THE GATE KEEPER (5 page)

‘Me,
too,’ she expressed herself with fervent desire. Her body language spat it out.

‘Later
then,’ Samantha said as she turn around and head off the turf excitedly.

‘Cool.’

I
watch her as she walk off the green field. There was something about her.
Irresistible beauty was what she was rich of.  A slim figure in a tight
blue jean, with engrave fashionable shredded marks at the left knee and right
thigh.  Her feet were protected by an old neat and light brown leather
boots. Her top was a white see through which gives out the colour of her bra.
In front of her was her school file which she lays on her stomach. Samantha
holds it dearly with both hands as she heads for the school.

I
turn around to see what was happening to Michael and Tony. Coach had taken both
of them for a little walk afar from everyone. They were in the middle of the
fields. Coach appears to be giving both of them a good telling off. Hailey, who
was nearby, waiting and watching for the outcome of her boyfriend’s trial,
decides to move closer to me.

‘Are
you going out with the new girl?’ I remain mute while I pretend not to hear her.
‘D....Dear me, I never thought that you had it in you.’

‘What
do you mean?’ I asked.

‘Some
predators are territorial when it comes to hunting their prey. Especially if
it’s a new one they head for it before the other predators get a grip of it.
Just never thought you had it in you.’

I
did not response. I pretend to not hear her as I turn the opposite way and
watch Samantha walking away.

‘I
bet you’re dying to have a piece of that.’

‘Does
it have anything to do with you?’ I sarcastically asked.

‘Perhaps
we should go out together.’

‘A
few minutes ago you were fighting for your boyfriend. Isn’t he still yours?’ I
sarcastically responded as I point at Tony’s direction and asked.

‘Not
officially. My status is open. There’s a vacancy and I was wondering if you
want it? ….well, you know exceptions can be made and I can be available just
for you.’

‘No
thanks. You’re disgusting at times.’

I
walk away and she said, ’You’ll come back for it.’

I
carry on towards the school for the male’s changing room. I needed to change
from my physical education running kit to my normal private clothes for the
next class. She started to agitates and become angry.

‘I
know you had fancied me in the past and that you still do! I know that you will
accept me! Remember nobody rejects me!’ She arrogantly said.

‘.....all the best then!’
I
said as I walk away.

5

The
old man was in distressed. He had foreseen the past and the future. The present
was yet to be written. He had felt an urgent need to help out but the
uncertainty was one thing he was afraid of. He walked the same road he once had
taken a few years back.

The
frail man made a final march to the secondary tarmac road. He walked the single
carriage way on the side he felt comfortable with. Safety was what his mother
had thought him to be aware of while walking those compact two lanes road as a
child. Facing the oncoming traffic had always been the right way.

The
country road felt deserted with not even a single traffic passing by. Each side
of the ghostly road were surrounded by thick vegetation and massive trees. The
walk became a lonely one. It brought up bad memories.

He
could see himself on a bicycle riding that same road. Only to realise that the
last time he rode it he was young and energetic. His mind went back at that
time he undertook the challenge of the sharp turns of the road. He looks at his
hands and realised that it was the same hands guiding it. Except that the pair
of hands he saw belongs to a young version of his own self. They rode the
bicycle with the flow of the road which snakes its way through the thick
forest.

A
rush of fear conquered the old man’s soul as he realised that he was on the
run. The old man got back to reality. He stopped and looked behind him. He
could still remember them. His mind slowly crawled back into the past. He saw
them, a gang of five teenage boys riding hard and fast behind him. He could
still hear their exact words.

‘Come
on boys!’ The big teenage boy on the bicycle at the front barked at his gang.

‘We’re
coming Tony!’ One of his followers who dressed up in a black gothic suit barked
back.

‘He’s
not
gonna
get away!’ Someone at the back said aloud.

The
old man’s mind brought up hallucinating image of that historic event. He could
see his own self riding fast and passing himself. He turns his head back again
to see the gang getting closer to him.

Then
the hallucinating memories of his elapsed period faded away. The old man faces
the direction he was heading for. The direction they had all headed for. He
walks down the road until he reaches a pathway at the side of the road.

His
old memories gives in short burst of events of the past. He sees his own hallucinating
young self, riding furiously and coming to an immediate halt at the path way.
Quickly the old memory was gone and he tries to examine the pathway ahead.
Though the memory was old he knows that it must look exactly the same. It was
the only and exact identical pathway which fit the one in his head.

