MOONLIGHT

"Rivers are crowded with different kind of fishes but none of them could ever taste the same". In the eastern remote town of Nigeria, few months passed since the biafran war, everyone are trying to pick up there chattered homes, businesses and life. It's been an horrific period, wailing and grief could be heard and seen in different corners of the street, picking up the pieces the . war had left, some were coming back to see the loss, silently they weep... The war... that had politism and authority oriented, unsettled right of power, happenings within the military, on whom power belongs to had turn out to be a tribal war forgetting the level of education in various part of the country left a big scar in alot of people mind. They went through the remains with wet eyes and unforgettable experiences, how their life's took a sharp turn just by words heard on radio, not everyone could come up to a particular reason without been Tribaltic. In that remote town lived mr.chris, He had just returned few days earlier with surviving children from "calabar", although he still grief deeply for the loss of two of his child to the cold war, getting up from his Ashes, carried a weight of loss, distinguished his attitude to calmness and hide is whole pain behind his honest actions, slowly he pace through the house, the remains of a massive blow, he grips his heart slowly as he tries not to think of the worst. Locked in his movements, she wonders the kind of weight he carries "she thinks of an heavenly way she could always change is hardened heart" she knew better of his loss but tries to weigh are options or rather wear his shoes. He sat on a dead tree, reminiscing through his thoughts, how much loss he had came through, he was lost in his thoughts.... ****** "In this small world, in corners of the world, lys a yearning heart, struggling mind in a exhausted hope. Different challenges, different stories, Bottled up emotional experience, insufficient, broken, despair and dreams misplaced. Exceeded trials, endurance, tolerance, for some; a period of time,...others; a dead end. people facing different kind of circumstances, to an extent... We either make a movie out of it or we fade away with time but either way, someone, somewhere must be console....so we could always take our possession to save others" ****** His mind played series of events, he knew he would have to live up to it, he told himself "he could always have as many as he could"... To cover up for the ones he lost but he never knew what it would turn out to be. "people make vegence to what they believe is right, but when the purpose of recovering what they lost, even from the ashes they become ignorant of their actions"... Mr.chris lost 6 brothers while there was an hunt within the family for their life's just for the purpose of land properties and lost two of child to the war because reform camps were drugs were given was also hunted which halted the circulation of drugs and left many to die on various kinds of sickness. Mr.chris is locked up to his emotional trauma and refuse to think outside the box than to succumb to what he believes of his burden. He starts up his life with a 5yr old girl and 3month old son, with his wife, with his heart given to his target, options layed waiting...like a ghost, it lingers around. *17 years later" Slowly he opens his eyes to the 5 morning full moon. Been uneasy to sleep through the night, wondering when this routine could possibly end. Looking at the moon, his mind eager to see a better day off and making a solid foundation due to the fact that his age peers were making it. He wants to leave, His village was making him drool because of the poverty perching on the roof. They have to wake up quite early during the week days. Go long distances to fetch water, cut fire woods and a long distance to school. Even when it was a division of labour shared among them, it's still had the bitter taste of commitment. You outgrown them or you make a choice. Only the well lived had bow holes dug in their houses and he knew they were not rich enough to get one dug. He thinks about his siblings too, his absence would have a great influence on them because his next in line is a lasher of words and too authorative to withhold. His presence demanded orderliness from his siblings but he feared altering the daily routine by leaving would be catastrophic but it felt necessary because in his heart, He wished desperately to make a stand and not just for his family but a path were others could always follow. How could he tell his father knowing he would refuse, How could he throw light to his actions but he knew his father and not his father heart. He knew him for refusing alot of actions or motives but never came up with a reason why. Across the room, He perceive his father getting ready for the day routine. He got to tell his intentions before he gets misunderstood. "Ben"- His mother called. "mom"- He sleepily replied. "Get the tools Ready with others awoken to join your father in the day work-'she added as she knelt to say a devotional prayer. ( He slips into his clothes, Got the door opened. Pacing through the passage, trying to get a view of where the tools layed. getting a faint view of his sister, he called...) "koko, is that you?" "yes bruh,"( bruh was the name 1st sons were called) doing her chores as she added". good morning bruh" "Good morning too. "How was your night?..could tell from your voice how bad it was uh?"