WhenIwalkedoutoftheprisoncelltowardsthe.docx

“WhenIwalkedoutoftheprisoncelltowardsthedoorleadingtofreedom,1havemadeitclearhisownpainandresentmentifnotabletostaybehind,soinfactIstillinprison.Thisisawell-knownquotefromNelsonMandela,whichisnow,broadcastingintheloudspeakerfromthewarden.Hewantsallthepeoplewhowillwalkoutofthisgatecanbefullofmercyandredemption.Nevertheless,thefactoftenturnsouttodeviatefromtheexpectation."It'sallphooey!Damnit!Onlyfoolbelievesinthosethings!”Stephensays,thenhestridesoutofthegatewithhisworn-outclothesandthescaronhisface.Heis50yearsoldnow,aftertwodecadeskeptinasmall,darkandmoistcellbecauseofaninjustice.Twentyyearsago,duringhisbraveactiontosavealittlegirlindanger,hekilledtherobberbyaccident.Butlawwasn,tonhisside,butontheevis.Hewassentencedtothehell,whichtotallychangedhim.Heusedtobeacourteous,warm-heartedyoungman,butnowhehatesthisunfairworld.Hechoosestobeabruteandrudemanandkeepshimselffarawayfromthecrowds,especiallyjinxedchildren.Whenhecomesbacktohishometown,aremoteandnoisysmallcity,heishatedbyeveryone.Thereisalwayslotsofgossipandslanderonhim.Inpeople,seyes,heisaonehundredpercentbadman.Andtheadultsalwaystelltheirkidstokeepfarawayhim.However,thekidsarenaughtyandcurious.Ononehand,theyarescaredofhim,butontheotherhand,theyjustwanttomakeamonkeyofthisoldman.Sometimes,theythrowrubbishinfrontofhisdoor,andsometimes,theymaycatchabeeoranyotherinsectstofrightenhim.Finally,Stephencannotbearthediscriminationandjokesanymore,hemoveshishousetoanotherdistrict.Heonlyhasonefamily,onefriend-Dante,hisdog.OnlyDantecanlistentohimandaccompanywithhim.Buthestilllivesapoorlife.Forthecriminalrecordinhisfile,Stephenwasrejectedbytheemployeesoverandoveragain.It,sagloomy,cloudyday.Stephenwalksaroundthetown.FromallaroundtheJingleBellrings.Passengersrushfasttotheirhouseswiththeneonsignflashedonandoff.Hehasnoideawherehecangetajobtolivealife,afterallhestillneedstofeedDante,whichiswithhimforalmostyearsinhislife.Doyouhearthat.theclubattheHughStreetcornerislookingforwardclown,sactorasthesymboloftheclub.Highpaybutthereisastrictrulethattheoneshouldkeepthemake-upuntilhegoesbacktohisownhome?*Apassengertoldhiswifebesideshim.Whatanunreasonablerule!Nobodywantstogo.Hiswifeanswered.Whoknows.Stephen,seyesburstintosparklinglikehefinallygraspsatstraws.Hecomesbacktohisapartmentasfastashecanandfindsansuitofoldcrownoutfitscavengedfromotherpeople,sgarbage.Heputsonthecostumeandmake-upcarefully.Throughouttheprimphemaintainedadignifiedsilence.Outofexpectation,theoldStephenbeatsalltheothercompetitorsandgetthejob.FromthenonStephenmakesupatdawnandgoestotheclub.Afterall-dayPerformance,heleaveswiththemoonlightEverybodyinthetownloveshim.Stephenisareallyfunnyguy.Hecanplaybeautifulsongsanddancehilariously.Ateveryfestival,heisalwayshandingoutcandiestochildrenontimeinfrontoftheclubdoorandtouchingkids,rosycheeks.1.oveisalwayswithcuriosity.Whoheis,wherehelivesandhowhelookslike?Thesequestionspreyonaudience,smindespeciallyalittlegirlcalledDannie.Shehassparkleandblackeyeswithlongbrowncurlyhair.Shelookslikeanangel.EveryweekendsheispresentattheclubinordertowatchStephen,sshow.Aftertheshow,sheisusedtohelpinghimtocleanthestagebehindherparents.ButStephennevertalkstoher.Onenight,Stephenputsonthecostumeasusualandwalksintotheclub.Hestartshisperformanceasahappyclown.Hefeelsatpeacelookingattheaudience'sjoyfuleyes.Heiskindofterrifiedbythisfeeling.Afterhisperformance,hegoesbackstagetodothefollow-upwork.Withinhisexpectation-maybewithsomeexpectations-heseesDanniewalkingin.ttCouldyoupleaseshowmethelittlemagicagain?Ireallylikeit."Sheventures.SuddenlyStephendoesn,tknowwhattodoandhowtorespondtoher.Hefeelsawarmblushrisetohischeeks.“O-Okay”,hewantstogivethepositiveansweratthemoment.Buthereupon,hesmellssomething,likeburning.44Stayhere,llgoouttoseewhathappened.,Hewalkedoutquickly,withDannie,ssweetvoicebehind一“Comebacksoon,please.Ireallywanttoseethemagic!,Hewalksout.Thewholeclubisinamess.Peoplearescreaming,runningout-totallyamess.t4Whathappened!,someonescreamed.44Theysaidit,sthecandlehadsetthecurtainsonfire!Justrun!”someoneanswered.Stephenfrozewithterrorasheseestheblaze.Panicseizeshim.Thenhislegsstartsmovingwithouthiscommand.Heisrunningoutwiththeterrifiedcrowd.“Idon,twanttodie.Ican,tdie.Danteiswaitingformeathome.Ican,tdie.moutofprisonnow.Idon'twanttodie!hesaystohimselfasheruns.“ShesaidshewillwaitmethereuntilIcomeback,“anothervoicearisesinhismind,tsheisstillthere.,Hehalts“Sheisstillthere,waitingforme."Hehesitates.t4ButIdon'twanttodie.,Hehaltsatthegate.Helooksoutandfeelsthesafetyoutside.Nextsecondhislegsstartsmovingbacktotheblazinginfernobeforehisthought.“Whattheheckyouaredoing!Youmightdie!Justanaughtygirl.It,snotworthytoriskyourownStephentosseshisheadtothrowthevoiceoutofhismind.Hedidn,tstophispace.SeeingDannieisstillthere,safeandsound,Stephenheavesasighofrelief.“Wh-wherehaveyoubeen?Fire一fireeverywhere.msoscared."Danniesobs.Stephenfeelsblushedagain,buthedoesn'thavetosayanythingthistime一thereisnotimetosayanything.Thefireisspreadingver