THE 12 ONE RIGHT CHOICE CAN MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT

The spice went out in search of peace and quiet; they needed a place where they could rekindle their spirit of entertainment. They picked Africa, a continent they had never visited; they chose  Botswana, a country they had never heard of before. Just at the time they were having the vacation of their lives, they stumbled into their destiny; six boys whom they were torn in between saving and not saving. They choice they made changed the course of their journey and they kept focus on one destination, creating a world where love is allowed to be expressed without guile, casting out fear, a world in which dreams are accepted, nurtured and realized no matter the age, gender or background

CHAPTER ONE:

      The encounter

The horses were scattered around in the field. The spies tried to help them get into their bans. It was one of the things these six teenage girls did for fun and relaxation, mule horses. After one of their greatest concerts in Bahamas, they had made a lot of money from the thousands of tickets that were sold. These six girls were so wealthy that the buying of fifty horses, a big beautiful house in New York and ten luxury cars didn’t make much impact on their bank account. They had been in music business for five years under a company owned by a certain Jake Raves. Jake was a rich man because of the percentage he got from the sales that were made through the videos and performances of the spies all those years. Jakes was in partnership with three marketing agents Harrison, Benedict and Leon. These three guys were best at their jobs;
they proved their capability by how well they marketed the spice and all that has to do with them.

            On that sunny day the spice appeared in their field all dressed in long boots and shades to protect their legs from the grass and their eyes from the sun. For Shelly the eldest girl amongst the six, the job was boredom. She always wore a grumbling face when it came to mulling horses but she enjoyed riding it. Shania was a fair girl, really impressive. Second to Shelly, she was always serious when it came to doing any kind of work and that was not an exception. She cleaned the horse and brushed its hair and body, sometimes she smiles at it and made it feel comfortable. Cindy was always struggling with the horses, she didn’t know how to connect to them like Shania did, worse, and she hated their sounds but loved them though she couldn’t get them. Cindy was always closer to Lindsay, maybe because they were age mates, Lindsay didn’t like a black horse that is why they never got to buy it. Zodiac loved white horses; she had selected six of them all white and made it her personal pets. The rest of the girls always disagree with her partiality but she didn’t care, it was what she loved. Last of the girls was maul, the youngest of them all at age seventeen. She had no specialty for the horses, she just loved them.

This six girls were born from different families, had lost their parents at very tender age. One man found them at their different schools and after he had discovered the great talent they had, he brought them together and raised them as one family. Tragedy broke out and they couldn’t explain how a man

that had filled the void in their hearts with all the fatherly love he showed them suddenly died with no trace of his body. The spice had learned to depend on the strength of their gifts and walked in the principles their teacher, lawyer and father had taught them. They were not spoilt but everything they ever did was centered only on them.

The six girls sat in their jocose that evening after their work was done in the field. Successfully they had cleaned all their horses done a test ride and put them in their bans, providing food for them that could last a week.

“I smell like horse,” Shelly said as she smelled her hands.

“Still?” zodiac asked her as the rest of the girls stared at her in doubt.

“It is so irritating,” she shivered in the jocose.

“It’s just in your mind,” Shania told her.

“You can’t possibly still smell like horse after the kind of bath we had with all the soap and disinfectant we use,” said Cindy.

“Except you didn’t bath well,” Maul added and they laughed.

“You’re kidding me right?” she smiled and shook her head.

that had filled the void in their hearts with all the fatherly love he showed them suddenly died with no trace of his body. The spice had learned to depend on the strength of their gifts and walked in the principles their teacher, lawyer and father had taught them. They were not spoilt but everything they ever did was centered only on them.

The six girls sat in their jocose that evening after their work was done in the field. Successfully they had cleaned all their horses done a test ride and put them in their bans, providing food for them that could last a week.

“I smell like horse,” Shelly said as she smelled her hands.

“Still?” zodiac asked her as the rest of the girls stared at her in doubt.

