“The miracle of nature, its secret, is the promise of abundance, the real physical emphasis that we are not alone. We are never empty.”- TJ Benson 1. I first knew that corpses could cry fifteen years ago when my father died. His body, having been at the Kenyatta National Hospital Mortuary for two weeks, should … Read more
It is customary in Benin culture to present your first earnings to your parents, who pray over it, share it amongst the family, and offer blessings to the pathway for future earnings. It’s a beautiful tradition every young adult looks forward to, as it signals the first step towards rewarding your parents for all the … Read more
PART ONE “That’s where you are?” she asked as she looked at the screen. At the Ngong Road – Ring Road Kilimani junction, buses and matatus encroached the oncoming lane, forcing the drivers to turn off at the prestige route in an attempt to avoid the frenzy. The shaky camera was annoying her, but it … Read more
Iyobosa woke up starving. A hunger that came with an itch, from his neck to deep in his gut. A hunger he couldn’t reach. There was nothing to eat in his one-room apartment. The pots clanged empty. The fridge offered nothing but melting ice. Iyobosa buttoned his shirt with sweaty fingers, glancing at the clock … Read more
It’s been more than a year since Issue 2, and what a time it has been. Since then, “Commensalism, or The Labyrinth’s Vessel,” from Issue V of the anthology, won the Ignyte Award for Outstanding Short Story. Two more of our stories were shortlisted for the Nommo Award for Best Short Story: “If Memory Serves” … Read more
èmi as in myself/me/i, èémí as in breath, ẹ̀mí as in life/spirit/soul I used to dream. Those were different years, younger years, far away years filled with yearning and hope and bitter bitter bitter loss. I used to dream of grand things: beaten paths that you could find unwinding themselves underneath a thicket, into lush … Read more
In those days, if a bird flew over Emuhaya it would not be long before they came upon the impressive canopy of the mystical Nganyi Forest. The forest, being the home of the First Rainmaker who gave to her descendants and the other inhabitants of the forest the sacred science of making rain, held supernatural … Read more