West Capital

“…West capital remains mysterious to other capital. No

one dares to visit this Capital again…”

I was busy reviewing my assignment but suddenly stop

when I heard what Gray is watching on my Laptop.

“What are you doing?” I asked and raised my eyebrows

“Watching” Gray

“Yeah, I know. Can you please stop that? Dad will get
mad if he finds out that.”

“Relax”

I rolled my eyes at Gray and continue doing my

homework. Gray is my best friend since we were young.
Our parents are also best friends and that is the reason
why I and Gray are close. Gray is always here at our
house even his house is just in front of our house.

“Summer what if----!”

“No Gray, NO!” I immediately answered even though

Gray is not done talking. I know what he is thinking right
now and I totally disagree.

“Come on Summer! Let’s try it” Gray said while widely

smiling
“Gray you know how dangerous that is” I replied “My
dad and your dad will get really mad if we disobey them.
They said that we can go wherever we want except the
west capital and you know the reason behind that” I
continued

Our place is divided into four capitals, which are the

North, South, East, and West Capitals. Gray and I are
live in North Capital and we have been on trips to all
capitals since we love exploring except the West. Elders
said that this is the most dangerous capital in all capitals.
Our dads also said that they have been there and the
gossips are true and that is what we used to believe since
we were a child.

But this young man over here is not in his right mind and
trying to convince me to go in West Capital and find out
if the rumor is true.

“But I don’t believe that. It is impossible to have a place

like that. Land of Poor and criminals? That’s
Ridiculous!” Gray defended

“Yes, it’s possible. Our dad went there and that’s what
they have witnessed” I replied

“Still, I don’t believe it” he insisted

“okaaay! Then go alone”

“Summer pleaseeee!”
“Gray…NO! If I said No, No! You can’t change my
mind”
----

“Woooh! This is paradise!” Gray exclaimed after he got

out of the Taxi

Yes, I swallowed everything that I’ve said last week. I’m

here now at West Capital with Gray. This 18-year-old
boy beside me is acting like eight years old because of
the amazing view in this capital.

Well yeah, to be honest, this is mesmerizing. Trees are

all over the place. Flowering plants are seen at the side of
the road. I understand now why this capital is called the
poorest because I think the common livelihood here is
agriculture, not like in other capitals where giant
establishments are seen right in front of your face.

“I told you, elders are wrong,” Gray said happily

“We are not still sure about that”

“Come on. Don’t worry I’m here to protect you. For

now, let’s enjoy the view, and later on, we will find a
temporary shelter” Gray said with assurance and I just
sighed.

But I started to worry again when we can see nothing but

trees after walking for 10 minutes from the boundaries.
No people or even just a shadow of a person, no houses,
and even a waiting area.

“Let’s just go back to North, Gray” I said worriedly

“How? There’s no taxi or even a tricycle”

“Let’s ask dad to pick us up,” I said

“You insane? Our parents didn’t even know that we were

here, they will get mad big time if we tell them” Gray

Right. We didn’t tell to our parents that we are going

here.

“Let’s walk a furthermore and if there are still no traces

of humans, let’s go back and ask someone from home to
pick us up, okay?” Gray said and I just nodded.

A few minutes after we already sighted houses and heard

minimal noises from people. Gray and I look happily at
each other and excitedly run towards the crowd.

“Wow, this is amazing!” Gray said while looking to the

busy surroundings.

I can’t hide my amusement also. People are busy with

their own tasks but they still greet each other.

What is this? Why I can see the opposite of what elders

said from the North capital. Are we believing lies since
we are young? What was their reason to made fake
definition of West Capital?

Our attention are caught when a ball rolled and hit

Gray’s shoes. He pick it up and a little boy suddenly
approach us.

“That’s mine” the child said and it looks like he is a little

bit scared. And that’s pretty normal since our faces are
new to him

Gray hand him the ball but still the boy stared at us that
looks like he is trying to examine us. I also stared at the
little boy and the starring contest cut when a woman in
early 40’s called the little boy, I guess she is the mother
of this child.

“Liam what are you doing?” the woman ask but the little
boy just turn his head to look at her mother and point me
and Gray.

The woman walk toward us and like what the little boy
did she look at us from head to toe.

“Who are you?” the woman asked

“oh I’m Summer and this is Gray” I introduced

“and we are students researchers” gray continued

“Researchers? I know it’s rude but go back to where you

came from and Researchers, documentalists or anything
that will make our capital known to the public is not
allowed here and we don’t need you here” the woman
said while grabbing Liam’s hand.

She is supposedly turn her back to us when Gray stop

her.

“To be honest we’re not researchers or some kind of

professionals. We’re just exploring every capital and
we’re here as tourists. No need to worry” Gray honestly
said

”Yes we’re just here to have fun since we love traveling”

I added

”Really?”

“Yes, we really telling the truth so no worries”

“okay if that is the case welcome to our Capital” the

woman said with a wide smile in her face so me and
Gray also smiled

”By the way, I am Rosalinda Smith the Secretary of this

Capital” the woman introduce and she offer her hand for
a shake hand and Gray happily received it and me as
well.

“Come. Let’s go to my house”

We follow Mrs. Smith and everyone in is looking, some

stop their work to greet us.
After a few minutes of walking, we have arrived at their
house. Their house is made of concrete but not as fancy
as what houses look like in the north.

