Khalil's Inferno

It is a hot and sunny day in the tropical Caribbean twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, where the ongoing gang violence and deterioration crime situation continues to grip the law abiding population. It has been a year since you honorably discharged from the Defence Force regiment, particularly the special forces battalion, serving alongside your friends who you'd consider your closest family.

Having encountered a situation which altered your life all together, you believed that a more simple life as a civilian would have suited you far better than before. But it isn’t before long where you realize that the challenges in your life have only just begun.

You're working on a car that your uncle had left parked by your garage for over a month now when your childhood best friend Dwayne, who you had served with, pulls up at the entrance.

"Yo Khalil!"

You peer out from under the car and smile when you see Dwayne.

"Dwayne, what's up?" You say, hugging him in your brake fluid stained clothes

"Nothing man, just passing to check on you, I'm off duty until tonight so I said I would pass by and cool off for a bit." He says, holding a pair of beers.

The Prime Minister Keith Rowley is on your TV speaking on the deteriorating crime situation following another drive by shooting in the capital city of Port of Spain which left 7 people dead earlier this morning. You and Dwayne sip on your beers and eat lunch while he talks

"Imagine Trinidadians voted for this man again after seeing the shit that he's done and yet they complaining on Facebook about the country. They like the man more than Tobagonians themselves I fucking swear!" You say, gulfing down a container of spaghetti and corned beef that your mother had prepared for you.

"Well, it is one country." Dwayne says

"You stay there and continue believing that this is one country based on how we have been treated like second class citizens by Trinidad for the last 144 years."

Dwayne turns to you

"You do realize that Tobago can't survive without Trinidad money. We would sooner rejoin the union before the island collapses." He says

"You serious? You don't have a sense of pride and respect for your own Tobago people?" You ask, while his eyes dart from yours.

"Yes, but let us be real. What has the current administration shown to us that tells us that they are trying to get Tobago to become self sufficient? We voted out the only guys who could've done it based off of political nonsense." He says

"You only saying that because your boy's party got voted out after 21 fucking years of bullshit!"

You both fall into a fit of laughter while Rowley explains in detail the horrific shooting in the Trinidad capital.

"Those boys in the regiment want to be let loose on these blasted criminals. They're tired of only coming out for independence parades and not much more." Dwayne says, finishing his bottle of beer.

"Trinidad's crime, Trinidad's problem. They don't like us, or care about us. So why should those guys up here care about what going on down in Trinidad?" You ask

"Because they understand that--"

Suddenly, your conversation is interrupted when you get a phone call from your mother, asking you to check on her in the next 15 minutes.

"Ay Dwayne, I have to make a run. Close up for me, yeah?". You say, giving him a fist bounce while grabbing your car keys.

"Tell the pretty lady I said hello." He says, smiling.

You enter your 2004 Subaru and drive off, just as the rain begins to fall and cools down what has been a hot day.

You arrive at your mother's house a short while later outside of Scarborough. Your father, your brother, your aunties, uncles your cousins and your redskin girlfriend, Kadesha are all chilling, making sure your mother is kept in good spirits.

"Mommy, what happ--"

"The damn hospital is a fucking death camp! I went up there to get an appointment for your tanty, they tell me that the next appointment date is September 14th 2025. No medication because all the pharmacies in town are closed by 3! The country is in a mess!" Your auntie shouts, clearly exasperated by the lack of healthcare on the island

You shake your head as you give your girlfriend a kiss on the lips.

"I'll pass by the pharmacy first thing in the morning and get some medicine." You say, grabbing your girlfriend's hand. She smiles gently as she gets up from her chair

"Where allyuh (the two of you) going?" Your mother asks.

"Going home. Worked all day and I'm tired. I'll be back here in the morning" You say

You say good bye to everyone and head on home, after a long day's work.

1am that night....

You're in bed, wide awake while your girlfriend snores away next to you, thinking about the state of the country, and thinking about Tobago and what it could have been, had it been allowed to charter its own course.

Suddenly, you hear movement in the grass outside the window. Your eyes perk up like a husky's ears, listening closely for the next movement.

"Babe. Wake up. Bandits outside." You say, tapping her awake.

"W...wha?" She murmurs

"Bandits!"

You both frantically rush out of bed while Kadesha covers herself with the blanket. You run to the chester draw and grab your licensed firearm and a few magazines.

"Call the police! DO NOT open this door for anybody unless you hear my voice!" You whisper, as you turn off the bedroom light.

You hear someone knock down your front door, your heart thunders like a bell in your chest. The civilian side of you turns off and the Special forces version of yourself takes over.

You creep through the corridor, keeping low out of sight of the bedroom windows.

You duck into the dark spare room, out of sight of the corridor. You wait as the sounds of footsteps get ever so closer. Suddenly, you hear a voice

"Make sure they're both alive. We need the money" One of them says.

You frantically look around the room in the darkness for something sharp. You eventually locate a screwdriver.

You wait in anticipation for one of them to pass the door way. A man, dressed in all black and armed with a assault rifle enters your view.

Out from the darkness, you grab him and drag him into the room, stabbing him in the neck with the screwdriver, while gagging him with your hand. His body goes limp as he struggles against your vast strength.

You grab his rifle and his torch and move into the corridor.

The mirror to the kitchen is on the side, and you notice 3 other armed men in the house.

(shit!)

One of the men notices movement and opens fire in the corridor.

You duck back into cover as the sleeping neighborhood is awoken by rapid gunfire.

You grit your teeth and run out into the danger, towards the gunfire. You stay low to the ground as then gunmen miss.

Finding new cover behind the kitchen counter, you notice that the gunmen haven't advanced forward. The gunfire stops.

"...why the fuck are you shooting? I said alive you idiot!"

while they're distracted, you pop up and shoot the 3 of them dead, before they could get the chance to shoot at you.

You turn on the light, as your girlfriend scurries down the corridor in the blanket.

"Stay back." You say, as you look to examine the bodies.

You notice that one of them is wearing a identification card hidden inside of his shirt. You pull it out and notice that it's a policeman's ID card. PC Dennis, with his regimental number.

Your heart beat quickens and you check the other two bodies in the living room and notice the same. They're all policemen with identification cards.

"Khalil, what is it? Are you ok? Who are these people?" She asks, her voice trembling and her body shaking from the ordeal.

"Plain clothes policemen. Attempted hit job on the both of us." You say, as you both look at each other in shock and despair.