Prologue

PROLOGUE



"Hey! Do you mind" A sweet-voiced, beautiful girl roared. Her books were on the pavement floor. The weather was mild and bright, it was the morning; with warm winds surrounding the area.

"I'm...I'm sorry miss" The African man responded in a profound, low-pitched Ivorian accent

"You need to pay more attention, to where you are going" The girl said, as she picked up her books. The man helped, and saw her name on her textbook

"Courtney...beautiful name" The man replied. Courtney pushed her long, chocolate brown coloured locks of hair back, and gavea faint smile. Her bright, chocolate coloured skin glowed under the sun

"Thank you" She replied, as she rose to her feet "I'm not being funny, but I'm a bit young for you...I'm seventeen and I have aboyfriend" Courtney declared

"Sorry, miss, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to make you my wife, I'm only 24" The man laughed as he gave her, her books

"Thanks" Courtney smiled. Her phone began to ring "I've got to answer this...you sound new to London. Welcome, and enjoy your stay" She smiled, as she answered her phone, and walked past the man

"Bye-bye, miss" The man smiled as he went on his way, but he turned back

"MISS" He yelled, Courtney finished talking on her phone, and looked back

"Yes sir" Courtney smiled

"Could you tell me where I could find the...the" The man lookedat a handwritten note "Metropolitan Police station?"

"Sure, why not?" Courtney smiled, as she approached the man. She then gave him the directions

"Thank you, my princess" The man smiled

"Princess..." Courtney began "I like that. It's a shame my man doesn't call me that anymore. If you were a few years younger,who knows..."

"It's quite alright" The man laughed "May you have a blessed day"

"Thank you, sir...Oh I didn't get your name" Courtney smiled

"Solomon...Solomon Soro...I would like to talk with you, but I'm running late" Solomon smiled

"Alright...you're actually the first person who has been remotely nice to me for time...so can I give you my e-mail? I can tell you don't have a lot of friends yet" Courtney smiled

"Well...back in the Ivory Coast I have many friends. Not yet here, but I've heard London is a magical place; a place where dreams and aspirations come true"

"...Don't know about that, but I won't put a downer on your perceptions" Courtney took Solomon's piece of paper, and wrote her e-mail address

"Thank you, my dear. You're my first London friend" Solomon smiled

"That's sweet. Take care, Solomon, don't hesitate to send me ane-mail" Courtney smiled as she walked off. Solomon then proceeded to the police station

London Metropolitan Police Station

"So you're new in the capital?" a deep baritone voice asked

"Yes I am" Solomon replied "I quite like it here, it's spectacular to what I'm used to"

"...Yeah, sure it is. Now, what makes you a good candidate for ticket inspection" The police sergeant asked as he rose to his feet to open the curtains. Bright light filled the room and shoneon the police sergeant's uniform and pale coloured skin.

"I am loyal, respectful and no stupid things can get past me" The Ivorian declared. The room was so bright, he had to shade his dark chocolate brown coloured face with his right hand.

"The main reason of me coming to this country is to experience western culture. London is the best city in the world"

"I'm glad you feel that way," the police sergeant began, as he looked at the Ivorian "You will need to go through some formal training, but despite that, I think you will be free to work"

The immigrant grinned happily and shook the police sergeants hand

"Oh Solomon, Don't let me down" The police sergeant advised. Solomon nodded and proceeded to get ready for training.

It took a course of 3 months, but Solomon finally became a ticket inspector. London was a loud and exciting place for him. He rode on the famous red double decker bus, saw the London Eye, London Bridge, Big Ben; literally all the tourist attraction, he was mesmerised. But there were things that he could not believe happen in London. Couples openly embraced, Billboards displayed women wearing next to nothing. As he had a walk about in his uniform, off duty, he was in shock at the way he saw young ladies dressed. He came across a beautiful woman at a bus stop, who was reading a magazine. The day was bright, asthe sun shone on her beautiful golden brown coloured skin. He sat next to her.
"Today is a wonderful day, wouldn't you say so?" Solomon asked. She turned to him

"You could say that" she replied in a sweet-as-honey toned voice as her long layers of dark chocolate brown hair blew in the wind

Solomon replied with a smile but then he saw something. He quickly took off his jacket and placed it onto the woman's legs

"What are you doing?" The lady barked

"Miss you are dressed inappropriately. How can you think of dressing like that" Solomon argued

"You're nuts. Can you get away from me?" The lady barked as she pushed the coat away from her to the ground. A few men passed by looking at the lady, as she was a stunner, she had never-ending legs in a short mini-skirt, but Solomon re-applied the jacket onto her legs

"Am I a dick head?" The lady barked

"A...a di...dick..." Solomon asked

"You're a lunatic, bruv. Get away you loser!" The lady spat "Oh my days and you stink as well!"

