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I am talking about the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

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To participate, visit https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/09/01/the-2021-commonwealth-short-story-prize-for-commonwealth-countries/

She rounded the corner of the street and quickened her steps, fear adding a surreal atmosphere to the moonless night. The only sources of light were the occasional lights from two or three open stalls in the street. She dared to dart a glance behind her, wishing, hoping, and even willing the monster trailing her to stop or lose her.

But he did not. Instead he seemed to mirror her movements; it was like a choreographed affair: the distance between them was a hundred feet, and the man moved with the sure and steady pace of a confident predator waiting for its prey to get tired so as to go for the kill.

She let out a whimper of terror as his indeterminate features came into her mind once again; he was built like a mountain—height of over six feet, massive shoulders and arms that looked like tree trunks. But it was his eyes that scared her the most. The one time she had looked at his eyes, she had been chilled to the bone and knew that nothing (only God perhaps) could stop him from killing her.

Yet she had to try to get away; that was the only way. She could not stay in her room, she would be a sitting duck if she stayed there. This was the only way she could try to beat him at this game—running. At the thought of a game, her heart sank. She regretted ever installing that game; she wished she could get her hands on the hourglass of time, she would then turn it over, making this nightmare to go away.

She was never one to fall for all these get-rich-quick schemes that flew about on the Internet these days. She was a shrewd businesswoman and knew that all those businesses that promised high ROIs were shams. Yet she did not resist the pull of the game once she saw the brief detail about it. The app had simply asked her a question: "Can you survive 25 levels and win $25,000? That's $1,000 per level!" Even the name of the game had been warning enough: 'Win... or Die?' But she thought it was just a name, something that would make the game more interesting and fun. Now she knew better, she did not win, and she would die.

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/28/win-or-die/

Dear Chimere,

When I confessed my feelings to you, and then asked you to be my woman, you'd asked me if there were any secrets I was hiding from you. Although you'd said that joculary, I was hit by a tsunami of guilt, and with a fake smile, I had replied that you would have to find those out yourself.

Yes, we have been best friends for over five years now. And although I have told you things about me; although I have opened up myself to you; although I have shown you my flaws, there are still some parts of me you do not know, parts of me you would not imagine would belong to me even in your worst nightmares. I now want to open up these catacombs of dirty secrets to you. I hope you can stand the stench.

When I was young, my mother had wanted me to be a Catholic priest. It was, for her, a way to give back to God her first fruit. So early enough, I knew that I was meant for the seminary, and all my actions were geared towards my getting into one of the best seminary schools around. I studied the Bible with the same fervor with which I ate, knew my Catechism by heart and could recite everything that was said at Mass before I was ten—in Latin.

But Fate had other things in store for me. My life turned around two days after my eleventh birthday. I discovered sex. Funny, right?

That day, I had gone to watch movies at a neighbour's house. My father had financial problems, so the power company disconnected our house from the general power supply. There were three other children that had also come to watch movies with me. I can still remember the movie we watched, a Nigerian movie by the title Market Seller. It was an interesting movie, but halfway through the movie, I slept off.

I woke up to find the daughter of the occupants of the house on top of me, kissing and licking me all over. I was bemused and made to stand up, but she held me back, whispering words that were beautiful yet indecipherable. Now, thirteen years later, I cannot recall the details of that evening, but the effects of it had stayed with me.

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/27/my-personal-demons/

The Resistance Headquarters, Hustrion Province, 17th June, 2845

Baorda's Journal,

“I was born a twin, ten years after the First Landers all died off. They had left the Earth after the Third World War in 2055; it was a war, according to legend, that saw the end of the human race—at least on the Forgotten Planet.

According to the Lore, when the United Nations declared war on the Allied Countries of the East (ACE) in 2050, it took just over a month for the planet to be a radioactive wasteland. Billions of people died and the natural world was lost. Governments fell and chaos reigned.

Thankfully, a renegade band of scientists and social analysts had predicted such a turn of events; and they had built an escape ship that would ferry some of Earth's best people to safety—these were the people who were tasked to create a new society, free from the shackles of the old one. There were one thousand men and women who boarded that spaceship that day—the First Landers.

When they arrived in Throndia, they lived a harmonious and communal life; technology thrived, and within ten years, a substance was found at the planet's south pole which was engineered by the scientists to be an anti-aging drug. It was called ATSI—Age and Tissue Stress Inhibitor—which was given to all members of the society. It was indeed a new age for mankind.

For four hundred years, the society thrived, and with the help of the ATSI, life expectancy was increased by a factor of ten. Selective and rotational breeding was initiated in order to keep the planet's human population in check and by the year 2511, the human population was still 2500. It was a fact that Throndia was a little smaller than the Forgotten Planet, and had irregular seasons, but it was an ingenious method of controlling the population of the inhabitants of our planet.

Finally, the tendency of human beings to bring chaos and destruction in their wake began to show itself. It started during the First Council of Iandiv, in 2564. There had been some factions that wanted a decentralization of the central power at Iandiv. According to them, a new and technologically superior group of people at the faraway island of Hustrion deserved to rule themselves and not be subjected to the autocratic rule of the Central Planetary Government at Iandiv.

Of course, their motion was overruled and the Hustrionians decided to secede, leading to a war that has been ongoing for 281 years, longer than any war the Forgotten Planet had witnessed.

The First Landers all died off in 2796. They had tried ceaselessly to bring the war to an end, but both parties had had a taste of power, and would not relinquish such a tasty meal.”

