(New) Short Story Series

Today, I am introducing a new short story series written by Haneefah Abdulrahman.

This is a 7 part series that will be published once every week and highlights the plights of a female teenager living in our Nigerian society today.

LIVING DREAMS IN REALITY

There are dreams we can turn into reality and there are some we just leave as dreams because we know they are impossible to become reality. 

I wish I can stop my frequent fights with mother. For eternity, I have tried but I can’t. I only stop temporarily like I did the other day when I took the early morning walk after apologizing to her.

Sometimes, I catch myself admiring the family next door despite the fact that they are the poorest in my neighborhood.

Sometimes I even wonder how they got a house to live in.

They live as though they are as rich as the others in the neighborhood but their house is not patched, they have no gate or doors or windows anywhere in their home!

After some time they moved in, they made a gate with a sack hanged like a curtain.😄

Smiles, are they not living a dream?

Sometimes I sit in front of the gate just to watch their daily activities and listen to their talks.

Just as I was seated, Umar the younger brother to the woman that lives next door passed by and said,” Fine girl how far you na?” I smiled and he walked away. 

I remember I used to think of Umar as a thug with no regrets. He has this cold stare that can make you have nightmares.

Abboy always said he is one of the nicest people in the neighborhood.

Now I believe him because he never lets anyone bully the weak.

 I even used to think of their little ones as nuisances when they ran around the street playing hide and seek.

I would look at them as filths when their little ones won’t get dressed up and then they were loud and screamed with laughter as they talked about their day’s activities around 12:00am.

It made me think they were witches and wizards and their mother, the grand witch.

I thought of her as crazy anytime she threatened to beat up her male customers. They buy her soya bean cakes and refuse to pay and the manner in which she uses vulgar words almost makes me think she is a bad mother.

Nana is the second child,  she is a no nonsense girl.  She is the replica of her mother in character.  She will beat you up if you try her. I noticed she is hitting on Abboy.

Ummi is the first child, very gentle. She just chuckles at her family ‘s drama. She is just there.

The twins, Hassana and Hussaina. They bring trouble from outside and their mum will have to fix it.

The little ones,  walking around naked.

They know just what makes them happy.

I started enjoying their way of life, their voices that pierce the calmness of the night turned out to be a lullaby.

Their drama is what I couldn’t miss a day. 

They are miserable but they won’t let their misery get in their way by living a dream.

Part 2 continues next week!