KiKi's LAIR

I had always heard of Santa Claus and the image I had of Him was a stout fat man dressed in red carrying a sack of gifts and entering through the chimney. Well, since we didn't have any chimney, I always wondered where he'd come in through if he ever visited my house. A day before Christmas when I was quite younger, mom said to get ready, we'd be going to see Santa. In my little mind, the image I had was the one I expected we were going to see. I was so excited, I told everyone who cared to listen, everyone literally, I mean even the mallam on my street that I was going to see Santa. Whether they understood what I was saying or not, I was just too excited to care. Finally morning came, after a long night, longer than usual or not probably cause I was too excited to sleep well. It was actually a Christmas party and other kids were there as well. Eventually, we stood on the line waiting our turn to see Santa. From afar, he looked slimmer than usual, did he lose weight? I w...

So today deliberately wanted to turn into a bad day but I didn't let it. I had barely slept for two hours after an all night when my dad woke me up, I was just looking at him like, "You no dey sleep?" He wakes you up in such a way that you hear his voice even from your deepest of dreams and you jerk up with your heart beating times two of its normal rate. Remember I told you he's a disciplinarian. After attending to what needed attention, I tried to get back to my much needed sleep and cramps set in. Really??? Nothing was getting in the way of this my beloved sleep so I hurriedly took some pain killers and snuggled into my pillows, thirty minutes later, I was staring at my ceiling trying to convince myself not being pregnant now was a good thing, Mother Nature had apparently won. So I attempted to read, but the words seemed to jump out of the pages, dancing in circles around my head, just like in Tom and Jerry. Finally, cramps gave way to sleep, two hours later...

Deep in the forests where the feet of man never dared to dread was were they abode, so creepy even fear itself shuddered. With grotesque creatures visible yet invisible for only those with the eyes of their spirit could see them. In circles the selected moved gyrating to the beats, hands and legs moving in rhythm to sounds created by whom they could not see. With the leaves in their mouth, no word was uttered but the language of the beyond echoed in their ears louder than their own heartbeats. As they moved gracefully, sweat glistening on their bodies, one by one they came to the middle of the circle laying down their treasures, beautiful destinies discovered and shining stars of the innocent for no tainted was worthy of the oracles. Soon the night was gone and the dance was done. One by one they transformed, flying away to humanity. But perhaps the drums had been too loud and the night too dark for them to hear or see the ones who had kept watch offering incense which had risen up...

Two days since I last heard from him, since the break up. I've been staring at my phone for the past one hour hoping he'd call, he usually called by this time. I've been biting my fingers,so nervous. By the time its 12:30am I know no one's calling anybody. Hmmm...the reality of the fact that he's gone for real hits me again as I cry myself to sleep. And of course by morning even the concealer can't hide my the bags under my eyes. I wanted to pretend I am in a Walt Disney movie and singing will make me feel better but all that came out is a hoarse throaty sound...oh crap! my voice walked out on me too? What else could possibly go wrong? Then I lock my key inside my room! And I get a message beep, "The man is taking attendance o and he'll soon leave"   Shit! I'd forgotten about my early morning class, whatever happened to boys before books. By the time am done apologizing to the bike man for not being able to pay him because I had apparen...

"Mommy, owu gini?" She asks her daughter as she walks into the kitchen crying. She can barely make out what she's saying as she struggles to hide her sobs. I fell down from the car when I was washing it. "Chim o! How come?" "I was on top when dad came and started shouting, I now fell" she answers still crying. She gathers her daughter into her arms,this one that God has given her after years of waiting be it a girl. "Did you injure yourself?" she asks, her face filled with concern. "Yes, my knee, its peppering me" "Ndo oh....oya go and wash it let me make cornflakes for you hmmm?"  She can see the smile forming on her child's lips....her child, how good it felt to think about it.  "And don't climb the car again you hear?" But her chubby one is already racing to the bathroom,she never jokes with cornflakes. Why would she be washing the car anyway,this was about this male c...

I just realized how gloomy my room looks.It just synchronized with my mood,today had started out well but somewhere along the line it happened, a break up had definitely not been on my agenda. The yam i fried now tastes like sand in my mouth as I look around my room with tear sodden eyes and clothes.Grey curtains and brown paint suddenly  made my room look like a zombie meeting point and I begin to imagine  what life would be like as a zombie. No feelings or emotions just the thirst for human blood. I'd just eat my mother and not even flinch...the thought of it makes me shudder as i shake myself back  to  reality.There are better ways to deal with break-ups i think, like watching a movie that makes you cry so you can tell yourself the reason you're crying is cause of the movie and not him. Well,guess i now have to stick to the old routines of single-hood.

"Daddy see me! Daddy see!" the eight year old pealed with excitement.She had been washing her dad's car and was currently on the roof of the car. She had to prove to dad a girl could do better too. But she hadn't expected the angry yell from dad as he came out of the house. "C'mon will you get down from there my friend!" out of surprise she slid down and landed with a thud on the stony ground. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to suppress the sob that was rising in her throat, she had bruised her knees. "What were you doing there? Ehn?!", dad shouted.She couldn't respond for fear of her tears letting lose. "Who even told you to wash the car in the first place? Answer  me! You should have just left it for Ekene,you're just a girl!". Ekene was the houseboy,she had begged him to allow her wash the car so she could prove to dad that she could be the  boy he wanted so badly. But all that was forgotten now...