He
made headway through it. He walks through while searching for any new threat
from side to side. Humans and poisonous reptile which may hide out among the
thick vegetation on each side of the footpath made of thick white rocky sand.
He knew that he had no chance to stand against those threats unless he sees it
first.

He
had to be thrifty with his life as he knew that he has become slow. Years has
catch up with him. Wrinkles had invaded his body like cocoon on pupae.
The
future is uncertain
he had said to himself for the past half of his life.

The
school bell rang for the end of the final class. Some kids head straight out while
some head for their lockers. Excitement of heading home and doing what we like
was the moral that triggered most of us to leave the school premises quickly.

I
was in love. I could not think of going home without talking to her.  She
was an amazing girl and I felt the need to know her. I slowly packed my bag
while I took a peek at her. Samantha sat at the front left for that class. She
takes all her belongings and look at me from behind.

With
our eyes interlocking each other, I felt embarrass and powerless of the
feelings I felt for her. Love at first sight. Samantha smile at me and walk
towards me. Nervously I stand up. My shaky hands drop the biology book I was
trying to fit in my school bag.

‘Are
you spying on me stranger?’ she joyfully growl at me in a playful way.

‘Wasn’t
we supposed to be on a sort of a date?’ I ask nervously.

She
smile and respond in a friendly teasing manner, ‘Oh, hold your gun big boy I
can’t seem to remember that part of us agreeing on terms for our date.’

‘You
know what?’

‘I’m
all ears.’

‘I
want you to know that the moment I laid eyes on you I became your favourite
fan.’ I said.

Then
I playfully took her hands, went down on one knee and said, ‘Samantha will you
be my girlfriend?’ 

She
smile and merrily play along without bothering herself of the by-passers who
were minding our business, ‘Sure my dear prince, we can give it a try and see
how it may turn up.’

‘Good
you’ve made my day.’ I joyfully respond as I stand up.

We
walk out through the crowded traffic of students bumping into each other for
the main door which led out. At times I had to walk at the front to be able to
squeeze through the gap of students and Samantha follows me. My left hand got
hold of my school bag and with the same side I push through the crowd.

My
right hand lays relax but it was not for long until it felt warm. Someone got
hold of it. I turn around and see Samantha holding it. Our eyes meet with a
dedicated passion for each other. She smiles at me. I could not help myself by
not responding and returning the same friendly gesture.

Once
we were out of the crowd we walk down the road together. There was an
uneasiness of nervousness as we both stayed quiet. She slowly removed her hand
in mine and uses both of hers to hold her file towards her chest. We accidently
call out each other’s name at the same time while facing each other while
walking down the road.

We
smile and laugh as we realise that we’ve call out each other’s name at the same
time. Perhaps it was love at first sight like I had felt or just the complicity
of normal anxiety of uncontrollable jitters. I’m not a love expert but all I
know is that it was a wonderful feeling.

‘You
go first.’ She insisted.

‘No,
I must insist, lady’s first.’

‘So
what are you up to then?’

‘Accompany,
you to your house.’

‘I
meant this evening?’

‘Ok,
I might go through maths and biology tonight as it’s my weakest link.’

‘Ok,
how good are you at history and geography?’ 

‘Good.’

‘The
history and geography class you’re in are super good. I’ve been told that you’re
one of the super brilliant students of those two subjects, right.’ She
praised.  

‘Well
not totally true.’

We
walk down the road and made a left turn towards Samantha’s house. Puzzling, she
seek for reasoning, ‘What do you mean?’

‘I
won’t lie to pretend that I’m a genius, when in fact, I’m just a simple young
man trying to be the best I can be.’

‘Tell
me something about history then?’

‘Which
part? Is it the eighteen or nineteen century?’ I asked.

‘What
happen to Hitler before the end of the second world war?’ Samantha demanded for
an answer.

‘Adolf
Hitler, the ‘
fuhrer
’
or leader of the
Nazi German party. Presume dead on April 1945 two months before the end of the
war.’ I said.

‘Wait
a minute, I don’t believe in that word presume. I’d rather use suicide.’ She
said trying to outsmart me in the field I’m really interested in.

‘Where
do you get your source?’

‘From
school and… What about you?’

‘Of
course, it’s from the primary source. He never shot himself as they have recently
found that he manage to escape. He simply got away as the man which the Russian
army identified as Hitler was inches shorter than him.’ I said as we walk
towards her house.

‘How
do the historians knows that when in fact, the primary witness who was part of
his personal bodyguard was much alive in the seventies and eighties to tell the
tale?’