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/25/blood-wars/

CHAPTER 4

"Take this red balloon, let me have this yellow balloon," Mary said standing on very high hill with Owen..
Owen blinked and smiled.
"I'd prefer this yellow balloon instead," Owen said and tried to collect the yellow balloon in Mary's hand.
Mary giggled and threw the red balloon at Owen playfully, Owen guided it with his hands.
Mary juggled away as she kept laughing faintly
"Oh! You really think you can run, isn't it?" Owen said and Mary pushed her tongue outside with a mocking expression.
Owen shook his head and bit his lips, he started running after Mary.
Mary jugged with her tiny leg around a well designed garden on the hill.
There were beautiful flowers in the garden, the petals were wet and the floor were made of clay. Mary ran into the garden and used a tall flower as shield.
Owen entered the garden and he could not find Mary.
"Where are you?" Owen called but he got no response.
Owen started searching every nook and cranny of the garden. While he bent slightly, looking behind a tall flower to see if there is anyone there, a soft arm came wrapping around his eyes. He stood still out of surprise. Owen touched the hand, he felt it and knew instantly that it was the hand of Mary.
He smiled faintly and turned gently to Mary. Mary blushed and lowered her head
"You really think you can hide, huh? Oh my! why does your face look so beautiful, why is it like that of a goddess? Why is your cheek perfect and smooth? And your lips as pink as blossoming petals?" Owen said and looked at Mary warmly.
Mary couldn't raise her head, she was flattered by Owen's words. His words were like a beam of light in her. An immense joy filled her soul and she smiled like a princess filled with joy.
With her head lowered, she moved closer to Owen and rested her right arm on Owen's chest. Owen used his left hand to draw her closer and hugged her. Mary rested her head on Owen's chest and felt relaxed and calm. Mary felt like being kissed and she rubbed her lips her finger, then she raised her head gently and looked at Owen's face.
Owen noticed that and he lowered his head in such a way that his head was directly opposite to Mary's face.
Their lips were not far from each other.
Owen's head stood still, Mary made the first move and pushed her lips further.
"What are you trying to do?" a female voice said from behind.
Mary who was almost kissing Owen looked back shockingly at the person who spoke.
"Don't be surprised, why must you eat on the table I set?" the lady said as she moved closer to where Mary and Owen was
"Owen, did you really want Mary to kiss you?" she said and Owen tried to disengage himself gently from Mary.
What is happening here, who is this lady? Mary thought.
"Are you not aware that he was dumb? Where were you when I gave him his first kiss so that he can speak? I was the one that kissed Owen before he can speak. Don't just think you can come from nowhere and start to love him," the strange lady said.
And Mary looked at Owen and remembered that Owen was really dumb before, she never thought of it all this while they were together.
Oh! It's this strange girl that gave Owen his first kiss before he can speak, Mary thought and disengaged totally from Owen.
"Mary, Owen is mine, do not try to snatch him away from him. I made him speak, therefore, I deserve Owen."
The strange lady moved closer to Owen, took Owen by his arms and led him out of the garden.
Mary watched as Owen left with the strange lady
**************
Mary woke up from the long sleep and rubbed her face. She remembered the dream she had from the beginning to the end.
Who is this strange girl? Mary thought as she sat upright on the bed and rested her head on the bed wall.
*********
Mary, Seven, her father and Owen had gone to the temple yesterday. They entered the temple and walked straight to the pulpit
"What did you want my children?" the priest said.
The priest was covered from head to toe in a priestly regalia, his head was covered with a thin towel, only his eyes were left out.
"Please, just tell me, are you Lennox?" Mary's father asked the priest.
"Lennox! Who bears Lennox?" the priest asked calmly and surprisingly
"I know you understand what I meant," Seven said and grabbed the man's right hand suddenly, he checked the back of his palm, but he could not see the word 'LENNOX' again on the man's hand.
Did this man know that we are coming? Did he clean the words that were written in his hand? I remember that I saw the word boldly written at the back of his palm some years ago, Seven thought in confusion.
"Young man, did you come to molest me or you come to seek me for help? You grab my hand all of a sudden and started twisting my hand," the man said with a serious tone facing Seven.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a bit curious," Seven said calmly.
"Better be," the priest said.
"Erm... Do you know Lennox?" Seven asked.
"You keep mentioning Lennox, who the hell is Lennox?" the priest said out loud.
"Keep calm sir, I do not mean to make you angry. I came here with my girlfriend some years ago and I met a priest who made a covenant for the two of us. I do not know if you are the one or not," Seven said.
"I attend to hundreds of clients everyday, how am I supposed to recognize your face? Get this straight, Mister, I am not Lennox, I am a priest. If you need any help, tell me, and if not, please leave," the priest said.
Seven sighed while Mary and Owen kept exchanging glances with Seven and the priest.
"Well, I need your help with this boy here," Seven said, gesturing to Owen.
The priest looked towards the direction of Owen. "What about him?" the priest asked.
"He is dumb, can you help him speak?" Seven requested
The priest stared at Owen and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't," the priest said as he turned his head towards Seven.
"Why?" Seven requested.
"I just said I can't. Alright, gentlemen, I've had enough, you may now take your leave," the priest said and Mary's dad clenched his fist, sweat streamed out from his face.
He was in pain, he wished he could have noticed some other things in the priest when he came here some years ago.
"Let's move," Seven said and they all walked away
The voice of the priest that spoke to me some years ago is different from that of this priest, but why didn't he help us? Seven thought, asking himself so many questions as they escorted Owen back to the hospital and they went home.
***********
Mary had being thinking meditatively about the dream she had. She stood up from the bed, bathed and got dressed. She informed her dad before she left for school, and him goodbye before driving to school.
Mary's friends were already waiting for her in class when she arrived.
"Aww. Lovely," Lydia said and hugged Mary as Mary stepped inside the class.
"Baby," she replied and hugged Lydia.
They disengaged and she went ahead and hug Kitty who was smiling sheepishly.
"Gist us, what's up with Owen?" Lydia asked and Kitty nodded her head, smiling and waiting for Mary to speak.
"Oh my! Long story, I'm gonna gist you guys later," Mary said and the teacher for the first period came in.
The teacher taught and the teacher for the second period came to teach as well.
"I'm happy, it's time for recess," Lydia said as she watched the teacher for the second period leave.
"Lazy girl," Mary said and looked at Lydia.
"Guys, are we just gonna stay in class, let's just take a stroll," Kitty suggested.
"A stroll to where?" Lydia asked.
"A stroll to the toilet," Mary replied and they all laughed.
"No! We aren't feeling like defecating, just tell us where to stroll to?" Lydia asked facing Kitty.
"Are you guys mocking me? I just made a suggestion," Kitty said and squeezed her face.
Mary touched Kitty's abdomen playfully and she giggled and laughed.
"Stop it," she said playfully and laughed the more because Mary isn't stopping.
Mary kept tweaking the side of Kitty's abdomen.
"Guys," Mary called all of a sudden.
Kitty and Lydia concentrated their attention on Lydia.
"Let us go to Owen's class," Mary suggested.
Kitty looked at Lydia and winked, Lydia coughed mockingly.
"What is that for?" Mary said suspiciously
"Nothing actually," Lydia said and formed a fake smile on her face.
"Let's go," Kitty said and stood up.
"Really," Mary said and quickly stood up, Lydia stood up and they all went to Owen's class.
"Guys, we can't enter, he may insult us by ignoring us," Mary said.
"But you met him at the hospital yesterday, aren't you guys supposed to be friends from there?" Kitty said and Lydia nodded.
"No, he's always sober. I even met him sunk on his knees, crying, when I got to the hospital yesterday to check him," Mary replied.
"Why was he crying?" Lydia asked.
"Some other time," Mary said and went beside the door of Owen's class, she peeped carefully and saw a lady sitting beside Owen.
They were both smiling as if they had known each other for a very long time.
Mary brought her head back and she closed her eyes tightly.
Owen... smiling ... with another girl, Mary thought and looked at her friends who were watching her from behind wondering what she saw.
She peeped carefully to Owen's class again and saw Owen talking in sign language with the girl.
Is this girl also dumb? Mary thought as she brought her head back from where she was peeping. Is Owen dating this girl already? Gosh! This girl is beautiful, so beautiful, she thought and slapped her palm on the wall.
Mary stood still, and while she was imaging who the lady was, Owen and the lady came out of the class.
Mary tried to hide but there was nowhere to hide. Owen and the girl kept communicating in sign language and smiling as they walked pass Mary.
Mary felt bad seeing that Owen totally ignored her.
Just when Owen and the lady moved pass Mary, the lady who was communicating with Owen through sign language looked at Mary and smiled. She turned her head and kept smiling and communicating with Owen
Oh! She looked at me, does she know me? Mary thought.
Owen, do you even know how much I love you? Yet you intentionally ignored me here, Mary thought, her heart ached and she buried her face in her palms.
Her friends noticed that Mary was not feeling cool, they rushed towards her and petted her first, they kept mute and helped her to the class before they asked Mary what happened.
Mary explained everything that happened, including all that happened when she went to the hospital to check up on Owen.
They received subsequent lectures and the school closed for the day.
"I must learn sign language," Mary said as she walked towards her car with her friends.
"Yeah, I think Owen likes the new girl because she understands sign language and they can easily communicate," Lydia said.
"Yeah, if you learn it, he will like you too," Kitty added and Mary smiled.
"You guys are the best," Mary said and clapped her hands cheerfully.
They went to their various homes.
***********'
Mary got home and told her dad all that happened in school. Her dad was always the person she shares all her life affairs with. Her dad promised her to get her a sign language teacher.
"Mary, I will be travelling for some time," her father said in the middle of their conversation.
"Aw," Mary said.
"Yeah. It's an official assignment, I will be back in two months," her dad said.
"Dad, I'm gonna follow you," Mary said.
Seven smiled. "You can't, it's strictly official, but I've got a plan," Seven said.
"Tell me about it Dad," Mary requested.
"I've spoken to one of my friends, she is a friend and she is gonna take good care of you till I come back. Trust me," Seven said.
"Dad, I trust you, no problem. Safe journey. I love you dad," Mary said.
"I love you," Seven replied.
Mary's dad travelled and Seven's friend sent a driver to come and pick Mary and her luggage at her house.
"I'm happy I'm gonna have to live with a woman who will treat me like a mother. I've always wanted a mother's care too, but mum is gone since. I hope she likes me and I hope I like her too," Mary said as she packed all her luggage inside the car sent to take her to where she will be living for the meantime.
She got to the car and the woman, Seven's friend, who had being expecting Mary charged cheerfully at Mary and hugged her.
Mary felt a soft spot for the woman and hugged her too.
"You welcome my daughter," she said smiling and told her little son to help Mary carry her luggage inside.
The woman held Mary by her arms, smiling and looking at Mary as if Mary were her lost daughter. They walked inside the room and Mary saw a somebody sitting in the living room with legs crossed watching the television.
"You. It's you," Mary said stretching her hand to the person looking at the person in shock.

To be continued...

The story is interesting, right? You can read the full story here ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/20/one-and-only-kiss/

