Chapter 4: Absko's Big Secret

Chapter 4: Absko's Big Secret

Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....

The room was dimly lit, the soft hum of a nearby fan cutting through the quiet of the evening. Absko sat at his cluttered desk, the beige walls of his modest apartment feeling even more confining on days like this. His eyes, tired from hours of monotonous work as a content moderator, lingered on the paper before him. He had scrawled down the strange phrases on the note he had received earlier that day—phrases that, in all their cryptic brevity, seemed to hold some weight, some significance he couldn’t quite place.

“Absko power go save world; don’t unveil next floppy; no blog; meet soon,” he read again, his mind turning over each part of the message. "Absko power go save world." Absko had always believed his name carried a peculiar weight. It was what his mother had told him, after all—Absko meant “power,” or so she said, a secret she had kept from him for years. But “save the world”? That was a tall order for a young man who had spent his days behind a screen, moderating content in a darkened office. The weight of such a task seemed overwhelming, almost absurd.

The second part of the note, though, caught his attention. "Don’t unveil next floppy; no blog." A chill ran down his spine. Someone knew his secret. Someone knew about his anonymous blog, the one he had started as a whim, which had soon turned into something far bigger than he had ever expected. It had become his escape, his voice, and now someone was warning him not to continue. The third part—“meet soon”—was equally troubling. He was going to meet someone. But who?

Absko’s thoughts turned back to ten months ago, when this all began.

It had been just another dull evening—nothing out of the ordinary. He had left his office, said his goodbyes to the other moderators, boarded his usual bus, and gone home. His mother, as always, greeted him with a soft smile and a warm meal. But that day, something was different. On his bed, amidst the usual clutter, lay a plain brown envelope with his name neatly written across it. A simple thing, but his instincts told him it was not so.

“Mother, did you see where this came from?” he asked as he held it up, his heart quickening with curiosity.

His mother, ever nonchalant, smiled at him. “It was in the mailbox when I got back from the shop. Thought it was for you.”

Absko tore open the envelope. Inside, he found a single floppy disk and a small printed note. The note contained a single instruction: text INSTRUCT to 56743. He had followed it without hesitation. The moment he sent the text, his phone buzzed with a reply.

“FOLLOW STEP BY STEP,” the message began, and Absko’s pulse quickened.

1. Switch on your computer. As it takes its time, go wash your face and change into comfortable clothes.
2. Insert the floppy and, as it gets processed, enjoy the snack your mother has prepared for you.

Absko chuckled to himself. Whoever this was seemed to know him too well. He quickly followed the instructions, intrigued by the odd combination of mundane tasks and high-stakes mystery. The floppy opened to reveal a single file—a news piece.

"Miotinyin, the famed Olympic-level sprinter, will be accused of doping charges and face a suspension of at least three months."

Absko blinked, stunned. Miotinyin was the pride of Kenya. The news would be huge, a scandal of national importance. Without a second thought, he set up an anonymous blog and leaked the information, careful to cover his tracks. The next day, the news broke exactly as he had predicted. His blog became the talk of the town.

For the first time in his life, Absko felt significant. He had caused a ripple in the world—however small. And then, just as suddenly, the excitement faded. Until the next envelope arrived.

A month later, while at work, his colleague Nakubi handed him a larger brown envelope, again marked with his name in the same familiar handwriting. Absko’s heart raced. He waited, pretending to be indifferent, until he could get home to open it. But impatience won the day. At noon, he took the rest of the day off and rushed back to his apartment.

Inside the envelope were two white envelopes. One was labeled “REWARD” and the other was plain. Absko opened the "REWARD" envelope first. To his delight, he found a brand-new pair of Apple AirPods. His excitement was palpable. He had always dreamed of owning a pair, but the reality seemed surreal.

The second envelope contained a new set of instructions and a floppy disk.

1. Switch on your computer. Change into comfortable clothes. Process the floppy. Enjoy the lunch your mother has prepared for you. Get back to work. Finish the task. Enjoy your favorite rap.

This time, Absko didn’t even need to read the rest. He could already hear the music in his mind, a reminder that someone knew him better than anyone else. He quickly followed the instructions, inserting the floppy into his computer. The file opened to reveal the breaking news.

"Darweshi, the first openly gay candidate for the presidential elections, will withdraw his candidacy tomorrow, citing a lack of funds."

Absko quickly posted the blog, his heart pounding with the thrill of it all. And once again, the news turned out to be true, adding to his growing sense of importance. His blog gained more followers, and the anonymous author became a subject of widespread intrigue.

For the next few months, life continued as usual—nothing exciting, no envelopes. Absko worked at his usual job, kept his blog anonymous, and spent his evenings listening to his new AirPods. But then, one day, his routine was once again interrupted.

It was the day of the Lake Turkana Festival, a significant event for his mother’s jewelry stall. Absko had promised to help her, though he had hoped for a quiet day. The journey was long and uncomfortable, but the AirPods made the trip more bearable. As soon as he arrived, he greeted his mother and started working at the stall. Yet, something was different today.

While preparing the cash box, he noticed a shoe box placed discreetly beside him. It had his name written on it in the same handwriting that had appeared on the previous envelopes. His heart skipped a beat. How could this be? He hadn’t seen anyone slip it there.

He opened the box to find a new pair of black sneakers, embroidered with the word “REWARD,” and a pen drive. Absko couldn’t contain his excitement. His curiosity was burning, but his phone had died. He needed to charge it first before he could open the drive.

After a few minutes of waiting, Absko disconnected his phone from the charger, connected the pen drive, and entered the passcode—his birthdate. The file inside was as ominous as it was intriguing.

"Kenya’s Supreme Court will annul the results of last month’s presidential election, citing irregularities, and order a new election within 60 days. Justice Raraga will later inform the public that the full judgment will be released in 21 days."

Absko’s mind raced. This was huge. The world would be watching. His blog, now anonymous but widely respected, would gain more traction than ever. Yet, in that moment, he hesitated. The news was significant, but it involved politics, power, and a very dangerous game. He had always followed the instructions, and they had brought him nothing but success, but now he found himself torn. Should he reveal the news, or should he let it stay hidden?

As he stared at the screen, the familiar voice of his mother echoed in his mind: “If it confuses you and a decision needs to be made, sleep over it, my son.”

Absko turned off the computer, stood up, and looked out of the window at the darkening sky. He would follow his mother’s advice. Tomorrow would bring clarity. For now, he would sleep.

What it this floppy that the box was talking of - he thought to himself!

I know dear readers you are now engaged, but be rest assured more will soon unfold.......