“It is so irritating,” she shivered in the jocose.

“It’s just in your mind,” Shania told her.

“You can’t possibly still smell like horse after the kind of bath we had with all the soap and disinfectant we use,” said Cindy.

“Except you didn’t bath well,” Maul added and they laughed.

“You’re kidding me right?” she smiled and shook her head.

“Oh life,” Lindsay spread her hands. “So beautiful, do you remember when we were kids, when we first met; we had this sadness in us that seemed undeletable.”

“Yeah, and we didn’t have any hopes of recovering from the lost of our parents.” Cindy added.

Maul said “but then God sent us a great man, may his soul rest in peace.”

“Lennon was a great teacher, mentor and father” Shania said “and I still feel hurt when I think about him because actually we don’t know what happened to him.”

They all moaned him again silently in their heart and after some seconds they all took a deep breath to release the negative energy.

“Has our schedule for tomorrow been sent?” Zodiac asked.

Maul replied “yeah meeting with our manager jakes and our three marketing directors.”

“That should be boring.” Shelly said.

Shania replied “that’s where you make your money, boring or not you have to suck it all in.”

They let themselves enjoy in the warm jocose. They all shared stories about how stupid and funny they were when they were kids, they laughed at each other’s stories as the tale went on.

              The fame of the spice had gone beyond the continent in which they found themselves. Their fame had spread all over the world including Africa. They had a great influence on people especially on their peers. In Botswana they were a group of guys who had copied the spice in everything. They were their exact number and had trained themselves to vocalize like the spice; they were orphaned street boys who survived through begging and serving people on the streets. They once lived amongst the orphans and street children but later on left the streets and built a small plank house for themselves at the shore side. They had nothing compared to the spice only their voices and a dream in their hearts. Their love for the spice and what they represented made this six boys do extra things in their community. They had been going around looking for opportunities in places they knew could be of help but all they got was a huge lecture from the people they went to which always ended up in one sense, their dreams were just fantasies and could never be realized in a place like Botswana. They couldn’t even afford good education and no one cared about their talent to support it even when they knew they had great potentials. Most talents in that part of the world faced the same crisis as this six boys and the solution most of them had was to bury the talent and move on with their lives with the next affordable thing they could do.

Michael, Larry, Ben, Maxwell, Ken and Zed had a different mindset from the people around them and from the other orphans and street children they always hang out with. That day they decided to isolate themselves and stayed in their small home which was put up by them in a small area some meters away from a small sea in Botswana, there they prayed, studied the bible given to them by some missionaries and equally practice to make their singing better. They had a small box TV and luckily for them it captured the channels that always play everything that concerned the spice in their showbiz. They sat together watching the recent concert of the spice and they felt like disappearing and reappearing in New York just to meet the spice.

             The next morning the boys struggled for fish, they prepared their nets earlier before the fisher men could come for a catch. They had built a small boat for themselves as selling fish to the men who came to buy was their only source of income since they left the streets. Michael and Ben got into the boat and the others helped push the boat into the sea for it to sail properly. When they were at close proximity they cast their net into the deep sea and waited for a catch. After some minutes they two boys pulled they net out. The result was discouraging, Ben wanted to give up at first try but before he could do that Michael launched the net again after emptying it from the little fish they caught. The second catch was almost the same and then Ben concluded they had to give up.

“There’s no fish,” he said.

Michael replied “if we can get the same quantity five or six times we might have something good to sell.”

The four boys at the shore watched them discuss but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“Can’t you see the fishes are not healthy? Who will want to buy a premature fish less from people like us?”

Michael calculated his negativity, it was overwhelming.

“Let’s just go back and stop wasting God’s creation,” he concluded and started paddling the boat back but Michael stopped him.

“No,” he said. “If we don’t catch now we will have nothing to sell and possibly starve tomorrow.”

“God will show us another way, hey. Have mercy on the fish too and give them some time to grow. Everything deserves that as long as it has breath.”