"Hey! Watch your words. That's the smell of a hardworking man" Solomon declared

"YOU'RE MINGING! No, this cannot be real, it's burning my damneyes" The lady laughed

"Miss, I assure you. I'm only looking out for you" Solomon defended

"YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" The lady barked "How can you come over here, yeah, like some bad man talking to me and covering me up? I ain't your girl, so come off them stupid ness there"

"You are a very rude woman, and that is not attractive" Solomon defended

"Drop dead, waste man" The lady spat as her bus came, and she hopped on. Solomon shook his head and proceeded with his job.

A few hours later, whilst on his job, he came across a mob of teenagers in an alley way, they were beating up another teenager

"Bust him in his head, rude boy!" One of the boys screamed as they all hollered and assaulted the boy

"HEY!" Solomon screamed. The boys stopped and turned to him.

"Who's this waste man?" One of the guys spat in a bass pitched-voice

"What are you doing?" Solomon asked

"Yo, don't think you're a big man just 'cause you got that flipping uniform. We won't hesitate to bang you in your face" Another guy barked in a deep voice

"Now you guys listen. What are you doing out here? You should be in school, preparing for the adult world that will come sooner than you know" Solomon declared

"Oh my days...He's a freshie!" Another guy hollered. They all began to cry in laughter [FRESHIE is an "immigrant" from the phrase "Fresh off the Boat"]

"Jog on, blud. There's no place for you here, go back to Africa and bang on them drums, put the bone through your nose and all them tings" The first guy spat. They all laughed. Solomon saw the helpless teenager lying on the ground, and needed to call for help

"You stupid boys, you talk with no sense" Solomon roared

"OH MY DAYS...this man here is GASSED! Come let's bang him up" The boys moved angrily but slowly towards Solomon. Solomon took a few steps back

"You're gonna wish you never came to my ends" One of the boys spat

"Now, my brothers, let's be reasonable" Solomon declared in a shaky voice

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, BLUD" One of the guys snapped "Now, you've crossed the line bredrin, you should have thought twice before you ran that motor mouth of yours. YOU'RE FINISHED"

Suddenly, sirens echoed from the distance, and the blaring sound was approaching nearer and nearer

"You see you, yeah, this ain't finished, right" One of the boys barked, as all the boys ran into the distance. Solomon attended to the fallen boy

"My son, are you alright?" Solomon asked. The boy sat upright, and began coughing violently

"They wanted to jack my phone...but...I didn't give it to them...I thought I was gonna die" The boy shakily declared
" I don't know you, but I'm proud of you, for standing up to foolish idiots like them" Solomon smiled "Do you want me to call someone?"

"No, you've done enough, safe" The boy declared, as he rose to his feet

"Are you sure, you look bad..." Solomon declared

"I SAID I'M FINE!" The boy snapped "Do me a favour, and leave me alone, blud. I've had a mashed up day" The boy spat as he ran into the distance. Solomon took a deep breath, and walked out of the alley way. He scanned his area; everyone was doing their own thing; on their handheld systems, talking on the phone; technology was omnipresent. Solomon shook his head; this wasn't the London he thought it would be. He felt an unusual sense of isolation in a crowded city; the streets were dirty; people kept themselves to themselves. Solomon made hisway back to the police unit.

After changing back to his regular clothes, Solomon exited the police station and made his way home. Heavy rain fall was present, and Solomon did not have an umbrella to shield himself from the cold droplets of rain water. He walked in the rain towards his bus stop. As he walked, a vast puddle was nearby; a car purposely sped onto the puddle; soaking Solomonin the process. Solomon hesitated to yell and just proceeded to the bus stop. He sat on the seat and felt a heavy dose of sadness. He was hoping to meet Courtney again, as he looked into the distance; not because he liked her; but he considered her a friend, but she never turned up. Solomon then hopped onto the approaching double Decker bus.

Solomon walked through the rain to his flat (apartment). He opened the door and wiped his shoes on the doormat. He took his soaked jacket off, as he entered his bedroom, and sat on thebed; he took a deep breath; before turning on his light. He ran ahot shower, as he was in need of it. He took off his clothes and stepped into the shower. As the water fell onto his body, Solomon was in deep thought; thinking how he could have possibly got things wrong. He shook his head at the thought, ashe wiped his face. After 10 minutes, he exited the shower, witha towel wrapped around his waist. He got some cocoa butter; sat on the side of his bed, and began to apply the cream on his upper body. He then paused. He looked at a picture that rested on his dressing table. He approached the table and looked at thepicture; it was a family portrait of him and his girlfriend back inthe Ivory Coast. He touched his wife's face on the picture

"I'm doing all this for you, darling" He whispered, as he clutched onto the picture. He rested the picture, and looked at where the picture originally was. His eyes ballooned, and he wasfurious. He stormed out of the room.

