Mumbai, 2020
Marcus felt uneasy as he stepped inside the room he had had long conversations with both Alyssa and her husband, Charles. Despite knowing the task that laid ahead of him due to the quick invitation and support that was required from him by Blackwheel, he was still persistent on meeting Alyssa and Charles one more time before telling the management that he would no longer be available for a period at time. At least, until he was able to deal with the issue that involved Dev.
"I called you yesterday in the evening because I read more to your words which I am not supposed to do. I and my husband apologise," Alyssa said. "I am not concerned about the transgender people in general just the fairness of the situation which we discussed yesterday. The situation just complicates things because talking about the fairness is like discriminating which I am trying to avoid. Examples are useless, Marcus. Honestly, they are! If you try to be in that girl's
Lagos, 2020HI! IT IS MARIA. UJU IS DEAD.9 13 9 19 19 21SEE YOU SOON!Ifenna quipped, his voice unruffled as he said nothing, but thought about the words Maria had sent to him. What did the numbers mean to her? What did the numbers in her text mean to him?Everyone in the taxi turned and stared at him.Ifenna didn’t know what to think. He didn't know why they were staring at him."This is the airport," the Yoruba driver said, drawing Ifenna's attention to one of Nigeria's pride. "You have got one strong voodoo to think you can leave this country despite all the crises going on."Ifenna frowned. "How much is your money?""One thousand naira," the Yoruba driver responded."That is too much," Ifenna protested."It is, sir," the Yoruba driver smiled. "You should put all the blame on the stupid government that has refused to provide us useful jobs instead of
Pennsylvania, 2020The hall was empty.When Clark arrived at the door, he watched as Maria walked around in circles before sitting down. Her eyes were curious; desperately filled with a desire that seemed new to him. He sighed and patted her gently on her shoulders."You will be fine," he said."Hopefully I will be when everything has ended," Maria replied. "Everything happened so quickly that I am unable to keep count of days. It seems like it was just yesterday that I sat with Abby alone in a room, talking about God. It just seems like it was two days ago I stood in a basketball court, watching Uju flex her shoulders, smash the ball on the ground on several occasions and try to buy her to way to another world. It just seems like those never happened."Clark sighed again. "Life is full of mysteries," he confessed. "Sometimes, it is hard for us to understand why certain things happen;
Melbourne, 2022Five blocks from a half-filled supermarket, an Australian man approached a convenient store with his hands tucked inside his pockets. He fought hard to focus his thoughts, but the situation was too bizarre to grasp rationally. He knew what he had to do and he had thought about it several times without having a slightest idea of how he was going to feel after it had been done. But it had to be done. Five hours ago he had been sound asleep in his hotel when he had gotten a rebellious order to murder a man he had long served. Now he was a few feet away from the man he was going to kill.Dev!He looked at him closely. Dev was focused straight ahead, talking to the owner of the store about an abnormal rise in price. There was an unusual strength in his voice as he spoke to the owner—that of an independent and determined man who had deep respect for death.Time passed slowly.The Australian man fingers wrapped around his gun with th
Pennsylvania, 2022Clark pointed to the multi-coloured book in the shelf with his lips tightly pressed together. "That is the book about James Blackwheel," he said.Maria looked at it. "What did he do in it?""A lot of bad stuffs," Clark replied. "There is information about a murder he did not commit though. I have looked into it several times and still, I can't understand why he was framed."Maria's eyes filled with foreboding. "As far as I am concerned, James Blackwheel was trouble. All he did was bring trouble to the people who lived around him. He should have been killed a long time ago.""He should have been killed indeed!" Clark repeated. "But it is almost impossible to kill someone who can't die. James Blackwheel is immortal. Don't you know!""I do!" Maria lowered her head down. "What fascinates me the most is how we are connected. The dates don’t match up in my head and I don't even know who is Nwakaego. Having a Nigerian ancestor is almost unthin
Athens, 2022Dear James Blackwheel,It is me. The seeker of the truth. One of the few members of the 'Priory of Göteborg' that still exists. I wrote this letter to inform you that Dev is dead and no longer exists. I sent a trusted Australian man to finish him up and good news has been sent to me. I understand Maria Blackwheel is family to you. But you need to understand that we have to do anything it takes just to get the necklace from her. We have been watching her for a while now and she appears lost because she doesn't know what is going on around her. She doesn't know she possess one of the greatest piece of art on her neck. I hope you are well. It has been a while since we last spoke physically. Please, come to Athens with Marcus. We are awaiting your arrival.Your trusted companion,Henry.
