***
It was sunny here, just like any other town in this country. But somehow, Shawn always felt life is dim and dull. Maybe it was of his unforgiving upbringing. Sad to say that his father left the family when he was just 4 years old. Somehow, his mother never told him why. Whenever he asked, all he was told was that his father was in a crisis, and needed to break-off all contacts with his family.
And so, his mother was left with the task of bringing up this boy. As rough as life may become, his mother still manage to put food on the table, partly due to Shawn being the only child, to which his mother is grateful with.
But Shawn was fatherless from a tender age, and with that said, he always felt a bit betrayed by his father. Being born without any siblings, his time spent alone at home was aplenty, he was timid and shy, not willing to come out of his husk. His mother would come home late at the wee hours of the night, never managing to spare time for her son. This routine life made Shawn a slight pessimist. His only outlet to his restlessness was sports, because his raw energy never seems to run out. Maybe it was in his blood, but somehow, he was a born sportsman. And with this talent, he excelled in sports and his friends were his teammates, and over the years, he still manage to get pass life.
But his dreams and hopes of reuniting with his father came to a shattering end. Coming home from school one day as a young man of 15 years, he was greeted by his mother, eyes red and soaked. It is worrying enough that his mother was home during this hour. But a weeping mum? His heart pounded hard with that sight, and quickly, he ran towards his mother to inquire.
Shock along with sheer disbelief it was. His father had gone this morning, gone beyond this world. He was found hanged in his small hut in the borders of Hat Yai, Thailand.
"But mum, why is he in Thailand? Why he left us anyway??" Puzzled and anxious Shawn asked
"Son, all this years, I kept this reason a secret in hopes of covering your father's misdeeds so that you will have any bad image of your father, should he return one day." His mum told him, as tears flowed down her cheeks.
"What do you mean mum?? Tell me! please.."
"Remember the day he left us? He left because a crisis, as I told you. This crisis was actually life threatening to him and to our family. I initially wanted to follow him, but he insisted to leave alone."
"What crisis is that??"
"Son, remember that he did this because you, and me. Your father was a gambler... I thought that it was ok at first. He started off small. I never imagined that he would stray away like this. He was initially just going to his friends house for poker and black jack... Then he started going to Genting. I knew he starting get hooked, but I trusted him in controlling himself. How I wish I had intervene... After several months going on like this, he just comes back one day to tell me that loan sharks wants his head! I was as shocked as you are now hearing this son." Mum said, with a face like someone with a heavy load on his back removed.
"Mum... Dad was a GAMBLER???"
"Hush my dear. He may be... But I believe he always meant well for us. He left us in hope settle the debt he had. So I too don't know what has become of him until so recently as this morning... A friend he made in Thailand contacted me this morning. He apparently committed suicide because he failed to cover the debt in the end, and those loan sharks tracked him down in Thailand, with the aid of the local thugs... He was threatened with torture, so I believe he rather just DIED! His friend brought along with him your fathers only belongings he had during time away. Among those is a letter with your name on it. I left it all in your room."
"... I'm just speechless mum... Why should this happen?? Where is the body?"
"Yet to arrive... His wake will be held at your grandma's place as soon as his body arrives... It's sad to see the older generation see the younger ones go before them..."
Tragic it may seem. The only thing that shed some light in Shawn's darkest hour was the letter.
Along that with that letter, one of the belongings caught the attention of Shawn...
to be continued...
PS. Ok, a bit of a darker side to the story, comments are as usual, welcomed... Too dark for your taste? I'm just an amateur... No one say this was going to be a romance story XD cause romance's just not in my field...
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