Novels by Eze Chisom Favour

Zutara clawed her way back to consciousness, she was resting on something deliciously warm, she looked around taking in her surroundings.They were in a cave, that was certain because of the dark dampness and poor greenish light filtering in from somewhere she could not see, a fire was burning nearby with something cooking over it.Riz was kneeling in a corner wrapping bandages around Sikorra's side. The nasty boy who she had bitten, scratched and head butted she remembered in mild embarrassment was kneeling beside Riz and they were both smiling - the beast. Of course he would be taken in by Riz's beauty and charms.Zutara tried to get up and gasped in pain, the pair turned sharply towards her, she felt like she had been chewed up by some wild animal and the spat out.''Hey, you're awake'' the beast said smiling gaily and she simply grunted in reply not trusting herself not to spit in his face if she opened her mouth.

"Do you know where we are even going?'' Minre asked pulling Sven out of a reverie he couldn't even remember."We are going to Gesa''"Why Gesa""Because'' Sven said simply and Minre waited for an answer but after a few minutes he resigned himself to the fact that none was coming.''You don't talk much'' he said and Sven shrugged looking straight ahead.Minre tried to alter his step but try as he night he always fell back in step with his brother, brother the word still sounded strange.He watched him closely from the side of his eyes, the were not as identical as he had first feared, Sven had a sharper jaw and cheekbones while his jaw was more square and the lines of his cheek much softer, his brows arched, Sven's were bushy and his lips fuller too from not smiling enough Minre suspected.Sven held up his fingers signalling that they stop, he brought his finger to his lips dropping to a squat he point

Zutara blinked her eyes surprised to see the sun already up and herself still in bed, normally Riz would have yanked her right out of her dreams and into a nightmare of waves and drops and sprinkles and showers.Zutara shook her head and wrapped her hair into what she hoped was a semblance of tidy and stepped out into the yard, Riz and Sikorra both turned to look at her from what was the makeshift cooking fire.Sikorra had refused to train her in the palace which to her was a huge relief, the pressure of being in the spotlight was already too much to have to add training and being trained in the presence of the King and his court and every other noble man or woman who may suddenly think that her life was their business.Instead here they were in her tiny, shabby little hut."Good morning Zutara''Sikorra greeted and waved her over to sit with them."Hey'' Riz nudged her lightly''Hey'' she said back"Did you have a good rest?

''If I see one more wooden sword or pail of water, I am going to scream'' Zutara growled squeezing the water out of her hair."Oh stop whining like a baby'' Riz drawled unimpressed and earned herself a fiery glare."I am battered, bruised, contused and aching'' Zutara raged stomping around the yard.''Darling if you were all of those things all at once you would be flat on your face but it's a good thing you are so strong and big and brave'' Riz replied sweetly arching a perfect shoulder, everything about her was so perfect it brought out all her own imperfections.Her hair was a wet and tangled nightmare, her shirt a ragged torn affair ripped from shoulder to cuff where Sikorra's rotten wooden sword had snagged the previous night and there was an ugly purple bruise peeking from the left hip of her trousers, the sun had sent a merciless scattering of freckles to dot her nose and cheeks, meanwhile Riz who she had been sparring w

It was a cool evening and a gentle breeze was blowing when Sven finally walked into Alagaesea, it was four days since he left home and thoughts of wat he would do now and what was I thinking had already begun to creep into his mind. Still wrapped up in these thoughts, loud voices drifted to him from a distance and he approached cautiously one hand braced on the hilt of the short sword strapped to his side. There was a boy about his age and height surrounded by seven men dressed in armour of red and ash - the colors of The Conqueror." Stop now and come with us quietly and you will be rewarded handsomely" a bulky man, who was as stout as a barrel said and the boy spat at him looking around for a way of escape."I will rather eat dust""You will come with us either way, by your own will or by force" the boy took a deep breath and somersaulted into a cartwheel that sent the wind billowing around him, the soldiers slid back shielding their faces he right

Sven walked most of the day, pausing only at mid day to drink some water and eat bread. He was sure where he was going but he had heard the town Alagaesea mentioned many times at home when Raz was alive, so maybe he would go there. By nightfall he checked into a small farm inn on the outskirts of a town two leagues from Alaegasea, he had been careful to stay off the main roads. Many boys his age have been reported missing the past year including his older brother Nenji who had run away two days after Xen's death and had never returned, most likely abducted to join an army on either side of the war and with the kind of powers he had, he was not interested in being a captive to be used as a weapon in a struggle he knew nothing about.At the inn he kept his head down taking a room with six other men, he did not mind the squeeze even if he preferred to stay alone, there was strenght in numbers and from their conversations while he pretended to be asleep, The