‘Hitler’s
bodyguard story was unreliable. The only witness alive who has been interviewed
every decade has changed his story so many times. This had led historians to
believe that he wasn’t a credential witness. One time he heard the shot and
another time he said he couldn’t hear it.’ I calm down to give her time to
assimilate what I was telling her.

Samantha
listens attentively and I allow her to absorb what I was giving out. She walks
with her head facing downward trying to figure out the jigsaw facts.

I
catch my breath and proceeds, ‘Then at a certain point he said he saw the body
but the face of the
fuhrer
was covered with a
blanket leaving only his shoes out for him to recognise it as his.’

‘Then
who was the dead man who looked exactly like him?’

‘After
operation Valkyrie, where by his own high ranking military personnel’s fail
attempt to assassinate him, Hitler in fear of his life secretly used body
doubles.’

‘It
makes perfect sense. He must have used an imposter of his self-image to fake
his own death and vanish without a trace.’ She said as she gave out her
thoughts. ‘So why couldn’t he be brought to justice?’

‘He
couldn’t be found anywhere but speculation and primary evidence from the other
source led for a hunt around the globe. The most wanted mass murderer’s hunt
was led in Argentina after two German U boats surface over there and this was
two months later after the end of the war.’ I said.

‘Very
interesting and for me they are brand new facts.’ Samantha said as she looks at
me with a hunger for knowledge, to comprehend and make sense of the past.

‘Even
the leader of Russia at that time who was Stalin agreed that Hitler escaped.
The sound proof bunker was equipped with safety hatch which he could have
easily used to fake his own death. He was never found and our government closed
the case late in the 50s after we fail to find him. The world had to content
with the conclusion that the look-alike body double was him and that he had
committed suicide as to find him alive went cold. Case Closed.’

We
reaches her home and she stand at the doorway on the steps. Then she said,
‘Thanks for the lecture and I really appreciate it.’

‘No
probs.’

She
walks to the door then stop, turns around and said, ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’

         
‘Sure. I’m all yours.’

Samantha
smile and I smile back. We stare at each other. I slowly walk up the stairs.
She stands still at the front door of her parent’s home. I smoothly sidle near
her to make a connection. I hold both of her hands. Chilly feelings of love
produce uncontrollable phobia of rejection,
if I kiss her what will she
think of me and if she doesn’t want me more than a simple friend?

I
slowly move my head closer towards hers while I stare into the windows of her
soul. Her blue glittering eyes also display a sense of innocence. She neither
hesitates nor resists the temptation that she copies the gesture. As we were
close enough she closed her eyes and we kiss. We seize time to make passionate
and a tendering kiss of love.  

Then
we slowly come out of the wonderful and amazing position. We both hold each
other’s hands and stare into each other’s eyes. Then she breaks the contact by
looking at my hands which she felt massaging hers. Her skin was soft.
What
an amazing young lady she was.

‘Tomorrow
we’ll carry on from where we left.’

‘Definitely,’
I respond joyfully.

‘I’m
looking forward to see you again tomorrow.’

‘Me,
too,’ I reply.

‘Tomorrow
we’ll start studying together at my place. I’ll help you with what you’re not
good at and you’ll help me with those subjects you’re a winner at, especially
at history.’ Samantha excitedly proposed.

I
put a finger on her lips and she look at me. Without wasting time I kiss her
again. Samantha acknowledges it and we both were in our own world. We neither
bothered about those who had gone by nor those who was passing by and seeing us
in action.

I
broke the act and whisper her name.

‘Yes.’
She responds as she holds my hands and stares at me in the eyes.

‘Put
your mobile number in my phone and I’ll ring you tonight.’  I gently let
go of her hands and hand over my mobile to her from my trousers’ pocket.

‘Sure,
I’ve forgotten about it.’ She said as she grabs it from my hand and immediately
key in her number.

Samantha
saves the data and hand over my phone. I was not surprise of her being accustom
to my phone as I had notice that she and I share the same taste of make. I ring
her phone and said, ‘Now you’ve got mine as well.’

She
knew what I meant. She smile and take her phone from the back of her tight
jeans. The same identical mobile as mine, except that hers was pink and mine
was black. I slowly walk backward and said, ‘Tomorrow then.’

‘Sure.’

We
stare at each other as I walk backward. She point out to me. The mood of her
face changes instantly. As if she wanted to warn me of something as she point
her finger behind me. Then she scream out, ‘Watch out Phil!’

It
was too late. I turn around only to find myself bumping into a tall and
muscular being. The arms were massive and the chest was proper out as well. I
trace the muscle up to his neck and the familiar face.