Short stories & poems

You open your eye… Yes eye , you lost your other one to a jagged scar .

You panic . You then realise it’s not them . They would of tied the ropes tighter ; no they wouldn’t risk losing you . They’d of finished the job by now . It’s fine : just another stupid fool . A fool that thinks they can catch you .

Your hands are tied . And your mouth .

A chuckle .

“ Hello Beautiful“

You act asleep . As Harmless you wish you were .

They leave.

Because you are just a child . A pathetic child that somehow has half the Country hunting them down. To them you are no threat .

Just because a small mistake by a scientist. And it could be anyone but they chose you.

Within minutes ,the ropes and chains retreat to the floor . You can breathe. It’s fine you can escape anything ( except them )

———————————————— Sometimes you wish the police understood. That you could surrender and let your mind believe that everything is ok - that you were safe , no ARE safe .

But life is not that simple . Your life is changed because of one small mistake .

I want to recreate what I lost but I can’t says the hero as he looks distressed saying down on top of a church.

How come? Says the pastor as he helps him up. We all have hero’s in life right? Who’s yours

The hero looks down as he looks at the ground the pastor taps on the hero.

Life is a learning experience you can’t save everyone you can only save the ones who are willing to be saved. Quoted the pastor.

“I don’t even know what to do, I don’t think I have the courage, I’m scared, what if she says no? What if she hisses and snubs me? Or even raise her hands on me? Nah I don’t think I want to do this.”

“You can Ali! You can do this!” Says one of his friends as they argue about Ali summoning courage to approach his school crush.

“I’ve never talked to a girl, I don’t know the right words to say, I don’t know how to express my self or my feelings, Valentine is in few days and I feel it’s such a perfect time to do this but I can’t even summon the courage. What if I get rejected?”

Ali continues to lament in frustration as he walks side by side in the balcony of his class room.

School had just closed for the day and Ali and his friends were hanging around waiting for their evening lesson tutor before returning to the hostel.

“Well that’s the worst that can happen! She says NO, and then you move on with your life! Like nothing happened. I don’t understand why you fear being rejected or think you’re not good enough”.

Daniel replies, as he continues to persuade Ali.

“No, you don’t get it, I don’t fear rejection but I just think I’m not good enough. I’m the least in the class and not regarded as someone bright, I’m the least in my family, and my family is the least in my community. You think about all these for a moment and tell me why any lady on earth would want to have anything to do with someone like me. In-fact, the only thing I……”

“Ali! Ali! Ali!, look!”

Obed cuts in while he was still speaking.

“She’s approaching us with her friends! It’s your perfect time to ask her on a date!”

“What!! Date?! Please noooo. I’m not doing this today.” says Ali.

“Yes Date! You’ve got to grow up bro!” Daniel says as he shakes Ali by his shoulders.

As Mariam and her friends walked by, Ali’s friends fastened their eyes on him giving him signals to make the move. But he was just smiling, sweating profusely and shaking.

Without wasting time, Obed walks up to them with so much confidence, smiling….

“Hello girls, can I please borrow your friend Mariam for a minute ?”

The girls looked at themselves and at Mariam.

“Yeah sure” Mariam says

“Okay, We’ll wait for you downstairs” they echoed.

Obed takes her by the hand to the side and started engaging her in a conversation.

“What is he doing?! What is he telling her ?!” Ali asks, as he continues to pant.

Obed walks up to the guys leaving Mariam by the side and signaled Ali to approach her now.

“I’ve just told her you’ve got something to say, I’ve made it easy for you and she’s waiting.”

“Go!!!” The rest of the guys screamed silently.

Ali walks up to her, gathering his words together, swallowing saliva and sweating.

“Hey, hmmm, so I, hmmm, I’m not sure how you’d feel about this, hmmm”

Thinking of how to articulate his words….

“Hmm I just wanted to know how you’re doing?”

“Is that all you wanted to say to me ?” Mariam asks smiling at him.

“Well, no, yes, I mean no, I, hmmm want to know what you’d be doing tomorrow evening”

“Tomorrow’s Friday and I think I’ll be free after class and hanging out with the girls”

“Oh, great! I was wondering if, hmmm you’d…”

Scratching his head, he continued trying to articulate his words

“… if you’d be free to go on a date with me”

“A date ? Yeah sure!” Mariam replies still smiling and amused by his actings.

“okay great, I’ll meet you here same time tomorrow” Ali says

“Perfect!” Mariam agrees as she walks away.

“Yes !! Yes!! Yes!! Yes!! Yes!! I did it! I did it! I did it!”

Ali screams as he walks back to his friends.

