The Illusionist

 Drip! Drop! Drip! The annoying sound of the droplets of water leaking from above, filled my ears. I wanted to make it stop but then I couldn't find where it was coming from because I couldn't see anything.Everything was pitch black when I opened my eyes, I couldn't even see my hands and to think also, I didn't know where I was!.  How did I get here? The question arose in my thoughts, Where am I? I asked myself again but only the echoing reverberation of my mind answered my fleeting question. I was alone as only the sound of my breathing could be heard. My eyes were darting by the second, my ears on high alert to catch any di

The streets of Ikeja, Lagos were always bustling with crowds and activities but the traffic was a bit attenuated today which was unusual. Not complaining though, I took it as the heavens giving me a chance not to get on Commander Youngs bad side this early.As I drove through the Express my eyes never failed to wander around and the memories never far behind. Almost at every point and part there was a history and story to be told. I was a typical Lagosian boy, aware of the dreadful hustle and bustle way of life. I had passed through all those phases and now as I looked, my vision was through a broad speck defined by it's all round experience.Was it the sight of the bus conductors, trying to fight for each pedestrian they see or was it the hawkers selling different products on the streets? I didn't know which one of them felt a little close to home, maybe it was both or none at all. I stopped at a traffic light when a certain h

 I had caught the attention of a few eyes with the show I had just displayed. The almost audible gasp of the now drenched woman had not gone unheard but thankfully the large spaces drowned out the sound, such that people from afar could not hear or realize what had just happened. "I'm so sorry" I said immediately to her as she tried to find something to clean of the drink spill on her clothes. My voice came out in a whisper so as not to drag back the eyes to us again but she wasn't even listening, she looked more concerned about the damp patch on the upper part of her clothes. It was the only distraction I could think of, it wasn't all that smart but at least it worked. "What the hell is wrong with you!" She said in a harsh whisper before making

        It had been ten days since the tragic event that remained packed up in our hearts and minds, refusing to let go, happened. Almost all my life was built upon this career path and it wasn't even my decision from the start. I loved my job but if you asked me that day, 10 years ago, where did I see myself in the future, my honest answer would have been, a thin line between dead and hopeless.    He gave me a choice when I had none and he stuck by me through out, fulfilling every promise he made to me when I was 22. The countdown had started and no one was safe anymore as all our lives were in danger. There was a very slim chance that it wasn't the Jama'atu that manned the attack but we were running low on possible suspects.    My thoughts reflected immediately on the strange woman I met that night as I thought about culprits. Everything about her was an enigma to me and it seemed as t

       "How are you doing" she said once we reached outside the church building.      I know it wasn't the time but I felt the need to say something to her about what happened. Even though it was years ago, I owed her an explanation and if not now, I don't think I ever would.     "I'm surviving Crys" I said meaning my words. I was struggling actually with everything lately and this was like the final blow.     "I don't like seeing you get hurt" she said, placing her hands on the arm cast. The touch of her hands were always like a calm to the tides but too bad I could never get back to that point where I had been allowed to be comfortable with it.    "Me neither" I said while taking the hand that was on me in mine.     We stayed like that for some time before I spoke up