₦airaland Forum

royalguest:
Hope u don't mind me saying, buh for her sake I hope dis is not the last time Grace sees her sister cos I don't think she will be able to bear the guilt to come... BTW did u see any fans in Davido's 'fans mi', I'm thinking more like Olamide's 'awon goons mi' or phyno's 'Alobam'

I no see fans sha but I see , was teasing. Glad you've got a sense of humour.
Come, why you dey pity Grace self because una be kindred spirits?

My friend, Lara came over the next day. She was as brilliant as myself and was top of her class too. We were in the same school but not in the same class. We had both decided we would do our university education abroad. There was nothing Nigeria could offer us again. I was far prettier than her and she was always gracious enough to admit that I was the better in all things except one which she always refused to say no matter how much I pried.
After, we had played scrabble which I won as always, she asked about Hannah.
“She is in her room,” I replied sighing. Hannah always had a way of dampening my moods.
“I heard she is dying for sure this time.”
“Death is inevitable at every point in our life is it not? She is sick but would be better as always.”
“Not from what I heard, this time was pretty bad. I have always admired and liked her.”
“You have always liked and admired a sick person? What kind of a sick standard have you got?” This was the nuts-unscrewed-lara, saying things that didn’t make sense.
“You can say what you like but on this I won’t budge. We don’t have to like the same things.”
Jiggling the scrabble bag, I made to change the conversation. “Another game?”
“No, I want to say hello to your sister and then go home. I have to help my mum with something.”
“Suit yourself but your mum should know you are too young to help her out with things.”
“But not too young to kiss a boy,” she retorted.
I gaped at her in amazement, “you kissed a boy?”
“No, a boy kissed me,” her face was deadpan.
“When was this and why didn’t I know?”
“I looked for you on the final day but you were nowhere to be found. It was the night before school closed.” We weren’t in the same hostel room.
“But that’s the point of owning a mobile phone, to communicate with one another.” I was envious but tried not to show it.
“Let’s not dwell on that. Come on, let’s go and say hi to your sister.”
“No, I have to tidy up my room.”
Lara obviously not buying my story didn’t bother to persuade me. She just stood and walked out. I was not only disappointed in her for keeping a secret but also that she didn’t do enough to persuade me.
I silently opened my door and tiptoed to my sister’s room. The door hadn’t been properly closed and the mirror opposite my sister’s bed enabled me to see them. She was hugging my sister that was all I saw till the nurse closed the door but not before I heard Lara’s laughter. She never laughed that way when she was with me. This was an unrestrained laughter right from the soul.

BoboYekini:
*swaggers off into the mist*

You don't want to know the picture I created in my head of you swaggering off into the mist. If NL had a rotf icon, it'd have been perfect.

Walking to her door, I knocked and entered. She was so pale lying there and her room had changed. There were machines in the room, I hadn’t seen before and so many tubes sticking out of her. There was also another woman whom I hadn’t seen before too. She was middle-aged and had a face that had seen many sorrows but was somewhat comforting.
The woman stood to shoo me out but Hannah turned just then.
“Gracie,” she called out weakly with a smile.
Fear washed over me and I stood still by the door unable to advance or retreat. Hannah looked terrible and I nearly thanked God, I didn’t have to deal with all she was dealing with but for once I didn’t. I didn’t feel a sudden surge of love but I felt something alien to me; something sorrowful and I turned away nearly retreating till mum gave me a gentle shove back in. I hadn’t heard her climb back up.
“Gracie, come.” Hannah, the ghost beckoned.
Apart from the fact that she always got all the attention, another reason I hated Hannah was because I felt inferior whenever I was around her. She was always sick but she drew everyone to her and it wasn’t because of her sickness. She had a way of showing interest in people and subjects; something I could never do. Who wants to know to tell a nursing mother how cute her child was or ask cook how her children were doing? First of all, no baby is cute, they all look like little demons or drug junkies and why should I care about cook’s children, when I know they barely know who I am?

Apparently, my mum said something to the woman who was a nurse and she left Hannah’s bedside and followed mum out of the room leaving me alone with the ghost of my sister. The last time I had seen Hannah, she hadn’t looked this terrible.
“How are you feeling?” I asked approaching her bedside with my eyes somewhat averted.
“Well, I feel worse than I look if that is to answer your question but let’s leave me and talk about you. How is school?”
“Fine,”
“Your exams? Why not lay beside me and tell me all about it?” she patted a space beside her. I shrunk and offered her a horrific stare. Was this her way of passing on something to me or what did she hope to gain? I definitely did not want to crawl up to her, attached to those tubes and smelling of horrible drugs.
“I really need to pee and change my uniform,” I replied backing towards the door.
“Come back later, okay? I need someone to talk with. I am so lonely, everyone around me is so elderly and my two friends traveled.”
“Okay, take care.” We both knew I wouldn’t be back. I opened and closed the door taking care at the last moment not to slam it.

royalguest:
Now I'm definitely hooked, cos I can relate to Grace's story as to how unimportant she must be feeling and I'm anticipating a very shocking eye opener for her cos I had one tooo... can't wait to see d end of the story... P.S ur my Bestest nl writer and I'm ur biggest fan (any type if fan u want)

Aha! Gracie, come and see your partner in crime oh.
Now, you make my cheeks puff with indescibable feelings. Thanks a bunch.
Any type of fan? Like the 'fans mi' in Davido's song?

BoboYekini:
@The Other Side
Enoquin, that was really good.