“Excuse my little house, it is not big but it’s clean don’t

worry” Mrs. Smith shyly said

“No, it is okay, Mrs. Smith” I replied

As we entered the house we are greeted by a man that I

think is Mrs. Smith’s husband and he is wearing an
apron, then later on a boy and in my guess, he is 12 years
old appeared and greeted us as well.

“Summer and Gray, that is my husband,” Mrs. Smith

while pointing at Mr. Smith “and that is my first Son,
Andrei” Mrs. Smith continued

“Nice meeting you,” Gray and I said in sync, and the

father and son just nodded

“Smith did our dinner ready?” Mrs. Smith asked to her

husband

I checked my wristwatch and its already 5:00 pm

“Yes, Mrs. we’re just waiting for you” Mr. Smith

answered

”Good, Let’s go kids. I know you’re hungry already”

“Put your bag down at the sofa and let’s eat” Mr. Smith
said and we followed him and walk towards the dinning
area. Their dinning area is only divided by a cabinet. The
other side is the living area and the other side is the
dinning area and I think that is smart.

“what made you think to explore West Capital? Aren’t

you heard about what the West capital is?”
“That’s the main reason why we are here, we don’t
believe that there are such things as land of criminals,
what are the basis?” Gray said

“Yes, but it seems like it is not true, since we can see the
total opposite of what the elder’s said to us. It seems like
they spitting lies” I added

“it is nice to hear that there are still people who didn’t
believe the lies about the West capital. It’s all over the
news and internet” Mr. Smith

“Do you know what was the reason behind that?” Gray
bravely asked

“Well thanks to the great Arnold Montenegro and Arthur

Gallego they are the reason why West capital is known
as the poorest and where criminals live” Mrs. Smith
started

Gray and I looked at each other. We are both shocked

because we heard our Dad’s name. What about dad and
uncle Arnold?
“what about the?” Gray

“16 years ago…”

*flashback*

Arnold Montenegro and Arthur Gallego are known as

Famous Documentalists There are a lot of places that
they help to develop because of their good
Documentaries.

In their next Documentary, they choose West Capital

because this is rich in agriculture. They want the West
capital to be known not only in the four capitals but also
in the whole world.

They scheduled their plans and talk to the West Capital’s

officials and they are accommodated by Rosalinda
Smith.

“Hi, I’m Rosalinda Smith, West capital’s Secretary. I

want to apologize on behalf of our President that he will
not able to join us here” Mrs. Rosalinda said

“No that’s totally fine. We already talked to him through

phone and we get his permission” Arnold replied

“Okay, that’s good. But first, let’s eat and have some
rest”
They followed Mrs. Smith and took a short rest and a
few hours later Arnold and Arthur Start their
Documentary.

West Capital is also quite big that's why their

documentary is not easy. There are a lot of things to
feature. The people of the west capital offered the capital
hall to be their shelter temporary and they both accept it.

In their last shoot for their Documentary, they choose to

feature the waterfalls of the capital slightly far from the
crowd. They go there with some of the capital officials to
guide them.

After the long day, they decided to go back to their

temporary shelter and it was a total mess.

"Art what happened here?" Arnold asked Arthur

"I don’t know. We're both not here"

They look at each other and immediately go to their

baggage and they found out that some of the important
and expensive things are missing and including their
credit cards. They search anywhere inside the shelter but
nothing to be found.

“The officials are the only ones who have the duplicate
key of this hall,” Arthur

“What a thief”
“If the officials did such things what more about the
people of this capital”

Arnold and Arthur get mad. Without proper goodbyes,

without proper investigation, they leave the West capital.
After that, rumors start to spread. Some added false
information and a lot of them believed the lies.

*end of flashback*

Gray’s Point of View

After hearing the story I can’t help to get disappointed

with dad and even to Uncle Arnold.

They are too impulsive

“The truth is we are waiting for them here at our house to

give back their belongings” Mrs. Smith

“We caught the thief in the act, we didn’t know him and
we are not sure what capital he belongs is” Mr. Smith

“Arnold and Arthur immediately leave our capital and

never heard about them again. After that, news and
internet spitting lies about West Capital, So we isolated
ourselves here and never stepped our feet on other
capitals again” Mrs. Smith said with hatred

I don’t know but I felt betrayed also.

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith, on behalf of our dads I want to say
sorry” I turned my head to Summer and she is already
standing and bowing to Mr. and Mrs. Smith and I
immediately get up from my chair and do the same

“Me also. I sincerely apologize on behalf of our dads”

I lift my head when I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was

Mr. Smith

“You don’t need to say sorry. You know nothing”

“Besides we already knew that both of you are
Montenegro and Gallego”

“How did you know?” Summer asked and Mr. Smith

pointed to our luggage

“Your surnames are written under the North Capital

logo” Mr. Smith

“we’re really sorry” Summer

“No. No it’s okay, I know that you are not like your
fathers and we feel your sincerity” Mrs. Smith

“Don’t you worry as soon as we come back to North we

will fix this and we will tell them to personally apologize
to all of you” I said and summer agreed
We spent the night in Mrs. Smith’s house and we went
back to North as Early as we could and the timing is on
us. Mom and dad are here at Summer’s house.

We explained everything to them and they promise to fix

their mistakes.

I felt sorry for the people of West Capital. I hate how

people judge others without a reliable basis, I hate how
close-minded people easily believe lies.

Let’s avoid discrimination and promote equality for a

better life.