Michael understood why Ben was talking that way. He knew Ben was hurt by their situation; it wasn’t easy on either of them. They felt like gold whose value was hidden deep in the mud. As they sailed the others wondered.

“Why are they sailing back?” Ken asked and they all wondered.

They got to the shore and before they could step down the others ran to meet them. The first thing they did was look into the boat to check the catch. They were perplexed at what they saw.

“What is this?” Larry asked and Michael was in no mood to answer. They both slowly got out of the boat and started heading home, the others followed.

“Michael, what happened?” Maxwell asked as he followed behind him. “Why did you guys stop fishing?”

small boat for themselves as selling fish to the men who came to buy was their only source of income since they left the streets. Michael and Ben got into the boat and the others helped push the boat into the sea for it to sail properly. When they were at close proximity they cast their net into the deep sea and waited for a catch. After some minutes they two boys pulled they net out. The result was discouraging, Ben wanted to give up at first try but before he could do that Michael launched the net again after emptying it from the little fish they caught. The second catch was almost the same and then Ben concluded they had to give up.

“There’s no fish,” he said.

Michael replied “if we can get the same quantity five or six times we might have something good to sell.”

The four boys at the shore watched them discuss but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“Can’t you see the fishes are not healthy? Who will want to buy a premature fish less from people like us?”

Michael calculated his negativity, it was overwhelming.

“Let’s just go back and stop wasting God’s creation,” he concluded and started paddling the boat back but Michael stopped him.

“No,” he said. “If we don’t catch now we will have nothing to sell and possibly starve tomorrow.”

“God will show us another way, hey. Have mercy on the fish too and give them some time to grow. Everything deserves that as long as it has breath.”

Michael understood why Ben was talking that way. He knew Ben was hurt by their situation; it wasn’t easy on either of them. They felt like gold whose value was hidden deep in the mud. As they sailed the others wondered.

“Why are they sailing back?” Ken asked and they all wondered.

They got to the shore and before they could step down the others ran to meet them. The first thing they did was look into the boat to check the catch. They were perplexed at what they saw.

“What is this?” Larry asked and Michael was in no mood to answer. They both slowly got out of the boat and started heading home, the others followed.

“Michael, what happened?” Maxwell asked as he followed behind him. “Why did you guys stop fishing?”Michael “ask Ben,” he said without looking and now they were all facing Ben except Michael who continued heading home.

“Can’t you see the sizes of the fish? No one will want to buy it,” Ben told them and they knew he was right.

“What are we going to do now?” Zed asked

Larry replied, “Zed go with Ken, you two put the fish in the basket. We will smoke it and sell it to those women who sell dry fish in the market.”

Maxwell asked, “You sure they will buy?”

Ben added, “From us?”

“Why won’t they buy from us?” Larry asked.

“We will find out,” ken replied, “Zed lets go,”

And they both left.

“Why is Michael so upset?” Larry asked Ben.

“We’ll find out,” he said and started off. Larry followed.

They were a group of people in New York who had a mission. Their main objective was to raise a musician with great qualities. Most famous, rich and inspiring, But their greatest fear and threat in the entertainment world was the spice whose name was spreading like wild fire all over the world. Randy Rolex who was the head of this group had the confidence that he could raise Duncan Steech who was the main musician to a height where the spice could not attain.

Duncan Steech was a very talented artist. He was 23years of age and was under the management of Randy and other cooperative staff members. Thirty year old Jan Hopkins was his personal assistant; Serge was a trainer to Duncan and other staff workers.

A meeting was held at Rolex’s center which deals with many functioning offices but their main focus was music. The three sat in a room with Duncan to discuss.

“We have to make a massive success in this domain.” Randy lectured. “Duncan you are a great singer, a talented artist who has to be exposed and we are going to make it to that level.”

“What about the spice?” Jan asked

“They’re just kids succeeding at their level. We can pull them down just with one concert with Duncan.”

