Outcast

they were rubbing her shoulder, trying to console her. There were a lot of people sitting with a moody face. Mama Nnukwu sat under the orange tree in front of our compoun

I wanted to ask what happened but words stuck in my throat. I sat down in front of Mama. My eyes caught up with Mama Ebuka's own as I looked up. Her eyeballs looked clogged with water. I continued staring, she removed her face

's palace will not be lost", Mama said. I stared into

this? Where is Papa?", the words flew

her friends s

understand the gravity of death. I stared at Mama Nnukwu sitting outside and lo

**************

Mama as people trooped to where we sat to greet her. Some were saying, Mama Obiefuna, take heart, God will grant you the fortitude to bear. You will be fine. God is the giver and receiver. I wished they would stop calling my name. A man in a red chieftaincy cap came to greet Mama. He didn't stop emphasizing to me that I would soon join the u

I'm seeing you

muttered with m

d he is being buried. Accep

he screamed, "Run". I looked back and we both ran inside the compound. The MC

It has the mouth of a vulture and always comes when a core member of it dies. Ifenyiwa looked at me and said, "Mrs. Okonkwo discussed it with us in our Igbo textbook. The masquerade that comes from the ant hole when an egg is broken on it and palm frond is used

ntelligence. Ifenyinwa and I were best of friends. We became closer as time went by. She always cajoled me to do daring stuff a

at I liked doing "I too know" because most times I knew the answers to questions they didn't know. I once overheard her telling her clique and some guys that I was an Ogbanje. She told them my story and said they should be avoiding me. I w

I was walking home with Ifenyinwa. Most

ately, we saw Adaeze coming towards us with two of her friends. She stopped us. Since Adaeze said she di

t ready for me to know about. Ifenyinwa concurred to listen to them. They were her senior and she was just eight years old, but had wisdom more than her age. She once lived in Awka. She told me to wait

scurried away. My eyes started soaking with water. I tried to concea

crying?", Ife

and we continued walking home. It was unusual, Ifenyinwa who used to be inquisitive n

an", she asked. Her face looked exhausted. S

know", I

e are friends",

d took to my heel. I didn't look back,

ping. My sister Nwakaego was playing on the floor. I looked around and didn't see Mama and I quickly ran into the sitting room.

heard Mama's voice around the doormat. She entered the sitting room and dropped

a word, Mama asked again, "Tell me fast because I'm not in

verybody that I'm an

at her face, I could tell

dy knows and I'm sure she will

are not an Ogbanje. You are a child of the most high". She imme

t foolish hag

g?", Mama Nn

n't want to respect herself", Mama