FACING THE TRUTH(JUSTIN LAGAT) One day, Alex accidentally knocked down an expensive enamel kettle on the table while playing with his younger brother, Martin, in the house. It fell down on the cemented floor and broke into fragments. They both stared at the pieces in shock and fright. Their mother was definitely going to skin them alive! The utensil was the most expensive commodity in the kitchen and their mother valued it so much that she would not even allow anyone to touch it. They kept staring at it for some time before Alex finally began to sob.

“Do not worry, I have a plan.” Martin offered to comfort his brother. “Let us collect all the fragments and throw them in to the pit latrine, then when mother asks whether we saw the kettle, we will say we never saw it.”

Alex was pleased with the suggestion.

“But in return, you shall be towing me on my sled every morning on our way to school and also back in the evening. If you fail to do so, I will report everything to mother.” Martin warned.

“As long as you do not report me, I will do as you say.” Alex agreed.

That evening, their mother searched everywhere for the expensive kettle but to no avail. She asked the two boys whether they had seen it, but they said they hadn’t seen it. She asked them to swear by lightning, and they swore. Their mother was so saddened by the disappearance of her expensive kettle, but she comforted herself with the thought that she was going to get to the root of the matter one day.

Alex began his duty of towing Martin to school the following day. The school was three kilometers from their home, through some hills and valleys. It was not an easy task, but the thought of facing the wrath of his mother in case Martin reported him gave him the ability to persevere. Even as he climbed the steepest slope, Martin could alight from the sled. Alex ended up at school sweating profusely. In the evening, he arrived home in the same condition. His mother noticed this, but assumed he had been playing with his friends.

Within a week, their mother noticed that Alex had begun to lose weight and appeared very exhausted while on the other hand, Martin was literally becoming obese. She asked each one of them separately whether there was any problem. Both assured her that everything was alright.

After a week, Alex was so exhausted that he could hardly manage to pull the sled all the way. His brother would scream insults at him about him beginning to get lazy and reminding him that he had the power to report him to their mother and he was going to face the music if he did so. Although he was the elder brother, Martin was by now able to challenge him physically, he would at times kick him or slap him and Alex found that he no longer had any more energy in his body to retaliate.

One evening, Alex decided he could not carry his brother anymore. He went to his mother, told her how he had accidentally shattered the enamel kettle, and all that happened after. “I am very sorry for everything that I did. Please forgive me.”

“It is alright. You have suffered more than enough.” His mother felt so sorry for him.

The following morning, their mother summoned Martin.

“Why are you becoming obese?” Mother asked him. She looked fierce. Before he could answer, she held him by the hand and started spanking him with a cane. “Now it is your turn to be punished. For the next one week, you will be fetching water from the stream every evening with your sled and also, wash all your brother’s clothes. Will you do it?”

“Yes mother! Yes I will do it. Stop beating me. Please…” Martin wailed.

From that day, Alex and his brother learned that it may be at times hard to face the truth, but it is always the best thing to do.

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