“She said yes, we’ve got a date tomorrow and we’ll meet here!” He says excitedly.

“Well did you loose any part of your body after talking to her now ?” Daniel asks jokingly.

“Hahaha of course not! Thank you so much guys! Now I need to think of a perfect gift for her tomorrow “

“Gift? Hahahaha are you joking?” Obed asks him?

“Do you still even have provisions for yourself in the hostel? Where will you get the money from ? You yourself acknowledged you’re broke earlier!”

“Hmmm, I know a place called The Rose Farm where you can get rose flowers, its just a block or two away from here” Daniel says.

“Well, let’s go now!” Ali drags him by the hand.

“No, I can’t go at the moment, I’ll give you a description and it shouldn’t take you more than 5 mins to be there”

Ali sets out towards the rose farm immediately.

Getting there, it was a cool, quite environment with birds chirping in the trees.

“Wow! So many beautiful flowers here. Very beautiful and quite. Perhaps I should bring her here tomorrow”

He thought to himself as he plucks the number of rose flowers he wants

Suddenly a monkey picks up his bag from the floor and runs on the pathway with it.

“Hey! Bring that back! Please!”

He runs after it with the flowers in his hands.

“I don’t have bananas in there!”

Now sweating and tired of running, he sat on the floor and watched the monkey climb a tree with his bag and passes it among other monkeys.

“What do I do? I have my school stuffs in there!”

He says to himself as he stands up.

Suddenly he hears a soothing voice calls his name

“Ali…”

“Huh?! Who’s there!”

The voice calls him repeatedly

“Ali….”

“Obed! Daniel! is that you ?. Don’t play pranks on me please”

“Ali….” “Thou Mighty Man of Valor”

The voice says slowly.

Ali looks up, down and couldn’t tell who was speaking. He turns backwards and saw a human figure with a red garment walking away from him.

“Hey Who are you ?”

“Can you help me get my bag from the monkeys”

Ali asks, still concerned about his bag.

“Come” the voice says to him.

scared and confused he thought of what had happened earlier in school.

“Daniel says I have to grow up and be courageous!”

He walks towards the Angel of the Lord and asks again.

“Who are you ? And how can I help you? How do you know my name ?”

“I have known you before you were born” the Angel replies.

“It is time.”

“Time for what? See, I don’t want no troubles, what do you mean know me before I was born? Who are you again I ask ?”

Not answering his questions, the Angel continues…

“Ali, thou art mighty man of valor and it’s time to fulfil destiny”

“Destiny ? What do you mean?, why do you call me mighty man of valor? I am nothing but from a poor family in a poor community and also the least in my class. What is mighty about all of that?”

Ignoring his questions again the Angel continues…

“You have been chosen before birth, to deliver your community”

“Hahahahah you’re a joke ?! Me ? Hahahaha chosen by who ? God ? Why would He chose me ?. And deliver them from what exactly ? I’m not going to to let you ruin my plans”

He picks up his flowers and turns back to walk away, laughing over the words of the Angel.

After walking for some minutes and not far away he turns back and asks….

“Can you just help me get my…..”

Surprised at the sudden disappearance of the Angel and the appearance of his bag before him on the floor he asks…

“What ? My bag ? How did it get here.”

Ali grabs the bag and runs off back to the hostel.

Lying on his bed with eyes gazed up at the ceiling, he pondered at what had happened earlier and the words of the Angel continued to echo through his mind.

“Ali”

“Thou Mighty Man of Valor”.

I think I just met the happiest person in the world!

It had just stopped raining and the sky still drizzling; I’ve just had a wonderful service in church I thought to myself as I drive along the Tafawa Balewa express way in Abuja singing along to the song playing from my car stereo.

“Jesus Iyehhhhh, you have done it again! Jesus Iyehhhhh, in your special way, What was impossible, you’ve made possible, Jesus Iyehhhhh.”

Reflecting on the wonders of God in my life and how impactful the service was, I lowered the song playing in the background and decided to give a deep thought on the sermon that was taught that day.

“The Hidden Wisdom of God” I began to reflect on how God’s wisdom is so powerful and multilayered that even when we think it’s all over in our lives or situation, God displays another angle of his wisdom.

“What a joy this is!” I said within me, as I continued to ponder on God’s unpredictable wisdom. I couldn’t tell why I was feeling this way like I had just encountered Jesus Christ for the first time; but oh dear! It was such a good feeling.

As I continued driving, increasing the volume of the song, I decided to have a quick stop at Market Square to get some fruits when I saw this lady with four kids just by the junction under the showering rain begging for alms.

