Push through

They tore into her. Her cousins, uncle and aunt. They hurled abuse at her, Day and night. They overworked her. All of them. Made her wake up 4 am, To clean, scrub and mop, To cook, dust and shop, Until midnight. She worked and worked Then slept in a box. A wooden box. Rough in …

Moth path

The moth seeks moon light But is tricked by lesser lights Quick death beckoning Ife sat outside all evening wrapped in her flowery satin house coat after she had put Emeka to sleep. She watched moths fly towards the fluorescent garden light, kissing the glow of the lamp again and again until they fell onto …

Time waits for none

Years flow endlessly A passenger one minute Down under the next. Tunde flipped open his diary as his eyes scanned through what he had planned for the day and the next. It was the first of December. 'Where has 2019 gone?' He shook his head in disbelief as he reflected on what he had done …

Dark place

Onye rolled in dirty gritty slime. She locked herself in this dark space, devoid of air, every time she remembered his hands on her body. She peered through the thick storm windows at the other Onye, her hands lingering on the frame. Unable to reach her, she could only wish she was her as she …

The sweetest jam is shared jam.

"I love you," Labake said, smiling sweetly at Ajoke. "Uh uh... you always say that. Why don't you show me instead," Ajoke said offhandedly as she opened a bowl of cherries. "Here," Labake offered a jar of orange jam to Ajoke, "I give you the yummiest jam on earth." Ajoke rolled her eyes and smiled, …