... "yeah..(smiles within).. hardly slept because I got something to tell father but can't come through with his reaction". ".... slowly sighs...I only hope it means well?". "I suppose it could benefit everyone (he wonders only on the other side of his decision). "you think?"-she breaks in". (Taking aback, He prays in his heart that it is the right choice after all)...Kind off, not sure it might sit well with him, not even you". Picks up the tools, braiding it. He saw his dad take the back. He hurried to get it done when his mom came out. "Ben, you have to get it done and catch up with him cause he is not up for a Patience this morning". she says. "mother, Neither do u have one than to see my desires met but would be done soon". (she turns to kokoma...) "Juilet, wake the others up for the day work while I do the cooking". Juilet takes the task but seeing the shadow of ben as he takes the back to meet up with his father, she knew right there that alot was about to change". "black panther"... Comes at night to claim and to take, not to what belongs to him but what belongs to who sent him. Not to kill but to put to sleep the body of it's host till the waken. Sadness And Joy comes from it. To a lesson from experience to a better person off the ashes...no matter what you have or what you don't have. No matter your possession or none possession, Race or colors, someday, somewhere, at a time special to you and those whom part of you existed...would see you no more. But.... only the remnants of your pictures and the memories left behind. Don't be sad, even if it is hard not to cause even in the absence of the panther, Everyone loose something less important to another. But.... Only the hurt knows the pain, only you could create your own story". *************** As he walks to the farm, He knows his worries, but ashamed to look at the cause. He sees his son intentions as reflection on his youthful days, always trying to make out a way but scared his son might make Decision he once took forcefully only to regret his inability to carter for the whole family the way he wished. He watched him grawn on his life, with the pressure of his peers, it seems he as been materialized to accomplish the aim. "He thought about the war". how it made him move to Calabar, with all the hopes of never coming back, He Had believe "More kids" could fill in the Hollow inside of Him. "Life could promise alot when you are financially okay but if you don't harvest well, looking ahead, You might fall and have nothing to hold on to". When the hard time came, He was forced to look back on his root only to be overwhelmed with a huge responsibility. "Good morning papa",- Ben intrude his thoughts". "Go-oo-od Morning".- He answered trying to act calm, hiding his worries but Ben saw through it. (Stoods up, pointing out"). "This is the phase of the farm, We would be doing a lot of clearing for the next cassava planting, We would decide the work by starting from each ends". (He tries to give some distance to avoid conversation). "Alright papa, I will get started at once". (Ben gave a sigh of reluctance because he knew the cause) As they both worked silently.... Mr Chris raised a little watchful eyes on his son and saw a whole different person from the little ben he always cared so much about .,...Ben lingers through his thoughts, finding reasons to his father objections but fears it might not end well". "After few Hours" In the hot hours...He sat to get a Rest off the work, working with heavy mind was Difficult, As he sits to rest, He signals Ben to come join him. "let's wait a while before our meals gets Here".