Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
LOVE IS WAR
THIS NIGHT WAS DIFFERENT in club El amore. An airy feeling, one of lightheartedness and freedom, doused the air. It was a minute before 9pm and the Dancers were about to get on stage, as is the norm on Fridays, but today the atmosphere was rare, like it had never happened before. As though the night was preparing the arena for the beginning of a whole new story. It was so quiet that breathing became an ominous sound.
There were several round tables at the front reserved for the VIP to give them a show before the main party.
The booths behind were full. Everyone seated had so many expectations for the night. When the lights turned off and the curtains gently lifted there was sublimity, like water flowing over rocks.
The stage lights were fixed on the poet while she walked in through the open curtains, like an enchantress waltzing on water. Her perfect wig, as red as blood, flowed over her bossom. Her criss-cross backless dress, white as a dove. Her skin like dark chocolate illuminated in the light, she had the brightest smile that shone from her heart and showed in her eyes. She was holding a microphone, just about ready for the night as though she could sense its intentions.
"Everything is giving what it's supposed to give." Someone shouted from the crowd.
There was an all round agreement.
"Let's welcome on stage Saskay of The Rosearmy dance group. The best and the most beautiful poet in Africa. The one who speaks to the dead and they are resurrected. The Chimamanda adichie of Club El Amore, her royal majesty. A true African Queen." The hype man screamed into the mic breaking the reverie of the night. There were claps, cheers and whistles.
"Thank you." Saskay whispered, smiling at him. She walked to the fishpole and placed her mic adjusting it to her height.
She cleared her throat. "LOVE IS WAR."
A slow soft music started in the background ushering in the other members of the dance group. All five of them ran in, in a professional way that showed they lived on this. Nini, Prince, Bella, Mike and Liquorose. Nini and Bella wore tights and crop tops with their hair tied up in a tight ponytail and the men were dressed in black pants and baggy shirts. Then there was the lead dancer Liquorose dressed in rose gold. The first cheers were for the group, the next were for her.
"Liquorose! Liquorose!" They chanted. The slow music did not stop, soon it caused silence to return. Saskay only spoke then, when she was sure the rest of the crew were ready and the crowd would give her absolute audience. She had taken all night to write this, she wanted them to hear it. Hopefully it fit right into the dance steps of the group.
"You can choose to fight until the very end or surrender if there are no more armories in your safe or your soldiers have in time given up on your course. You may stab your lover at the back, and run to another where you are loved more to the point of worship, made a god. You can kill your king and enthrone another, possibly his right hand man, or one of his trusted soldiers or your son who was your lover, or his brother."
The song became dramatic, loud yet gentle enough to make an impact. The dancers made a slight body movement to the right in such a rhythm that was ethereal.
Saskay from the corner of her eyes could see that they fit right into her words, and Liquorose didn't miss her steps like she had done during practice. She felt even more gingered, her voice rose an octave, her smile brighter.
"You can steal from your man and feed your woman, make love to them on the same night. With blood on your lips pledge allegiance even though a knife lies within your reach and your king behind the doors patient for you to strike so his soldiers can invade. Change is inevitable and the spoils of war can be your doom or your heaven. The blood from your enemy can coat you, mask you and make you invincible, or it can drown you first in ecstasy then in your own bullshit."
It was time for the instrumentalist to delve in. The guitarist began playing, the sound a farcical entrance. The dancers were now almost in a trance. The music, her voice - A siren. The dark, everything was made beautiful in it.
"Your lover may kill for you or die for you, or he can watch while you are burnt on the stake because he sees beyond the fire another who has assured him that between her legs are honey and gold. He knows not that you are a Phoenix, that your king plays with fire and has taught you how to. That his lover plans to drown him between her legs when he takes a suckle from her honeyed branches, her last lover had left a curse before he choked from the honey. So he may die or be cursed, either way her sweetness is his doom."
The crew stayed still after a quick brisè. Saskay remained quiet for a second that felt like a year. When she spoke again her voice was firmer.
"Though love is war, and all is fair, loyalty must never be traded. One loyal soldier is better than a thousand who stand no course. A loyal lover can conquer the world with you, place you on a pedestal that is godlike. In his arms you will climb mountains and hills but your legs will not for once be weary and your eyes will not tear up, and in her bosom you will plan the downfall of a thousand kingdoms so immaculately that your subjects and even your enemies shall bow before you. But without loyalty you will one day die by the hands of your lover or by his omission and he will give another your crown."
The lights went off. The curtains dropped. Only then did it dawn on the crowd that the show was over after fifteen minutes of a splendid performance that felt like an eternity.
Saskay was proud to watch the crowd cheer for her while she made a quick bow. She didn't consider herself a spoken word artist. To her, Saskay is Art. Everything Art.
When the cheers stopped she made her way to the dressing room to join the rest of the dance crew who were delighted about their exhibition. Her Best friend Liquorose gave her a big hug.
In that embrace of pride she felt her friends defeat, and knew then that she wouldn't be able to stop her from whatever bad decision she would inevitably make this night. Love makes us or breaks us. For Liquorose it had done the latter.
Saskay feared that all she might be able to do is watch powerlessly while her friend sets herself on fire for a man that's undeserving. The night just began and it had promises of a darker sky without stars.
