Knife Edge

gold crest, with black ribbons tied to it. The ribbons signified to passersby that royal family was attending a burial. In this case, the burial of princess Enya, Amanda's sister. A blac

r usual spark. She stepped out of the vehicle with stylish composure, like her shoes were softening into the ground. Such methods of movement that made commoners believe princesses didn't walk but they levitated. Her natural curving figure showcased through her black gown, and cooperated with the b

man of average height, carryin

Amanda. You're mos

this, and for letting us use y

pastor." Am

r to serve the

nt wall. The piano — ting, ting, ting — floating in everyone's ears, inspired a churchy atmosphere. The compound was a clean combination of interloc

wers. The conversations were predictable as they were shameless. Like a tune Amanda had heard before, she had seen it many times, but it still made her sigh in silence. Fake condolences followed fake complements before a subtle appeal for royal favor. It was the effortless manner of relationship among

came." Amanda

g trip, you didn't have

stay long, but I had to come. Whe

a manner that dug up her inner annoyance into

nty Ose looked around the hall. "No decoration, no crowd, no nothing, almost like she wa

ed, as Aunty Ose held her han

ra—sorry, be st

their broken hearts were risked to the open, and her mom's neutral face was a mask to avoid the rumors. Anything relating to pri

through the middle, leading to the altar. The altar was a long table covered with white cloth, bearing a golden shiny cross on it

?" Queen Sh

da glanced

's hu

d backwards "

ous as his tie, hanging around his collar, like a spoilt dog leash, and his shirt had enough milky color to appear white. Disapproving eyes were on him from all directions. He embraced it and moved for

choir. A group of women wearing pulpit gowns. They held their hymn books and sang the melodies with pitch perfect voices. The songs were slow and whispered about death. The weight of th

rew bigger, while her mouth opened, on its own accord. She left and stayed quiet about it. It was her sister. A secret was not a big deal, until Enya's tentacles extended to King Shark's palace. There were no barriers. Enya's girlfriends were trooping in and out the palace at night, faster than official palace visitors. And then it happened. The thing about

d." One of the chiefs had uttered. His cultura

ng in the streets like thrash. The local villagers, paupers who would never see a princess's face in their lifetime, they insulted Enya and made fun of her. But Enya refused the shame and she fired back at them. Amanda wanted to stand with her sister. She wa

ait of Enya, fitted in a glass frame, was carried into the church by two guards.

everyone repeated after him, when it ended, they all sat

rs is requesting to tak

if Pastor Frank's words had esca

wish m

t and Amanda tur

ou really o

s fi

ned, as Rogers stood in front of them. Both of

n who cared much for his appearance. Enya had introduced him as her husband. Amanda had stared at him, like a man from another planet. How did a lesbian marry an actual Naija man? She had thought. Even back then, Rogers had red eyes. But standing at the podium, his e

ather farway, above everyone. "The first night I shared with Enya, as husband and wife, she told me, she was not a fan of masculine stick." He ceased talking and laughed in a dry manner. It sounded more like a wounded animal whimpering. "

runk man, or an intentional offload of his emptiness,

gs you people said about her. Some of you that said those things, some of you might be here today, attending her burial, based on whatever was in your mind against her. But all those things, don't concern me." He stared at the audience. "Because for me, Enya was a bird. The most beautiful bird

as some murmuring as he strolled out. The man who loved a lesbian woman. Amanda couldn

tough to admit her mom was dead right, because they had succumbed to the pressure. Telling themselves ban

anyone else, who would like to say a few words, about

her mom. "Mom."

er low. Underneath the veil, Amanda no

to say." Amanda sa

ood, she realized the challenge of saying so little, of someone you knew so much. It was like trying t

her wings and fly. All she wanted was to be free and I think that was always the problem. That those of us around her, could never really understand the depth of her desire for freedom. Or maybe, we just didn't know the kind of freedom she wan

Queen Shark, as she

yes. Afterwards, the royal relatives returned to flocking around Queen Shark, cr

*

d staring at the sky. The security guards were shifting glances his way, though he seemed to be unaware of everyone. Amanda watched him and bounced her

noticed her. Then he raised his

ss." He

u said about Enya, was really nice. I was

said m

or would pass as quality humor for her teenage self. But th

u were, and how much you cared for her. She really

oved

Amanda take a deep b

officer at tracking a person's movement. I

ng the man that killed my wife, and making sure he

sted in what she could change. But Rogers had such a detached gaze, that killed every urge in her to speak further. She left w