This brought an abrupt halt to my joy and singing as I wondered what could have gone wrong for this family. It made me started to think on a flip side of life and God.

Why am I so blessed, full of wealth, and no pain or misery yet there’s a family who can’t even feed themselves but have to stand under the rain to beg for alms. “Does this make God bias or unjust ?” I thought to myself, “Why does God allow such things to happen ?, Is he only concerned about those who are in church and are christians?, doesn’t this make him a selfish God and contradicts his mercies?”

As I continued to ask myself so many Why’s- a voice spoke silently: “This is why I have raised you”. “Who said that?!” I asked, “where did that voice come from?”

As I began to ask these questions, a sudden nudge came from within me to get down from the car and go into the mall to get food for them.

“What if they’re not hungry?” “What if they reject my food?” Perhaps I should just mind my business, get my fruits and leave I thought. But the feelings kept getting strong and I heard the voice again said to me “Do it Prince, this is what I’ve raised you for”.

I went into the mall grabbed some fast food, snacks, drinks and fruits and walked towards them to give it to her. I could still hear a side voice telling me what if she rejects this. But I didn’t let that stop me.

“Hello ma, Good Morning, I’ve just closed from church and came to grab some fruits and I though to get you and the kids these”

“Oh Morning my son!” I could see her wrinkled face smiling slowly as I stretched out the bags to her.

“You’re God sent!” She said excitedly.

“My kids and I had just finished our last food yesterday and not knowing where our next meal would come from next, I knelt down and prayed to God, telling him I was going to do something I had never done in my entire life- To go on the streets and beg so my kids would get food. I asked God to make this a success for me as I have no other one to turn to”

She cried so much and I could see her joy in her tears as she kept saying “He heard me!” “He heard me!” “Elroi, Elroi, Elroi, you heard me!”

She asked to pray for me and I agreed. I knelt down and closed my eyes as I wouldn’t let passers and cars passing by to distract me from an heavenly blessing.

She wouldn’t stop saying thank you to me for providing for them. So I went inside to get more provisions, 5 bags of rice, groundnut oils, beans, spaghetti, Cartons of noodles, snacks for the kids and other provisions.

I rolled the cart towards my car and offered to take them home with the things I bought.

She lied on the floor singing and worshiping God in her dialect. She couldn’t believe her eyes that God had heard her prayers and sent a total stranger to her.

As I drive towards her home, I couldn’t help my joy but to express my excitement with a worship song! All the questions I previously asked God left my mind as I pondered on the reply I got. “This is why I have raised you”. “Thank you” I said within me with tears rolling from my eyes.

After dropping her off with the provisions, I offered to give the kids scholarships till they finish their education.

Without letting the words go out of my mouth, she rolled on the wet floor screaming “Jesus, Jesus Jesus Jesus” and continued raining prayers on me.

I gave her my contact and left. As I drove home, I couldn’t help but to reflect on what had just happen. And this quickly reminded me of the sermon that was preached in church. “The Hidden Wisdom of God”. I kept on wondering how God could have heard her prayers and ignited me to take that exact route on my way home and also how he made me stop to get fruits just to meet this family.

“My Fruits!!!”

Amazingly I forgot to get the fruits that had made me me stopped. “This was never about my fruits” I said to my self. God just wanted to connect me with that family.

“What took you so long?” My sister asked as I got home.

Smiling, I replied: “I think I just met the happiest person in the world!”

The shabby looking rider had her hood pulled down deeply into her face to cover it from the relentless rain that seemed to have followed her for the last week. Ahead was a small path leading through the misty meadows up to the edge of the forest. And right there, barely visible were to small dots of light. The closer the rider got, the clearer the silhouette of the little cottage was. And when the horse finally stopped right in front of it, the door got violently torn open and the man in the door frame could only whisper. „You‘re alive!“ Before she dropped of the horse onto the soggy gras with a loud thud.

