The first ray of sunlight had already found its way through one of the holes in the dried thatched raffia roof as it did regularly resting on the faint scar on his left nostrils down to his cheeks. I could see the waking sky as often as I did every morning but I chose not to stand up because sleep was still very much close to my eyes. The morning red-haired aves crowed twice in a row and my Mother hastily departed from the cooking yard to wake us up for our daily chores before my Father could leave for the forest to hunt some meats for us. It was always a normal day - it starts with chores and ends with moonlight stories. In between the day, we often get snacks, apart from the usual roasted yellow corn and a slice of spiced boiled meat we eat.I could remember that fateful day, my father had arrived early with an enormous antelope hanged across his shoulders. The joy on our faces knew no bonds for we knew

Waking up, I just couldn't feel the ray of the sun (God's given sunlight) on my face like I used to. What I felt was pure yet strange coldness that my body felt numb. I could hardly feel my legs let alone my hands. "I'm in my room, ain't I?" Any second now, the mother should wake me up. I tried going back to catch some sleep but the coldness of the floor sent shivers down my spine. My teeth danced in response. I don't know how long I waited and dawdle, no one came. "Why Is she not coming? She must be very busy in the kitchen"My hands felt heavy, I could not lift it. The door finally opened, a large ray of sunlight flooded in. Basking the whole room in light. It was frightening as its effect caused my lids to fall shut immediately. After some time, my e

Though the distance between us was long. But the tides and currents were not helping my course. My log kept drifting into the surrounding woods. Ronia had told me that if I ever get caught I will be killed immediately. I wondered if Julie has been killed. The intense wind caught up again. Why didn't I think of a stick to paddle, I thought? I looked into the river, jumping into the river was suicidal. I glanced back they seemed to be gaining upon me.Alas! My log got caught up in a web of dried twig held together like a barricade. No matter how hard I pulled I knew it was going to be futile as I could step into the water. I decided to rush into the forest. The heavy steps and panting revealed that I was been pursued. I increased my pace and leaped swiftly because my staying alive depends on it. I made a silent prayer as I jumped over a small bridge. The sun orb had moved and the sky seems to be getting dark

The stress call he had gotten just before dawn had kept him awake. He decided to study just to while away the time. No, that's not it. The distress call has been forwarded on his line for the past months stating updates on the latest epidemic yet the causative agent hasn't been discovered. He wanted to calm himself so that he could think. Studying does that to him, it takes him on a ride from the present. He took out one of his favorite black leather journals from the shelf you can tell from how old and battered it looked. He opened it and began to read, his writing was a beautiful italicized Calligraphy that connects words with a measured space showcasing elaborate writing of the small letters g, p, q, and y. He swept his soft moderately cut fingernails tips on a page as he began to read. He was so lost in his world that he hardly noticed the morning lightening up around him from a tiny gap from his bay window. He was slightly startled when his beaut

I was almost like your age when I went on a compulsory service year. Though at that time it was meant to be a voluntary service the incessant killing and unreasonable manslaughter made many to be wary of traveling wide in my home country. Hence, a lot of graduates decided to get exemption letters instead of serving. I had gone to the NYSC camp. The camp was a paramilitary camp indicted by the President to create unity among the ethnic groups in the country. I was posted to the Up North where we graduate spent about three weeks in the camp after which we were redeployed. In the camp, we were about 9,000 graduates who didn't know everyone except a few familiar faces from the university I graduated from. Those I eventually knew were my Platoon members and room members. It was the last day in the camp and our deployment letters were handed to us. Reading the letter, I was posted to a Village called Doun. I haven't been to a village before as I spent all m