The Return

About the Author

Jeffrey Asare is an experienced academic tutor with a passion for helping students reach their full potential. With an academic background in engineering and a keen eye for detail, he has spent over a decade guiding students in various subjects, from mathematics to science. His patience and innovative teaching methods have earned him a reputation for being approachable and effective. As an avid reader and researcher, Jeffrey stays up to date with the latest educational trends and uses his expertise to tailor his lessons to each student’s unique learning style. He enjoys family time, Sudoku puzzles, cooking, sports and exploring new literature genres when he’s not tutoring.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to each one of you who has been a constant source of love, support and encouragement throughout this journey. Your unwavering belief in me and your words of encouragement have been the driving force behind this endeavour.

Thank you for standing by me through the highs and lows, for lending a listening ear when I needed it the most, and for believing in the power of storytelling. Your presence in my life has enriched it beyond measure, and I am forever grateful for your love and friendship.

May these pages serve as a token of my appreciation and a tribute to the special bond we share. This book is as much yours as it is mine, for it would not have been possible without your love and support.

With all my love and gratitude,

Jeffrey Asare

Copyright Information ©

Jeffrey Asare 2024

The right of Jeffrey Asare to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781035830756 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781035830763 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Jesus for the inspiration and grace to write this piece.

To my ABA, my best friend, and my wife, Adeola, thank you for your support and the little things you do to ensure I can thrive and for being a noble helper.

To my mum, Aurora, sister, Rhoda, and grand-aunt, Cecilia, thank you for the many years of sacrifice, prayers and support to aid in my development.

To my family and friends, you have been a rock and nothing short of helpful.

1

The teenagers gathered around the fireplace to hear one of grandpa’s tales that evening. The soft crackling of the fireplace greeted them, casting a warm, golden glow upon the room. The hearth had witnessed countless stories and shared laughter over the years, a testament to the memories etched into the very walls of grandpa’s place. For the last few nights, the teens have enjoyed listening to the stories grandpa has relayed to them, from the wars he had fought to the businesses and adventures he had had the privilege to be involved in over the years. The atmosphere tonight mirrored previous occasions, brimming with animation and enthusiasm in the company of dear Grandpa which the youngsters affectionately called him. The community however recognised him as Far-jay, a moniker rich with familiarity; and within the confines of his family, he went by James. The gathering consisted of nine youngsters on this evening, though regrettably, two were absent, an anomaly that did not escape notice. The other kids had noticed that Kofi and Lexi were not around, and some briefly discussed among themselves, half-heartedly and without purpose. However, they were visibly excited to be present and hear the next tale grandpa had in store for them. Aimes, one of the kids in attendance, had seen Kofi and Lexi with their parents driving off from the town’s supermarket around two in the afternoon that day but didn’t bother adding that information to the conversation she had with John.

Far-jay was in his early seventies, about five feet eight inches, dark in complexion, with a white, neatly trimmed beard and lovely blue eyes. He finally lost his hair and became bald, which always drew a few laughs from the kids when he spoke about it. However, his new appearance complemented his physique and mannerisms perfectly. It was now 6:00 in the evening, an hour after the kids had begun to arrive, and Far-jay took his seat next to the fireplace and greeted each child with a warm, welcoming smile—as he always did.

What are you going to share today, grandpa? Frank asked excitedly, motioning for Alice to get some cookies from the plate next to her. Before grandpa sat down, he always brought some snacks to the kids, some of which were baked by him as he loved baking pastries and cooking various cuisines. Then he would always place some of the munchies next to the kids at the far end of the group as they sat around the fireplace, encouraging interaction among them. And it worked like a charm always.

How many do you want? Alice asked, slightly irritated at his request and the inconvenience she felt. She had thought about lashing out and refrained from doing that out of respect for grandpa.

Just two, please. You are a star! Frank smiled. Frank was warm, excited and had always been the life party of the group.

All right, Alice retorted. She reached for a tissue from the box next to her and saw a strange mark on the floorboard that she hadn’t seen before but didn’t pay much attention to. She then put the cookies into the tissue and handed them to Frank.

Thank you, Alice! Frank signalled.

Alice just nodded and fixed her gaze back on grandpa.

It’s great to see you all today; I have missed you dearly!

But you saw us yesterday, grandpa; strange for you to miss us already, Jake mused. He was always witty and saw that as an opportunity to show the group he was funny.

There had been an argument among the talkers of the group: Pam, Rodney and Lee, the night before about that subject: the funniest person in the group. Pam maintained there was no funny one in the group; everyone had funny moments that were good comedic relief, while Rodney and Lee took the camps of Jake and Layla, respectively.

That is true, I did see you yesterday, but it is always nice to have you over and spend time with you before your parents come to get you. So who is ready to hear today’s one? I sure am! Today will be unlike the other storytelling nights, so get comfortable and listen carefully, grandpa quipped with a smile and gave a fist pump to Frank.