Six of Sigil doesn't know mercy, doesn't forgive and never forgets. He reams through towns, ripping the weeds of insolent men out from under them. More known as tale than an actual man, Six of Sigil is more of a hero to the smaller folk than the lawless land that cradles them in its deprecated palms ever could be. The man is tall, pale, wears garb of ink-black leather with a wide brimmed hat of the same make, and his face is riddled with sigiled scars. Some folk say he was an old mage's creation cursed with archaic abilities, others say he's a lost knight from days of old risen to save the people once more. There are many renditions of the man's past, but one thing is certain; Six of Sigil is a merciless man with only a drive for vengeance left in his soul. So when said Six of Sigil finds himself sitting in a bar before a girl of maybe fifteen seasons with messy hair and a recent black eye still aching, he wonders where he went wrong. "So you'll do it?" The girls face firm with determination. Six sighs long and hard before taking his hat off and folding his arms on the table. "When I said I'd meet with a buyer over a job involving the heist of a Syndicate cell, had I known said buyer was just a child wanting her puppy back-" The girl stands, the chair screeching behind her. "She's not a puppy, Mira is a Lycan! And she is in danger!" Six slides his hands down his face. "Kid, I'm sorry," The man grabs his hat, lifts himself from the table and begins to leave the bar. "I can't." The girl growls in frustration and sprints in front of Six, spreading her arms out in attempt to stop him. "You need to help me, and I am going to pay I swear." "Now why would I need to help you, girl?" "Because.. I'm from Naiad. And I am going to bring life back to this land and the only way I can do that is with Mira!" The girl's face is streaming with tears now. And Six's face is twisted in strain worthy of a few new gray hairs popping up later. "No you're not. Naiad is thousands of years old and dead. You'd be part fish or something too. Please just hire someone else and let me go." The supposed fish-girl then grabs Six's arm and everything melts away. The girl's form blurs then refocuses as a husk of the human girl but now blue, gilled and somehow sparkling. "See, I am of Naiad. You are the first human to see one again in eons." "Terrific.." Six of Sigil might just die here and now.

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Definitely went off prompt but I just let it happen lol.

Snow clung to his black felt hat. It was bitterly cold that day. He rubbed his threadbare leather gloved hands together, fighting off the stiffness and chill. His tattered jeans and old leathers almost already soaked through from the snow as he made his way to his horse. The Montana sun barely glowed through the overcast sky. There was a blizzard coming, and the cows needed moving. He was put together rough, and rode life rougher. His sun wrinkled face made it hard to tell how truly old he was, yet his eyes were bright and young. He tightened the cinch on his old bay gelding, white hairs dotting around his eyes and nose. He lightly smacked the gelding on his belly, already knowing the old trick the horse was trying to pull. “Not today, son. We got work.” He gruffed out. The old gelding let out a groan, as if he understood. He huffed out, letting go of the air making his stomach swell, the girth loosened. “Atta boy.” He softly praised and tightened the cinch up a few more holes.

He put the toe of one of his well worn boots in the stirrup. And with a handful of mane pulled himself up and onto the saddle. He took out a hand rolled cigarette from the pocket of his mud covered beige jacket. He lit is with a old rusty lighter he’d gotten years ago in a bar in Arizona. Taking a swell, he relaxed in the saddle, enjoying the warmth that spread throughout his body. Cigarette in lip he gave the gelding a kick and a click of his tongue. And off they trotted down the snow covered trail as the blizzard prepared to raged far up in the sky above.

Maria pulls Frank by his hand into the swinging saloon doors, as a man rolls down the stairs and lays on his back at their feet. The man on the piano acts as if there is no one in the bar but him and that piano, playing a generic ragtime tune. Stepping over the passed out gentleman, Frank turns around and puts the drunken man’s hat back on his head. He had no signs of getting up any time soon. Walking closer to the bar, there are multiple fist fights happening at once. All seemingly for different reasons. Four men to the left of the bar fight around a poker table. A woman to the right laying over top a table that seats two, grabbing a man by the collar with her arm cocked back ready to fire. Two men on the floor, in Frank and Maria’s path, rolling around fighting over a bottle of whiskey.

The catwalk above the bar, where the man that greeted their feet was thrown from, was just as chaotic. Men having their backs pushed against the banister as if they are being given a ultimatum. The doors of the rooms upstairs being either slammed shut or flung open. A woman with a gun is chasing a man down the stairs and out the door.

Once they make it to the bar the bar tender rises up from being crouched down, taking cover from all the madness that surrounds him. Covering his head with a serving tray he says “What will y’all be having today?” Frank looks at Maria with the widest eyes, because she is leaning over the bar grinning from ear to ear as she says, “Two bourbons please!” Frank looks around for a stool and doesn’t want to touch anything just in case it starts a fight. There is two drunken men sitting next to him sleep on the bar. The one closest to Frank is in a coma like sleep, the man beside him wakes up abruptly and looks very confused. He finds an empty beer bottle and breaks it over the man’s head that is sitting next to Frank. The drunken man that showed no signs of waking up jerks up and throws a left hook to his attacker. They join the other groups in the middle of the floor trading blows. Well now they have two free stools. He sets one under Maria and slides his right next to hers. Maria sits back on the stool and says “I love it here!”

