African Inscribed

  “He didn't leave 'cause he stopped loving me. I don't even care about him enough like he did for me, my man owned half of everything I call mine now . . . Not like I was given directly, I earned it. Though there were strings and the places he had gone to make it possible, I worked my way and accomplished. Boyy, dude was so glad about the achievement we hung out in KFC that evening!”, breaks into shoulder wrenching sobs, “I really don't see myself múrdering someone who provides everything I lacked; love, money and protection. Please believe me!!” Falling to her knees, she bent forward until the ground came in close contact with her forehead then whispered, “Believe me”. “THERESA!!”, Gregory beamed, slapping his palms hard against each-other repeatedly, “YOU ARE A FANTASTIC WOMAN. You should consider being an actress someday, y'know! AND THEY BELIEVED?!”, he roared into laughter. She slowly rose then curtsied, a wide grin spreading through, “I tipped the bank manage...

  "Why do I sense it's not your first time..." He paused, studying her intently. "You seem to have done this before. It's as if you're an expert at it." "How?" Her voice slightly faltered. Fear gripped her, worried he might uncover her secret. They had warned her that anyone could read her emotions easily, that her eyes were an open book. "Is this your first assignment?" Lloyd asked for the third time. "Not everyone would consider working in a place like this. Most people don't even know such places exist in the country." A long, tense silence hung in the air. "Who referred you?" He suddenly asked, his gaze piercing through her. She possessed the perfect figure; impeccable posture, ample hips, average height, and modestly sized breasts, he observed. "My brother," she replied, feigning gutlessness. "HA!" He exclaimed. "So, it's not your first time, then." Reluctantly, Sirana nod...

  "I heard from Lois that Marice was your sister. Um... I'm sorry for your loss." The twentieth person, and still counting, approached me, spewing the same boring line as if they were entitled and expected me to believe they actually cared, as if they were human too. "Sorry about what?" I snorted. Loss? There was no loss. Marice and I had never been close! I burst into laughter, causing some students in the hallway, mostly freshmen, to pause and stare. I glared back at them, and they quickly scurried away. We were more like neighbors. She was a stubborn and unrelatable kind of neighbor, too big to connect with others unless she needed something. We only saw each other at dinnertime and occasionally on weekends. It's not like we lived far apart; we shared the same yard, the same roof, and the same hallway that led to our rooms. Hers was directly across from mine. I remember when Mom returned with Dad, finally ending their thirteen-year separation. That was wh...

  He was seven and well above his mother's claws, he used to think. Left the house whenever he liked and returned however he wanted. When news from the headquarters of a farm his mother works at got leaked, she knew her family was in danger. Few months ago, the terrorist attacks downtown had caused public unrest, a lot of lives had been wasted so immediately day broke, she prepared the kids and within some minutes, they were ready but her oldest son was out. They waited long hours for his return but he didn't. She took the rest of her kids to The Safe Place in the next town then hurried back home before sunset for him. He was home a minute before midnight looking rough and smelling dirty.  “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?”, she yelled and he cackled, walking to his room, “You know you're wasting your time asking”  “Whatever. We are leaving this place. The Landlords of these shelters in the neighborhood are terrorists. I never knew until yesterday”, she sighed, “Upon the rent we paid...

  "Soo . . . how would you like to die?," One of the Coroners requested and the rest of his colleagues paused what they had been about doing, staring at him with special eyes. "I favour my loss of life private. Like a small get-together; without hassles and too many people, I mean . . . I'd like to die in a place no one would discover it handy to understand--"  "Just like this scene and case, right?" The tall man dressed in hospital-green overalls; The Coroner, asked.  Ignoring, I continued, "I favour my loss of life to be an eye opener to all people who saw me as immortal, proud and stupid . . . maybe they'll be at ease ample or feel a tiny bit of remorse/regret on their part that whom they disliked and who was once in charge of triggering their without difficulty aggravated being, was sooner or later away from giving them the 'barf urge' forever. When I die, I favour those who would fake 'care and concern' to drop dead too. I...

  "Hey ... How are you?!" He exclaimed  the moment he stepped a foot into the room. She glared at him for about a minute then coldly replied "Fine." Ignoring the attitude she gave off, he busied himself on the kitchen counter; breaking eggs into a bowl and chopping carrots. He paused when he heard her hiss in the other room. Shrugging, he resumed the chore of whisking eggs.  Silently, she slipped into the kitchen "I want eggs too," she spat. "Such ignominious attitude" He complained with irritation and she jumped in on him. "Woah, Babe?!" He yelled, pushing her off. Stubbornly, she flinged her weight over him again, screaming. He pulled her off his body with great force and she met the tiled ground with a thud. Unrelenting, she roughly lunged herself against him but he was quick to run out, shutting and locking the door behind him. She furiously banged the door as hard as she could, howling profane words. "OPEN IT NOW!!" She a...

  Her mother stared at me like I was dying, like the stilts holding the world in order were soon to snap and crush me over and I hated it. I saw her look at my elder brother the same way six months ago, the next day, he was no more. We never saw him again, not even a part of his body. ************** I was in the yard one evening when news of a rapidly spreading virus was uttered in hushed tones by neighbours—the landlady and her children. From the intensity of their voices, I sensed panic but I didn't mind then. I believed it was a temporary situation and the government could easily take care of it. The lockdown began on the 30th of March 2020. It was way cool at first; you get to be indoors, no stressing over deadlines and meetings, eat, sleep and wake any time you wanted. After three months, coping became impossible. Savings were thinning/exhausted, cost of feeding had increased, and a rigid curfew was installed. The hunger was real. Homes, companies and stores were burgled ever...