—CHAPTER 1
—1—
I met him when I was 17.
During my darkest times, times where I couldn't get out of my head. He had suddenly appeared with that bright smile of his and forced me to see the world.
It's been years, 50 years to be exact but I still remember. It's not like I could ever forget, he branded himself in my head and in my heart. Ours was a pathetic story but it was one nonetheless.
I wonder if he'll want me to tell it. Probably.
In my eyes, he was a wonder, a mystery, something I could never wrap my head around. He was something way out of my reach but also something close enough to embrace.
None of this matters though, because above all, he was my friend.
—March 3rd 1962—
It was cold, it was dull, it was 6:30 in the morning and here I was, dragging a trash bag along the filthy front yard.
"Lift it off the floor, Sefa! You're going to rip the bag like that," the nun shouted from the window.
I clicked my tongue frustratedly, lifting the bag off the grass and struggling with the weight as I carried it to the sidewalk where the truck would pick it up.
Sister Maria was the nun in charge of the orphanage I had grown up in, although I wouldn't really call it an orphanage since none of us were really adopted. It was more of a big foster home. The government paid the nun to take care of us and she did to the best of her abilities..... which wasn't a lot.
I dumped the trash bag on the ground with a groan and stood back up heaving. I may have torn the bag withthat drop but I didn't really care at this point, the work was done and there was more awaiting. I strolled to the outside tap and washed the smell of old fish off my hands and wiped them on my shirt.
"Sefa, how long are you going to take to get one bag out? Do you want me to do the dishes for you?"
I groaned as Sister Maria called out again. She was always nagging me to do one thing or another, the chores were never ending and I had school today. Or rather, I had decided to go to school today.
"Coming," I called and began strolling back to the front door.
I don't know what caught my attention first, the shouting Mallam who owned tq only bread shop around the area or the running boy whose merry laughter rang down the semi silent street. Probably both. For some reason, his ringing laughter made me want to smile, that was until I realized the situation at hand.
He had stolen something, and he was getting away. Fast.
But that wasn't what made the ends of my mouth eventually twitch into a smile. Just before he disappeared from my line of sight, he raised an index finger to his mouth, his oversized hood momentarily falling from his head. He was indicating for me not to tell.
I wasn't planning to anyway, for one, I didn't know who he was and then again even if I did, it wasn't any of my business.
I stood there and watched as the boy disappeared down the street and then turned to stare at a panting Mallam Salami who had tried to chase him but his short stubby legs gave up on him a meter from his shop. I watched him struggle to catch his breath, his large belly falling and rising with each strained breath he took. I found it extremely amusing but I didn't have time to revel in the man's struggles before Sister Maria was on my case again.
"Sefa! What are you doing?"
She all but screeched. Whatever was left of my smile vanished in an instant. Annoyed couldn't even begin to cover what I felt right now. I pushed the door open and stormed inside.
" I said I was coming."
I didn't end up going to school that day.
