Mama Villain

I always knew how I was going to die. It was written on my skin from the day I was born. Yeah, I was designed to be destined with a mixture of blood and ink. Saddening, Right? 

Someone asked me “What makes life interesting?” and I replied “Life is interesting when you live it colorfully. It’s enjoyable when emotions are infinite. The struggle to figure out what is next in your life brings more pleasure than the result. I love life when it’s cosmic like colors. I love life when I have the authority to pick my own color. Or mix the colors and make my own. I love life like this!”

That same someone asked me again “Then what’s your purpose in your life.” I replied again “To change my black-and-white life to a colorfully gratifying life.”

Mar 21, 2003 (age 6)

It was my birthday and was excited to celebrate with my classmates at school. To be honest I was more excited to show off the new outfit my mom bought to me, colorful pants and a black and white T-shirt with a rainbow on it. She was helping me change my cloth in front of her wardrobe. That’s the day I saw the tattoo on the back of my body exactly on my trapezius in the closet mirror.

“Mom, what is this drawing on my back?”

“It is a fate tattoo, little boy”

“A fate tattoo? For what is it used for? Who sketched it on my back? This looks so hideous. I wish he had asked for my permission first, or SHE. Is she a girl? ”

“hahaha…..she isn’t like us little boy, She is a spirit. We call her ‘mama villain’. No one has ever seen her to this day. The only thing we know is she is a bad spirit. She cursed this tribe to be born with this tattoo. And the tattoo, tells us how we are going to say goodbye to this world. But don’t worry we have hope. We don’t know who, when, and how but we have a prophecy that a boy shall be born to break this curse. Every mother in this country hopes that their son will be that ‘boy’. Me too! That’s why I named you ‘Alexander’- the savior of mankind. You’re too young to know the details. Now go have fun with your buddies. Love you!”

Mar 21, 2023(age 26)

I don’t hate death. I just hate the fear of death. The fear when you have the comprehension of how you are going to die. You live every second of your life trying to avoid what gets you closer to your end. But my story is different. I choose to live the life that holds my coffin in it. I choose to accept what condemns me to death.

“You ready champ? It’s your time to shine” My coach’s voice wakes me up from daydreaming. “You have a 99% winning chance. You’re 2X heavyweight champion and he is a junior. I was watching his last match and I’m telling you, he has the most terrible punches. Besides you have the crowd’s support. The only threat we have is he’s way too younger than you and can do moves faster than you. But don’t worry, you got this.”

“We will see coach. This ring isn’t always about capability. Sometimes it is about luck.”

“I believe in you, little boy. Go make an unbelievable record in boxing history”

“Just wish me luck”

 “Good luck, little boy. And Wish you a victorious birthday!” he grins at me.

“Thank you, coach” I do the same.

Mar 20, 2023 (age 25)

“Alex, Alex, Alex” a soft feathery voice whispered in my ear. A dazzling light beamed on my sleepy eyes and I blinked. Then a lady that looks like a princess in a fairy tale appeared from glittering light. She-herself and all her cloth are shining. Her white long hair is down to her waist.

“Alex, dear Alex …… who on earth thinks a boy who makes his life path punching people will save his whole country.”

“Holy ****, mama villain?” I have been thinking about Mama Villain my entire life and imagined her all things including a witch, a wizard, a goblin but never expected an angel-like creature.

“Emmmm fool Alex! Your people deceive you that I am a villain right? Then why don’t they tell you their villain version too? Why don’t they give you at least a glance at their wicked identity?”

“What are talking about?”

“Listen, I didn’t curse them for living like that. Their own deed has made them live cursed. Your people weren’t as decent as you have been told. Back in the day, there was a tribe called Adanakaw. This tribe was very wealthy and prosperous at the time. It was rich with natural resources and the people were very wise. Their name was popular all over the world and every nation wished to be like them. Then the people of your nation got jealous of them. So they designed their evil plan to invade Adanakaw. They sent their military power to colonize Adanakaw and took all their resources one by one. They killed so many of their citizens and took the leftover to their own country and made them a slave. This is the time I got very angry. Look, Alex, I’m not a villain but I can’t stand unfairness and injustice. I use my superpower to punish evil. That’s exactly what I did to your people.”

“Wait, this is too much information to analyze in a moment”

“I know, but here I am again to give you guys a second chance”

“What do you mean?”

“The chance to break this curse is on your hand now Alex. Either you reject it and your people live with their curse for eternity or you take it and give your people their freedom.”

“Hey mama villain, I am not getting any of the words coming out of your mouth. For real!”

“Stop calling me mama villain or I will sculpt you here like a statue little boy. Now listen to me carefully. Tomorrow is your birthday. And also you have a match with a junior opponent, right? You were destined to die in that ring and you know that yourself. Your opponent isn’t easy as you think. He has been trained by rocky balboa secretly. Rocky Balboa, the legend won 57 matches, and 54 of them were by knockout. But here is the deal, win tomorrow’s match. Not by knockout, Kill your opponent in the ring and you and your people will be free. Otherwise, tomorrow will be your final rest. Good luck.”

Mar 21, 2023 (age 26)

The stadium is darker than ever. The spotlight is only on the ring. The ring that is abundant of all my fate. There are only two choices today, either I die or my opponent does. The crowd is screaming my name.

“Go, Alex, Go Alex”

I and the boy meet in the middle of the ring, the referee between us, and our corners behind us.

REFEREE: “Touch them up!”

I touch gloves with him and head back to my corner. I turn around, and the sound of the crowd fades out for a bit, while I look and see that only me, the boy, and the referee remain in the ring. The boy looks at me, bouncing, looking relaxed and focused. DING! DING! The noise of the stadium rushes back as we head towards each other. He throws the first punch, a stiff left jab, I block it and send one back, and the boy ducks it and catches me clean with two counters. The fight continues, I go for the combo, dropping my left low, faking the right, and bringing up the shovel hook, driving the boy’s chin upward, and BANG, a pile driving right lands with clear force. The boy crumbles. I back off, right hand still raised as the Referee runs in waving his hands, Knock Out.

This can be a great opportunity to finish him. I look into the eyes of this little boy. He’s young enough. A long successful life is waiting for him ahead. I wanted to be selfish for instance but I don’t want to make the same mistake my ancestors did. I am not a villain. And this thing is what villains do. Yeah, it ends with me. I won’t take this innocent boy’s life for the sake of my own use.

Does this sacrifice me? Yeah! 

Does this take the hope of the colorful life I imagined? Absolutely! 

But sometimes you have to choose to walk through black and white in order to not take away others' glittering shiny colors. And I choose this path.

A giant punch hits me with a straight shot that sends me down to the mat. I can’t remember the rest! Or that is the final rest!