Instead, they were left with a pair of shoes and the memories of their sons - by N

Chosen Topic:

A Memory of a Pair of Shoes

Consolation Prize - A20

By N, a LNP student-inmate from Institution TM1

There was a family of twin brothers, that lived in a three-room flat. Although they were twins, they had no resemblance. Jamal was a short guy and had innocent look with a cute chubby face. However, his appearance belied his behaviour, he was an obnoxious, aggressive person and always getting into trouble with the law. He did not care what people might say about, as he was loved and pampered by his family. On the other hand, Ahmad was totally an opposite of Jamal.

One day, Jamal had some issues with his rival. His rival was a tall young man with an athletic build and his name was Zack. Jamal told his brother Ahmad about the problems and said he will make sure Zack pays for what he did. Although Ahmad knew which way the wind was blowing, he decided to follow and watch over his brother’s back. Just before they went out, Jamal asked his brother to lend him his pair of shoes. At first, Ahmad was reluctant because those shoes were his favourite. Nevertheless, he lent it to his brother. Without Ahmad’s knowledge, his brother had secretly hidden a six-inch blade under his T-shirt.

Upon reaching the location, they walked along the side of the road in between block of flats. From a distance of two blocks away, Jamal spotted Zack. He was standing alone under one of these blocks. Immediately, they moved cautiously and closer behind Zack without him knowing it, until it was too late. Jamal started throwing his punches and kicks onto Zack. Zack tried to defend those attacks, suddenly, Ahmad saw his brother was pulling out a sharp blade under his T-shirt. By the time Ahmad tried to stop his brother from using the blade, it was too late. His brother managed to use it. Ahmad took away the blade from his brother then he grabbed his brother by the hand and they ran away from the scene.

Within a few hours, the twins were arrested for murder. When the news broke out, their parents were so stressed out especially their mother who wailed out like a raving mad woman. While the twins were in the Remand Prison, their parents visited them weekly. During the visit, they had voiced out their concerns about losing their twins. Although their mother had suggested that either one of the twins should be saved, it was not for her make the decision. And they needed a plenty of money. Since Jamal was their favourite son, they had constantly pleaded Ahmad to take the fall for the sake of the family. For a few months, Ahmad pondered about the situation, in the end, he gave in on one condition, that his brother must change his lifestyle. And so, Jamal made a promise.

Their parents managed to appoint one of the best lawyer but that did not come cheap, they had to sell their three room flat in order to pay the lawyer fees. At last, Jamal was freed from those charges but sadly, Ahmad was sentenced to death. As the days go by, Ahmad told his mother to give his favourite shoes to his brother as a memory of sacrifices. Since the day of Jamal’s acquittal, he had broken his promises. Instead he became worse every minute as if ‘out of the frying pan into the fire!’

When the time came, the court had carried out Ahmad’s punishment, he was hung. While simultaneously, a tragedy befell upon the parents yet again. They received a call from the police. It was about Jamal. He was caught in a fatal accident, when he tried to out-run from the authorities. 

At the cemetery, the parents stared blankly at their twins’ graves, side by side while their tears raining down their cheeks. Their thoughts were a mess, knowing that everything they owned, their twins and their home, had gone forever. Instead, they were left with a pair of shoes and the memories of their sons.