CHAPTER 3

"The lady is not far from you," Lennox said. Owen raised his brow and wished he could hold the man and ask him as many questions as possible, but he couldn't.
"Well, I have to start going before Mary comes," Lennox said and took a step forward, but Owen stood up from the bed and signaled to him not to leave. Lennox stayed and watched Owen
Owen searched around looking for a pen and a paper, he saw one on the locker beside the bed he was lying. He grabbed it at once and wrote:
"Please, don't go, I have a lot of questions to ask you."
"Ask," Lennox said.
Owen wrote again: "Please, I want to speak. Who is the right lady? What is her name? Where do you live? Give me your mobile number."
Lennox smiled when he read what Owen typed.
"My name is Lennox, you shall speak if you meet the right lady. I do not have a mobile number, I can't tell you more than that" Lennox said and checked his wrist watch.
"How will I know the right lady when she comes?" Owen wrote and gave it to Lennox like he had being doing.
Owen collected the sheet of paper and frowned. "The lady shall come at the right time," Lennox said.
Owen felt bad because Lennox was not giving him the answer he wanted.
"Is the right lady Mary?" Owen wrote.
The man parted his lips and opened his mouth to talk but the door opened at that moment. Mary hurriedly entered and ignored Lennox and went to Owen.
Mary noticed a letter on the bed, she ignored it and faced Owen. "Why are you standing?" Mary asked facing Owen.
Owen neglected her and faced Lennox.
Owen was really expecting an answer from the man, it pained him when Mary entered when he was about to receive answer from Lennox.
"What is happening here" Mary said when she noticed that Owen kept looking at the doctor.
"Nothing serious, I will take my leave," Lennox said. Lennox stepped out to leave and Owen tried to speak but he couldn't.
Owen hopped painfully to catch up with Lennox but Lennox did not look back.
"Why are you following the doctor?" Mary said from behind.
Mary did not understand how pained Owen was; she did not see that the only person that can make Owen speak was going right in front of him.
Owen yelled but words couldn't come out as he watched Lennox walk off till he went out of sight.
"Please, don't go," Lennox thought and cried.
He sunk to his knees to the floor and tears dropped from his eyes. He cried bitterly.
Mary rushed to him and noticed he was crying.
"Did the doctor do something harmful to him?" Mary thought.
"What did he do to you?" Mary said pitifully.
She remembered that Owen could not speak, she walked hurriedly to the bed to bring the note and pen she saw.
While she was bringing it, she scanned through it and what she saw caught her attention.
She read through the writings and arched her brow at what she saw.
She didn't understand the meaning of what she read, but she knew Owen wrote it to the doctor.
"What did he mean by 'am I the right woman?' He even wrote my name. Who is this doctor?" she thought as she moved towards where Owen was.
"Write your answer here," Mary said and stretched the sheet of paper to Owen.
Owen noticed that she must have read it and snatched it from her.
"Go away from me," Owen shouted in his heart but Mary could not here.
The door opened and Mary's father entered. He saw Mary standing and Owen kneeling and sobbing.
"What is going on here?" Mary's father asked.
He did not wait for Mary to reply, he helped Owen up and helped him to the bed.
"Young man, take it easy, by the way.." he said and noticed Owen.
Owen's face looked familiar to Mary's father. Mary's father remembered who Owen was immediately.
"His name is Owen, he cannot speak right?" Mary's father asked.
"What! How did u know?" Mary arched her brow and said.
************
"You are my first love, I love you," Star said.
"I love you, I know that I'm going on a far distance to further my education, I also wish to stay here in America, but Dad has insisted that he wanted to me school in Germany," Seven said with tears forming in his eyes.
"You should not cry, I should be the one crying, please do not forget me, be calling me often," Star said.
Seven said nothing but nodded his head.
Seven, who is now Mary's father, was a young student some years ago, he dated Star, who is now Owen's mother.
Seven and Star dated since their second year at high school till their last days at high school.
Seven loved Star so much that every student thought that that were going to marry in the future. Seven and Star were the best of friends.
They always went to many paces together, and their parents approved of their friendship.
Everything took a turn the night that Seven and Star stood in Love Garden in Los Angeles.
After Seven had said he was travelling to Germany because his dad wanted him to study there, he promised Mary that he would never date anyone till he finished his education.
They promised themselves that they were going marry themselves in the future.
Star cried the more and confessed that she felt as if she would die if Seven left.
Star made a suggestion that they should visit a temple in Miami so they would make a covenant.
Seven didn't think twice because he was not a religious somebody and he is was sure of his love for Star, a covenant was the least thing he could have done for their love.
Seven agreed to Star's request and they both went the following morning to Miami.
They entered the Temple. Star had heard that there were sorceresses and seers in that Temple, she had never gone there but she heard that the Temple was very popular.
Star and Seven entered and they saw some ladies putting on red and standing opposite each other.
Star and Seven became scared, but someone who was standing at the pulpit signaled for them to come towards the pulpit.
They obliged and went to the pulpit where the priest of the Temple was standing.
His head was covered with a black towel excluding his eyes that was left open.
"My children, what did you want?" the priest asked.
"I'm Star, this is my boyfriend , Seven, I don't want him to leave me. He is furthering his education in Germany, we want to make a covenant that will be a deal between the two of us, and in case we are tempted to betray ourselves with another person by sleeping with another person, we would remember what will happen if we dared to and we will stop," Mary said.
"That is a simple task my children, I will not tell you the consequence of what will happen to you if you betray one another, but if anyone you breaks the covenant, the consequence will be worst than death," the priest said and smirked.
"We are ready," Star said and looked at Seven.
Seven nodded.
The man took them to a room and performed the covenant on them.
Seven wondered why the man had refused to open his face. He traced the man with his eye from head to toe and noticed that the man's body was all covered in his priestly regalia except his arms and feet.
He took a closer look at the man's arm and saw a name boldly written on it 'LENNOX'.
"What are you looking at young man?" the priest said facing Seven when he realized that he was staring at him.
"Erm... Nothing sir" he said and turned his head elsewhere.
The priest nodded and led them outside.
Seven travelled to Germany and remained faithful to Star, always calling her on the phone until after a year when Star started giving Seven the cold attitude.
Star didn't pick call any longer, it was becoming hard for Seven to speak to Star, he sometimes sent her messages but she would not reply.
Seven tried to get the attention of Star for another two years but it was futile.
Seven moved on with his life but he never dated another girl. He promised himself never to date another lady because he loved Star so much and he is also scared of the covenant.
Star was tired of the long distance relationship after a year that Seven had left.
Star went back to the priest that she wanted to break the covenant between she and Seven.
"Long distance relationship sucks," she said to the priest.
"My daughter, it is impossible to break the covenant you had made with Seven," the priest replied.
"Make this possible and nothing must happen to me," Mary said.
The priest sighed and took Mary to a room, he performed some spiritual stuffs on her and led her out of the room.
"Am I free now?" Star asked.
"Yes, you are, but not totally," the priest replied.
"What did you mean by not totally?" Star questioned.
"I mean that nothing will happen to you, but I'm scared that your seed may bear the consequence," the priest said.
"My seed? You mean my children?" Star questioned.
"Yeah," the priest said.
"Well, I'm still young, I wanna have fun, till then," Star said, carried her bag and left the temple.
Many years later after Seven had finished schooling, he came back to his home country, America. He rested in his house the first day he arrived and stayed and had fun with his family and long time friends.
He went the following day to Star's house. He requested to see Star. Star's parents remembered him and they welcomed him, but with a gloomy face.
He wondered why they were sad, they were supposed to be happy for seeing him after so many years.
"Seven, I'm sorry to say this, Star has gotten engaged with another man," Star's father said while Star's mother lowered her head.
It was as though Seven was dreaming, he arched his brow, his heart ached and he felt bad.
He looked at their faces to see if they were playing a prank on him or not, but their facial expression depicts that were serious
Seven walked away with a painful heart, he remembered the covenant they made at the temple.
"Star broke up with me and got engaged with another man, it simply means the covenant is fake," he thought.
It took Seven another one year to recover from his love that betrayed him.
He prayed in his heart never to see Star again but he saw Star with a young boy at an event center. Star told Seven the boy's name to be Owen and that he was dumb during the middle of their long conversation.
Seven moved on with his life and got engaged to Mary's mother.
**************
"Yes, I know him," Seven, the father of Mary, replied Mary.
"How, where?" Mary asked.
"What is that in your hand?" Seven asked and stretched his hand to collect the sheet of paper in Mary's hand.
Mary handed it to her father and he read through it.
Owen has been wondering on the bed that he lay about how a stranger, who he assumed to be Mary's father know his name.
"Could this man be of help to my dumbness?" Owen thought.
"Whom did you write this letter to?" Seven said after he had read what was written in the sheet of paper.
Owen sat right and collected the shit of paper and wrote:
His name is Lennox, my mother said he appeared to her in her dream shortly after my birth, he said I can only speak if I have my first kiss with the right lady.
Seven read the letter and remembered that he saw LENNOX written boldly on the priest's hand many years ago when he and Star went to the temple to make covenant.
"I know Lennox," Seven said and Owen stood up from the bed in shock.
He opened his mouth like he would speak but he couldn't. He collected the shit of paper and wrote:
Please, take me to him, he has the solution to my dumbness, he can help me speak by telling me the right lady to kiss.
"Lets go," Seven said and led them out of the hospital to the Temple.

