Starry Night – Snail Story#3

Rigozo

He sat on a low stool by the door and kept watch over those that were sleeping inside. The night was alive with the hum of insects and night creatures, and the moon looked down sullenly.

The midnight blue sky bejeweled with sparkling stars stretched for miles all around him. 

As he looked up at the mesmerizing sight he felt a longing deep inside and recollected other nights of light and laughter.

Suddenly he was weightless, no more than a feather, and below him was a body slumped on the floor with eyes frozen wide open reflecting the light above. 

He regarded the face, quite fetching he reluctantly agreed, and yet there were lines of weariness etched on it, like a canvas depicting suffering and pain. Up, up, up, he floated, like smoke rising from a chimney in the dark days of winter until the house grew to be a speck. He wondered briefly about the sleepers and what dreams plagued their sleep and if perhaps he would be missed... But soon he was among the stars and they welcomed him as one of their own and finally, he was home.

For Jesam

You can’t see the stars this side of town😓

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• What’s The Truth?
  Our perception of the truth can be distorted…but we’ll still choose to die on that hill.
• Left Behind
  The abandoned church stood like a man awaiting trial.
• How To Live Like A Hero
  And the pressure keeps growing and growing and growing until you feel like you are moments away from exploding.

Upenzi

By Homer Mbamalu/ Featured writer

When love first graced the walls of my heart, I was a wee born looking at life through translucent eyes.

My vision was of angels whirling around in circles, singing a kumbaya of endless harmony.

Delighted at this existence, I stretched my arms and found succour in the breasts of my mother.

The revelation that enlightened my body was milk gushing through the core of my being.

A Catwalk To Remember

Rigozo

Witnessed by a starry sky that twinkled bright, and solitary streetlights with their heads reverently bowed, on an empty road that stretched for miles with shadows birthed by the light.

They watched as she walked by, the brightest of them all.
Her feet were bare and bruised but it didn’t matter, it was fate that she would walk this path.

Her head was held high on a neck that towered gracefully. Her back was straight, shoulders lazy, core tight and her hands swayed in time with her hips. It was the rhythm of a woman in love with herself.

Imperfectly perfect.

Her feet were bare and bruised but it didn’t matter, it was fate that she would walk this path.

She walked fierce, emboldened by every step she took. The path was long and danger lurked in the night for any creature alone. But she was without fear. The prey turned predator.

She was phenomenal.

She was magic.

Image credit: Rigozo

Places

What do you miss?

Rigozo

I was on a trip once upon a time. I took a night bus from Kaduna bound to Lagos. It was the close of the year and the holiday festivities were in full swing. Empty seats on all sides, there were scant passengers on board.

The night was cold and dark. I sat by the window and looked out occasionally when streetlights or lightbulbs illuminated the scene as we drove past.

I was wearing my old grey hoodie and black sweatpants and head warmer, with wooly socks. I’d told No’ to send me some albums over the weekend, so I listened to them as I burrowed into the seats until sleep claimed me.

I woke up early to see the sunrise. I got lucky. We were in Osun, I remember. And the sun was a brilliant orange ball in the sky that chased away the night’s chill with its warmth. The trees were tall and dense and small hills dotted the horizon as moved from one sleepy town to the next.

I didn’t wish for us to stop and stay for a while. I didn’t want to meet the town folks to ask how they got by. The magic was in looking out and watching the world go by, like waves on the seashores. Captivated by its beauty but untouched by it…even as I looked forward to finding new places.

Image by – Alena Aenami

What do you miss?