“But you know the level of impact they’ve made.” Chris said

Michael “ask Ben,” he said without looking and now they were all facing Ben except Michael who continued heading home.

“Can’t you see the sizes of the fish? No one will want to buy it,” Ben told them and they knew he was right.

“What are we going to do now?” Zed asked

Larry replied, “Zed go with Ken, you two put the fish in the basket. We will smoke it and sell it to those women who sell dry fish in the market.”

Maxwell asked, “You sure they will buy?”

Ben added, “From us?”

“Why won’t they buy from us?” Larry asked.

“We will find out,” ken replied, “Zed lets go,”

And they both left.

“Why is Michael so upset?” Larry asked Ben.

“We’ll find out,” he said and started off. Larry followed.

They were a group of people in New York who had a mission. Their main objective was to raise a musician with great qualities. Most famous, rich and inspiring, But their greatest fear and threat in the entertainment world was the spice whose name was spreading like wild fire all over the world. Randy Rolex who was the head of this group had the confidence that he could raise Duncan Steech who was the main musician to a height where the spice could not attain.

Duncan Steech was a very talented artist. He was 23 years of age and was under the management of Randy and other cooperative staff members. Thirty year old Jan Hopkins was his personal assistant; Serge was a trainer to Duncan and other staff workers.

A meeting was held at Rolex’s center which deals with many functioning offices but their main focus was music. The three sat in a room with Duncan to discuss.

“We have to make a massive success in this domain.” Randy lectured. “Duncan you are a great singer, a talented artist who has to be exposed and we are going to make it to that level.”

“What about the spice?” Jan asked

“They’re just kids succeeding at their level. We can pull them down just with one concert with Duncan.”

“But you know the level of impact they’ve made.” Chris said

“They are on break now and they’ll be for about two months. This is an opportunity for us to take over.”

“That’s true.” Duncan said. “A singer will pull the crowd with the inspiration the song carries and a powerful performance on stage. That’s the secret of the spice and I can definitely grow above them. I can make it on stage more than them.”

“I trust you Duncan.” Randy said. “Preparations for your first ever concert begins tomorrow. If there’s no question, the meeting is over.” And he walked out. Jan and Chris shook their heads. They knew the spice was not easy to defeat.

 

           The spice was led by a number of protocols to their studio. The car dropped them in front of the studio. Two cars leading ahead of them and two behind, two men came out of each car well dressed in black suits. They opened the car from both sides and the spice came out of the car. They all had different colors of shades on. The two men walked them into the studio. In there they met their managers Mr. Leon, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Jakes and Mr. Benedict.

“Spice, we are very glad to see you girls.” Jakes said.

They all smiled and took their sits on the conference table.

“I guess you’re enjoying your rest?” Leon asked.

“Yes we are.” Cindy replied

The men bowed and excused themselves.

“Information got to us; that you were at your field yesterday cleaning your horse.” Benedict said.

Shania wondered at that. “So…we have no privacy? I guess we’re being monitored.”

“No not that. We were just making sure fans won’t invade your privacy.”

“By the way” Harrison started. “We want you guys to move...to a new place. We’re getting you a new house.”

“What!” the girls were surprised.

“We’re not leaving that house. We like…”

“Lindsay, that house doesn’t fit your standard.” Jakes interrupted her. “We just wanted to inform you before going ahead with the plan and to add to that, ten million dollars have been transferred to your account.”

“Jesus!” they all exclaimed and lowered their heads. The spice thought that money was too much for them.

“Mr. Jakes we’re not moving to a new house. Sorry but we won’t leave our home.” Shania made it clear.

“Don’t you get it?” Benedict said “you are super stars. More than any star in this country and probably out of the country. That house is too local for the kind of status you have now and is meant for local stars.”

“Ok fine,” Shelly said. “We will transfer to the house you bought for us,”

The other girls looked at Shelly that was not a group agreement.