Lagos, 2022It has almost been two complete years since Ifenna last saw Maria Blackwheel and all he could feel about that incident was nothing because it was brief. It was quick and unsteady like a boat lost in the Pacific Ocean. As far as he could recall, Maria had told him that Uju's body was found dead somewhere and she didn't die alone but with a close friend of hers who was named Abby. Maria was not smiling when she spoke about death because she knew how important Uju was to both of them. She knew how her life had influenced their lives.As Ifenna sat in his new well-furnished apartment in Lagos, he realized that he should have spoken more to Maria than he had said during his last visit. Even though he had stayed a week in Pennsylvania, brooding about Uju's early death and the undeniable fact that there was no local Nigerian food around for him to eat, he still felt empty. He still felt lost. Not lost like a boy who had wandered alone in a forest filled wi
Lagos, 2016About six years ago, before Ifenna met Kelvin, he was involved in a platonic love situation with a Swedish woman who thought he was a scam. Even though he had mentioned the incident once to Ifenna during an absurd conversation, it wasn't justified until Ifenna had the opportunity to read all the mails he had exchanged with the Swedish woman.KELVIN :Hey! Hey again! So, I noticed you blocked me after I made that post on Facebook. I have been looking for words to describe your actions but I have found none. I know you must have told some of your friends that you successfully blocked the African guy who would have probably been a threat to your monetary value. I understand! It is common for humans to always seek ways to protect themselves from danger and if I am considered dangerous because of my background or because of statements I have made about coming to Sweden or migrating, I understand!I unfriended your best friend because I felt it was bes
Lagos, 2022Ifenna twisted his wristwatch clockwise as he tried to check the time.1 PM!He frowned as Kelvin encouraged him to be more patient. Then, he looked down to the end of the street. It was far. "You think there is another road to this place?"Kelvin doubted it. He had been to the place they were going to a few times and every time he went, he followed the road they were following. If there was another road that led to a small social club made up of expatriates, he would have known.Ifenna was already on the move when he called him back and asked if he had remembered to bring along his entry fee worth five hundred naira. A small token designed to encourage the founders of the small social club."I brought it," Ifenna said. "Is it not five hundred naira?"Kelvin nodded.Ifenna placed his hand on his shirt pocket and brought the money out to prove to Kelvin that he was not lying. Kelvin felt pleased. He didn't want them to r
Chibuzor Victor Obih was born in the southern part of Nigeria. Delta State to be precise. His writing includes essays, poetry and short stories. He likes to play soccer, read, study and above all, write. He is currently a fourth year student of a renowned public university in Nigeria. The University of Port-Harcourt is where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. The Last Full Moon is his third book and his third attempt to explore the beautiful world of a novelist.
Kano, 2022There was no light. There was no sound. There was no imaginary figure running around his mind and playing games with him. The road that was up above him was clear and black. Fear, Ifenna now realized, was an intense rush of displeasure that motivated a man to run for the security of his own life. Short of breath, he fumbled through the blackness towards the road, almost staggering, almost allowing the image of seeing Kelvin raising a gun and shooting at him revolve around his head. He found a soft spot and made an attempt to rest when he realized that he had to make sure that Jane was safe. But how could he reach her when he couldn't remember where he had last seen his phone? Just then, as he was thinking about the location of his phone, an alarm he had set up in his phone about a week ago to make sure he attended all the morning exercises class rang. He reached out towards his left pockets and brought his phone out. He smiled as he felt grateful that some unfo
Pennsylvania, 2022Maria sat very still, listening and not listening. She was looking at the face of the man who had come in place of James Blackwheel, to ask for her forgiveness and understanding. If someone had asked her to repeat the words of the preacher, she would not have been able to do so without making a single mistake because she didn't understand what he meant when he told her to forgive and forget. She didn't understand the ease he felt as he let those words slide out from his tongue as if it would take away all the atrocities that James Blackwheel had committed in his life. But she felt and sensed the genuineness in the preacher's voice and she saw meaning as she tried to reason in the same plain he was reasoning. As the preacher talked more about forgiveness and its positive impact in the modern society, a vast dark silent void lifted away from her eyes and she could see familiar images which grew large and powerful; familiar images of Blackwheel planting hi