ONE AND ONLY KISS BY AUTHOR FEATHERS

CHAPTER 2

Owen looked back and threw the letter to the bin and walked to his class.
Mary had been lost in thought, she was hallucinating. Her eyes drifted to the lips of Owen and she began to imagine herself kissing him. Owen realized that she had been lost in thought as she kept staring at his lips. It was when Owen looked back and throw the letter to the bin that she came back to herself.
Her friends who were watching the drama from behind noticed that Owen had left. They walked gently towards Mary.
“Mary, how was it?” Lydia asked.
Mary looked at her and bit her lips, she turned and pointed to the bin
“What?” Kitty questioned.
Lydia moved towards the bin that Mary was pointing at, and peeped into it. She saw the letter inside the bin.
“Oh my!” Lydia exclaimed and covered her mouth with her palm.
“What?” Kitty asked and moved towards the bin, she stretched her neck to see what Lydia saw in the bin that shocked her. Then she saw the letter inside.
“Tell me this is not true?” Kitty asked.
Mary remained silent and felt so bad, she knew it was her fault. She wondered why she suddenly got lost in thought because she saw his sexy lips. This was not Mary’s first time of seeing sexy lips, but Owen's lips was unique. It was very pink, and just imagining her kissing him made her felt good.
She walked away gently to her class without saying any word and her friends followed her.
When Mary got to the class, she could not listen to anything the teacher was teaching, she was thinking about how she was humiliated by Owen
Owen is a very handsome boy, his lips are very sexy and his beautiful eyes are lovely. Why did he choose to remain silent? He was not even replying me. Then he threw the letter I wrote to the bin right in front of me. He couldn't even respect my presence, Mary thought
Jude was the leader of a music gang in school. He and his two friends, Thomas and Bigger. They were known in the school for their love for music, always creating a scene everywhere they went to by staging themselves and singing.
To them, it was all fun. Jude was a an average student . His love for Mary reached the heavens. He had been finding every means to express his love for Mary, but anytime he wanted to, something would always hinder him.
Jude and his two friends were coming from the tennis club. They didn’t go the tennis club to play, never! They were so poor in games. They went there to create a stage for themselves and they started singing. The people who came to watch the tennis match stopped watching those that are playing tennis and focused their attention on Jude and his friends.
Jude was very good in singing. His voice was sweet and lovely. It could competed with the voice of Justin Bieber. Thomas his friend, was very good in playing the guitar.
Thomas was a unique guy and a crazy one indeed, wherever Thomas went, he went with his guitar. He would tell people around him:
“See this guitar, it's my friend, my girlfriend , my mum and my dad. Take this guitar away from me and I will stop living.
He was very good in playing guitar and he was very loyal to Jude, always following Jude everywhere. Whenever he was coming to school, after he was well dressed, he would hang his guitar on his neck. To him, the guitar made his dressing complete.
Bigger was an introvert, he wasn't as outspoken as Thomas, but he was very good in playing the mouth organ.
Jude and his friend were in the same class with Mary, Kitty and Lydia
Jude and his friend were going to the class after stealing the show at the tennis club, when they saw a crowd of students gathered around a bin.
“What in the world are they doing there?” Jude asked looking at the crowd.
“Lets move closer and see,” Thomas said and Bigger nodded.
The three boys move closer to the crowd.
“Excuse us, the boss is here,” Thomas said and parted the way for Jude.
Jude stepped into the midst of the crowd like a boss and observed carefully what made all of them to gather.
“What is happening here?” Jude asked turning his head around amidst the crowd.
“I came to dispose a blunt pencil inside the bin here some minutes ago and I found a letter there. I first wanted to ignore it but I decided to check to see what was written on it. I opened it and I was shocked when I read what was written inside,” a student said and handed over the letter to Jude.
Jude read the letter. It was the letter that Mary wrote to Owen. After Owen had thrown it inside the bin and walked away, Mary did not bother taking it, she had simply walked away.
Jude arched his eye brow when he was reading the letter. “ Mary cannot write this, someone is framing Mary up,” he said and moved towards the guy that saw the letter. Jude held him roughly in his collar
“Tell me, huh? Young man, why did you want to frame Mary up?” Jude said.
“I’m not ... I ain't... doing that. I sincerely found the letter there,” the junior student said with an expression of fear on his face.
“I’m gonna have to teach you a lesson,” Jude said.
“Jude!” a sweet voice called from behind.
Jude gently looked back to discover the gentle and sweet voice calling him from behind. It was Mary.
Mary and her three friends had received their first lecture and they also heard the rumours in their class that one Mary wrote a letter to Owen and it was discovered by a junior student.
Mary and her two friends rushed to where they were told by the carrier of rumour that the crowds were.
Mary walked a bit faster and found her way amidst the crowd of student surrounding the bin.
Mary was surprised to see Jude bullying a junior student.
Jude saw Mary and quickly disengaged his hand on the boy’s collar, the boy exhaled deeply.
“Mary!” Jude called almost softly. He was surprised that he could hear his name being called by the mouth of the girl he had always dreamt of having as his love.
“What is happening here?” Mary asked. Her heart was beating, she was praying it shouldn't be what she saw thinking. She remembered that Owen had thrown the letter she wrote to him in this same bin
“Mary, can you imagine? This junior student is trying to frame up something against you. He said he found a letter in the bin and that you were the one that wrote it to Owen,” Jude said confidently.
Mary’s heart skipped and beat faster.
She stretched her hand and collected the letter from Jude, she saw it and read it, it was the same letter she wrote to Owen.
She raised her head and she saw crowds of students waiting to hear her say something about the letter so they can know if the junior boy was lying or not.
“Jude, let the junior boy leave,” Mary said with tears forming in her eyes.
“Oh no! I know the letter is not true. I must teach this bitch a lesson,” Jude said and moved closer to the junior boy roughly like he would devour him immediately.
Mary knew that Jude would not take it easy with the junior boy.
She could never allow an innocent junior boy suffer just because she was trying to protect her reputation.
“It’s true!” Mary said out loud.
Jude who had moved closer to the junior boy and backed Mary turned his face to see if he heard well and if the voice was that of Mary.
He looked at Mary’s face with an incredible expression hoping that it wasn’t Mary who spoke.
“Yeah, it is true. I wrote the letter to Owen but he disposed it into the bin,” Mary said and lowered her head.
“Mary, don’t feel sad,” he said and moved closer to Mary. “Mary, I’m angry with the guy that you wrote this letter to. You mean the guy threw the letter you wrote to him inside the bin? Mary, I’ll deal with that Owen of a guy for you. Why would he treat a beautiful girl like you with contempt?” Jude said and face his friends.
“Where is that Owen of a guy?” Jude said angrily.
“He is right here,” a student amidst the crowd answered and they parted the way. They all saw Owen standing not too far from them.
He was also observing what was happening and what had made crowd to surround where he threw the letter that Mary wrote to him some minutes ago.
He suddenly noticed that all eyes were on him, he was shocked, his heart was beating fast, he did not know what to think.
Why are they all staring at me? Owen thought.
He noticed a student coming towards him.
What is he coming for? Zeus, you know I cannot speak, please do not betray me here, help me, I need your help, if everyone knows that I cannot speak, they will call me dumb and I will lose my respect in this school, Owen prayed to Zeus his god in fear
“Hey you, who did you think you are?” Jude asked as he got closer to where Owen was.
Owen smirked and parted his lips gently like he wanted to speak.
“Are you mocking me or what? I will rough handle you. Why would a beautiful girl write you a letter and you will throw it inside the bin, huh?” Jude asked.
Owen gasped and stood akimbo, his body expression was revealing that he was bold but inside of him, he was very afraid.
“Tell me,” Jude said and moved closer to Owen.
“Please leave him,” Mary pleaded from behind.
She walked towards Owen.
“This shouldn’t be, he is not even speaking , he is proud,” Jude said.
Mary remained silent for few seconds and spoke.
“The fault is all on me,” Mary said and tears rushed down her face.
“You've made an innocent girl cry,” Jude said and pretended as if he would slap Owen.
Owen was greatly shocked and closed his eyes, he had never been that shocked before, he fell and lost consciousness.
“What!” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
“I didn’t slap him,” Jude said defensively.
“Call the ambulance!” Mary yelled.
In few minutes, the ambulance came to pick Owen. The crowd dispersed and the rumour of what happened spread the more.
Mary picked up her phone and called her dad, she explained to her dad the tragic incident that happened. Her dad told Mary to go the hospital Owen was carried to and that he would meet her there.
Mary took permission from the school authority and went to the hospital.
Owen became conscious all of a sudden in the hospital, he recalled what happened in the school and thanked Zeus in his heart for making him faint. He was happy that his prayer was answered. He believed that Zeus had made him faint so he can escape the predicament that was about to fall on him from Jude and the crowd of students.
A young doctor entered, his hair was curly and his skin was red.
Owen watched as the man entered, his heartbeat increased but he didn’t know why, fear engulfed him but he did not know why.
“Owen, did your mother tell you about Lennox?” the doctor said with a neutral voice.
Owen could not believe what he was hearing, his heart raced rapidly and his body trembled.
How did this man know Lennox? My mum said Lennox appeared to her in the dream shortly after my birth and said a man who called himself Lennox prophesied that although I am dumb, I will speak if the right lady kissed me, Owen thought and set his gaze on the man, watching every body movement of the man.
“I know you cannot speak. I am Lennox. Do you want to know who the right lady is?” the doctor said.
You are Lennox? Owen thought and his eyes was full of surprised.
He wished he would talk, he had many questions to ask the man who called himself Lennox.
Owen nodded his head in response to the man’s question.
“The girl is...”

