It is very sunny this afternoon, not the usual kind of Lagos sun your cracked back and fast balding head are accustomed to. This sun is an unusual kind; the kind that reminds you of hell. And convinces you it won’t be such a good day. The weather was much better yesterday. Your shirt is … Continue reading Danfo Blues
The television was blaring an odd tune that was played by six white folks on guitars, a piano, drums and a saxophone. They were some sort of jazz band, but the tune sounded awful, like when Nina sang in the bathroom. It was almost noon and the temperature outside had gradually wafted into the room … Continue reading Trials and Throes 8
I became aware of the voices before I had any presence of mind, before I became aware of my surroundings. Everything was a blur. I could hear the faint hum of people talking all at once, a certain edge to the voices. I counted the voices. They were three, no four. There was one that … Continue reading Trials And Throes 7
Getting directions to Hanson’s place wasn’t as hard as I expected it would be. I stared at the card he had mailed to me once in a while to make sure I was on the right path. There were street pointers at intersections and major roads, which was somewhat different from where we lived in … Continue reading Trials and Throes 6
I had seen nothing like West Adams before. It was a place littered with beautiful homes that gave the environment a picturesque look. West Adams was nothing like where I lived back in Memphis. In fact, the whole of Los Angeles was nothing like Memphis. It seemed like here in Los Angeles, everybody was going … Continue reading Trials and Throes 5
She found herself in the midst of flowers, in a very beautiful garden. It was no longer night. Orbs of brilliant light glistened from somewhere afar off, yet the illumination was blinding. In this place, she saw a stream, a clear, deep blue stream with water that seemed delicious just by the look of it. … Continue reading Solitary Road 5
Dear Father, I am writing this letter to you, sitting in the confines of the drab and ugly corner of the hostel room where I reside on campus. Apart from me, this small room contains eighteen other grown up boys. This is perhaps the first reason why I cannot make a first class. However, I … Continue reading Dear Father, I cannot make a First Class
Mr Green was having a baby. His face was resplendent with excitement as he announced it to me on that Sunday evening. His wife had lived in Pittsburgh for over two years now. It was where she worked as a full time midwife. For this reason I had only met her a few times. ‘Manny … Continue reading Trials And Throes 4
I Knocking over tables Bumping into chairs Young Kevin had just been born To a world of fears Barely over a year When we got to know Kevin could very well hear But of his sight we were not sure The doctor said it was fine That the lad will soon be free For the … Continue reading To A Boy Born Blind
For a moment, Adaku was oblivious to her surroundings. She thrashed her hands around, grasping for something. She felt wetted with some liquid. She was able to grab a piece of cloth and quickly brought it to her eyes. She wiped off the liquid that was now dripping down her face. The liquid dribbled into … Continue reading Solitary Road 4
The Shelby county jail allowed relatives, friends, well-wishers or whatsoever name they were called to visit inmates once in a week. It was called visiting day. Each inmate had their own visiting day, with their own visiting schedule. Since the inmates were in for one petty offence or the other, security wasn’t too stringent. Crimes … Continue reading Trials and Throes III
Her mind had lied Or so, she thought. The spirits had lied. These guardian spirits. She was going to die here, alone. She squinted and squirmed, closing her eyes to reality, while expecting the worst from the women she had just seen float in the air. She waited, and waited, for more than a while, … Continue reading Solitary Road 3
These are four micro stories, written by me in an attempt to try out the fait diver format recently popularized by Teju Cole’s ‘Small fates’ Dorothy had imagined growing old and having children; children with high intellects and cute feet. She hated ugly feet. When the time came to choose though, it was either intellect … Continue reading A Bevy Of Words
Her strides seemed inconsequential when compared with the pace at which these women moved, and they seemed to do it so effortlessly, for she could neither hear skipped heartbeats nor heavy breathing. She could not continue like this for longer, she could not keep running to where she did not know and from people she … Continue reading Solitary Road 2
I arrived home to see poor Nina lying outside, bleeding. A few concerned neighbours were around her trying to help her clean up. One of them, a nurse at a nearby dispensary gave her some sort of solution to drink. Before I could hold back, tears began to flow down my eyes. Another person who … Continue reading TRIALS and THROES III