We are each of us angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing one another.  - Luciano De Crescenzo _____________________ “ Where is she?” I asked the moment he answered my call.   “Brad asked her to stay behind after the rehearsal.”   “And you left her and went home?” Rage ran through my veins.   “It’s not what you think. They went to pick up the costume after his mistress left. I saw them driving away and my car was bad so there was no way I could have gone after them on foot without blowing my cover. You know your sis is too smart...” I hated excuses and he was throwing flimsy ones at me. He had no reason for failing at his duty. I cursed profusely and nearly threw my phone against the fence where I had gone to make the call for fear of my mother overhearing my conversation. The thought of my sister driving off with that fool made my blood boil.  Tony would get his punishment later; I thought. Right now I needed to focus on my sister.   “So why is she not hom

"Weeping  may  endure  the  night  but joy comes in the morning.”  -Psalm 30:5. -------- Fresh tears seeped out of my swollen eyes and ran down my excreta designed face.  "God, please help me...." I murmured a silent prayer. ******* “Where did you say Dapper went to?”  I asked while flipping through the newspaper in my hands. I had been home for two hours and it was almost 2100 hours and there was still no sign of my kid sister.  “Where else if not that troupe."  My mother explained with a deep frown creasing her beautiful face. She was sitting across from me in our large and  tastefully  furnished living room. "Oh I totally forgot she is still with them."

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.” ―  Frank Zappa ___________________ I remember it was a moonless night and the route was darker than I had anticipated. Refusing to be bothered by the stillness and eerie shadows of the giant grasses swaying to the gentle breeze, I pulled out my phone from my denim pocket and turned on the flashlight to make out the fading foot path. Memories of my brother and I running home from school along that path filled my mind with nostalgia. Alex and I had great moments as kids. He was my brother, best friend and bodyguard. It was hard for him to leave the community when he had to take over the family business and other changes he preferred to keep to himself.   My foot caught against a lose stone,I lost my balance and caught myself before I could fall. It was all the Chairman's fault; I mumbled and blamed him for reneging on his myriad of campaign promises one of which was that he would transform the community and brighten

" Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness"  James Thurber ****** “I know what it looked like but...it-it’s not what you think. Mabby and I...” Mabby? He calls her Mabby?  I paused my battle with the chopsticks and looked up to meet his eyes . What I saw in them came as a surprise. The answers I had been seeking were laid bare in them. It felt like looking into his soul. It was not a casual fling and Brad would never let go of her.  I dropped my cutlery and pushed away from the table. Somehow, I didn’t want to engage in that conversation. It was none of my business and if I had magical powers, I would erase my entrance into that room earlier today. “I didn’t see anything earlier..." I lied and averted my gaze, "w hatever you do with your time is none of my business. I appreciate working with Mrs. Mabel and I am enjoying the experience with the troupe. I love being part of the team. I actually think this Chinese food is tasty but I

  “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ― Plato ******* Picking up his keys, he headed out of the rehearsal room. The moment I stepped out, he turned off the lights and locked the door. I followed his movement with my eyes and that was when I saw him in the eyes of all the drooling girls in the troupe for the first time. Brad definitely deserved a rank in the league of handsome men. His physique and rippling muscles which could not be concealed by his shirt revealed that he either was more than a card carrying member of one of the gyms in town or a dedicated sportsman. He had a compelling personality and friendly eyes. From his carefully groomed face and spotless fair skin, which I had seen severally during rehearsals whenever he showed off in any of his numerous sleeveless T-shirts, it was obvious he put in extra care into his appearance. My conclusion; Brad was previously and still a playboy who kn

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are" Chinese Proverb ********** She let out a low scream and scrambled up while attempting to cover her exposed skin with shaky hands. She was a mess and I had never seen her as disoriented as she was at that moment. She spurn away from the direction of the door, not once looking at me. Brad acting the gentleman stepped in front of her, obviously trying to shield her almost nude state from whoever had entered the room. He mustered some courage and looked in my direction. I could see relief wash over him as his eyes met mine. I fought the overwhelming feeling of disgust rushing through me as they toppled down the pedestal I had placed them on. “You asked for me... Sir?” My tone gave away my disgust. Never expect me to conceal my emotion when you are being a fool, it never works out; now you know.

  “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”  – Martin Luther King Jr. ***** T hey were oblivious of my presence as their unbridled passion and hunger for each other mounted with each passing minute. My mind went blank as I just gazed at a scene that would shame almost all the romantic movies I had ever seen. My dazed brain managed to run an on the spot statistics and yes, I had never witnessed two people go at each other like they were doing. With my limited experience, this was like being on the set of an adult movie; which is why I will save you the uncomfortable details. I was shocked to a point of immobility. 

“ Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” ― Mark Twain ****** Renowned for leading the team that won the Calabar carnival consecutively and also for winning individual awards as the queen of the carnival, Mabel was almost a regal figure. Eventually, she found love, got married, relocated and later returned home when her husband won the Chairmanship slot.  Brad, a soft footed investor, who was in the same troupe with her back in the days, got wind of her return and succeeded in convincing her to join forces with him to win this year’s award with his new troupe. As you already know; we are his new troupe. I heard he had a difficult time convincing her and we are still trying to guess how he did it, so don’t ask me how. “Mabel, we still have an appointment with the costumier. It’s almost 7pm.” 

  previously “We forget to live today when we keep fretting about tomorrow” Nikky ************** “Again!” Mabel shrieked. Exhausted was an understatement. Beads of perspiration ran down my face and underarms as I tried to catch my breath. The AC unit was obviously overworked as it was now making a weeping sound and spewing hot air.  I must confess that in all the twenty five years of my existence, I never knew wriggling my waist would someday be a dreadful chore. My feet felt sore as I tried to gauge the time. It should be 5pm, I guessed. My stomach rumbled as if it was scolding me for neglecting it again. In truth, my hunger had gotten to the level where I was beginning to perceive the aroma of my mother’s food. The taste was calling out to my poor, tired soul to come home and devour my share. I grunted and the other members of our troupe groaned and whispered as they stretched as if they could read my mind. On my part, I was tired of groaning. What use was it when it wasn’t getting M

Hello NIB family. So sorry for the long silence. Hectic schedule and life changes are drowning me but this story is dedicated to you all for being patient. While reading, ignore any typo errors. I will keep making changes to the story so always recap. Daily updates are not promised so pity me and be patient... Okay. Enjoy.  *********