timi wasn't sure if he should tell his uncle the truth but lies also weren't convincing him. What could he do? What could he say to convince his uncle to train him?
"When you're ready to tell me the truth, come back but for now, go home. It's getting late and say hi to your mother for me". Timi left his uncle's place feeling defeated. He would have to muster up the courage to tell his uncle his true intentions for revenge and hope his uncle would understand and help him.
The next day after school, Timi asked his mother if he could spend the night at his uncle's. She called Uncle Kayode to ask if he was ok with it and he was. So Timi practiced to himself how he would tell Uncle Kayode the truth and convince him to train him.
So, he got ready and was off to his uncle's house. He got there late in the evening as the sun was almost set and found Uncle Kayode working in his garage on an old motorcycle. As soon as he saw the bike, he started to recall when Ayo had taught him how to ride one.
It was four months before Ayo was killed. He had rented a bike from a friend for a few days and told Timi that he was going to teach him how to ride it.
"Why do I need to learn how to ride a motorbike?" Timi had asked.
"In life, no knowledge is ever wasted. You never know the day when a certain skill would be useful to you so any chance you get to learn something new, grab it as fast as you can." Ayo was very wise for someone as young as himself. His philosophy of life was broad and straight forward and he was very knowledgeable about a lot of things.
Timi remembered how Ayo had sat behind him on the bike and how they rode together almost everyday for almost two weeks until he was finally able to ride on his own. He drifted back to the present with a smile on his face.
Uncle Kayode didn't have a family of his own. He was always posted in the military and didn't make the time to start a family. And after he was discharged from duty, he got into the secret service trying his best to do whatever he could to help his country. He lived alone and had to do everything for himself without any help so Timi rushed in to assist him.
"Uncle, good evening. Can I help you with that?"
"Yes, please bring that tool box over there for me."
As Timi brought the tool box over to his uncle, he stared at him as he worked and his uncle noticed.
"I'm guessing you're finally ready to tell me why you want to learn to fight"
"Yes I am, but I don't just want to learn how to fight, I want to learn how to use a knife, a gun, a grenade, a bazooka, everything. I want to learn how to kill!"
Uncle Kayode wasn't sure if he heard right. He put down his tools and with a serious expression, he asked Timi what this was about.
"I want to avenge my brother"
"You don't need to do anything. That's not your job, the police will find him and bring him to justice"
" But I don't want justice, I want to make him pay"
"Make who pay?"
"I don't know his name but his face....his face is forever imprinted in my mind"
"Why do you want revenge? And how do you know the face of your brother's killer?"
"I know his face because I WAS THERE"
He continued, "I saw it all but I was too afraid to help him. I was a coward and I let my brother die"
Timi fell on his knees, his eyes running like a river, overflowing with tears, his hands shaking and his spirit ashamed. He recalled everything that happened the day Ayo was killed and told it all to his uncle.
"We went to the river that day, we had a swim together. It was wonderful and I was having a really good time. After we swam, we got on his bicycle and rode home and on the way he bought ice cream for me and for Titi. She was so happy when we got home, and she ate the ice cream like it was her last" Timi said smiling.
"Later, Ayo went outside and got on his bike. I went out to him to ask him where he was going and if I could go with him, but he said he had something important to do and he would be back soon. I waited till he was out of sight and then, I followed behind him. He kept riding until he got to an uncompleted construction site where he met up with some guys and they were playing cards and betting money."
"I sat in a corner and watched as Ayo won game after game. I was so excited, I was already making a list of things I would ask him to get for me in my head and then, all of a sudden, there was this guy. He had a scar on his left eye, he was dark and had a devious grin. He was pushing Ayo around and then, he pulled out a gun. As soon as I saw that gun, I froze, I, I... I couldn't do anything but Ayo, he was brave. He tried to escape but he didn't make it. HE shot him in cold blood just because of money and they all ran away and just left him there to die, like he was an animal"
Uncle Kayode listened with a pain in his heart as Timi unveiled everything.
"I finally was able to move and I ran out to Ayo. I held him in my arms and watched him die slowly and with so much pain in his eyes. He tried to say something but all that came out of his mouth was blood, so much blood. I couldn't do anything to help him. I just sat beside him, crying like a baby and when I heard the sirens of police cars, I ran home. I burned my bloody clothes and waited for someone else to come and break the news to Mom because I couldn't do it myself"
Uncle Kayode was completely moved by Timi's story. He was a soldier after all and he knew what it felt like to watch your comrades, your brothers and sisters die in front of you and be unable to save them. It was the worst feeling in the world.
"Now do you understand why I want to be a killer? It's the only thing I can do for my brother. The only way to honor his memory."