“Fine,” Leon and the others celebrated their silent victory. He went on. “We are giving you more protocols, more men to look after you,”

Cindy retorted, “We are already looked after, we don’t need more.”

“More over we hate protocols,” maul added.

The four men were discouraged to pick another argument with them.

“We want to go on a vacation,” Shelly explained. “We don’t know where but we want to get out of this country to get more inspiration and prepare for our next big hit.”

“That will be nice,” Jake answered. “Think about it and tell us where you want to go so that we prepare for it.”

“One thing we don’t want,” Shania said.

“What will that be?” Benedict asked.

“Those protocols running behind us,”

The four men looked at them in disbelieve.

          It was dark at the shore in Botswana. The waves from the sea were very strong that night and it brought wind and cold in the shore. Many people especially the homeless children suffered from the cold because they were no jackets for them to wear and cover up themselves. Mr. Roberts was an old man who also had a small house there at the shore just opposite that of the six boys. He equally had a small bar where he sold drinks to the fisher men and buyers who came to the shore and also to tourist and adventurers who came to visit. The little bar could not contain much people. The spice had an interview at a TV show in New York and the female journalist who hosted them had prepared questions to ask them and questions that were also coming online from viewers and fans. The female journalist sat with

them on a semi round table, glowing lights hovering over them and great applause from the crowd.

“Ladies and gentle men,” the journalist started when the clapping died a little. “We are so happy to have one of the greatest super star groups in the whole wide world present with us.”

There was clapping and screaming from every corner. The six boys watched at the door of Mr. Roberts bar in delight. The spice waved the crowd and it felt like the girls were waving at them.

“They have plenty of questions to answer right here on this platform, hope they are ready.”

The spice laughed and that was a good answer.

“Good,” the journalist went on. “The first question is what are your most valuable assets are?”

That drew a hearty laugh from the spice, another celebration from the audience.

Lindsay was ready to answer, “our most valuable assets are our source of existence, followed by our talents then each and every one of you here,”

Applause from the crowd,

“But why those three?” the journalist asked.

“Because,” Shania replied, “if not of our source, we won’t have had the talent and if not of the talent we won’t be here today and if not of you all we won’t have succeeded so…………” but the shouting and clapping from the audience over shadowed her voice. Even the people at the shore shouted and clapped for that. The program went on for some time, questions were consistently asked and the spice always gave definite answers.  When calls were opened, people all over the world called to either ask questions, congratulate the spice for their success or to tell them how much of an inspiration they have been to them and their kids. Mr. Roberts took the opportunity to talk to the spice. He called, “hello this is Roberts, captain of the sea shore in Botswana. Some of us are gathered here and we are so happy watching the spice. Can the spice talk to us please?”

“Well, we are grateful for your support. Thank you all very much. One message for you all there, dreams do come through no matter your situation in life just believe that dreams come through.” Maul told them,

The six boys cling to that word. The clapping was heavy and louder now.

them on a semi round table, glowing lights hovering over them and great applause from the crowd.

“Ladies and gentle men,” the journalist started when the clapping died a little. “We are so happy to have one of the greatest super star groups in the whole wide world present with us.”

There was clapping and screaming from every corner. The six boys watched at the door of Mr. Roberts bar in delight. The spice waved the crowd and it felt like the girls were waving at them.

“They have plenty of questions to answer right here on this platform, hope they are ready.”

The spice laughed and that was a good answer.

“Good,” the journalist went on. “The first question is what are your most valuable assets are?”

That drew a hearty laugh from the spice, another celebration from the audience.

Lindsay was ready to answer, “our most valuable assets are our source of existence, followed by our talents then each and every one of you here,”

Applause from the crowd,

“But why those three?” the journalist asked.