Pennsylvania, 2022Not once during the five days following the explanation behind Uju and Abby's death had an image of their dead bodies buried underneath the ground come into Maria's mind. She had thought about it bitterly until she could no longer cry or think again. She had thrust the whole scene back and forth, and there it still lay, monstrous, horrible and terrifying as it had been before. She was not much of a believer but she believed in the power of words and truth. And to think that her ancestral father, James Blackwheel who she had never met was involved in their deaths made her feel awful and sad. She was not so much in a bad stupor or in a wayward lane with brown leaves falling quickly with no end. She was in a bizarre situation where she saw Uju and Abby begging for their lives and being punished for doing so.Having been briefed by Detective Doe about the incident that had kept her in the dark, she made a quick call to Clark with the hope that he would answe
Lagos, 2022Kelvin stopped listening, feeling fear for the first time. He had not thought that the message sent to him using a foreign number was a solution to his love problem with Sharon. A solution that came with a price. How could he explain to Ifenna that the gift Maria had given to him during his last trip to America was greatly desired by a group of people who tagged themselves as members of a secret organization called the 'Priory of Göteborg'? Oh, Lord! He was drunk. The members of the 'Priory of Göteborg' were all drunk to think he would accept their offer and take the life of Ifenna because of love. How could he? The instructions he had gotten from them was clear and simple. Take the necklace and eliminate the target. But how could he do that when he was greatly attached to Ifenna in ways that the members of the Brotherhood didn't understand? How could someone who knew absolutely nothing about his life choose him as a tool to achieve their quest? What
Lagos, 2017KELVIN:Hey! How are you doing? I finally came back! I missed talking to you! How have things been going on your side?BELLA:Hey! Good morning! Or afternoon to you I think! It is great to see you back. I missed you!KELVIN:I missed you too. Good afternoon!BELLA:It is 7 am here and I'm hooking up my morning coffee drip. The weather is really not that bad. I am sure you can relate with the feeling of the weather. It feels cold but it isn't. I think the weather is in a good mood today.KELVIN:So, do you have a pipe inside your body? That is great! Honestly, it is!BELLA:I don't have a pipe inside my body! Coffee is great! Lol! All day long! I never see the need to sleep.KELVIN:You seem happy today. That is a good trait.BELLA:I suppose so.. every once in a while it happens. I guess I am happy today because you finally came back. It is always great to reunite with a long lost friend even if he has
Lagos, 2017KELVIN:What is your real name then? Mender? Bella? I don't want to make any assumptions about your real name so you wouldn't feel bad about it. I was trained to accept people's decisions on things affecting them. I respect privacy.BELLA:Hi. Your pic is adorable. Whose baby? Is that you?KELVIN:No! Just placed a baby there because I have been unhappy lately. Glad you like it.BELLA:I love all babies but more from a distance lol. When they are close they are all noisy, little germ machines lol. Except for my children, they are perfect, naturally perfect. They don't look like pumpkins with bitter tears.KELVIN:That is good to hear. So, which one is your name? Mender or Bella?BELLA:Bella. Bella is my real name.I was planning on using Mender as a pen name for a new genre I am working on. Like I told you before if you can remember, I am an author.KELVIN:Alright. That would be a lovely ide
Ontario, 1983It was morning. The church bells had just began to ring when Blackwheel arrived. In the dark and silent room, the drab light of the weary sun outside filtered in through the silky curtain, allowing a limited passage of light. Already, the coming of the sun had been announced through the sound of the bell like a messenger sent forth to disseminate information for the time being."I have to prepare early. I don't have much time for myself or for anyone," Blackwheel muttered to himself and yawned. He was feeling tired from the long walk he had had a day before.Sitting himself up, in an upright position, he held his head with his hands as if he was trying to adjust it and move it away from his neck. It was as though his mind was about splitting from his head. His eyes roamed to the door which led to the entrance of his room when he heard a noise. He was expecting someone but due to the delay, the little hope that rose in his heart about ten hours ago had died dow
Lagos, 2017KELVIN:Why? Is there a problem.ZOE:Just have different priority lately.KELVIN:What kind of priority. I thought we promised to be really close?ZOE:Yea, we did! Someone close to me went through a difficult ordeal and I spent a lot of time with him, I have had to babysit my three year old nephew a lot. Also, I reconnected with a friend I haven’t seen in six years and I am trying to write a novel, and even after a full regiment of antibiotics my cough is getting worse. Sometimes life happens. If it is a problem for you, then maybe don’t wait after me so much. I can’t promise hours of texts daily. I spend already that time nearly daily just answering everyone who texts me and ask for help with their writing or publishing platforms (on top of everything else), social media is turning into a full time job and I am trying to reduce that and keep my focus on writing but it is hard. I only have so many hours in