That's the only reply you deserve.

mariamferanmi:
Nice short storys u got enoquin!!! Following u

You are welcome mariam, hope you stay on

The house was too quiet. I let the gate man struggle with my luggage from the back of the taxi. Pushing through the gate, I walked to the back of the house and entered through the kitchen. Cook was sitting and picking through brown beans.
“Is that what I’ll be having?” I asked, not bothering with a greeting.
“Welcome,” she replied, ignoring my question. “How was school?”
“Fine, where is Daddy?”
“Upstairs, where is your luggage?” She asked a bit distractedly.
“Suleiman is bringing it,” and because I didn’t want any more questions. I hurried past but not before opening the fridge and taking a piece of fried meat.
I turned back expecting cook’s scolding but she didn’t seem to be in the mood. Frowning, I stomped upstairs. My mum was just coming down and looked very tired. The woman barely lifted a hand to do anything, why would she look so tired? I don’t hate my mother but I don’t like her either. My father dotes on her way too much and it’s annoying. It’s like those silly cheesy movies; I mean who dotes on their wives or husbands more than the children. I was an offspring for heaven’s sake! They were two strangers that met and decided to live together.
“Good afternoon mum,” I greeted her sullenly.
“Grace,” she came forward with a smile. “How was the journey, hope you weren’t too stressed?”
“If daddy couldn’t come, why didn’t you come and pick me?” I waited for a silly excuse and it came.
“There is so much going on. Won’t you even give your mum a hug?”
Giving her the barest of hugs, I moved on murmuring an excuse about needing to relieve myself. I couldn’t openly declare hostility on my mum because then I would lose my dad. I know who he would pick if he had to choose. And did I mention that I had an elder sibling who everyone was always paying attention to? She was a drama queen and was the darling while I was labeled a rebel.
“Suleiman!” I yelled from my window. Why hadn’t he brought my luggage up?
“You would need to lower your voice; your sister isn’t feeling well.” My dad cautioned, I hadn’t closed my room door yet.
Going to hug my dad, I stepped back and worked up a scowl. “Is it because of Hannah, no one thought of me?”
“Your sister had another bout again and…”
“She is always having bouts, sometimes I think they are faked. If you couldn’t come, why couldn’t mum come?”
“Because it was different for her this time…”
“Is Hannah more special than myself? Why should I be abandoned far away just because Hannah has cancer and is always feeling sick which is not an irregular thing? How is that supposed to make me feel?”
“It’s supposed to make you feel grateful for not having to be hospitalized almost every time and living on drugs all the days of your life.”
“It would be great if someone thought of me every once in a while.”
“We are, have you popped in to greet your sister?”
I didn’t want to, she knew I hated all the attention she got but she always tried to cover it up by being nice. Now, I am not mean but I do know that she is only being nice because she wants to make heaven or something like that. Perhaps she thinks she will be thrown a white party on roads paved with diamonds and a golden crown for always being nice.

“Can’t you see I am a secondary student?” I asked the taxi driver after hearing the outrageous amount he was charging me. I should have asked what his charge would be before entering.
“Students are the rich ones nowadays,” the taxi driver replied with a smile.
What a load of crap! I hated it when Nigerians engaged in stereotypical profiling. “Please, the price is too high and I don’t have much on me.”
“But you have much baggage young woman. You know that more baggage dey chop fuel.”
“Oga that is a lie, do you think I don’t know about cars? Look, let me pay you one thousand five hundred naira; I do not have two thousand five…do you think I pluck the money from a tree?”
“Two thousand is the least I can take sisi”
I nearly said something horrible but it really wasn’t the fault of the taxi man. It wasn’t his fault that I had been reduced to haggling with a taxi driver. My parents were going to see the worst tantrum ever thrown.

Your ending didn't feel like one. Poor Raheem

Away and Beyond

The trees rushed past in a blur and the wind blew across our faces as the driver sped on eager to dump us at the motor park. This was the school’s usual practice for boarding students whose parents couldn’t come for them at the end of a school term; a contracted driver would do the job of busy parents.
I usually looked in contempt at the piteous students as they lined up dejectedly to join the bus not able to look at those whose parents made the distance and time to pick their wards; I used to but not today. Today, I had been one of them, the piteous ones. I hid when my friend’s parents came to pick her. I didn’t want any of their pity by offering to drop me. That would be a dent on my image.
I didn’t talk to anyone throughout the trip, didn’t want to. What would we say to each other? My thoughts were on how I would throw a tantrum when I got home. Yes, I was the favourite and got away with everything. What could be more important than me? I was a genius. I was fantastic. I was what my parents had always wanted in a child. No, I wasn’t the only child but I was better than the other one.
My cell phone rang, it was my father. “Hello?”
“How are you dear?”
“Not fine obviously,” I was uncomfortable. The girl beside me was snoring lightly.
“I am sorry dear but it is about to get more uncomfortable. I won’t be coming to the park to pick you, I …”
“What? Why?” My voice had risen with each question causing other students to look at me. I turned slightly away lowering my voice, I didn’t want anyone eavesdropping.
“I cannot go into the details now but…”
“What about mum?”
“She is busy too and …”
“Doing what exactly? How will I make it home?”
“The taxi dear…the taxi will bring you home.”
“But…”
“Now be a big girl and stop behaving childish. I hope you have enough on you?”
The change in my father’s tone was enough to tell me something was wrong and I could only mumble what I hoped was a very sad ‘yes’ before the line went dead.

My mother was never busy; she was a housewife for heaven’s sake. Housewives always had time except…No! I couldn’t bear to think it. Could it be? What would happen to me? Who would I prefer to stay with?
The bus rumbled to a stop. We had arrived at the park. There was no need to look out, no need at all. Nobody was waiting.

Rita drowned, when she came up for air the final time...she was already dead

@eggcelent Pele, no be all my stories supposed make sense

@royalguest Aww, thanks a bunch