Frank was so happy to be among his friends, at least that’s what he always believed, while Aimes sat there looking at grandpa, eager for him to begin. The others also had their gaze fixed on grandpa. Then, all of a sudden, tears began to fill his eyes as he looked at the kids and muttered, Things weren’t always like this, and everything here was much nicer and more exciting many years ago.

Huh? What do you mean, grandpa? Are you referring to the invasions? Alice exclaimed. She seemed shocked, as did the others, because of the tears in grandpa’s eyes.

No, Alice, it is not that. Far-jay continued. I know you all are quite surprised to see me this way, but I can assure you, I am fine, just sad about things sometimes and where we are now. You see, years ago, before you were all born, we were living in paradise. The place had a wonderful atmosphere, friendly people, and an interesting culture. Can you believe there was a small castle in Ninder Corner where both young and old could visit, learn about the town, relax, and gain valuable knowledge and training? It was truly incredible. Wow! Everyone exclaimed and was amazed at what grandpa was saying. Tell us more; what else was it like, and what happened? Pam and Frank said simultaneously.

"This place was desolate and not inhabited by anyone before we moved here. I, alongside a group of individuals, were migrating from our homeland as the war had gotten intense and brutal. Many families were killed, and children were kidnapped and enslaved.

We just had to find a way to escape. We were the only ones fortunate enough to leave. We numbered ten, including myself, journeying through the desert regions, almost like a wilderness. Then W-E… W-E… W-E…. Guys, I think it’s time to talk about something else, and you know, your parents will be here soon.

Why? No! Don’t stop; continue the story. We need to hear this, Aimes encouraged more words out of grandpa, as did Rodney!

No, it’s good to stop here now and resume another time. OK, guys? Let me go and get a glass of water, and I’ll be back shortly. Grandpa briskly made his way out of the living area, down the hallway and into the kitchen.

As he reached for a glass to fetch some water from the dispenser, he heard a voice behind him: We allowed you time with your community; do not take our kindness for stupidity to say things you shouldn’t. You pull that stunt again, and that will be your last night. This is your final warning!

Grandpa succumbed to his words in a trembling and shaky voice, Understood! I am very sorry.

All the kids just wondered what had just happened. It was unusual and surprising. Grandpa had never acted this way before them, and Frank was affected the most by the episode that had just transpired. Grandpa was like a role model to Frank, he was wondering how grandpa could succumb to such sadness; so this was hard to experience. Everyone was talking among themselves about what had just happened.

Guys, Pam shouted, this is weird, right? I have never seen grandpa like this. He was emotional, talking, and he suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

I know, right, Alice retorted in a shocked voice.

It was strange and weird; even Frank looked so freaked out. Did he think about something, or did he see something? I don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw something or remembered something that caused him to refrain from saying anything further to us. Something is going on, Aimes mused, standing up and moving towards the window to the left of the fireplace.

Before coming here, I saw Kofi and Lexi drive off from the supermarket. They looked terrified, and their parents looked puzzled as they drove off. That’s why they aren’t here today. Are the two events related? Maybe or maybe not. Today already feels weird, to be honest. But one thing is clear: something is definitely going on.

Guys, I am sure this is nothing big or serious. Let’s not overthink these things. Grandpa could be having a rough day, or he may be tired, stressed and in need of rest. As for Kofi and Lexi, I don’t know, but it could be a family situation that has happened, and they need to be there, Jake quipped.

Everyone seemed settled by Jake’s comment, but Pam, Aimes and Frank weren’t sold in any way, shape or form. Before they could continue discussing the events further, the doorbell rang, and it was Pam’s parents. Shortly after, Frank’s parents. Not long later, all the parents arrived. Grandpa intentionally stayed in the kitchen longer than usual to avoid further conversation with the kids and any potential slip-ups. Thankfully, none of the kids came into the kitchen while he was there, so the voice continued its directives to grandpa.

Eventually, grandpa showed up to the group, greeted all the parents and gave the kids some of his remaining baked pastries and a lovely, cooked meal, frutate, in takeaway containers as a going-home gift. The parents thanked Far-jay as consistently as they did and made their way to the entrance, and everyone was quickly gone. The kids didn’t mention anything to their parents about what had happened, but as Pam, Aimes and Frank’s concerns only grew, they told their parents and all their parents agreed with Jake’s comment.

2

The following day, all the kids were up bright and early for their weekly training sessions in combat. Training has been very intense lately and has now been structured into their weekly routines over the past two years. In the last tragic invasion, people were killed, properties were destroyed, and where most of the children had been captured. The kids were told to be prepared to fight in case the enemies came back again. And everyone was on edge at times because of this. The only thing that mattered was being prepared and not being caught unawares. Sometimes, I get tired, doing this every week and preparing for something I just don’t understand, Jake sighed, motioning a few moves with his sparring partner, Frank.

You remember what happened two years ago; we all were afraid and scared and hid in the underground bunker for days. I don’t know why they keep coming here, and no one has told us why. But that seems to be the least of concerns because we all want to survive right?—no one wants to die or get taken away.

The group listened