The battles of life.
designed in canva.
"The death of your parents shouldn't stop you from chasing a better tomorrow." Rachel tried to cheer Jude, who just lost his parents in a ghastly accident, up.
"This wasn't the plan; where do I start from, where do I start from, who do I call, and where do I run to?" Jude continued lamenting.
Jude, who was the only child of his parents, got the best treatment from them; they only wanted what was best for him and did everything possible just to see him happy. He just gained admission into the university to study medicine and surgery, which was his dream course, only for his world to turn upside down with his parents leaving him to fight the battles of life alone.
"I am automatically a dropout because I really cannot afford to pay my tuition fee and fend for myself in school. My uncles and aunties might not give me a helping hand," Jude said.
"Don't go worrying about that now; maybe after the burial and things die down a little before you start thinking about that," Rachel responded.
During the burial, an uncle promised to take Jude in and take care of his tuition fee, but all those were empty promises before the general public. The uncle only provided Jude with a roof over his head, not even food, as the wife did not like the idea of Jude coming to live with them, so she made the house uncomfortable for Jude with every opportunity she gets.
"Over my dead body, will I stay here and watch my husband spend such a substantial amount of money on a child that is not mine?" his uncle's wife told him.
"With every step I take, it just keeps getting worse. Will the tomorrow I dream of ever come?" Jude muttered to himself.
Life got really tough for Jude; the uncle who promised to sponsor him has failed him, and it was left for him to either make things happen or be the houseboy his uncle's wife wanted to turn him into.
"I cannot continue like this. I really have to go back to school. I know combining studies and school will be hard on me, but that's exactly what I will do." Jude told Rachel over the phone
"If you ever need my support in any little way I can, I am always here to support you." Rachel assured him
Jude went back to school, got a job where he works the night shift and goes to school in the morning, and in no time he got eye bags as a result of sleepless nights and restless days. He only wanted to make the tomorrow he dreamt of a reality, but it gets hard by the day and feels like his tomorrow will never come.
"Your tomorrow will be greater than today. You just have to keep your hopes high." Rachel, his closest friend, tried to motivate him.
"Truth be told, motivations don't work for me anymore; I really don't see my tomorrow getting any better as things just keep getting worse. I feel like giving up." Jude kept lamenting and complaining about how difficult life got for him.
"Well, I did not call you to hear you lament, silver nor gold; I have none, but I think I have just the best news for you. I heard of a scholarship news just around; I want you to participate, and hopefully it favors you," Rachel responded.
"Where, please give me details." Jude responded and was eager to apply
Jude sat for the exams and was picked among the winners; he was grateful to Rachel, who brought the information about the scholarship to his notice.
"Rachel, you won't believe it; I just checked, and I have been awarded a full scholarship. I am grateful to you; I am not yet there, but with this scholarship, I feel my tomorrow is here." Jude said to Rachel with so much joy.
I felt really bad to see how Jude's life has been turned upside down by his parents' passing and his uncle's betrayal.
I am happy his friend gave him something that must have felt like a lifeline when everything else seemed so bleak by being there for Jude and helping him find that scholarship opportunity.