WRITTEN BT AUTHOR FEATHERS


CHAPTER 1

Mary was a young girl of sixteen years. She was tall and had a beautiful tan complexion; she had clear white eyes with coal dark eyeballs and she was just a bit plump.
Mary liked noodles a lot and she attended Ministers Staff School. She had lost her mother when she was two years old, so she had been living with her father since then, her father chose not to marry another woman because of the love he had for Mary's mum and Mary.
Her father would always tell her that all he wanted was for Mary to be happy always, even if it meant not marrying another woman for the rest of his life. Mary was the only child of her father.
Mary and her father lived in a duplex. Mary was beautiful but she was a dunce, her grades were always very poor but she was never embarrassed about it because her father had never scolded her for failing in school.
She had two friends in school named Lydia and Kitty. Lydia was also terrible in her academics but good in baking cakes. She is fat and had a round a face. Kitty was slim and tall, she was pretty and had a triangle shaped face. She was skinny and an averagely good student.
Mary, Lydia and Kitty were best of friends, they lived in their parents house and they were in the same class, grade seven.
*************
Owen was of average height, he had a white complexion, he was very handsome and always took the lead in his class, he was in grade eight and every girl in school liked to associate with him. He had no male friends, and he never talked to anyone, not even the teachers.
Owen loved reading a lot. He lived with his mother and father and his little brother, his little brother was a very handsome boy named Bennet. Bennet was still in the primary school, he loved to play puzzles. Owen lived in a bungalow with his family and only his family members knew that he was dumb. His parents communicated with him through sign language and he responded with it.
Owen's mother had prayed severally to Zeus, the deity they served. Owen's mother has always prayed that Zeus would make her son speak one day by making him meet the right lady that will give him the kiss that would make him speak.
Ever since Owen was born, he had never spoken, on the day his mother gave birth to him, his mouth was closed , he wasn't crying. The doctors tried to make him cry but he didn’t. When they saw that he wouldn't respond, they assumed that he was probably dumb, and true enough, he was dumb. Owen had never spoken since he was born. His parents noticed that and enrolled him since he was just two years old at a special school where he learnt sign language till he was ten years old. Sign language is the use of body reactions especially hand to communicate instead of using the mouth.
Before Owen was born, Owen's mother dreamt. In her dream, she saw a man, the man called himself Lennox. He prophesied that the child inside Owen’s mother would be dumb, but he could be cured if he found the right lady who will kiss him. Owen’s first kiss must be from that right lady, If Owen received his first kiss from the wrong lady, he would never speak for the rest of his life.
Lennox warned Owen’s mother to tell Owen to stay away from ladies, Lennox did not describe how the right lady would look like, he only said that the right lady will come at the right time.
*************
Mary was in school on Monday. It was afternoon, Mary and her friends were on their way to watch a movie at the school cinema, they had being receiving to lectures since 8:00 am and they felt they needed a break.
“What do you guys think of the movie we are about to watch?” Mary asked turning to her head as they walked across the hall way of the school that led to the school cinema.
“Well, I can’t wait, I can't wait to see my favorite actor there,” Kitty said.
“I really do not know why you guys like the movie so much. Anyways, let's just hope that it’s gonna be interesting,“ Lydia said. Lydia didn't like watching movies, all she liked to do was to bake cakes.
The girls smiled at one another and faced straight, they were anxiously anticipating to watch the movie, they walked a little faster, the three girls walked faster and faster. As they did that, they kept smiling at one another.
“Let us see who will get to the cinema first,” Mary said and walked faster. Her leg slipped and she almost fell, her body was already losing stamina, she was almost on the floor when a masculine hand helped her, the hand held her and prevented her from falling. Mary had closed her eyes expecting herself to crash on the floor only for her to notice that a masculine hand held and helped her from falling. She opened her eyes and her eyes met with a frowning face, very handsome, cute, and attractive.
His smell filled her nose and at once she felt like not standing up from his hands again. He helped her up and walked away with a gloomy face.
Mary looked at him as he left, she admired his walking posture, for her, he was the most handsome guy she had ever seen. She couldn’t believe that she had never seen him in school. How come he wasn’t smiling? she thought as he watched him walk away.
She turned to her friends who were looking at her amusingly. “Who is that?” Mary asked.
“That is Owen, the best student in grade eight,” Lydia replied.
“Really?” Mary asked and looked again at where Owen passed till he was out of sight.
“Yes, how come you did not know the prince charming of every lady on in this school? He is very sweet and handsome and to top it all, he is very brilliant, he is always topping his class," Kitty said.
“Oh! Owen, Owen! I like the name, he helped me and he didn’t wait for me to thank him,“ Mary said facing her friends.
“Well, I think he doesn’t talk. His classmates said they have never heard him speak,” Lydia said.
“That is not possible. Is he dumb?” Mary asked.
“No one knows,” Kitty replied.
“You said he is in grade eight right?“ Mary asked and Lydia nodded
“I’m gonna have to visit him in class to express how grateful I am,” Mary said and her friends made an expression that told her that what she said is alright by them.
“The school closing bell will soon be rung. If we go watch this movie, we might not be able to see him to appreciate him, what do you guys think?” Mary asked facing her friends.
“I really do not like watching movies in the first place, so, if you are no more going to the cinema, it's alright by me,” Lydia said.
“Mary, you should know how long I've being longing to watch this movie,” Kitty said.
“Me too, but we can come to watch it tomorrow,” Mary said and made an expression on her face that told her friends to follow her.
“Alright, let's go,” Kitty said and Mary smiled.
The three friends smiled and dashed to Owen’s class. They waited at the entrance and peeped into the class. As luck would have it, Owen was the only one in class. He was reading a novel with his head bowed.
The three girls looked at one another. Mary arched her brow in fear that she did not know what the guy that helped her from falling would say. The other girls were expressionless for some seconds and later nodded their heads signaling for her to take courage and walk towards Owen. Mary arched her brow the more and walked boldly into Owen's class.
She entered in such a way that will make Owen notice her presence but Owen never raised his head. She was wondering in her heart why he didn’t even bother to take a look at who entered the class. She moved closer to where Owen sat, she hesitated for a while but later spoke after crossing her heart and blowing heavy air out to ease her nervousness.
“Hi,” Mary greeted.
Owen kept on reading the novel with his head bowed.
“Hi,” Mary greeted again.
Owen remained silent. Owen was now feeling uncomfortable, he hated ladies being around him. His mother had warned him that he must be careful with ladies, he knew that he could only speak by receiving his first kiss from the right lady and he also knew that he may never speak again for the rest of his life if he got kissed by the wrong woman. Owen had lived with fear and confusion all his life, hoping that Zeus, their family god, would make him know who the right lady was when she came along. He had discerned at once that the lady standing in front of him was the same lady he had helped from falling. What does she want? Why will she trace me to my class? Owen thought and kept staring at the novel. He couldn’t read the it again anymore.
“Why aren't you talking to me?” Mary asked tactfully.
Owen felt disgusted by her words, he hated himself anytime people ask him to speak because he knew he couldn’t. He stood up at once, he didn't bother looking at Mary, and he just walked away. He saw some girls hiding at the entrance, he sensed that they were Mary's friends, he ignored them and walked away.
Mary felt bad, she had never being rejected in such an awkward manner by anyone. Am I ugly? Am I rude? she thought, she was confused. “Why would he help me and also despise me in such a way?” she asked herself.
Her friends came inside the class to meet Mary after they had watched Owen disappear.
“Mary , how was it?” Lydia asked.
“What did he say?” Kitty questioned without waiting for Mary to answer Lydia's question.
Mary looked at them and bit her lips she squeezed her face and sank into a chair. She placed her head on her palms and her friends looked at each other wondering what Owen had done to their friend.
“Mary,” Lydia called. They waited a few seconds for Mary to respond and she finally did.
“I’ve never felt more ridiculed than this day, this day is the worst day of my life,” Mary said and bit her lower lips.
“Did he say anything hurtful?” Lydia asked.
“I wish he had done, I wouldn’t have felt as bad as I do now, he didn't say anything, he walked out on me as though I do not exist,” Mary said and looked at her friends. She wished her friends would understand how much pain she felt because Owen ignored her.
“I said it already, the guy doesn’t talk,” Kitty said.
“True, his classmates have testified that they have never seen him speak,” Lydia added.
“The humiliation I received is much but maybe I should not have come to thank him,” Mary muttered silently to herself and her friends sighed.
“I have an idea,” Lydia said and raised her tiny finger in the air. Mary looked at her with her thin eyes and nodded for her to tell her the idea. “Well, since he would not reply with words, I think we should write him a letter to thank him and you can express how you feel in the letter,” Lydia said.
Everywhere became quiet, Kitty and Mary were trying to find sense in what Lydia suggested and they thought it was a good idea.
“Yeah! Nice idea, but he is gone now,” Mary said with a frown.
“Well, he is gonna be coming to school tomorrow. Let us write the letter now and put it under his locker. Whenever he comes tomorrow, he will see it and read it and I think he should reply,” Kitty said.
“Let me do just what you guys suggested,” Mary said. She got a pen and paper and wrote the letter.
Dear Owen,
I do not like how you treated me today. I did not come to say any hurtful words to you, I only came to thank you for helping me from falling and I want to tell you that you are handsome. I like you, please be my friend.
Mary.
Mary showed it to her friends, they affirmed that the letter was well written and placed the letter inside Owen’s locker and they all walked away.
***********
Owen came inside his class as usual, he saw few girls who were his classmates discussing, they already knew he didn't greet. He walked straight to his place and sat, he opened his locker to get his books so he could revise some topics before class. He saw a letter in his locker, he took the letter. He reasoned that those ladies are the only people that would be so reckless to write him a letter. He took the letter outside and walked towards a litter bin. His plan was to tear it into pieces and throw it inside the bin.
Mary and her friends came to school early unlike other days, they stayed near Owen's class, peeping to see if he would read the letter or not. To their surprise, he came out with the letter, from the way Owen held the letter, anyone would easily notice that he didn’t bother to open it, let alone of reading it.
“Mary, he didn’t read this letter,” Kitty said.
“It's obvious,” Lydia added.
Mary bit her lip and shook her heads in pain.
“See him, he is gong to the litter bin to dispose it,” Lydia said almost shouting. Lydia and Kitty looked at Mary to see what she would do.
Mary couldn't stand Owen disposing her letter just like that, she ran towards Owen just when he was about getting to the liter bin and ready to tear the letter.
Mary’s friends stayed behind to see what would transpire between them.
“Please, don't throw it inside the bin,” Mary said from behind.
Owen who had his back to her, facing the liter bin and ready to tear the letter stayed stiff. He recognized Mary’s voice and refused to turn back intentionally. What does this girl want from me? he thought. He wished he could ask her but he could not talk.
“Owen, please turn to me, I mean no harm,” Mary pleaded.
If you mean no harm, then leave me, Owen said in his heart, he wised he could say it audibly. He refused to turn to Mary and wished he could just tear the letter and walk away.
Mary held Owen by his shoulder and with a little strength, turned him to her.
Owen did not resist. he didn’t want anybody to know that he was dumb, but with this girl's drama, people might find out soon about his pathetic state of not being able to speak. He didn’t resist Mary’s pull, he turned to look at her. Mary’s face was not far from his.
“Why are you ignoring me?” Mary asked.
Owen remained silent.
“Do you hate me?” Mary asked again.
Owen still remained silent and expressionless.
“Please, say something, your silence is killing me,” Mary said pleaded.
Owen remained silent.
Mary saw that Owen remained stiff and silent , her eyes drifted to his lips, she noticed that they pink and sexy.
She moved her lips closely to Owen’s lips, Owen did not resist, she placed her lips on his and began to kiss him with deep affection.




