No Resistance

Chapter 1~ No Resistance
Washington Family beginnings...
New York 1994

Twenty-eight year old Akeem Washington stepped off the bus into the boroughs of Jamaica, Queens New York. Exhausted from the daily grind of hard labor and low income, he sluggishly made his way to his one bedroom apartment which he shared with his verbally abusive mother.

His heart yearned to leave the pungent stench of failure and begin his life running his own flourishing business. The joy of having someone else work for him would be a dream come true. However, he was not so lucky finding an investor for his dream.

He had rewritten his business plan several times. Investors seem to be interested but  weren't inspired enough to share in his dream. Akeem was on the verge of giving up. He had to  accept that he will always have to work this hard to support his family. Fumiko, his girlfriend whom he had been dating for the past year. Recently informed him of her pregnancy. Although, he appeared happy to hear the wonderful news, in his heart, he became angry.

How would they care for this child? What kind of parents would they become? Akeem had not wanted children, but he loved fumiko and knew that she did. He often wondered why she loves him so deeply. He had nothing to offer her and nothing to be proud of personally. And, now a child will come into this world and see how much of a failure his father truly is.

Making his way to his apartment he apathetically thrust his key in the door. Making sure to lock it behind him. Too many times had they been robbed. Fortunately for them there was nothing left to take. Unless the robbers had a thing for voodoo candles. The little apartment was littered with them. At times, so many of them had been lit that you didn't need light or heat. His mother claiming to be a priestess refused to work spending her days and night bargaining and toiling with insidious spirits.

Akeem had not been raised to know God. He never knew his father and his mother pass her apathy about life onto him. He needed to escape this horrible existence. But, he had not enough courage to commit suicide. He walked into the kitchen in search of something to eat. Opening the fridge brought about a huge disappointment. All that remained were plastic gallon jugs of mysterious concoctions made by his mother. Each one labeled with their purpose. Love, money, revenge and attraction. "Can I eat money?" He scoffed slamming the fridge door closed.

"Is that how you come home?" His mother scolded.

"I had a rough day." He grumbled not wanting to be bothered.

She placed her hands on her chubby hips and rolled her eyes. "You don't listen. I told you, you don't have to work so hard."

"Mom, I don't care for your voodoo crap. It's bull it doesn't work."

"It doesn't work!" She sneered. "So, how do you get the job?"

"Being a bus boy at twenty-eight is not my idea of a great career move," he chuckled. "Why don't you cook?" He changed the subject not truly caring of where it could lead.

"I don't have time to cook. I have clients to take care of." She sucked her teeth leaving the kitchen.

"How did I make it to this age?" He grumbled. "All my life you've had your so-called clients, but what do they want?"

"Help!"

"You can't help them, all this, what you’re doing is a joke. Smoke and mirrors...parlor tricks."

"Tricks!" She returned to the kitchen.

"I don't even know what you believe in, you’re all over the place, today you’re Christian and tomorrow you’re catholic?"

"You don't know because you’re too wrapped up in yourself!" She snapped back.

"Wrapped up in myself, I work two jobs and barely spend any real time with my girlfriend. Come Friday you have your hand out, next thing I know, I’m broke!"

"You think you can just live under my roof and not pay bills?"

"No, Mom that's not my point." He moved pass her wanting to escape the conversation. Abruptly he came to a halt. "Mom, who is this standing in the living room?"

A dark gentleman stood in the corner of the room smoking a cigar. "Hello Akeem," his trance inducing voice seem to carry throughout the room dauntless.

"Don't be afraid, he's an investor. He's interested in your work." His mother stepped out of the kitchen, placing her hand on the small of his back she pushed him closer to the stranger.

"I've skimmed through your idea and found it to be interesting," the stranger continued.

"How did you hear about me?" Akeem questioned.

"Your mother," he answered stepping closer to Akeem. "Have you told him?" he directed the question towards Akeem's mother.

"Ah, not really everything?" She tried to shy away from the question. At the age of sixteen, she made a pact with the devil to capture the love of a boy who did not want her. She made the pact selfishly only concerned about getting what she wanted. The agreement stated that she would sell her soul for the love of whom became her son's father. In return, her child would have to continue the pact passing it on to his child before he died. Time was running out for her. She had a developed a rare and untreatable disease. The doctor had given her just weeks to live.

"What is he talking about?"Akeem asked his mother?

"Are you tired of living like this?" The stranger asked.

"Of course, I am," Akeem answered without hesitation.

"Then make a pact with me?" The stranger smiled cunningly.

"Why?" He questioned. "What's in it for me?"

"What ever you want. All that I ask is that when it's your time to leave this dreadful planet that you pass this wonderful gift onto your son."

"How do I do that?"

"Accept the pact from your mother. Tell me what you want and I will make magic happen as they, say." he smiled cunningly.

"I accept," Akeem didn't give it a moments thought. His heart filled with all of his wants and desires. For once in his life, they all felt to be within his grasp.

His mother released a heavy breath then collapsed to the floor. The stranger stood over her. "Our contract is now over. See you soon," he laughed wickedly as his body dematerialized.

"Mom!" He fell to his mothers side. "Are you all right?"

"I’m dying," she whispered.

"What did he do to you?"

"He didn't do anything. I did this to myself," her eyes closed as she took her last breath.

Akeem, called 911, but it was too late. The medics could not revive Akeem's mother.

Weeks later...

Akeem sat in an attorney's office. His mother had left him a will. The lawyer read through the mundane area's of the will finally coming to the reason Akeem had been called in. "And to my only son Akeem Washington, I leave my entire life long savings of one million dollars."

Akeem sat erect in his seat. "Please repeat that last part again?"

The Lawyer did as requested. She smiled at him knowing that the money had been well needed. The funeral expenses and debts his mother left behind for him had taking away all that he had been saving, to start a new life with his girlfriend. Since she told him, she is expecting  he made a decision  that he would provide for them. It emotionally killed him when he had to hand over the little that he did save to the funeral home. Only to have a substantial balance remain.

"The money will take a little to clear, but should be in your account within the next two weeks." His lawyer informed him.

"Thank you, Thank you so much." He quickly stood eager to leave. The first thing he wanted to do was propose to his girlfriend and get married before the baby was born. "Thank you, I...I have to go," he could barely contain the excitement building up inside.

"Just be careful on how you spend the money. Remember where it came from," she advised.

Where it came from, was an exceptionally legitimate question? "How was my mother able to save up  the million dollars when at times they couldn't even afford salt and pepper on the table?"

His mind replayed an episode of the night his mother died. An image of the stranger telling him, he could have what ever he wanted struck a cord. If this is what's to come, I can't wait to get more he thought to himself as he left the office.