I look at my house, well now old house, and I take a glimpse in my brain at all the memories that occurred here. I’ve gone broke. I can’t afford to live in my own place so now i have to live in a group home, sleep with other people, and i won’t have any privacy. I look down at my hand, one last chance to feel good. I open my drawer for the last time and see the red spectacular. My rose toy. I can’t bring her to the group home so she has to stay here. My dear esmeralda, my dear beauty, my baby, my joy, she’s given me so many good orgasms and such great times. I open my legs and let the rose take its action.

Now, my mom walks in and hears me screaming, “Don’t stop get it get it” and she says, “BABY!! DONT YOU SEE YOUR HURTING THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU THE MOST?” And i reply “Yeah i do but hold on i’m- uh almost AHHH finished AHHHHHHHHH” I let out my juices and see my moms face drop in horror. She screams and leaves the room. “LEAVE THIS FAMILY!!! I NEVER WANNA SEE YOU AGAIN.” I felt a little sad but now i can use my toy all the time!

My rose toy and me can stay together. My dear rose.

Love, Esmerelda

They had been hiking with their class on a ‘field trip’ to the local middle-of-nowhere, and Ana had gotten a blister on her heel. Slowly, the brunette had dropped behind her friends. Kenan had noticed. Of course he had. He always seemed to be there, laughing, joking, flirting. The boy had slowed his pace to match the girl’s, and they walked down the trail in almost complete silence, broken only by the birds, crickets, and the occasional cow’s complaint. Eventually, Kenan had run in front of the girl and waved his arms. “Did you know I write music?” A familiar grin spread across his face as Ana scowled lightheartedly. “No.” “Yeah, I wrote a song about las tortillas de mi madre.” The boy slipped into his first language, and Ana nodded. When Kenan didn’t follow up his statement, Ana sighed and nudged his arm. “Ok, so what’s the en-“ “Well, I guess it was more of a wrap.” The boy inturrupted. Ana looked away, trying not to smile. He kept pulling stupid jokes out of nowhere, and she found it harder and harder not to laugh as he grinned at her. Kenan’s eyes widened with his grin as the girl’s shoulders started to shake. “Are you laughing?” He danced around her, but she dodged, hiding her face. “Come on, I finally made you laugh and you’re going to hide your pretty face?”
Ana squeaked as Kenan twirled her around. The joyful look on his face sent her into another round of giggles. She stumbled off of the path, and Kenan barked out a laugh. At that point, Ana had given up and was laughing to the point of tears, not at the joke, but the whole situation. The air was full of laughter until Kenan froze. Ana started to get up, but he held out his hand. “Stop!” “Why?” “Take my hand!” “No way!” “I’m not asking you to marry me, I’m trying to save your life!” “Yeah, right.” She crossed her arms stubbornly. “Please, Ana.” His near-black eyes were bright, not from laughter like they usually were, but with fear. “This isn’t the time to argue.” Ana shot a glance around, confused. She looked back at Kenan, and the panic written into his face resolved her doubts. When the girl reached out, the boy pulled her gently back onto the trail. As soon as Ana was back on her feet, Kenan shoved her behind him. “Walk. Slowly. Don’t run.” He breathed, calmer now that she was out of danger. Ana followed his quiet words, walking far enough down the path to be out of range of whatever Kenan had seen. When she turned around, he met her gaze before carefully backing up the path. As he reached her side, Kenan grabbed her hand and started sprinting down the trail. After they had run about a hundred feet, Ana pulled away from his grip. “What was it, Kenan?” The boy turned to her and replied by opening his arms. In any other situation, Ana would have refused, but she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before. For all his calm exterior, the boy in front of her was terrified. She enfolded him a tight hug. He took the girl in his arms, heaving a sigh of relief as he accepted the comfort she offered. “What?” Ana gently removed herself from the boy, keeping her hands on his shoulders to steady him. Kenan repeated what he had mumbled a moment before, “Rattlesnake. It was behind you.” Ana’s eyes grew wide. “I- there- actually?” Her voice was shaky. Kenan nodded. The girl took a deep breath before smiling. “Thanks.” She stood on tiptoes for a moment, leaning forward as she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Kenan felt a shock running through him, originating from his face. From her lips. He stood stock still as Ana started down the path. She turned around, tilting her head. “You just gonna stand there til the snake catches up?” Kenan shook his head and rushed to catch up with the girl. Silence fell, but it was more comfortable than before. “Ana-“ He paused as she glanced at him. Meeting her gaze, he asked, “Take my hand?” Ana chuckled, and Kenan shot a grin back at her as he felt their fingers interlace.