TO BE CONTINUED...

CASKET OF EMOTIONS

She looked at me with a mixture of wariness and defiance; it was interesting to watch the slideshow of emotions on her face—hate, disgust, fear, desperation. Each emotion was distinct and was threatening to burst through the veneer of her calm disposition. What was more interesting was that I noticed that she fought very hard to conceal and contain her pantheon of conflicting feelings. This was not what I normally saw with women in my experience.

She was a handsome woman in her late thirties at least. I wouldn't say she was particularly stunning, but she was the kind of person people never forgot easily once they've met her. She had thick eye lashes that were like a canopy over her hazel-coloured eyes. Her nose was small, and her mouth was thin yet sensual.

"Are you not going to ask me why I came?" she finally spoke.

I smiled. "No. I was waiting for you to tell me when you're ready."

She gave a low chuckle. "You're different from other shrinks I've met with in the past."

"How many of my mind-picking compadres have you visited?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

"Four now. You're the fifth one I'm seeing this week," she replied stoically.

I was surprised. What kind of problem did she have? and why didn't the others solve it? As I looked at her, she struck me as someone who was searching for something, or somene who had found something but did not know what it was she had found.

"That's quite a number," I said. "Tell me, what can I do for you?"

"I need your advice."

"Advice on what?"

"My marriage."

I deftly scrutinized her. She did not look like the textbook abused women, but then again, people are different. "What is wrong with your marriage... uh... Charity?—can I call that?"

"Sure, you can. Well about my marriage... I am pregnant for someone who is not my husband," she confessed and hung her head. Was it in shame or something else?

"Why?" I said.

"Why what?"

"Why are you pregnant for someone who is not your husband?"

She looked at me as if she was doubtful that I had a brain. "It's obvious, isn't it? I had sex with another man who—"

I cut her short. "I know that. My question is: why did you cheat on your husband?"

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/20/casket-of-emotions/

She was jolted awake by the incessant ringing of her Samsung phone. In her state of sleep deprivation, she had the urge to fling the phone at the wall. But she knew that she would be the one to bear the burden of that later. Instead she ended the call and slipped back to sleep.

But just as the sleep was getting more enjoyable, the phone rang again. She looked at the phone and saw that the caller had hidden his or her number. She had serious misgivings about people who hid their numbers to call people; in her opinion, if you didn't have any ulterior motive, why don't you show who you are? And the recent case of the woman who picked up and unknown number and later jumped to her death made her to be extra wary of private numbers.

She was about end the call and switch off her phone when her finger touched the fingerprint sensor at the back of the phone and the call connected. She sighed and placed the phone to her ear.

"Hello," she said, yawning and hoping that she would not find it hard getting back to sleep.

"What is the eight commandment, Julie?" the caller, a man with a gruff voice asked. She had the distinct feeling that he had been drinking.

"Who's this please?"

"You have your Bible, right? Find out what the eight commandment is. I'll call you soon to know if you have checked it. Bye," the man instructed and disconnected the call.

Julie was mortified. She sat up, swung her legs down to the floor and wondered who could have called her to tell her such a thing. She got up and her eyes met the framed photograph of her wedding day. She remembered her husband and shook her head in sorrow. Today was exactly fifteen years since he died.

At that thought, she suddenly became still. Her blood turned to ice as something flashed in her mind. It can't be, she told herself over and over again. Yet...

She quickly switched on the light of the bedside lamp, fetched her Bible and with shaky hands flipped to the Book of Exodus. Her eyes roamed the pages, scanning the words faster than they appeared and silently hoping that she was wrong. But she knew...

Then she saw what she was looking for, what the man had instructed her to search for.

"Exodus, Chapter 20 verse 16," she read, " 'do not accuse anyone falsely'."

Read more ➡️ https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/19/the-8th-commandment/

We were four friends—Rita, Chinny, Aisha and me. And we all hated Christmas. Although we were all eleven, we never liked going to the church's Christmas party where our source of terror usually masked himself with a flowing white beard, red clothes, black boots and a fake paunch.

Okay, truth be told, there was a time we all loved going for the Christmas party; that was before he gave us the finger—literally. I was sitting on his laps, happily anticipating a gift from Father Christmas. But what I noticed was his large, calloused hand snaking up my bum and tugging at my cotton panties. At first, I didn't understand what he was doing; I'd remarked rather offhandedly that his hand was tickling my bum. He laughed and carried me, and in the perfect Santa tone, asked me if I would like to join him in bringing more sweets as the ones he had had finished. I nodded and he took me to the backroom; there, he sat me on his laps, removed my pant, and slotted his huge finger into me.

The sharp punch of the pain I felt in my abdomen was equal to the shock of seeing him flip out his fat member and rubbing his other hand along his length as he groaned.

"Your hand is painful," I'd complained, somehow vaguely aware that what was happening was no sweet-producing affair.

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/18/presents-for-father-christmas/

She stared into space, willing herself to ignore the wails of her five-month-old daughter and the pitiful whimpers of her son. He would be six on the 27th of December, but he looked younger. It wasn't something to be proud of; her son should have grown up to his age, but he didn't eat enough. There wasn't enough.

Her husband, the 'man' who was supposed to provide for them had left them and traveled to the village. It was obvious that he had run away from his responsibilities again. Nneka sighed as her daughter's cries subsided. If only she had listened to her parents. They were right. Love would never feed her. At least her husband had proven them right.

But then she loved her children; and she could not bear to see them suffer for her mistakes. Her love for her husband might have died out of malnutrition, but her children would not die. Her love would save them. But what could she do? There was no morsel of food in the house; only some food ingredients, which were useless. And she certainly couldn't steal.

Or could she?

As the thought started taking shape in her mind, she thanked her fate that her neighbours, the Uwaochas had told her that they were leaving for the village to celebrate Christmas few hours ago. Should she break into their house and help herself to some food. It wasn't for herself but for her precious children. But how could she get inside their compound? She didn't have the key to their house and even if she did, she would not risk going into house from the front gate. Someone might see her. That left one option—the fence.

She was still battling with the consequences of what she was about to do when Chibunna, her son walked to her. He swayed as he drew closer and she reached out and held him, drew him closer and wiped the tears that ran down his gaunt face.

"Mommy, I'm hungry. My tommy is aching me," the child complained. He didn't understand that his mother was incapable of providing the thing he wanted most.