Calling Ma to tell her the exam is over will only make her rush me, I think.Today is the one day I don't want to rush things. So when others pull out their phones and gather round for selfies and corny posts such as GRADUATE IN A BIT or BEEN HERE, DONE THAT, I push my phone deeper into the slash pocket of my overall."And we good to go!" my best friend appears just as she disappeared: when I wasn't looking, and all of a sudden.She stretches her arms out for a hug."Ewwww." I dodge her. My best friend, Amanda, only seems to want hugs after one of her many visits to the toilets. There's enough bacteria on the doors alone to kickstart an epidemic."You know you want this hug," Amanda grins, inching closer.The periodic toilet frolicking is normal, the usual. The grinning is new. Whatever Port-Harcourt did to her was good. She even let me read her journal for like six seconds—which is a record. She n

I slump onto the grass next to Chideziri. He keeps staring up ahead into the tree, as if he's looking for something in particular, not paying me any mind. "G." Nothing. I shove his shoulder. Still nothing. "Are you going to sit here sulking all day?" Finally, he looks at me. "I can try, can't I?" "It's passing out day, you fool. We had plans, remember?" "Frankly, I don't." He says. I raise a brow at him; he only shrugs. I adjust myself till I am lying on my back in the untrimmed grass. "Well, since you don't remember, I'll wait here until your mermory starts to come back." "You'll be waiting for a long time" "I have enough time." I fire back. "Jesus Christ." Chideziri mutters. "Don't use the name of the Lord in vain, bro." "Guy, g

After four months of complete drought, March releases the first rains.Rooftops turn red with dust filled water, dust that accumulated over the dry season. Children play around under the rain, splashing in puddles.I spend half of most days in second term numb and staring. Staring at the teacher, at the writing on the board that makes no sense to me whatsoever, at the wall clock hung above the marker board. Then I spend the other half of the day noticing I'm numb and staring.In church, I no longer swing my shoulders to the music. I don't listen to J.Cole anymore.She is too everywhere. Too present to be so absent. My clothes smell of rain-beaten leaves, of abandonment, of freshly written poems. How hard I scrub makes no noticeable difference. Weeks after January the sixth, my knuckles are red and raw from trying to scrub her away, and failing to.She is too everywhere.I learn to stay in my room, curtains drawn

Queen's is as quiet and sprawling as I remember. Almost too quiet. The pinafores are also as I remember, shining from excessive ironing. But now the shirts are cardboard paper and the weather is always so dry that I have to keep lipbalm in my bag, just in case my lips crack. Again.Lorita's here, and she definitely missed me. I get cupcakes literally every day of the week, and a lot of guilt trip for that one time I abandoned her, went to Port-Harcourt, and while there, lived my best life.The absolute best thing about being back is that Queen's installed a new track. I'm feeling it.Now, I can run.As far as I want, as far as my legs will carry me. So fast that I fly. I close my eyes and there I'm in PH city, with Chideziri, sprinting, the rain right behind us.When I open my eyes, he isn't there.~

CHIDEZIRI I kiss her now, because when she's gone, I want to remember how her smile tastes mixed with tears. I want to remember the flayed pink that the sky took on, how rays peered down through clouds. I want to remember the mangroves, their dying leaves forming a glade of rusted confetti. I want to remember the sun, before it was eclipsed. ~ AMANDALeft to Aunty Seedy, suffocation by embracing is how I'd die."Nne, I'll miss you sorely." She says, smothering me. I lose count after the seventh hug. All our stuff will be moved to her house. Sofas,

The trees outside my window are almost naked now, burnt to figs by the ever angry sun. In the darkness of dawn, their branches resemble bones. I can't sleep, and being awake staring at the skeleton branches isn't helping, so I take Tobi's hoodie and leave the house. Outside is silent, much like everything else. So silent that when I pass the playround, I can hear the grass whistle. I walk. I walk by the tailors shop, to Close 4 and past. Past the hulking buildings and lonely trees. I walk till I get to the river. Elimgbu river has sunken so low that the stones underneath break its glassy surface. The first time we were here, it was full to its brim. Leaves floated on its surface. Pebbles lived under. It was beautiful. That is the thing about faded glory. It always starts out beautiful.