RETURN MY JEWEL (short story )
( Written by Theophilus Enemali)

It has been an endless dark day for Chidera's mother. She had emaciated so miserably because her present situation, gave her a huge loss of appetite. Most often, she talked to herself and asked a lot of questions. Questions that people preferred not to answer, yet it made her heart bleed.

"If only Chidera were here, my happiness could have been lovely as always". She said and sighed in a rather heavy manner. Then she continued, " My God, how am I going to survive without my only child? Where are you? She would ask no one in particular and then tears would begin to flow.

The year Chidera turned sixteen was the year the seemingly worst thing happened to her. A friendly girl laced with honest beauty, flanked by innocence and unrivalled intelligence that was endearing to all. She has been on scholarship since her senior secondary school one. It was not offered on a platter of gold, it was a reward for her honourable hard work.

Chidera's scholarship came as she was the champion of the Children State Essay Competition. They had written on the topic " My Blueprint for Curbing Insurgency in Nigeria". She had written so nicely that one of the examiners wrote on her script. " A rare writer with an amplitude intelligence that belied her age". The examiner had written that perhaps in an excessive happiness that the future of girl child in northern Nigeria is not blindly bleak.

Chidera was the only girl among the five finalists. She was second to the last to do her presentation, after Suleiman Adebayo displayed a near flaw-filled performance. Suleiman was about the age of Chidera, brilliant but not outspoken. He was a better writer than a speaker. He paused time and time again, seemed stuck for words, and perused his write-up almost aimlessly, with such a wobbly pace that begged the time to fly speedily. However, at the end of his presentation, there was a thunderous applause not really in appreciation of his performance but rather in admiration of his confidence.

When it was Chidera's turn, she walked to the stage with the elegance of a girl, aware of her own self confidence, which made her even more confident. She spoke for some two minutes and she calmed down. Her emotional introduction about the death of many women and children and displaced families in north east Nigeria, let loose a heavy silence, those moments silence became too loud.

This had happened three years ago. Chidera's mother remember those memorable days. But now only the memories live. Her anguish was so heavy. But the sad reality of the situation now is that Chidera has been missing for more than 715 days. Her mother, Ginika has been a trader in Chibok ever since her husband went to be with the lord. A mild expression she often used to refer to her husband's death.

Most days she would forget that she had not eaten. She would cry her eyes out but the situation remains the same. Only yesterday, there was news on the local radio station, assuring news with a glimmer of hope, that the missing girls have been spotted and will soon be rescued, however it ended there as always.

Chidera's mother would go to Chidera's room, watch the wall, as though it would play the record of Chidera's voice. She would go to her box and bring out her dresses, but that made her even more sorrowful.

Then one day, she heard of the frequent use of girls as suicide bombers. She imagined that they were the abducted school girls. She couldn't hold it anymore. She was getting tired of life, no husband, no child, and the meaningless of life without loved ones gave her a strange stare in the face.

She had been alone, downcast and helpless. She decided to do the unthinkable, to kill herself, but the godly part of her discouraged her. Then she prayed always to die in her sleep but she wouldn't. Then one day she wrote a note which read, " My jewel, I'm coming to meet you, I don't know where you are, I have begged and pleaded so that they return my jewel, but every day is like another. I'm coming to be with you, so that we can love and laugh again".

She flung herself to bed and prayed never to wake again.

#bringbackourgirls

Very nice, apt, concise and intriguing...
.
I like your style of writing. Keep it up

Oh, a copyright...? (smiles)
.
Nevertheless, u tried in acknowledging the original author, and for bringing such a wonderful write up here

Ikonz:
Oh, a copyright...? (smiles)
.
Nevertheless, u tried in acknowledging the original author, and for bringing such a wonderful write up here

Thank u