Seeing the pain of hunger in her son's eyes was the last straw for Nneka. She seated her son on the stool beside her chair and dashed out into the compound. She went to the corner and lifted the ladder her husband used for his work as an electrician. She carefully placed it on the fence that divided her compound from that of the Uwaochas. And she began climbing.

At the top, she scanned the compound and her elevated surroundings for the presence of somebody. Finding no one, she was about to climb over when she realized that she didn't have anything to break the neighbour's doors with. She hastily came down and went into her house. She located the hammer in her husband's toolbox which he usually left in their room as a testament to the fact that he was the one who worked in their home.

When she reached the ladder, she slotted the hammer into the back pocket of her jean trouser and began climbing again. This time she was faster. At the top, she scanned her surroundings again and swung her legs over the fence. She sat on the fence and after saying a prayer for her children, she jumped down. The jump left her dazed. She stood still and listened to the sound of the silent compound as she regained her bearings. She went straight to the kitchen of her neighbours, and using the hammer, she broke the lock in one swing.

Read more ➡️
https://www.thezenpens.com/2020/01/17/desperation/

moorevic:
Lovely

Thank you.

They stared at me, the looks on their faces were eager, expectant, hopeful. I stared back at them too. On my face, however, you could see shock, anger—and above all else—betrayal. I felt like they (alongside karma) have conspired to betray me. It took all I had in me not to jump on him and tear him into shreds.
"Dad, are you not going to say anything?"
"I ... I ... well..." I stuttered. My brain must have found the whole episode utterly strange that we both couldn't find words to describe how I felt.
Then he spoke up. And I had to pin my hands to my sides to stop myself from lunging at his neck and snapping it into two. He wore a jubilant smile, like someone who had won a ticket to heaven. I knew that his smile might have been genuine and without any form of mockery; but as I looked at him, I couldn't help but think that he reminded me of clowns. You know those men with painted faces who wore plastic smiles that were very creepy? Exactly. I felt like he was mocking me all the time his perfect dentition flashed at me.
My daughter, on the other hand, was all over him. She would look at me, and then stare at him with eyes full of wonder and adoring love. It made me sick. She had tucked her right hand inside his left hand; it felt like a beautiful rose that was put inside a brown, dirty box.
"I really love your daughter, Sammy," he said, "with your permission, I would like to marry her."
And he just had to call me that name. This man had no shame. If he did, then he would know that for him to address me as 'Sammy' meant thy he shouldn't have been here, holding the hand of my only child, and spewing out rubbish like a refuse pit that has rejected its contents. I don't know if he thought that by calling me that name, it would endear him to me, but it only intensified the gross feeling of betrayal I felt.
Chidiebere, my daughter looked at me again. Perhaps she has started to understand why I found it hard to say anything. It was all too shocking, all too annoying. But I had to say something. So...
"I'm sorry, Ebere, but I can't give you my consent. I can't watch you marry someone who is twenty-eight years older than you," I finally stated.
Immediately, I saw the light in her eyes dim. Tiny crystals of tears formed in her pearly eyes, and I knew how much I was hurting her. But I also knew that I had to deliver that particular hurt. It was like a bone-setting procedure: it would hurt during the whole process, but later, you would be grateful for the pain that made your bones to be well again.
Without as much as a word of goodbye, she stood up and left, with the man in tow. Two days later, I saw on her Facebook timeline that she had gotten a court marriage. It made me wonder if she already knew that I would not give my consent to their union; and so she probably had made arrangements for a court marriage.
She was really like her mother—God bless her soul. Her doggedness and resilience were just the same as that of the woman who had been my everything. It took me down the dark, lonely and oftentimes heartbreaking road called memory.

**********
Back in school, Nnedi had been my best friend. She was one of those girls that were full of life, full of love, that it made them popular and larger than life. She knew almost everybody and almost everybody knew her. She was the daughter of a state commissioner then, but she never dwelt on that. If you see the way she would sit down with us in our lodge then and drag the bowl of garri we were drinking, you would wonder if she didn't get the taste of the wealth her father had. But that was how she was. Simple, kind, full of warmth and mischief. And utterly beautiful.

Read more ➡
https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/16/my-daughters-husband/

Of course not. But that's what is generally believed.

Smithwilliams826:
Not all men are the same.

Lol. I understand.

donbachi:
Not only the same...but united in trying to understand women,what they want and what they stand for...it ended fruitless.

For the past two hours, you've been bored; and although you came to this club to have fun, to forget about the fact that you are lonely (despite being crazily rich), you still felt like you were in a desert. Earlier, you had finished a bottle of André wine, and as you ordered another one, the barman looked at you oddly. You knew what he was thinking, what he saw you as: a wanton woman. Perhaps one of those who had rich sugar daddies, had no real jobs and spent money like it was printed in their houses.

At that particular thought you let out a low chuckle. If only he knew that money wasn't your problem, you thought. And certainly you didn't need any man to give you a dime. As a matter of fact—

That was when you sighted him. He was seated at a corner of the bar, all alone, drinking a glass of Heineken. From his looks, he didn't have much money. Which was perfect, because you knew that what you wanted from men would only be given by those who didn't have enough money. It was a bit hard to do, but you knew that money—the right amount of money—would soften the edges, and make him willing to offer you his services.

With that thought in mind, you downed the last drops of your wine, dropped some excess cash for the barman and sauntered towards him. As you methodically took one cat-like step after another, you imagined yourself being a lioness—a huge, hungry lioness, with a big appetite; and him? He was the prey. Maybe an antelope, but the prey nonetheless.

He had just poured the last of his drink in the bottle into the glass, and as he raised the foamy liquid to his dark, succulent lips, you came into his view. You watched with glee as he looked hungrily at you, saw his Adam's apple bob up and down, and noticed that he took a longer time in finishing his drink.

"Hello," you said, sitting down beside him. It was probably rude to sit down without being invited to, but you were sure that he would not have minded. You almost had him in your palms.

"Hello, pretty girl," he replied, smacking his lips noisily. That irked you. You weren't sure which one irked you the more—his poor attempt at flattery or the smacking of his lips. You finally decided that it didn't matter now. You had a need that needed to be met as soon as possible.

"Hi," you began, "I've been watching you for a while now. And I must confess that I am interested in you. I want to have sex with you."

Thank God he had finished his drink before you told him that. Otherwise he could have been choked to death from the shock that was evident on his face. Although he had nothing in his mouth, somehow his saliva found its way into the wrong opening, and that led to a bout of coughing and wheezing. That was the opening you needed. You edged closer to him, patted him on the back, while calmly whispering soothing words into his ears.

Finally he gained control of himself. Then he said, "Excuse me, what did you just say?"

"I said that I want to have sex with you. Don't you want to Bleep me?"

You saw his eyes dilate. You knew what he was thinking. The others had thought the same thing too. What kind of woman is this? he must have thought. After some seconds—precious seconds—he finally nodded his head. Maybe he didn't trust his voice to deliver his agreement.

"Good, my car is outside. Let's go to my place," you said, and practically dragged him out of the club. He nearly stumbled on a man who was in his way, but at the last moment, he gained his balance and left with you.

Read more ➡
https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/15/men-are-the-same/

Dear Somkene,

During our childhood, many people who did not know us personally usually thought that we were twins, because of the love we shared and the way we did practically everything together. Then whenever we made it known to those people that you were two years older than me, we would cackle with laughter at their surprise.

It was not that we were identical in our looks, but it was the way we acted, the way we seemed to have a telepathic understanding of ourselves, that made these assumptions about us possible.

But our parents never saw the bond between us that way. They saw me as a failure—a dent in the stellar image of the Ụwaonye family. They made me feel useless, unwanted, and unloved. Once when you were in school, and I failed to get admission into school after my first trial, father had called me an 'incurable slowpoke, without a future.' He had listed your achievements to me, asking me if I was worthy of being called your brother.

So, silently, and without meaning to, I developed a latent jealousy for you, and I wanted to best you in any way I can. When you graduated with a second class lower, I vowed that I would make a first class. That way, I reasoned, I would flaunt it in the face of our parents—and yours, of course—to regain my glory.

I did make the first class, and I did flaunt my results as I wanted. And I could see that our parents had grudgingly accepted that something good could come from me. But it was your reaction that shocked me the most. You were elated! You had hugged me so tightly that I felt my ribcage crushing under the pressure of your arms, and you had said, "Yes, that's my brother! I knew you would do better than I did! I'm so happy!"

How were you not able to see that I wanted to spite you? I had failed to meet your eyes, for fear that you would see the guilt written in my eyes like the biblical writing on the wall.

Somkene, I started like this because I want you to know that although I was jealous of you, I never really intended to hurt you. I was simply trying to make our parents understand that I had something to offer too.

And certainly I never intended to steal your woman. But when I met Mmachi when you brought her to our house to meet our parents, I had fallen in love with her instantly. I didn't want her to know, neither did I want to spoil your relationship, but I found that the more I saw her with you, the more the old jealousy I felt for you rose again.