“Because,” Shania replied, “if not of our source, we won’t have had the talent and if not of the talent we won’t be here today and if not of you all we won’t have succeeded so…………” but the shouting and clapping from the audience over shadowed her voice. Even the people at the shore shouted and clapped for that. The program went on for some time, questions were consistently asked and the spice always gave definite answers.  When calls were opened, people all over the world called to either ask questions, congratulate the spice for their success or to tell them how much of an inspiration they have been to them and their kids. Mr. Roberts took the opportunity to talk to the spice. He called, “hello this is Roberts, captain of the sea shore in Botswana. Some of us are gathered here and we are so happy watching the spice. Can the spice talk to us please?”

“Well, we are grateful for your support. Thank you all very much. One message for you all there, dreams do come through no matter your situation in life just believe that dreams come through.” Maul told them,

The six boys cling to that word. The clapping was heavy and louder now.

             The next morning the fisher men came to fish and that day a decree was passed to all the street children and orphans who came to either collect left over’s or fish from the remains.  The head of the fisher men announced that every street child or orphan was band from fishing in that sea or any other sea. It was illegal and any form of disobedience will lead to serious jail punishment. Only Zed heard it because he was the only one from the boys standing outside. While the other kids went on mourning because of the decree Zed ran to meet to tell the others.

“A decree has been passed that no street child or orphan is allowed to fish in this sea or any other.”

“What!” they exclaimed.

Zed went on, “Any form of disobedient will lead to serious jail time punishment.”

“Are those people this heartless?  Why will they even think of making a decree as such?” Michael burst out.

“How do they want us to survive?”

Ben got really pissed, he stormed out and the other boys followed him. Ben went straight to the head fisher man.

“Please can I talk to you,” he was breathing heavily but the man ignored him, busy with his discussion with another fisher man.

Ben said again, “Sir please can I talk to you?”

The man still ignored him; Ben touched him to get his attention but the turned and violently pushed Ben to the ground.

“Don’t you have respect for elders anymore?”

“He was just trying to talk to you sir,” Ken said slowly as he helped Ben up, the others tried dusting him.

“What makes you think I am interested in any crap you boys have to say?” the man shouted.

Ben said, “Are you responsible for the decree that was just made? Because if you are that’s not fair at all. How do you expect us to survive?”

“Go out to the streets and hustle, that’s where you belong anyways. When real people are striving for means to live street poor orphans like you all are not even supposed to meddle with our crimps.”

“So you want us to starve to death?” Michael asked.

“Go to hell,” the man yelled. “Stop hiding in that plank house of yours and nursing a dream that will never happen, you will never be anything like the spice, they don’t even know you exist, they don’t even care so step down from that high horse of yours and go to the streets, beg if you must so you can  survive.”

“We are better than that……………” Larry started.

The head fisher man rudely interrupted him. “Oh shut up, you will never be able to convince yourselves that you are anything worth more than fish ponds.”

The men who were standing around heard what the head fisher man said, they laughed the boys to scorn. The head fisher man walked away to give his orders on how things will run at the sea that day. The boys felt humiliated.

Randy Rolex was preparing for Duncan’s concert. He brought some magazines and gave them to Duncan.

“Those are magazines for you to look through,” he told him. “Select the dress you like to wear for the concert.”

He studied some of the pages. “It’s good. I will take out some time to go through it.”

Jan walked in. concerned about something. “Mr. Rolex did you watch the spice yesterday?”

“Yes I did. What about them?” his answer was swift.

“Nothing, I just wanted to know,” she started off.

“Jan I’ve told you to forget about the spice. Stop being threatened by their success.”

She turned back to him. “Mr. Rolex if we take this as a competition we will never be able to win it definitely not with one concert,”

“Competition or no competition my company is going to grow to the height I want it to be.”

Jan took a deep breath.

“You are working under this company and so you have to believe in it.”

“Sure Mr. Rolex,” she walked away.

“I don’t doubt,” Duncan said. “This people are not for the progress of this company.”

                                           TO BE CONTINUED ,,,,,,,,,,,