- He mutters.... (Ben had to seize such opportunity). *******Back home********* Koko sat with her elder sister, preparing meal to be taken by michael to their father and Benjamin. She thought of what ben told her, it hurt her not to know his motive although she knew ben wasn't happy about the family misfortune but told him to have a little patient for a thing or two to surface. Aside her worries for her brother, she as others too but felt everyone is burried on their own side of the world. She is been having an affair with a distant relative, related to her father parts of the family chain. He loves her but it wasn't plain yet. only her suspicions but her mother personality was not only what scares her and the shame attached to the outcome of her fantacies cause it was obviously a game she did not like to play. She needed to stop been too close to him, she couldn't bring herself to tell anyone. The one she could tell is wrapped up in his own web. "she sighed heavily" "Koko, what troubles you", jane asked, as she tries to get the words from her face. "Thank you, sister jane. she is been moody all morning", Mike threw in". "what would you expect a woman to think of eh?,- other than her chigum boyfriends"- Jacob angrily return... "Is she not our sister?..if that be the case, she could tell us who broke the glass so we could return the favor. After all, what worries her, worries us",. - Mike told Jacob while smiling at koko. "abegi, if she doesn't have anything else to do. let her climb a palmtree"- replied jacob. "Me... palmtree?, - exclaimed koko, asking with a stern face... "yes of course, climb and fall off. kuku finish the breaking of the glass heart. better off than giving us goose bops with your mood swings".- bethel join in. "I could make a broom stick out of you moron!!.- koko fired back at bethel. "Then a fierce argument occured and koko was punished by giving the task of taking the meal to her father and brother without eating hers yet". *Back in the farm* Ben sweat profusely as he thinks of ways to start up his pleas but made up his mind that if he was not brought to a consideration, He would have no choice but to take it as his own sacrifice for the family. He sat on the witted leafs, string off cautiously. Hoping he could get to him. "Papa...uhm I am greatly minded on a issue which I think you should consider and I have also thought out a solution",.- He said honestly while letting the words sink in. "What might that be?,- He decides to act like it never came into observation". "Papa, I am not your only son, I might be the first but i can't sit and watch my years go by while I can't make anything sensible out of it". "What is your solution, and the sensibility to it?- He responded calmly. "We are not having enough for ourselves because of how many we are. We are poor and work very hard everyday on a routine of waking up to farm, fetch fire wood and water on long distances. I had to stop schooling so others could attend. So did jane and koko but I am afraid not everyone would see the four walls of a classroom."- He added. "Why are you bothered?",- He asked with a stare of confusion. "(surprised) Are you even listening to me papa??"- He said sadly. "I am but only you haven't tell me about the solution you came up with". "After a few seconds on thoughts, clears throat..." "Papa, I want to go to Lagos. Probably to stay with mother brother so I could find a good job and support the family in anyway I can, if enough, I could bring others too". "Going to another man land?- He revolted, astonished. "I could be lucky if I work hard",- He added gently while trying not to sound irritated. "You have never been to anywhere aside calabar were you schooled. How do you know you could survive, You would be broken to a minimum space". "I don't understand what you mean by minimum space??, I am not going to prison, am I?. "Benjamin my boy, ( he slowly stood up, looking ahead of the varsity of the farm land) You could be trap in life in all kinds of way if you don't exercise patience enough to take a good step". "I should watch the situation go on and wait?...for how long? I am 20yrs old with no future ambition,father!!!!". "(He tries to see the reflection made by his past and the will to avoid the repetition strings in), You have to realise it before it becomes an ambition or you make a foolish move that could affect everyone and even your unborn generations". "Papa, all I have realise in this village is drinking garri 3times between meals". "Not my fault you eat heavy",- He added mockingly. "It would be your fault when I leave?.- He replied despicably. (Facing ben squarely) "To where??- asked angrily, Where now?? to Lagos? Have you thought deeply through before blabbering your corrupt tongue?? "Sighed deeply", I am only concerned and I thought you should be too". -He harshly responded. ("Flared up in a split seconds landed two hot slaps on the face of ben and said squarely looking at him") "I am your Father, what I say stands. You never going there because I don't see any reasons for you not to be patient ", - He stammers knowing he had wrongly reacted. "You been patient!, Where have it gotten you? - He murmurs as he leaves to paddle the farm. Meeting the eye of his sister, Hoping she wasn't witnessing that long, He hates to be in such scenery in her presence leaving his father wide agaped with a blow of words, knocks Him out. BECOME.... "Be a leader even when a member, Be a partaker and not a single asset. Be something out of everyone expectations, Be a meek fellow when all things ain't smooth. Be the one choice of no regrets!!.