Then one day when I was talking to her, she had asked me why I hadn't told her that I was in love with her. I was surprised and asked her how she knew. She smiled and said, "Love never hides." Then she told me that she wasn't in love with you. In her own words: "Your brother is nice, sweet and generous, but I don't feel attracted to him. At least not in that way."

I had given a small smirk and slowly we started our own secret relationship. I remember when you used to come to me to complain that she had changed, that you suspected that she was dating someone else. I had been afraid you would find out just by looking through me, but you didn't. You trusted your little brother.

Read more ➡
https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/13/every-woman-is-a-jezebel-or-a-delilah-or-both/

Okezie, my love,

My heart bleeds; truly it does, because I know that you don't deserve this pain, this torture that I am putting you through. But believe me, it's for the best.

Why do I think this is the best option? Because I can't stand it any more; I can't stand the accusing eyes, neither can I stand the hurtful words being thrown at us for... for following our hearts. They said that what we have between us is an abomination, but tell me, why does it feel so right? Why does it feel like if I end up with someone else, I'll be committing a great sin, not just to our love, but to nature itself?

Do you remember the first we felt the electricity between us? We were preparing dinner that night, and your hand had mistakenly brushed my taut nipples while you were reaching for the plate to dish out papa's food? I'd gasped out, not as a result of shock, but as a result of the indescribable pleasure that coursed through me, which settled in a pool of heat between my legs.

You had been as shocked too; and as I looked down at your briefs, I'd noticed the yearning bulge, which threatened to break free. My left hand had had a mind of its own: it had touched you, and as you moaned out a cry of ecstasy, you held me by the waist and crashed your lips onto mine.

That was our first kiss—stolen in the kitchen while our parents awaited their dinner. It took the shout of papa for his food to bring us out of our kissing paradise. I'd been the one to take the food to them, because you were in no condition to go out there.

Later that night, you had crept into my room, into my waiting arms. And as our parents snored off, we made passionate love over and over again, till we were left breathless. You weren't my first sex, yes, but that night felt like my first time. You unlocked secret caves of pleasure I never knew existed in my body.

After that night, we were inseparable; and although you were two years younger than me, I knew that I would lose my life before I would ever live without you.

But at some point, the doubts came. You became worried and started feeling guilty about what we were doing. You called it a sin—incest. You said that it was against the Bible, that God would punish us. Tell me, do we choose the people we call in love with? If it was a sin like you said, why didn't God prevent us from falling madly in love with each other?

Read more ➡
https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/10/maybe-god-is-to-be-blamed/

As Onyinye came out of the airport, she inhaled the familiar Lagos air, and became ambivalent about coming back home after almost seven years in the US. On one hand, she loved being back to her home country, and hearing the familiar buzz of people going about their daily lives, brought back so many memories.
Which brought her to the other part of the equation—the reason she wasn't so glad about coming back when she thought of it.
Her dad. Ever since she traveled to the US for her Masters degree in journalism, she hadn't seen him nor talked to him. And she would have preferred it that way if the person who had paid for her flight ticket hadn't maintained that it was pertinent she came back. According to him, her father's life was in danger and she was the only hope he had of getting out of whatever quagmire he was in alive.
She got a taxi, and as the forty-something-year-old man behind the wheels was navigating through the infamous Lagos traffic, she dialed Frank Bello's number; the man had insisted that she called him only when she had gotten a taxi.
"Hello," she said as he picked up the phone. They talked for two minutes, during which he instructed her to lodge in a hotel of modest charges. It rankled her that he was giving her commands anyhow, but he was the only lead she had about her father.
Initially, when he had contacted her about her father, she was sceptical about the whole thing; she had heard of cases where people were kidnapped, raped and killed through such schemes. So the man had sent her a video her dad had made before he went off grid. In the video, he talked about going under as some people were after him and his experimental work.
A little over two hours later, she finally landed on her hotel bed with a dull thud, and without knowing it, she slept off. It was the incessant ringing of her phone that roused her from her glorious sleep and she was instantly mortified when she saw who was calling.
"Frank, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—" she began explaining when the man cut her off.
"Open your door," he simply said.
She was surprised. She was sure that she hadn't told anyone the hotel she checked into. So how was he able to get the location?
Shaking her head in wonder, she went to the door, and through the peephole, saw the hulk of the man blocking her view. She immediately straightened her hair, ran her hand over her body as she tried to look presentable in her haggard state. Then she opened the door.
And her father walked in, with the man she recognized as Frank behind him.
Her shock was so complete, so numbing, that she couldn't even breathe properly. Her mouth hung open in wonder as she tried to piece the whole thing together.
"Dad—I mean Mr. Okoro—what are you doing here?" she queried immediately.
In response, the sixty-five year old man strode to the plush sofa in the room and sat down, beckoning on her to join him. She slowly sauntered to the sofa and perched on it, making sure to be as far away from him as possible.
Her father then said, "You haven't stopped calling me 'Mr. Okoro'? I thought you would have grown out of the habit of addressing your own father so formally."
"As I've told you before, I don't take you as my father. Not after you killed mom."
At that, he sighed. He tried taking her hand, but she fixed him with a cold stare that made him withdraw his hand and settle for tapping his index finger on the sofa.
"Your mother is actually the reason I'm here," he finally said after some minutes of silence. "She's still alive."
"W–what do you mean 'she's alive'?"
"Your mother was never dead. She is alive," he repeated.
"How?"
Before he could reply, Frank whispered something into his ear, and immediately he sprang up, straightened his clothes and said to her, "Sadly my dear, I have to go now. But if you want to meet your mother, come to this place tomorrow afternoon and everything will be explained to you." He gave her a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. Then he turned on his heels and left, with Frank following him.

Read more ➡
https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/03/the-prodigal-mother/

I stared at her, almost unblinking for a full thirteen minutes before her eyelids fluttered open. She was still groggy from the drug-induced sleep she was waking up from; and as she squinted her eyes, trying to focus her vision on a particular object, I let out a satisfied chuckle. I definitely had her where I wanted her to be.

She shook her head, trying to clear her eyes off the sleep and immediately she saw me, her mouth unconsciously formed an "O" of abject terror. Her eyes roamed her body and darted about the room, as she tried to make sense of the whole situation. I kept on staring at her face, the varied expressions she gave giving me untold pleasures, more pleasures than she had given me all these months.

My smile was still fixed in place as she finally broke the silence. "Chike, w–what—what is going—?"

"You're tied to a chair, that's what is going on," I said, snaking my fingers up her arm. She recoiled from my touch, but that only made me smile.

"Wh–why?"

"Seriously?" I asked in mock indignation. "You really don't know what you did?"

She shook her head, but as she saw the cold anger in my eyes, realization dawned on her. Her eyes widened in fear, as she began to plead with me. "Oh no, no, no. Please Chike, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

In the hot and humid abandoned factory room, which was located in the middle of the city, I sighed; memories came rushing back like the waves of a tsunami. I was helpless against them, and as each regrettable action from my past replayed in my head, I balled my fists tighter, until my knuckles started hurting.

"Sweet Nnenna, I think you have misused the word "Sorry" so much. And now I want you to apologize to "Sorry" now," I commanded.

She looked at me and saw that I wasn't joking, and as she said, "I'm sorry, Sorry," I slapped her so hard that her lips cracked open. Her whimpers of pain were like pleasurable music to my ears.

"Good job, girl," I commended her. "Well, since you already know why you're here, don't you think it's courteous for us to let this factory that we are disturbing this afternoon know why we are having this noisy meeting here?"

"Y–es," she replied, her split lip dripped more blood as she spoke.

"Nice one girl," I said. "Hello Factory!" I spread my arms wide and turned in a circle, "please we're sorry for the inconvenience, but I beg you to listen to me. Afterwards you will understand why this meeting is holding here."

Then I began talking, more to the empty room than to either of us.

I'd known and had been in love with Nnenna since 2010. That was when I was still in my third year in the university. We had dated for a tumultuous ten months, after which she unceremoniously broke up with me, telling me that she needed direction in her life. I'd been devastated then, and it showed in my results at the end of my time in the university. I'd been a first class student before I met her, but after we were done, I graduated with a second class lower with a CGPA of 3.12.

Life after school was a tough battle, and I fought hard enough to make a life for myself after I had nearly ruined my future. I managed to set up a football viewing center in 2012 in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. As God would have it, within two and half years, I'd gotten enough money to open three cinemas in Anambra—one in Awka, another in Onitsha and the other in Nnewi.

It was during the premier of one of the most popular movies of 2014 in Nigeria that I met another girl who would change my life (at least for a short time). Her name was Bisola, a Yoruba beauty. After the movie, we stayed in touch and three months later, our relationship kicked off. We dated for four years (she was still in her second year in the university then, and still had three more years, as her course was a five-year one).

So in 2018, after her NYSC program, I proposed to her. I was so happy when she said her yes, and preparations for the wedding went in full swing. We'd decided not to waste time and had scheduled the wedding to hold four months after our engagement party.

Read more ➡

https://www.thezenpens.com/2019/12/01/chained-to-a-heart/