Solomon barged the living room door open, and his roommate was their

"Bernard, where is my money?" Solomon barked. Bernard turned down the TV

"What...?" Bernard turned around "Oh...damn Solomon, put some clothes on...you lucky we don't have any kids here"

"Foolish man, I have a towel...Now, where is my money?"

"What are you babbling about, my fellow African brother?" Bernard asked "What...do you think that because I am Moroccan I'm some kind of thief?"

"Stop talking utter rubbish into my ears, now where is my £20 and my international calling card, you do not want my trouble, Bernard, I'm telling you" Solomon declared as he moved closer to Bernard

"Yo, I don't have your damn money! I hope one of my boys didn't take it"

"...What, what the hell are you talking about, BOYS?" Solomon barked

"Yeah...I had a poker game, so I invited ten of my boys over for a friendly game, I won £800" Bernard smiled, as he got up, and made his way to the kitchen. Solomon follwed him

"Listen, just give me my money, please, and my calling card, I need to..." Solomon began

"Look, I don't have your money! I'm being so serious, why would I need it when I have £800? I think one of my boys tookit" Bernard declared, as he took a drink of his tap water

"For Goodness...alright, fine. Can you lend me £20?" Solomon asked

"...Fat chance that will happen" Bernard laughed, as he made his way into the living room.
Solomon followed
"Please...I'm short of money as it is; I've been good these last couple of months; no parties, no women; nothing"
"Because you don't know how to do those things" Bernard declared
"You know...what...keep your immoral money, I don't need it. I'll get my money the clean way" Solomon declared
"Oh piss off, you kill joy. Get lost" Bernard spat, as he turned hisTV back on. Solomon sucked his teeth and walked off.
Solomon finished applying the cocoa butter cream on his body, and changed into fresh clothes. He looked into his pocket, and found some money. He counted it; £6.44. This was enough for him to buy his phone card. He exited the flat, and went to the nearby cornet shop. Solomon viewed an elderly woman trying to cross the street, and he runs to her aid; assisting her to cross the road
"Oh, thank you ever so much" The elderly woman smiled
"It's my pleasure" Solomon smiled. Suddenly, a barking noise drew closer, a tall man was roaring
"OI WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING"
"I just helped this elderly citizen to cross the road" Solomon declared
"Dickhead, she is perfectly capable of crossing the flipping road"The man barked
"Tony, it's quite alright, I did have trouble" The lady defended Solomon
"Nan, you don't know what you're saying. This stinking Africanwas trying to take advantage of you" Tony barked
"And why would I need to do that? I'm just being a moral soul"Solomon declared
"Stupid clown, all you want to do is take our jobs, take advantage of our Nans, anything that would mean more money...well never my Nan, NEVER" Tony barked "Come on Nan, let's go"
Tony clutched onto his Grandma's hand
"Thank you dear, take care, take no notice of him" She smiled, as Tony escorted her. He stuck his middle finger up at Solomon, and Solomon was neutral. He shook his head, and proceeded to the corner shop.
Solomon arrived back at his flat. As he entered, he scowled at Bernard, as he made his way to the living room. He got his international calling card, and rang the Ivory Coast
"Hello?" A honey-voiced woman answered
"Hi, my sweet baby, how are you now?" Solomon smiled
"Solomon? Hey darling...I'm missing you, look how you make me into a mad woman now" The lady laughed
"I'm sure you're fine, Diamond. How's everything, there?" Solomon asked
"Boring...my office job is rubbish, I wish I was there with you" Diamond replied
"Well I came here to make extra money. Believe me, London isn't what you would expect" Solomon declared
"How so" Diamond asked
Bernard barged in
"We're out of milk, bro"
"SHUT UP, I'M ON THE BLODDY PHONE" Solomon barked
"Alight, sister! I'll go myself, then!" Bernard declared
"You do that" Solomon snapped. Bernard scowled at Solomon, before he retreated
"Sorry, sweetheart. I don't like it here, but I'm doing this for you, for us, our future" Solomon declared
"Alright darling...but how is it not good over there? London is the capital of the world" Diamond declared
"It's too much to explain, it's just bad here. The whole atmosphere, everything, it's just bad. I mean, I just don't know...but it won't last for long"
"What...what do you mean by that?" Diamond asked
"Trust me, my super woman, it will not last long...I've got to go now...bye baby" Solomon declared
"I love you" Diamond replied
"You know I love you, sweetie. I shall see you soon" Solomon hung up the phone. He then approached the window, and looked outside; which looked rather gloomy. He just gazed out of the window; this was not how he thought a life of a Londoner would be
"Things have got to change...and they will" Solomon declared, as he looked outside of the window with intensity
"YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO YOURSELF AGAIN, ARE YOU SOL?" Bernard roared from his bedroom.
Solomon ignored it, as he just stared out of the window, at the distance...

Author's Note

Please leave a comment. Thank you