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I.
Thunder crashed. Lightning flashed. She turned with hesitant casualness. Before lightning left the blackness of night gulping back the world around her, she had a glimpse of him ducking out of sight.
She clutched her bag in response to the realization that she was being tailed, increasing her steps. A second later found her running.
II.
She scissored through the wind, Continue reading
‘One man down. I repeat one man down. Requesting backup.’
From my sitting position, my back reclined on the kitchen counter acting as a makeshift cover, I stared at my partner, Sergeant Musa. His lifeless body laid spread-eagled on the floor, the blood seeping from his temple had began to morph into a bizarre halo around his head. Even in death Continue reading
People get killed by drunks everyday across the globe. But you died young and people don’t like that. Your grandma who had died of stroke was bitter when she saw you. She was crying, she couldn’t look at you – with your head that had become a big mass of squashed bone and flesh. The dead don’t bleed.
You wanted to cry. Continue reading
Mirror on the wall
look at me while
I tell you tomorrow
you want to know
who will it be
then search no more
I will be your guide.’
The ominous song woke Chidi from her sleep. It was 12 AM on the dot and the night was chilly and silent. Despite the cold, perspiration still Continue reading
They said the darkest hour comes right before dawn.
How fitting they called this place the Isle of Death’s Shadow. Not even the moisture dripping from gnarled branches of this cursed forest could quench the fire in his throat.
He shivered as he passed the poles displaying the disembodied heads Continue reading
They sauntered into the gloom of the desert cave. The blood splatters on the ground made him caress the dagger by his side. Whatever valuable this strange man had found, it certainly wasn’t worth Musa’s life. They found the box with the tarpaulin cover.
“It is there.” The man told Musa, his voice quavering Continue reading
“Blue or red wire?” I said into my com, the camera fixated on the explosive on the floor before me, transmitting the live images to Police HQ. The digital screen attached to the bomb glowed, the timer reduced as seconds ticked away. 40 seconds left.
…39…38…
“Cut the red wire.”
I stood outside Mike’s house, the cold harmattan air caressing my tear stained face. I was heartbroken. I had snuck out of the house, against my father’s “I don’t want to see your legs outside” to Mike’s house because I wanted to give him a little Christmas surprise.
I had gotten the surprise instead when I let myself into his house. I walked into Continue reading
After it is ascertained that Amauche Benson is still securely locked up in the psychiatric hospital at Yaba, naturally the police turn their attention to her twin sister, Chisom.
“Young lady, how do you now explain how that girl ended up in your kitchen then?” a policeman asks, tone brash, his eyes narrow with suspicion.
They are standing outside Chisom’s house; two policemen
Chisom staggers out of her house, almost falls and then grips the railing on her verandah.
Her head is swirling, thoughts jostling each other in her head, full of red stains and broken flesh and the vivid images throw a hook down into her stomach and try to pull up bile. She retches and clamps a hand over her mouth, careful not to look back at the door she has left open behind her, frantic to find something to anchor her to the moment. Continue reading
On The Dark Notes, every day is dark. In 2016, we have served you with heads on plates, guts in buckets, blood bathes, even dead gods. But we have decided to make Christmas stand out in the darkness. This December, the darkness will climax as we prepare to unleash uncensored horror on you. Continue reading
“Nigeria is a poultry. The masses are the hens, the government is the farmer. And we are all waiting for christmas.”
– Adeosun Adams Mercy
It was the eve of the presidential election, the night the General was declared winner. We were at Aso Rock, eating meat and dancing reggae. It was a buffet. Continue reading
There was no one in sight. From the hospital gate right to the wards.
“Hello” I shouted. I felt a chill as the echo returned.
Empty hospital beds, no nurses, no patients, why the hell was the hospital open. I was contemplating going to another hospital when I heard a baby’s cry. I traced the sound. Alone in the maternity ward was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen.
I sat by the bed and sang to the baby.
“Soft kitty,
Warm kitty,
Little ball of fur.
Happy kitty,
Sleepy kitty,
Purr Purr Purr”
I had learnt it from the ‘Big bang’ series but it was lovely enough and made the baby smile.
Two hours passed and I was still there. Engulfed in the ambience of the baby’s beauty and innocence.
Five hours passed. Six. Seven. My wife called but I didn’t pick up. Nothing else in the world was important.
Suddenly, the baby held my thumb and next thing, I was on the bed, watching a man in a black suit walk away with a grin. I couldn’t move. I tried to scream but only baby noises emanated my mouth.
I was there. Days and night. I couldn’t tell how long I waited.
One fateful day, I heard footsteps and then a “Is anybody here?” I cried out loudly immediately.
I watched a young lady walk up to me. “What a pity” I thought “This fine girl will have to be stuck here for a good while”
the dark notes 